Tennessee adding a 10% talent fee on all football tickets

[socalfrogdad]

It will be interesting to follow the economics of this new era of college football. There seems to be a great arrogance on the part of many here that believe that most will follow it to any place it may go, however, the reality is that they distance themselves further and further of the connection that we all have to one university or the other. I was in the band and graduated from USC and my son played football at TCU. I had a great passion for both, however, I find myself at a crossroads as I can enjoy the NFL product which is superior and also trying to understand what college football will now have to do with the colleges exactly? I think the 30-40 teams where their fanbases have little to do besides this will become the core of it's future. I myself, would rather just hang out at the beach on Saturday's and watch the real pros on Sunday's.

 

[Horned Frog Country]

Why exactly is college football better to watch than NFL football?

NFL players are much better, the games are far more competitive, the players play just as hard, the officiating is better, the games move along much faster, etc etc etc. I guess it's just the because the players jerseys don't have the name of the school you went to 40 years ago stitched onto them?

I like watching football, and the NFL is a far superior product in my opinion.

Except for the new stupid kickoff rule, the only thing college football has on the NFL is the fact that fans still own the team. On the other hand, almost all of the NFL teams are privately owned by people like Jerry Jones.

 

[Wexahu]

Season tickets have been profitable for resellers since joining the Big 12, meaning you could sell every game on StubHub and be up at the end of the year overall. Maybe you could find them cheaper day of though, but overall if you were going to each game it was cheaper than buying individually on StubHub.

Granted, that was when we were guaranteed a home game against OU or Texas each year. Not sure about this year.

I wouldn't think this is true when you factor in all the expense of buying season tickets, but maybe it is. I just know for 80% of the games you can get a VERY good seat for $75, and most of the time less than that.

 

[Frog Attack II]

To be honest, my passion started dying with the +4 fiasco. The only thing that kept me massively engaged were the good years with Boykin later in his career. Things slowly starting easing off after that. Even in '22, we watched more at home than in the stadium. We did go to Fiesta Bowl though.

A lot of things I miss as I get older... Actually hearing the band during the game, being able to hear myself think, not worrying about having a heart stroke because of TV times when it's hot as hell and the commercials double the time at the stadium, having at least an inkling that maybe some of these kids care about TCU and go to class, etc. There are likely some that care, but I fear most are like Zach Evans now.

I'm probably just jaded though.... But things have certainly chg'd... And not in a good way IMO.

 

[Sangria Wine]

We gave up our season tickets about 5 years ago after around 30 years of having tickets. The time and capital commitment versus the fun and enjoyment just stopped being in alignment for me. Most of what’s already been said…lack of traditional college football atmosphere, corporate level control, nonstop advertising, total congestion, relocation after the +4 crapola, etc.

I just found being at the lake, watching on TV or better yet listening to Estridge call the game on the radio simply put us way more enjoyable. And I truly loved and looked forward to college football season and attending games for most of my life. Maybe there are plenty to replace the people like us who have left. Maybe not and the sport will have a major reset. I don’t really care one way or the other. I will keep watching and remain a follower and fan, but I won’t invest much of my most valuable resource (TIME) on what the sport has become.

 

[HG73]

I'm giving mine up next year. Had them for 50 years. I'm 73 now and have no problem getting up the ramp to my seat. But the drive from Heath takes longer every year. Just a few years ago it still took just an hour each way. Now it takes anywhere up to 2 hours.

 

[LVH]

I'm probably just jaded though.... But things have certainly chg'd... And not in a good way IMO.

The TV networks have too much control. They seem to think its most important to appeal to Tony from the Bronx who only follows pro sports instead of the core college football fan. Hence, stupid nonsensical mega conferences, NIL and transfer portal, and the killing of regional rivalries

Same exact mistakes NASCAR made. They gave the middle finger to their core southern fanbase to chase the mythical educated Northeast/West Coast fan and now they have neither.

 

[Wexahu]

The TV networks have too much control. They seem to think its most important to appeal to Tony from the Bronx who only follows pro sports instead of the core college football fan. Hence, stupid nonsensical mega conferences, NIL and transfer portal, and the killing of regional rivalries

Same exact mistakes NASCAR made. They gave the middle finger to their core southern fanbase to chase the mythical educated Northeast/West Coast fan and now they have neither.Speaking of Nascar, it's popularity

I agree with all of this, and speaking of NASCAR, it's popularity began a steady, steep decline almost the moment they instituted their "playoff" system, that was designed to keep more drivers in the running for the championship for longer. Sound familiar? Playoffs began in 2004, popularity (TV viewership) peaked in 2005, and has been cratering since to the point where hardly anyone watches it anymore. hmmmm.

 

[LVH]

I agree with all of this, and speaking of NASCAR, it's popularity began a steady, steep decline almost the moment they instituted their "playoff" system, that was designed to keep more drivers in the running for the championship for longer. Sound familiar? Playoffs began in 2004, popularity (TV viewership) peaked in 2005, and has been cratering since to the point where hardly anyone watches it anymore. hmmmm.

I was never a big fan of the BCS, but the BCS would have never been necessary if college football just stuck to its roots - regional conferences without the egos. But the egos of programs like Texas got too big because they felt they were "above" a regional conference. Hence why more emphasis was placed on a national champion instead of winning your conference.

 

[Horned Frog Country]

I was never a big fan of the BCS, but the BCS would have never been necessary if college football just stuck to its roots - regional conferences without the egos. But the egos of programs like Texas got too big because they felt they were "above" a regional conference. Hence why more emphasis was placed on a national champion instead of winning your conference.

It really all started from when the Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA was a monopoly and that TV contracts needed to be negotiated by schools like OU and Georgia rather than the NCAA. If the political class in Washington had given the NCAA and antitrust trust exemption, we probably would still have regional conferences that are much smaller with meaningful rivalries rather than the giant conferences where everyone does not get to play everyone.

 

[ShadowFrog]

Mrs. Brewingfrog and I have looked very carefully at this, and are close to calling it quits for the simple reason that going to games isn't fun anymore. I quit going to Pro events decades ago, and I don't even watch the garbage that is the NFL on TV anymore. I will put up with College Football on TV, barely, but this is because I still love the sport. I can always mute or FF through the ever increasing commercials and other assorted garbage they lard up the broadcasts with and still enjoy the actual game.

The TCU "Game Experience" has become beyond tedious and tiresome. The worst aspect is the crap played between every play, which robs the spectators of the possibility of commenting to each other about anything, and sonically beats you into submission. I have gone from, "I will put up with this because I want to watch the game" to, "I am paying for this? Why? I can stay home, watch the game, and not have to put up with this crap blasting in my ears." I always know when the ball is snapped, because it's quiet.

So, this may be it for the old Brewingfrog. Good job, TCU Marketing and GameDay Production, you've driven away a 37-years loyal fan. Two of them, in fact.

BF & FrogAbroad = many valid points I agree with.

My only added suggestion: TCU pick 1 game per season, preferably a night kick, probably Family weekend, and turn OFF the mind-numbing night club constant barrage of NOISE between every play. Let the bands play when they want, cheerleaders can toss the t-shirt cannon WITHOUT constant sound whipping and the free taco coupon to seat # 456,743 in section d-2001.

Just 1 game per season.

Please.

Now, that said, I am no check-writer so this radical idea will take 5 years to get thru committee ad nauseum.