Why are fans going to stop attending games and stop buying merchandise if we get rid of the bowl games and have a legit playoff?
Why do you care about bowls? That they exist or players play in them.
There is no "I" in Team
- Thread starter IndianaNittanyLion
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Why do you care about bowls? That they exist or players play in them.
Your post certain provides pause to reflect on something. Those very fans who buy season tickets, pay ridiculous prices for everything additional related to the "privilege" of securing those seats, plus pay equally ridiculous prices for everything else related to the cost of travelling to those games aren't complete idiots. They have shown their allegiance to the players and the program by supporting the team and filling those seats year after year --- is it too much to ask the same attitude from our players toward them? Or is that just "so 20th century". I think the distain many fans have for much of what is going on in college football today might turn out to be stronger than some seem to believe. Penn State lead the nation in opt outs this bowl season. If that meant that we simply had more early round NFL draft picks than other teams, then we shouldn't have been 7 - 5. I do think of it as a concern, not an "end of the world as we know it" moment --- but a concern.
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Thank you. --- a point I just made in response to a similar post. I think the paying public ARE a part of the picture and I'd like to see someone recognize that maybe, just maybe, our loyalty deserves some recognition and support.
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The fans (customers) pay for everything. The coaches salaries, the facilities, transportation, living accommodations, entertainment, education, etc. What about them?
But you want that support to be them playing in a bowl game when we're 7-5 and it doesn't matter if we win or lose out of loyalty to the fans instead of preparing for their future? We can pretend the kids are being selfish but that's selfish by the fans.
While I agree, we have the ultimate choice on being fans. If we’re not satisfied, we can voice our displeasure with our wallets.
You're talking about Brent Pry with this comment, right? The same coach that sat in these kids living rooms and told their parents that he would take care of them and help them reach their goals? The same Coach Pry that bailed for another gig for $4.5 million a year and left the kids high and dry with no DC for the bowl game? But the kids are the ones who aren't loyal. GTHOOH with that nonsense.
Also, the SC head coach did not allow those players that opted out make the bowl trip.
I don't disagree with your statements. I did, however, want to show that there are still exceptions.
You would bankrupt college football in a couple years with that attitude. Just look at the deficits in athletic programs from one year of no fans. Who the hell do you think pays the bills? The damn magical football fairy?
Try not getting donations to building new or remodeling facilities. Where does that money come from?
But hey, let's ask the fans to pay money and take the time to go to games and donate on top of that, then give them a giant middle finger.
I think the most legit argument for fans disappointment/anger is what someone already mentioned in one of the threads.
Penn State’s bowl game is announced. Fans buy tix, airfare, etc. only to find out later that key players are opting out, significantly impacting team’s chances of winning. It is not really fair to fans. If trend continues, expect that more fans will wait before committing to spending money to go to bowl game.
Is what it is.
Penn State’s bowl game is announced. Fans buy tix, airfare, etc. only to find out later that key players are opting out, significantly impacting team’s chances of winning. It is not really fair to fans. If trend continues, expect that more fans will wait before committing to spending money to go to bowl game.
Is what it is.
For many self-absorbed athletes (and others so privileged), their response to "There is no I in Team," is "But there is a ME and the rest is just T&A".
I just find it amazing that for a thing that people complain non stop about "there being too many of and 75% of them are dumb and who cares about them?" many of those same people complain about when the players take the same attitude that a large swath of sports fans have been saying for years.
Guess what happens after you have 20+ish years straight of sports fans complaining about "there are too many bowls, if you have 3+ losses you shouldn't get to go"? The players who grow up in a world with that echo chamber also share that opinion.
Guess what happens after you have 20+ish years straight of sports fans complaining about "there are too many bowls, if you have 3+ losses you shouldn't get to go"? The players who grow up in a world with that echo chamber also share that opinion.
Other side of the coin, many self absorbed sports fans think that their paying attention to a sport or spending money on the sport should mean the players jump when told to jump.
You're not being consistent here. Yes it's a business which is exactly why they aren't getting rid of bowl games. They make tons of money on these games which is why they are creating new ones so that we can get every eligible team into one.
It's only a matter of time until players start to opt out of playoff games. Even if they keep it at 4, opt outs will begin to happen.
I don't like what's happening to bowl games but I also don't want an expanded playoff. What's the point when you already can't get 4 worthwhile teams into one?
It's not a given that an expanded playoff gets you fewer opt outs - you might get more. Say you get an 8 team playoff and the 8 seed has a really good QB but no chance of beating Bama. Why would that kid play? They could catch lightning in a bottle and beat Bama but the odds of winning two more games against better competition aren't good so it's not worth it when kids have millions of dollars on the line.
I agree; the sense of entitlement goes both ways. As you said, there are two sides to the coin.
Agreed bowl games or not there are going to be opt outs. Might be less with an expanded playoff but there needs to be some kind of accountability for taking thousands of dollars in scholarship money and then purposefully not playing. I get not wanting to risk injury I truly do but the fans are the cash cow $$$. If too many or alienated the business and the corresponding salaries suffer. Complex, complicated issue but all stakeholders need consideration.
How isn't it consistent? There's more money in an expanded playoff than the bowl games
We disagree. The kids won't opt out of a playoff game. And it's tougher for Bama/Georgia to win a title by winning 4 games as opposed to having a month to prepare for the first one then a second game.
Who said 8? It should be at least 16 and probably 24. And, yes, kids will play a meaningful game with a chance to win a title vs a game that is irrelevant that most coaches let them attend and get the swag without playing.
The Playoff actually matters. Bowl games mean nothing. Absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.
It wasn't an exhibition game. That attitude is what is dooming this once proud program. I got news for you all next season and every season after that is one big exhibition season because we ain't going to the playoffs so why bother, right? Maybe we just wait until we have our annual O$U loss then call it an exhibition season. This attitude that games don't matter is a joke but that is the attitude with this program so let's not hide it but address the elephant in the room. With our coaching and passion void players we ain't ever smelling a playoff so why play anything? Let's just let the best recruits just train for their NFL job and the others can skip football, play intramural ball.
When you are a competitor with love for your teammates and team every game matters.
It's just a guess if players will or won't opt out of an expanded playoff. You can make the playoff as large as you want. No more than 2 or 3 teams have a realistic chance to win so you're still left with the same number of games that mean nothing.
Here's an argument along your same lines against expanded playoffs:
Why would the 16 seed want to play the 1 and get blown out? In the old system they were matched with a team with similar skill and record and had a reasonable chance to win.
You'd have to give byes or else do some sort of a hybrid where conference championship games are a part of the playoff. Otherwise the top teams end up playing too many games.
I'm sorry but you're wrong. It's a meaningless game. It's simply a reward for a decent season. Losing that game has zero impact on the program. Losing 5 regular seasons games and being closer to Maryland than the top 3 right now is the issue.
Pretend they won the bowl game...how does that change anything?
Honestly, the game has changed and while we can hate it (see the portal) pretending bowls are anything more than an exhibition game is our fault
Oh please…every game has risk…life has risk…every game Mississippi plays is “meaningless”…Corral could have stopped playing at any time his agent said there was enough film on him…either you want to play football or not.
We shall see
We shall see if it matters or not. There were quite a few kids on the fence who chose us over arkansas. We lose ONE guy because we got manhandled/steamrolled/bfduta then it was a HUUUUGE mistake. Lose no one? Then who gives a crap?
I get your point BUT if the fans say FU to the team and program and abandon ship... good fing luck.
And it's coming.
Sorry.. if no one cares and 107,000 becomes 75000 and people stop buying jerseys and wanting their kids to attend dear old state (as so many who admired Joe did)... good luck. Say goodbye to sandy baby for me (puhleeze, someone say fing goodbye to that horror show).
I'm fascinated with the teeny boppers who joined up in 2021 who have no idea what JoePa meant to this program (why there even IS a program in the first place) trying to convince the nation that they know the way when they couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag. Literally. Real psu fans were raised on blood, sweat, and broken fingers/knuckles because that is what we did, who we were, and always will be. Today's bunch of prima donnas are sad to watch. Fans of these wannabes, even more so.
I will gladly lose to to a team of coddled superfreaks with a bunch of mud/spit in your eye hard assed buttkickers who make those freaks pay the price, than with a team of memememe types who think they are a ton better than ever will be close to becoming... and lose by a few points less.
One earns respect, the other earns... gtfoh as fast as possible.
This program used to stand for something.. all it does now is kneel.
The players don't owe anyone anything. They played the season and sat out an exhibition game. I don't understand why people are so upset about this or frustrated by it. This wasn't a playoff game. It was literally a reward for a mediocre season. Hopefully the bowls cease to exist and they expand the playoff so no one wastes money on them.
When a player "opts out" it means you play someone who likely isn't ready and maybe that kid gets injured as a result.
Is that ok? I don't think so but what i hear is it's cool.. after all, he wasn't gonna be a big deal anyway, so who cares?
If that is the program we've become, maybe it isn't surprising we're turning the tv off with 5 minutes left in a 2 score game. We've left the building. Not what we used to be but sadly who we've become.
Somebody recruit me some MEN who want to beat the shit out of the other team and have the ability to do so (or die trying). I'll rally behind those f*ckers anyday.... as we did under BoB. I enjoy watching our talented athletes play fussball... but i miss real men playing for keeps.
Ok.. how many players REALLY come here to get to the next level? 5%? Maybe 20% because they were lied to... but for the most part, 5%.
When a player "opts out" it means you play someone who likely isn't ready and maybe that kid gets injured as a result.
Is that ok? I don't think so but what i hear is it's cool.. after all, he wasn't gonna be a big deal anyway, so who cares?
If that is the program we've become, maybe it isn't surprising we're turning the tv off with 5 minutes left in a 2 score game. We've left the building. Not what we used to be but sadly who we've become.
Somebody recruit me some MEN who want to beat the shit out of the other team and have the ability to do so (or die trying). I'll rally behind those f*ckers anyday.... as we did under BoB. I enjoy watching our talented athletes play fussball... but i miss real men playing for keeps.
You're a tough one for me because I think you make sound arguments that I sometimes partially -- sometimes fully -- agree with... but on this much we agree... expand the playoffs (and kindly keep 5-7 teams at home eating donuts where they belong lol).
Please keep sharing your views... reasoned and well thought out so always worth considering. Even if i'm not always on your side, I appreciate the view.
I was more concerned with the prep and play of those that showed up, including the coaches. This staff and team seems to not use the time they have, be it an off week during the season or a month prior to a bowl to get BETTER.
Do people not understand that the meaninglessness of bowls these days are a direct result of adding more bowls to schedule by executives, who get this.....did it to make more money!
In 1986 there were 18 bowl games, in 2020 there 41 bowl games.
If you want to know why the vast majority of bowl games don't mean anything, don't ask the players, ask the people artificially creating them for profit.
But the kids got a playstation and backpack to carry it in. Hahahahaha, what a joke.
The lack of meaning in bowl games has nothing to do with kids and everything to do with executives creating them who could give a rats a$$. College football generates more than 4 billion dollars in revenue, why are people so upset that players can now get a piece of the action?
In 1986 there were 18 bowl games, in 2020 there 41 bowl games.
If you want to know why the vast majority of bowl games don't mean anything, don't ask the players, ask the people artificially creating them for profit.
But the kids got a playstation and backpack to carry it in. Hahahahaha, what a joke.
The lack of meaning in bowl games has nothing to do with kids and everything to do with executives creating them who could give a rats a$$. College football generates more than 4 billion dollars in revenue, why are people so upset that players can now get a piece of the action?
There are 37 bowl games this year, and as with any thing or product the more supply the less the value. You can thank capitalism for a lot of things, specifically the devaluation of bowl games and opt outs. Supply and demand strikes again.
Then you can look at the regular season once we (and any team) are eliminated from the playoff as meaningless. At that point why would a regular season game mean something if we are playing for a meaningless bowl? Is the Rose Bowl now rendered meaningless?
Finally, when you go suit up and compete it means something. There is pride and momentum for the off season. Nevertheless I get the bigger point but you then have to relent and agree that most of the regular season is meaningless once the playoff is out of reach. Heck, why should any team say outside the top 15 even bother to play at all every season?
