#1 ·
I was watching some clips from the recent media days, and it feels like we’re drifting further away from what made college athletics special in the first place. It used to be about geography, local rivalries, and that sense of identity you had with your neighbors. Now, it feels like everything is being treated like a corporate merger or a massive media rights negotiation.
It’s getting harder to root for a team when the schedule looks like a spreadsheet designed by a marketing firm rather than a traditional sports calendar. I remember being a kid and the intensity of a conference matchup that felt like a clash of cultures. Now, it’s all about which network has the highest viewership numbers and which "powerhouse" can command the biggest check. If the big players just keep consolidating to chase those TV deals, what happens to the smaller programs or the traditions that actually built these fanbases?
Do you think there’s any way to bring back the regional feel of sports, or is the era of the mega-conference just inevitable at this point?
It’s getting harder to root for a team when the schedule looks like a spreadsheet designed by a marketing firm rather than a traditional sports calendar. I remember being a kid and the intensity of a conference matchup that felt like a clash of cultures. Now, it’s all about which network has the highest viewership numbers and which "powerhouse" can command the biggest check. If the big players just keep consolidating to chase those TV deals, what happens to the smaller programs or the traditions that actually built these fanbases?
Do you think there’s any way to bring back the regional feel of sports, or is the era of the mega-conference just inevitable at this point?