College Football Needs To Look Out For Their Fans, Continue Embracing Spring Games During Expensive Times

We are in the middle of a massive change to college football, with the transfer portal, revenue sharing and the postseason playing a key part in the ever changing landscape of the sport. But, there is one aspect of this conversation that is continuing to garner attention, and that is the traditional spring game. 

As we watch ticket prices continue to rise, mostly to pay for the upcoming changes to how schools will be paying their athletes, along with renovations to stadiums and facilities, the sport cannot forget about the fans that help the sport grow on a yearly basis. 

And, one of those aspects of college football that has turned into a point of discussion has been whether to hold games for teams on campuses, which in the past has signaled the end to spring practice for football teams. 

One of the lingering questions regarding these games is how much they benefit the football team as a whole. While that is certainly a reasonable question to ask, we’re starting to lose focus on the fans that pack these massive stadiums during the fall, which is going to hurt the average fan that can’t afford to spend the money needed to attend a game from September through December. 

For many families, loading up the car and traveling to their favorite schools campus for a day of football in the spring is the most affordable way for them to get a glimpse of their favorite team and players. Gone are the days that a family working on a budget can afford to attend a game in the fall, as ticket prices increase and hotels become much more expensive. 

Let me know what you think, email me at Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com

So, the idea of putting on a game for the fans has long been a tradition that allows a family to afford the ability to sit in the stands of the team they root for and experience the traditions that have carried the sport for so many years. Right now, we are at a crossroads, somewhere between coaches moving toward an NFL-like approach and teams not wanting to give other schools the opportunity to get a look at players they may go after in the transfer portal. 

I’m sorry, but the whole transfer portal excuse is out of touch with reality. Sure, there are certain players on rosters right now that will shine during spring practice, opening up an opportunity to put themselves on the market for a bigger payday if they have others coming after them with more money or playing time. 

“The word ‘tampering’ doesn’t exist anymore. It’s just an absolute free open common market. I don’t necessarily want to open up to the outside world and have people watch our guys and say, ‘He looks like a pretty good player. Let’s go get him,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said about canceling its spring game. 

Let me know what you think, email me at Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com

Don’t Believe Everything. Dabo Swinney Is Right About Tampering

But to think that holding a spring game is going to prevent other teams from poaching players, or at least trying, is really just an excuse. I can promise you that scouts across the country know about these players that could help their team in the future, and one ‘game’, more so a glorified practice, is not going to stop an opposing coach from coming after a wide receiver that shows potential. 

Are we really buying that because that athlete is showcased on ESPN or FOX during the spring is the first time an opposing team has heard about what they’ve done during practice? Save that, as there are enough ‘agents’ out there that can get hold of practice footage to shop their clients to the highest bidder. 

On Monday, Oklahoma moved away from a traditional Spring game. The Sooners now join Nebraska, USC, Ohio State, Texas and plenty of others, with more to come. 

There are recruiting departments all across college football that are looking at what’s going on at other schools, and which players are standing out. 

Don’t let these colleges fool you with this excuse, because it’s worthless. 

“Whether you have a spring game or not, there’s going to be tampering. That’s called PFF — they’ve got everything on everybody already. Canceling the spring game isn’t going to stop tampering — we’re going to need a lot more help than that. Hopefully at some point that’ll happen,” Clemson’s Dabo Swinney said on Monday. 

Yes, Dabo is right about this situation. These schools are already holding scrimmages during spring practice, usually twice during the 15- day practice period. So to think that one game on television is going to lead to opposing teams scrambling to poach a player is just a lot of talk. 

Some Schools Aren’t Broadcasting College Spring Games

While we saw Colorado hold its spring game on FOX when Deion Sanders first took the coaching job, and schools in the past use the game as a way to market their program like Alabama and plenty of others have done over the last decade, the reality of not broadcasting games on television is a way to prevent opposing schools from getting a look at their talent. 

Just last year, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin decided to turn the school’s television time into a fun atmosphere that included a hot dog eating contest that included Joey Chestnut. But, there are some schools that have decided not to broadcast their events in any way, which includes Alabama, which will have a ‘modified’ spring game, which is yet to be detailed. 

Not putting your showcase on national television is a way to prevent opposing teams from getting a look at players on a roster. If anything, this would be the way to go, not canceling the game itself, but not putting it on ESPN. While this would not prevent other schools from finding out who performed well, I guess we could call this another safeguard for coaches. 

Sure, do this, but don’t take away the one opportunity for families across the country to have an experience with their kids. 

We are obviously reaching a point where changes will continue to occur in the sport, but some of the reasons behind these decisions are really going to hurt the average fan. 

While it might not mean much to some, it sure means a lot for the fans looking to experience a college football environment in an affordable fashion. 

Let me know what you think, email me at Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com

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