When and why did they decrease the amount of Conference games

[The Authority]

I was going back looking at old schedules trying to figure out when I went to my first Buckeye game (it was 1983 vs. Oregon, guess who won?) and realized that we played 9 conference games back then.

Maybe the answer is common knowledge but it seems strange that they added a game to make a 12 game schedule but at some point decreased the amount of conference games.

Why?

 

[Lance Armstrong]

I think when conferences went to 12 teams, it just made sense to play 5 division games, then 3(half) of the other division. With these lame 14 team conferences they need to go back to 9.

 

[WhiteMamba]

9 is the only way to go.

 

[outofyourmind]

Why would any big time program want to go play 9 conference games instead of 8??
That effectively eliminates 5 home games a decade and the money that goes with it.
WTF would they do that for?

 

[Olyduck]

has nothing to do with the divisions. Big Ten changed in the mid 80s. not sure why.

 

[Oney]

I'm not sure, but I want to say it was done in a push to add ND so they could keep their rivalries outside the Big 10.

 

[4down20]

9 is the only way to go.

9 is too many.

They need more OOC games because it creates links between the conferences which helps accurately gauge conference and team strength.

FCS games need to go.

 

[Codaxx]

Short answer is money. 12 games. 8 conference games means you can have 8 home games. 9 means 7 one yr and 8 the next. Secondly, whats the difference? Take the SEC, you play 6 in division and 2 out of division. Not like the extra game evens much out, you still are playign less than half of the opposing division. You could say 13 conference games make sense, than each team plays each other. You could argue 6 makes more sense than 8 or 9. Mandate the 6 division games and do what you like on the other 6. They can be out of division in conference or simple OOC, but they dont count for conference standings. Anything above 6 and below 13 is just random and prone to imbalances.

 

[963BUSC]

I was going back looking at old schedules trying to figure out when I went to my first Buckeye game (it was 1983 vs. Oregon, guess who won?) and realized that we played 9 conference games back then.

Maybe the answer is common knowledge but it seems strange that they added a game to make a 12 game schedule but at some point decreased the amount of conference games.

Why?

Not sure about the Big Ten but back in 1983 I think the Pac was only playing 7 conference games. I only see 7 conference games for Oregon that year, they missed USC, and ASU. In 1984 the Pac increased to 8 games and then a few years back they moved it up to 9.

 

[The Authority]

Why would any big time program want to go play 9 conference games instead of 8??
That effectively eliminates 5 home games a decade and the money that goes with it.
WTF would they do that for?

So you don't think they could work it out so that every team still had the same number of home games every decade?

Something tells me this could be figured out.

All you are doing is eliminating a non conference game which most teams switch home and away every year anyway.

 

[The Authority]

9 is too many.

They need more OOC games because it creates links between the conferences which helps accurately gauge conference and team strength.

FCS games need to go.

This is a good point.

 

[The Crimson King]

SEC played 6 back then

 

[WizardHawk]

9 is too many.

They need more OOC games because it creates links between the conferences which helps accurately gauge conference and team strength.

FCS games need to go.

That would be great if the teams playing 8 conf games played more than one half way decent OOC, but how many of them are? Most are adding more cupcakes to pad their wallets with extra easy win home games. The fans are getting screwed with more useless games we have to pay full price for in order to get the games we want.

I'd much rather have 9 conf games and reduce the fluff. I don't want to pay to see 3 shitty home games every year.

 

[outofyourmind]

So you don't think they could work it out so that every team still had the same number of home games every decade?

Something tells me this could be figured out.

All you are doing is eliminating a non conference game which most teams switch home and away every year anyway.

I said Big Time Programs.
Most already do a home/home with another team.
The extra non conference game lets them pull in a cupcake for a home game, for the money. The big programs will fill up their stadiums no matter who that is.
You cant have the same number of home games when that game is a conference game. Half the time it's an away game.

Not saying it's right or wrong, but why would a program sacrifice 5 home games a decade?? That's probably in the range of $80million dollars, or and extra $8million dollars a year.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

I said Big Time Programs.
Most already do a home/home with another team.
The extra non conference game lets them pull in a cupcake for a home game, for the money. The big programs will fill up their stadiums no matter who that is.
You cant have the same number of home games when that game is a conference game. Half the time it's an away game.

Not saying it's right or wrong, but why would a program sacrifice 5 home games a decade?? That's probably in the range of $80million dollars, or and extra $8million dollars a year.

Better games = better TV contracts, better attendance.

Some schools will sellout regardless, but attendance at CFB games is on a downturn.

 

[ckhokie]

They need more OOC games because it creates links between the conferences which helps accurately gauge conference and team strength.

But if every team in the SEC plays Louisiana-Monroe, what is that helping gauge?

 

[trojanfan12]

But if every team in the SEC plays Louisiana-Monroe, what is that helping gauge?

Whoever beats them by the most is the obviously the best team in the SEC and therefore, the best team in the country. DUH!!

 

[4down20]

That would be great if the teams playing 8 conf games played more than one half way decent OOC, but how many of them are? Most are adding more cupcakes to pad their wallets with extra easy win home games. The fans are getting screwed with more useless games we have to pay full price for in order to get the games we want.

I'd much rather have 9 conf games and reduce the fluff. I don't want to pay to see 3 shitty home games every year.

I never understood why people think adding a 9th conference game is somehow going to make the OOC schedule better.

I don't like the FCS game, but it won't be the game that goes away if you add a 9th conference game. They still have FCS games in the Pac12 even with 9 conference games.

It doesn't reduce the fluff at all.

 

[4down20]

But if every team in the SEC plays Louisiana-Monroe, what is that helping gauge?

It helps. Multiple links get weaker, but with enough links between teams patterns form.

 

[WizardHawk]

I never understood why people think adding a 9th conference game is somehow going to make the OOC schedule better.

I don't like the FCS game, but it won't be the game that goes away if you add a 9th conference game. They still have FCS games in the Pac12 even with 9 conference games.

It doesn't reduce the fluff at all.

Um, we do have 9 conf games already. I was saying if we went down to 8 the added game wouldn't be against a big program. 100% sure it would be another fluff game. The SEC has proven well that you do not need to play more than one decent OOC game and the Pac teams normally already do that. So dropping a conf game would for sure reduce the quality of the game that replaces it.