Interesting article in USA Today about bowl games. It said CMU's Monday bowl game last year was the lowest rated bowl with about 800,000 viewers, but it still beat the average viewership of ESPN's Wednesday Night Baseball by about 160,000 viewers.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2017/12/12/ho... /

I'm continually baffled by the TV ratings that bowl games, and the substandard NFL games get (think Browns games when they play bad teams). Its bad sports viewing, and yet people watch by the ton. To me, it's like watching the worst of reality TV for a sports viewer.

I don't watch the Browns unless they play the Bengals, and even then it's a reach to watch the two teams play. It's not compelling for me anymore as a Bengals fan to watch.

As for college football's bowl games, what is compelling about, for example, Troy vs North Texas? Marshall vs Colorado State? Ohio vs UAB?

Unless you're a fan, or alumnus of any of those institutions, what about those games (or others like them) is interesting? That's what I'm getting at - why do people care about mediocre match-ups to the tune of good TV ratings for ESPN?

Don't get me wrong, there are some bowl games that are interesting. OSU vs USC, or maybe Stanford vs TCU, as examples. But the others - with two 6-6 or 7-5 teams playing each other, why is that compelling to watch?

Hey, Troy ruined LSU's season. They certainly have some national relevance.

I used them as examples because they might be interesting games with two teams that are at least good teams. Personally, I don't care either way about any specific game. I'm with you on the post season, which is why I'd rather watch college basketball once the conference championship games are over. I simply think that 90% of the bowl games aren't compelling enough to watch, aren't entertaining or compelling viewing often times, yet they continue to get good ratings. It mystifies me that people keep watching what amount to bad games. Why? Just because it's a football game, any football game, on TV?


It seems like you're arguing both against my thought that most bowl games are bad sports viewing, and against the idea that a couple examples I mention could be interesting. I'm not necessarily sure what you're saying in response.

Obviously, to each their own. I'm just surprised how many are willing to watch two 6-6 or 7-5 teams play a game that frankly doesn't matter to anyone but the teams on the field.

On 12/29, at the same time someone could be watching Louisville vs Kentucky in basketball, they'll probably get better ratings on the Belk Bowl, 7-5 Wake Forest vs 7-5 Texas A&M. I simply don't get that. Flip side, there are absolutely other games that are probably more interesting than UK vs Louisville basketball.

And yes, I agree, the NFL has lost my interest. Living in the last weeks of Marvin's morons and the Browns "perfect season" probably has some bearing on that.

Reminds me of a sarcastic comment my then fiancee (now wife) made our senior year: "You'd watch two dogs play basketball." It wasn't meant as a complement.

To each their own, I guess. I'm a football guy; football is my favorite sport and I'd watch every bowl game if I could, meaningless as they might be. It's football and even in the most "meaningless" bowl game, there are two teams that are happy (for the most part) to be there and try to play their best ball. Some of the games have a certain amount of pageantry associated with them (i.e. the Rose Bowl) that the NFL wishes it had. So yes, I will be watching the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl and probably quaffing a delicious stein of beer while doing so. :) Perhaps one of the fine ales discussed in another thread.

As to the NFL, yeah my interest is less now too. I attribute more to my idiotic following of the Browns; they're sucking the joy out of everything NFL-wise at the moment.

What is compelling, interesting TV? Take a look at the most-watched TV shows and you'll see that it is across the board (but football still does OK)...

Most-Watched Shows of the 2016-2017 Season
(Numbers are in millions of viewers)
1. Sunday Night Football (NBC) - 19.6
2. Thursday Night Football (NBC) - 16.9
3. NCIS (CBS) - 14.6
4. Thursday Night Football (CBS) - 14.5
5. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 14.0
6. The OT (Fox) - 13.6
7. 60 Minutes (CBS) - 11.9
8. Bull (CBS) - 11.4
9. Football Night in America Pt. 3 (NBC) - 10.8
10. The Voice - Monday (NBC) - 10.6
11. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) - 10.4
12. The Voice - Tuesday (NBC) - 10.3
13. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) - 10.1
14. Blue Bloods (CBS) - 9.9
15. This Is Us (NBC) - 9.8
16. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS) - 9.6
17. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) - 9.2
18. Little Big Shots (NBC) - 9.1
19. Survivor (CBS) - 8.4
20. Madam Secretary (CBS) - 8.3
21. Bobcats Just Want to Be Bobcats Commercial (ESPN3) - 8.299

I'm continually shocked about the shows people like to watch. My grandma will tell you that NCIS is the best thing since sliced bread, but I'd rather shoot myself in the foot than watch an hour of it. Generational difference I guess? And honestly, there's not a single non-sports item on that list that I would actually enjoy watching.

Number 21 is truly underrated. Of that list, I'd consider #1 + #9 to be essentially the same show, and usually is worthwhile watching. Thursday night football is usually not a very good game.

As shows go, I think NCIS, Bull, and The Voice are great shows. However, I don't watch any of them regularly. Of that whole list, we watch Big Bang regularly.

I don't think I'd use the word compelling ...

But it's football ... and on a day where there are few/limited games ... I'll take Troy v North Texas over nothing.

Would I normally watch that game ... probably not.

But on Saturday, when there is little competition .... and I have a beer in my hand ... yeah, I guess that makes it somewhat compelling.

And if you happen to have a friend "in the desert" and you happen to drop a few nickels on .... let's say, Troy -6' .... compelling takes on a different meaning ;)

But I do get your point ... some of these match-ups are pure trash. Couldn't agree more.

But that's what is kind of fun about it for me. I have a group of friends that will get together this Saturday ... watch these horrible games ... have a lot of laughs in the process ... and a few beers to go with them.

It's a fun December tradition.

But don't get me wrong .... I long for the days of only 25 or so bowl games that went to teams as an actual reward ... not a participation ribbon.

6-6 or even 7-5 teams shouldn't be showered with praise and a bowl game every year.

Those games used to have a much deeper value and meaning ... but now we get 6-6 UVA playing 6-6 Navy AT NAVY ... and that's a bowl game?!?!

Oh well ... I'll watch and enjoy a Esther's Lil Secret or two to add to the compelling-ness (available in cans on Kenny Rd in Cbus if my sources are correct)

I call Bullshit. The problem when there were 25 games was that all the 6 and 6 teams from power conferences went to bowls and deserving 9 and 2 teams missed out if they didn't win their conference. The idea that bowls used to be about rewards is complete garbage.