https://theathletic.com/5439967/2024/04/23/group-of-5-pla... /

In summary, the five conferences are discussing the the possibility of a playoff of their own. Many conference leaders seem to like the idea to generate more interest (and money). A few have said it would further separate the conferences from the others, but some of those guys who feel that way are retiring. The idea has been discussed a while but with the Big Ten and SEC reshaping the playoff contract to get even more money while G5 schools get no extra, administrators in the other conferences feel like they need to move quickly. One idea is a replacement for bowl games. One of the ideas is for the G5 conferences to reorganize geographically, but that more applies to the AAC, Sun Belt and Conference USA and not really the MAC and Mount West, which already are reasonably geographic. TV contracts would be the key to whether this would happen.

I think many agree that this would be a plausible move forward, but I'm not so sure I feel it would ever evolve beyond talking stages, because essentially a large swath of these folks dont want to make it official that they are the have-nots. These decisions are being made without the G5, I think it's beyond time to start making some decisions for themselves.

Also shoutout to the guy who made OU the headline photo lol

I don't think this can happen. The CFP will start in mid-December because the CFP is four rounds. I mean, if you pushed the playoff start back a week you could sneak in two rounds of play-in games between between the conference championships and the first round. I don't see that happening. But the other problem is that you are up to 19 possible games for the winner.

Imagine the world economy taking a nosedive because some PE firm put too much money into someone like New Mexico State.

By doing nothing and letting the G5 get proportionately bent over a barrel (9% of 1.3 Billion - sure, Julie), Cromer and her AD/President colleagues in the G5 are blatantly guilty of BREACH OF FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.

Additionally, any G5 school not re-negotiating or tearing up their P5 Buy Game (Ohio State, Nebraska) contracts and demanding more money in lieu of the significantly increased CFP money distributions from the networks is also committing the same BREACH. There should be lawsuits galore from people that don't want to watch Ohio State play 17 home games and face Alabama in the Playoff every year. Unfortunately, Cromer wants to be a part of that facade.

The Ohio Game at Ohio State is highway robbery for the economic impact to Ohio State, the football program, the athletic department, and the city of Columbus. Only a fool would think $1.9 Million (roughly what they are paying Will Howard) is a good deal for Ohio. This is absolutely atrocious, sad, and a terrible business decision. Who is allowing this nonsense? Any normal business person would be fired on the spot for accepting this. Playing Nebraska in 2026 for $1-$2 Million?????? (Time value of money anyone???) - Matt Rhule has a $74 MILLION Contract. Stop it already - Cromer is a laughing stock. Either kick Cromer and the other G5 Cronies to the curb and bring in some real businessmen, or hold her ass to the fire. The Bobcats - Like a Cuckold sitting in the corner right now. Time to get some adults in the room in the G5 discussions.

It's time these AD's started looking out for the people CURRENTLY PAYING THEIR SALARIES instead of looking for the next job at the P5. I'm sick of the poor strategic decisions being made (or more specifically, the lax inaction) as these carpetbaggers hunt for the next gig at Virginia or Maryland or Kansas.

Look no further than Ryan White -> Smug goofball used Ohio and abused Ohio - symptomatic of what's going on at every G5 school. Came to Ohio, tried to fake a few smiles and raise a few dollars like he did at UVA, then bolted for Kansas at the first chance he got. I saw right through it and told anyone who would listen.

These AD's and Presidents make horrific financial decisions at their current schools while their future employers make cuckolds out of them. Who loses? Us. Someone needs to hold these people to a higher standard. Class Action Lawsuit anyone - I'm in? - LOVE

PS - I said it to Schaus, I said to Groce, I said it to O'Shea, I said it to Ryan White, I said it to Jim Christian - I'm going to outlast every one of you single son of a bitches in driving my ass to Athens and supporting Ohio. I'll be here long after they are gone. And dead to rights - I've been correct every single time. The rest of you line up to slob on the knobs, and thus - we find ourselves in this very precarious position.

If the G5 moves forward with this, they have to very much lean into amateurism, and sell the idea that these are students who play football because they like playing football.

They can't just be a less-than version of the P5, and they need to very proactively lean into the fact that they're what everybody claims to love about college sports. It doesn't work to just be the minor leagues.

But ultimately, I'm skeptical that there are enough G5 programs who have built up the fan support to make this viable. At every MAC school in Ohio, more students care about OSU than their own school's football team. True of Michigan/MSU and the directional Michigan schools, too. I think that probably holds true across the Sun Belt, Conference USA, etc.

Ultimately, the G5 schools have never been forced to create a business model that actually makes sense because they're more or less on P5 welfare. They need to look hard at niche athletic leagues for lessons and learn them fast.

But but but LOVE, they gave a shot in the playoffs! We're included! We're just like them!

I think the plethora of 1960 NCAA College Division National Champions apparel available uptown and online answers all questions about the value of a G5 Playoff.

I'll ask again - as the value of the Ohio @ Ohio State and Ohio @ Nebraska games have gone WAY up since the original contracts were negotiated - has Julie Cromer taken the initiative to re-negotiate the terms of the contracts OR find games that will give Ohio a payday commensurate with the correct value of the games?

If not - clear Breach of Fiduciary Responsibility.

We are left behind, while our own AD backs the semi over our corpse.

And how frequently does such a thing happen? Are these contracts ever renegotiated unless one team develops a scheduling conflict? I don't know how to quantify the actual value of the game... We get bought out of a home game for far more than we would make for any home game (glad to be shown wrong here if that's the case). 100k fans at $100/pop is 10 million. Should we demand half the gate? ~5mil? If we had the upper hand, we could demand more $ or demand a home game instead at contract time. It also seems that we're grabbing buyouts more in line with our MAC brethren now vs Schaus, who seemed to have another angle leading to less money... basketball game, 2 for 1s, etc.

We give Ohio State access to a student body and alumni base that on average pays far more attention to OSU football than they do their alma mater.

That's gotta be worth something.

Simpler: Julie will be at Jackie O's on May 8th taking questions in front of several hundred Bobcats. Get good and ginned up and ask her in person!

They have? To whom? Expanded playoff means they have an even greater cushion. Why even pay to play down?

The more likely scenario is the games are cancelled and OU is replaced by one of the BIG18.