Changes For SWAC

[SU DOG]

Meeting in Birmingham, the conference announces NO championship game.

http://m.tdn.com/sports/football/swa...7312915cd.html

[DFW HOYA]

"The league has held its own championship game since 1999, moving from Birmingham to Houston in 2013. The first three games at NRG Stadium each drew about 40,000 fans but that number dropped to 24,917 in 2016.

"Our presidents just said it's not sustainable," Sharp said.

24K isn't sustainable?

[ASU33]

The no championship game was announced back in May.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Each HBCU "bowl" game not named the Bayou Classic has encountered the exact same attrition seen by the SWAC Championship game. It's the same thing that happened to the Heritage Bowl. They start out with some fanfare and some excitement... which eventually wears off.

However, a better question is how long struggling ESPN will be in the bowl-sponsoring business.

[number1]

Each HBCU "bowl" game not named the Bayou Classic has encountered the exact same attrition seen by the SWAC Championship game. It's the same thing that happened to the Heritage Bowl. They start out with some fanfare and some excitement... which eventually wears off.

However, a better question is how long struggling ESPN will be in the bowl-sponsoring business.

The Championship Game lasted from 1999-2017. The issue was probably more so the costs associated with the venue than actually attendance. Also canceling this game might actually help the Celebration Bowl be more successful.

[GAD]

Each HBCU "bowl" game not named the Bayou Classic has encountered the exact same attrition seen by the SWAC Championship game. It's the same thing that happened to the Heritage Bowl. They start out with some fanfare and some excitement... which eventually wears off.

However, a better question is how long struggling ESPN will be in the bowl-sponsoring business.

The Heritage Bowl was still well attended close to 30K in its last year

[ASU33]

The Heritage Bowl was still well attended close to 30K in its last year

December 21, 1991	Alabama State *	36	North Carolina A&T	13	Joe Robbie Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)	7,724
January 2, 1993	Grambling State	45	Florida A&M	15	Bragg Memorial Stadium (Tallahassee, Florida)	11,273
January 1, 1994	Southern *	11	South Carolina State	0	Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Georgia)	36,128
December 30, 1994	Grambling State *	27	South Carolina State *	31	Georgia Dome (Atlanta)	22,179
December 29, 1995	Southern	30	Florida A&M *	25	Georgia Dome (Atlanta)	25,164
December 31, 1996	Southern	24	Howard	27	Georgia Dome (Atlanta,)	18,126
December 27, 1997	Southern *	34	South Carolina State	28	Georgia Dome (Atlanta)	32,629
December 26, 1998	Southern *	28	Bethune–Cookman	2	Georgia Dome (Atlanta)	32,955
December 18, 1999	Southern *	3	Hampton	24	Georgia Dome (Atlanta)	29,961

Yeah the Heritage Bowl was drawing pretty well.

[ASU33]

Good move. Last year Grambling fans traveled to New Orleans, Houston, and Atlanta in 4 week's time. A lot of fans had to make the decision to skip the SWAC title game in order to attend the Celebration Bowl. Now our fan focus can be on The Celebration Bowl which will only help attendance.

[SU DOG]

http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.as...44239400626904

[FormerPokeCenter]

A Championship Game for the SWAC would make sense, in a less expensive, more centrally located venue. Indy Stadium in Shreveport, for instance...or - even better - Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson.

NRG's great, but I gotta believe it's expensive as hell...24K paid attendance probably doesn't cover the rent very well.