Changes For SWAC

[SU DOG]

Meeting in Birmingham, the conference announces NO championship game.

http://m.tdn.com/sports/football/swac-banking-on-celebration-bowl-for-money-prestige/article_8c6f47c1-5be3-5a4b-a280-f287312915cd.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.

[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.asp?i=20170714144239400626904

[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.

[Sandlapper Spike]

Looking at the SWAC schedule for 2017...so I guess Grambling and MVSU are going to play each other this season, but it's going to be a non-conference game. They must have had trouble finding a non-league opponent on short notice.

It reminds me a little bit of North Carolina and Wake Forest, which are going to play non-conference games against each other in 2019 and 2021 (though that is happening for a different reason).

[Panther88]

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.

Does not. I don't quite understand how SHSU and SFA can do their BOTPW deal there w/ #s fluctuating around the mid-20K mark.

If the SCG does return, it would be best, I would think, to host it @ the home place of the team w/ the better record.

[DeltaDevil662]

Looking at the SWAC schedule for 2017...so I guess Grambling and MVSU are going to play each other this season, but it's going to be a non-conference game. They must have had trouble finding a non-league opponent on short notice.

It reminds me a little bit of North Carolina and Wake Forest, which are going to play non-conference games against each other in 2019 and 2021 (though that is happening for a different reason).

That would be a negative right there. All of our conference games count.

7 conference games (including Grambling)
4 OOC games (NDSU, SIU, CSU, VUL (which now counts as a real game))

[Sandlapper Spike]

You're right and I am certainly wrong, but then there is Grambling's schedule:

Tulane
Northwestern State
Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
Clark Atlanta
Prairie View A&M
Alcorn State
Texas Southern
Arkansas - Pine Bluff
Alabama State
Southern University

Tulane, Northwestern State, and Clark Atlanta are all non-conference games, obviously, but the other eight teams are all SWAC opponents...or am I missing something?

The league website master schedule doesn't have an asterisk (indicating a conference matchup) by Grambling-MVSU, which is why I incorrectly thought it was an OOC game.



Edit: Figured it out. Grambling State and Jackson State are going to play a non-conference game, per this article: Link (http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/jackson-state/2017/02/13/jsu-finalizes-2017-football-schedule/97857278/)


The final of the three initial road games [for Jackson State] is at Grambling State on Sept. 16, a game that strangely will not count in the SWAC standings. In the wake of the SWAC's decision to go to a seven-game conference schedule, the two teams signed an agreement to play an out-of-conference home-and-home series to keep the annual rivalry alive.

[dgtw]

What if two teams tie for first but didn't play?


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[ASU33]

What if two teams tie for first but didn't play?


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Tie breakers are still being worked out but the 9-game conference schedule will return in 2019.

[dgtw]

Tie breakers are still being worked out but the 9-game conference schedule will return in 2019.

So why drop it for two years?


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[ASU33]

So why drop it for two years?


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The 9-game conference schedule was announced that it would be dropped two years ago. Now many schools have scheduled up through 2018 So going back to it now would mean a whole lot of $$$$to buyout game contracts. The decision to go to the 7-game schedule was based on the Conference title game and to open up the opportunity to schedule more non conference games.

[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 * (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_State_Hornets)
36
North Carolina A&T (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_A%26T_Aggies)
13
Joe Robbie Stadium (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Robbie_Stadium) (Miami Gardens, Florida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Gardens,_Florida))
7,724


January 2, 1993
Grambling State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grambling_State_Tigers)
45
Florida A&M (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_A%26M_Rattlers)
15
Bragg Memorial Stadium (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bragg_Memorial_Stadium) (Tallahassee, Florida (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallahassee,_Florida))
11,273


January 1, 1994
Southern * (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Jaguars)
11
South Carolina State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_State_Bulldogs_football)
0
Georgia Dome (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Dome) (Atlanta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Bison_football)
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 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethune%E2%80%93Cookman_Wildcats)
2
Georgia Dome (Atlanta)
32,955


December 18, 1999
Southern *
3
Hampton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Pirates)
24
Georgia Dome (Atlanta)
29,961




Yeah the Heritage Bowl was drawing pretty well.