What a surprise: money-hungry advertisers have once again gotten their paws on a sacred tradition in an attempt to line their own pockets.
In a hyper-capitalistic society, it is only fitting that America’s favorite game is commercialized beyond recognition.
As yet another College Football Playoff (CFP) season rolls through this winter, the once prestigious “bowl games” are again being played for millions to see on a national stage. Over the past decade, however, there has been a growing problem for fans, schools and advertisers alike: top players skipping bowl games for the National Football League (NFL) Draft. The issue is seen widely as a matter of player selfishness; many view the skipping of these games as egocentric. However, this is simply not the case. Advertisers and the money-hungry executives who run college football and the CFP have sold the charm famous bowl games like the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl once had for money. Seriously, who wants to watch (or play in) the “Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl” or the “PUBG Mobile New Mexico Bowl”? What was once a sacred tradition in the form of playoff football is now a shameless money-grab, and NFL prospects who are staring down surefire multi-million dollar contracts dead in the face have every right to skip a meaningless glorified exhibition game.
In an era of player empowerment through name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, pesty capitalistic advertising is ruining college football bowl games.
The NCAA needs to listen to their players now more than ever, they are the real moneymakers, not the men in suits who “run the show”.
