About that new First down clock rule….

[OrangeTsar]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

 

[jcvols24]

Well, i guess they could point to the 0% of student athelete injuries occurring during commercial breaks.

 

[volfan102455]

Obviously it was to allow more commercials in the same timeframe.

 

[twigsxx2]

counted 9 commercials over and over and over.

 

[OptimisticFan]

Someone should start a petition to change the rule.

 

[wmcovol]

You were told it would shorten the game & you believed it.

Shame on you. More commercials than before.

 

[Vol737]

And if I see that nauseating, screaming for attention “Golden Bachelor” ad again, I’ll probably shoot every tv in my house.

 

[DC_Vol]

And if I see that nauseating, screaming for attention “Golden Bachelor” ad again, I’ll probably shoot every tv in my house.

Well…if the Camping World ads worked, I’m betting you’ll be tuning in for the Golden Bachelor.

 

[Vol737]

Well…if the Camping World ads worked, I’m betting you’ll be tuning in for the Golden Bachelor.

Haha! Well played. Just don’t tell anyone.

 

[MAD]

This helps the case for soccer matches. Play 45 minutes, no commercials. Halftime. Play another 45 minutes,no commercials, game over. Game ends on time even if it’s a tie.

So you know you can set aside under 2 hours for the match you wanna watch and plan your day around it.
A Noon kickoff you are guaranteed to be finished before 2.

 

[bamawriter]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

I was at the Bama game, and the commercial breaks were intolerable. Watched my DVR of it and discovered that during one 3:30 break they ran the same 1 minute ad back-to-back. The ad was for the SEC Network.. which the game was on.

 

[TrueOrange]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

I found one!

Wake Forest’s games generally fell around 4 hours (their always no huddle hurry up offense with a focus on deep passing usually makes for long freakin games) the last 2-3 years, even against the really bad teams and FCS teams.

Their Thursday game against Elon clocked in at a clean 2 1/2 hours, almost right on the dot.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

I wonder if there were actually less plays in most games?

If it didn't shorten the games (and I don't think it did by much, if any) and it didn't lead to less plays...... it's a wash as far as game time and player safety go. They might drop it.

If it increases ad revenue, it'll never be dropped.

 

[BowlBrother85]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

... combine that ^^^^ with our opponents still faking injuries, and a running clock after first downs won't shorten the average length of our games by even one minute.

 

[CAVPUT]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

It's much like the politicians and the voters. You keep bending over and taking it so it continues. As long as the sheep continue buying their product and the products of the advertisers, they're gonna keep chasing every last dollar. If anyone finds a single decision made by the NCAA or networks that was made to truly improve the "fan experience", I'd love to see/hear it.

 

[CAVPUT]

... combine that ^^^^ with our opponents still faking injuries, and a running clock after first downs won't shorten the average length of our games by even one minute.

While I agree with you, the fake injuries really only impact us and maybe another up tempo school or two. It's not a mainstream problem so it will never be addressed because it hurts only us for the most part. Just like the hash mark rule. I've no doubt that they'll make that change next season because it really only impacts....yes...UT. They'll justify it by saying that it's to bring the college game into alignment with the NFL. Guess since we're now paying players, we are, in fact, an NFL minor league system so....

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Since I'm on the road a lot ( I was at the VA game though) I DVR those games, and try not to find out the score. I watch it the next day, zip thru the commercials, and it is amazing how quickly I get thru them.

It's really too bad the ******** that the public falls for... " shorten the game".

10 minute quarters would shorten the game too. Let's do that. Imagine how many commercials they could squeeze in.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

... combine that ^^^^ with our opponents still faking injuries, and a running clock after first downs won't shorten the average length of our games by even one minute.

Yep. First game at noon.. second at 3:30. Just like always

 

[volfanhill]

"Thus far through this young season, FBS teams are running an average of 66.9 plays per game in 2023. Last year, the average was 68.7, according to an analysis of CFBStats.com data. Thus, in actuality, each team is only running about two less plays per game (4 total per game considering both teams)."

 

[05_never_again]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

It actually does shorten the game (slightly), if by "shorten the game" you mean fewer plays, not overall duration from kickoff to final whistle. They pulled a fast one on a lot of folks, lol

 

[OrangeTsar]

It actually does shorten the game (slightly), if by "shorten the game" you mean fewer plays, not overall duration from kickoff to final whistle. They pulled a fast one on a lot of folks, lol

The absolute idiocy of taking something people enjoy immensely and saying „let’s give them less of it“ is mind boggling.
You know, I think we need to ask all presidential candidates what they think of this rule change. Anyone who supports getting rid of it will be considered for my vote, regardless of party

 

[sjt18]

We were told it was to shorten game time and improve player safety. Well, how did that work out in week 1? As I predicted, every game I watched still clocked in between 3.5 and four hours. I did, however, get a much larger dosage of 4 minute, eight commercial time outs and overall decrease in football density.
The NCAA and networks must really take us for imbeciles

Well, read some of the comments here. There are some imbeciles around.

 

[sami]

I wonder if there were actually less plays in most games?

If it didn't shorten the games (and I don't think it did by much, if any) and it didn't lead to less plays...... it's a wash as far as game time and player safety go. They might drop it.

If it increases ad revenue, it'll never be dropped.

That's the bottom line - no rule in pro or big time college sports is ever changed unless there is some kind of revenue benefit. They claim the running clock will "shorten games", and we get more commercials and still 4-hour games. Any "player safety" rule is made simply to mitigate financial liability in case of law suits.

Funny thing - the NFL has crazy media rights contacts like the NCAA, but regardless of rule changes their games max out at 3:15, and are usually over in the 3 hour window, even with the silly replay rule and the constant stoppages. Why is that?

 

[OrangeTsar]

That's the bottom line - no rule in pro or big time college sports is ever changed unless there is some kind of revenue benefit. They claim the running clock will "shorten games", and we get more commercials and still 4-hour games. Any "player safety" rule is made simply to mitigate financial liability in case of law suits.

Funny thing - the NFL has crazy media rights contacts like the NCAA, but regardless of rule changes their games max out at 3:15, and are usually over in the 3 hour window, even with the silly replay rule and the constant stoppages. Why is that?

I think the contracts with the networks and the NFL specifically limit commercials

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

That's the bottom line - no rule in pro or big time college sports is ever changed unless there is some kind of revenue benefit. They claim the running clock will "shorten games", and we get more commercials and still 4-hour games. Any "player safety" rule is made simply to mitigate financial liability in case of law suits.

Funny thing - the NFL has crazy media rights contacts like the NCAA, but regardless of rule changes their games max out at 3:15, and are usually over in the 3 hour window, even with the silly replay rule and the constant stoppages. Why is that?

Every change in every business (that's run efficiently) is to increase revenue/profit. Companies that "care about their employees" have crunched the numbers about employee training vs retention costs and walk the line on what will keep vs lose employees.

The sports media and leagues try to maximize their profits also. I don't begrudge that and it's early in the season but I'm betting the clock changes won't shave more than 6 or 8 plays off a game for "player safety" and the run time of the games will be pretty close to the same.

I'm not stupid. I know what those cut plays have been converted into: revenue opportunities.