Could College Football Games Become Pay-Per-View? Josh Pate Explains

Potential for Pay-Per-View College Football Games

• 💡 John Skipper, former ESPN president, speculated about the possibility of major college football games moving to a pay-per-view model, similar to UFC or boxing.
• 🎯 This idea is linked to ESPN's new streaming platform and driving revenue, with a hypothetical price of $4.99-$7 for a single game like Georgia vs. Alabama.
• ⚠️ Josh Pate argues that such a move would not solve college football's TV issues and that strong leadership is needed to prevent it.

Why Pay-Per-View Doesn't Fit College Football

• 🧠 A key difference highlighted is that UFC fights are standalone events, making them suitable for PPV.
• 🚫 In contrast, college football games are part of a larger season, leading to conference championships and playoffs, which are typically accessible to a wider audience.
• 📉 The emphasis on the playoff means regular season games, while still important, are relatively less meaningful than they were a decade ago, making a PPV model a misreading of the situation.

Misunderstanding the College Football Fanbase

• 📉 Media executives, while smart, can be ignorant about college football if they lack a background in the sport.
• 📊 They may rely on data from spreadsheets rather than understanding the college football fan consumer base.
• 🏈 This lack of understanding can lead to poor decisions regarding how to market and distribute the sport.

Likelihood of PPV Happening

• 🚫 While Josh Pate believes this move should not happen, he cannot guarantee it will never occur due to potential poor decision-making within college football leadership.
• ⏳ He suggests it is unlikely to happen anytime soon, but certainty is not possible.