The recent buzz about proposed rule changes to shorten the length of college football games created quite a stir among sports fans. The college football purists were angered at these considered changes, and some of the proposed rules do seem like overkill. Running the clock after an incompletion is just nonsensical.
However, there is some merit to changing a rule or two to shorten college football games. Four hours is just too long for any sporting event, not just football.
In the South, September games will be played in 100+ degree heat. Combine that heat with crowded stands, and that’s a recipe for disaster. I’ve personally seen fans collapse in the stands at Oklahoma Sooners games due to heat exhaustion. Having the players and coaches on hot fields for more than three hours is also asking for trouble.
These changes wouldn’t be about making this game “more like the NFL.” They would be about making the games a better product for television. Again, college football purists will not be happy with that, but that’s just the reality of the situation. A game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State running an hour longer than scheduled isn’t good for a TV schedule.
While slight rule changes can be made to speed things up, such as running the clock after first downs, changes can be made on the networks’ side as well.
Shortening the ad breaks or cutting the number of advertisements per break would definitely shorten the games and cut out a lot of standing around by the teams on the field. That would mean less money for the networks, however, so that’s probably not going to happen. But like English Premiere League soccer, there are ways to generate revenue via advertising without commercial breaks.
There is definitely a middle ground to be found to accomplish what the leaders of this sport want. College football doesn’t need much change to become a better product for television.
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