College football is as much a part of the South as shrimp and grits or sweet tea. Saturdays around here are sacred. Whether you’re a Tiger, Gamecock, Bulldog or otherwise, there is nothing better than sitting in the stands on a crisp fall afternoon to watch your favorite team take the field. Unfortunately, the money grab is fully underway, threatening a sport that serves as the lifeblood for small communities across the United States.
Don’t get me wrong, money has always been a part of college sports. A dark underbelly of cash bags and house payments has been replaced with open market NIL deals for top tier athletes. Having the ability for players to make money off their talent and likeness is a reasonable ask. Opening the flood gates with zero guard rails was never a good idea.
The beauty of college football is the ridiculous aspect of it. A stadium holding hundreds of thousands of people within a town a quarter that size would otherwise seem improbable and maybe even foolish. Other than Green Bay, NFL stadiums are housed in large cities with the populations needed to support their infrastructure. Perhaps this is what makes Green Bay so appealing for some. Unlike LA, NY or Chicago, Green Bay provides a collegial atmosphere that’s missing from most NFL venues.
The amount of money that can be earned as a professional athlete is nothing short of astounding. Million dollar contracts are the norm with guarantees equaling more than professionals would’ve earned over a lifetime just twenty years ago. Stadiums are continually being torn down or retrofitted to provide a “fan experience.” The actual game being played has become secondary to the number of social media posts about club level seating and all that comes with it.
College football has been an important part of my life. Memories of tailgates, big wins and close losses dance in my head as each season approaches. There’s a joy brought on by a college football season that few other sports can replicate. Now that gambling and NFL style player swaps have been added to the mix, I fear a watered down version of what was will not take its inevitable place. Perhaps this is to be expected but it doesn’t mean I have to embrace it.
Similar to fast food prices and seemingly everything else, what was once affordable family entertainment has become unaffordable for most. Season tickets to Clemson for a family of four will run you $2000-$2400 depending on seating preference (lower vs. upper deck). This doesn’t include any of the incidentals such as parking, tailgating prep, etc. All told, you’d likely spend well over $3000 to attend the games. Although this isn’t a king’s ransom, it’s not exactly cheap either.
A quick search revealed South Carolina tickets prices are cheaper; however, adding in parking closest to the stadium is going to set you back $500-$1000. Paying players and upfitting stadiums comes with a steep price tag. It’s getting to the point where it doesn’t matter whether your team is actually good or not. It’s now a privilege to attend the game, never mind the fact your team will lose by double digits. Gone are the days of going to a major sporting event for pennies on the dollar.
It’s not all doom and gloom of course. We still have some of the rivalries (although conference realignment has wreaked havoc on this as well) and pageantry that have made college football a thread that binds various regions of the country. The thread is there, but it’s being eaten away each season by greed and powerful corporations hell bent on removing amateur athletics from the equation.
Just remember, no Saturday weddings in the Fall.
Changes may be taking place, but some things are still sacred.
Sign up for our Sunday Spectator. Delivered to your inbox every Sunday, with all the news from the week.
