The College Gameday Dilemma

This weekend, ESPN’s famous College Gameday show will head to an SEC school for the 4th straight week to start the season

The internet is up in arms. The internet thinks the show has fallen off. Lost its’ identity.

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As someone who follows the space closely, this is such an interesting conversation and one I can share some insight on.

The toughest part of my job is filtering noise from the signal.

People are upset but are they still watching?

I discussed with a friend yesterday, how the oversaturation of McAfee has been a constant complaint, yet I watched 50 people stop their shopping at Rebel Rags on Saturday to see a kid kick a field goal…

But look at McAfee’s counterpart at ESPN: Stephen A

I actually do think people have stopped watching him + First Take.

Noise vs. Signal

Should Gameday have picked 2-1 Boise State @ 2-1 Western Michigan?

In today’s newsletter, I’ll discuss how Gameday has changed, the decision making process and if Gameday could actually be overtaken.

ESPN x SEC / B1G x Fox

For background, ESPN has a huge media contract with the SEC. Likewise, the Big Ten and Fox have the same.

This is why you see Big Noon, Fox’s pregame show, going to places like Indiana before their big matchup with…North Texas

Now, with all due respect to the defending National Champions, that clearly wasn’t the biggest game of the week but the networks want to promote the games that are on their network.

This goes even deeper with the SEC and ESPN.

ESPN holds the rights to the CFP.

Exposure is everything. The more we see something, the more we know about it, the more popular it has the chance to become.

This is why, although the Big Ten has won 3x National Championships, we are in this endless cycle of:

SEC teams start the season ranked in the top 25.

These SEC teams gather quality wins by beating other SEC top 25 teams.

Said teams end up in the CFP.

Gameday then highlights these teams throughout the season until we just throw our hands up and go, alright the SEC has the best teams.

As a Texas alum and now an SEC homer, the cycle is beneficial to my own system and interests.

But the common theme in 2026 is that the audience is too smart.

Before sports business was popular, the majority of watchers just watched.

Now, they comment and express their opinions and they know how the sausage is made.

These networks want to pump up their assets

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Has College Gameday changed?

Yes.

While CGD celebrated their 500th show and tout having broadcasted from 82 different schools, they haven’t left the Power 4 since 2023

https://x.com/AuburnBlazer/status/2101781704734122023

We all claim that we love when College Gameday goes to a new spot or showcases a school that is not normally the headliner.

But do the numbers actually back that up?

Well, actually yes.

The last time CGD left the P4, it got a record turnout.

But that’s not ratings! This is a ratings issue.

Well YOY…

https://x.com/TheHerdBros/status/2101990414920155633

Also, ratings are up, yes!

So with 2 boxes checked, the third one is the uncertainty that only those at ESPN can answer.

Does going to Boise vs. Western Michigan for example, a game that ESPN / ABC are not focused on, drop the ratings of their premier primetime games?

In short, if College Gameday went to Kalamazoo this weekend, would less people watch Texas @ Tennessee?

Has Gameday Fallen Off?

When I saw Brett’s tweet, I got excited.

I love opportunities in the market, especially ones that we’re heavily involved in.

But I actually don’t know if I agree with Brett.

The first question would be: What would work for Brett and others in a pregame show?

Do you want hard hitting analysis of this week’s games? A national show is never going to deliver that.

Do you want entertainment? I’d argue that’s exactly what Gameday is doing and doing well.

2nd: Are you building a show for in-person or TV?

This is the question we’re asking ourselves.

Breaking news: We are considering doing a live show from Normal, Illinois ahead of South Dakota State vs. Illinois State.

If this is a good idea, let us know

Snapback Saturdays has taken us to many games where Gameday was live from.

We used to swing by but after you’ve attended a few, you realize it’s an awful in person experience.

Want to be close to the action? Camp out overnight

Otherwise, you’re standing 100 rows deep for a show built for television.

This isn’t a complaint, it’s just reality.

My takes:

1. Gameday has not fallen off
2. There isn’t space for another show (if you build something similar)
3. Without Corso, the show has lost a meaningful ending.

I’d say the biggest threat to Gameday right now is actually retaining audience since Corso’s departure.

When the cast makes their picks, they’re picking straight up (easier than ATS)

There is no punishment if they are correct or wrong.

Essentially: No one cares

The WORST thing you can have in media isn’t people hating you, it’s that no one cares.

And without Corso, no one cares about any picks.

The show effectively ends once the Field Goal is kicked.

It wouldn’t shock me if they kept moving that segment later and later in the show.

Snapback Saturdays

The three most viewed gameday experiences in our 50+ CFB videos.

MACtion

MACtion

Ivy League

Yes, you’re reading that correctly.

And we know exactly why this is happening.

When College Gameday goes to a place like Ohio State/Texas, 14M people watch the game.

They see what the game was like, they know the result, and by the time our video comes out, they’ve moved on.

Contrast that with a MAC game or an Ivy League game.

No one watched, they don’t care about the result and there’s a high level of interest around something they’ve never seen before.

So, you’ve got to be wondering why our schedule is not filled with non P4 Schools

It’s for 2 reasons.

#1: We still love going to the big games.

As a Longhorn, I wanted to be at that Texas game so badly.

Being at Kiffin’s return, even though the viewership may be lower on the YT video, it is worth it because we don’t let the algos determine our mission: Find the best experience in College Football

#2: $$$$$$

You see how that says Snapback Saturdays presented by Evan Williams?

That’s because EW is the presenting sponsor of our College Football tour.

And without them, we could not do what we do.

So, when we agree to go to 2 games where they’ll be throwing a tailgate, we cannot complain.

I wouldn’t complain about going to UGA/Bama as is but those are 2 weekends where our opportunity to do some G6 schools are then lost.

We also are the jersey patch sponsor for Sam Houston State (Beat Texas Texh!).

We invested a lot of $ into that.

So, we’ll be going to at least 2 Sam Houston games this season (#BowlSzn).

But that means we have lost the ability to go to more FCS matchups or other G6 games.

If we signed with a network, we’d lose even more creative control.

And so this is the reality of capitalism.

You can’t pay the bills based on vibes and audience. You need money.

And right now, ESPN’s assessment is that going to non P4 places does not drop viewership of Gameday but may impact the viewership of their premier games.