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With the addition of the spring transfer portal window, coaches are becoming concerned with other teams trying to poach their players. Michigan has made some moves to address this while still playing the spring game, like airing the game on a week-long tape delay.
I’ve always been a fan of the spring game. It’s fun to get to see some of the younger guys on the field and speculate who might have an upcoming breakout season. It’s also a great time for some outlandish hot takes with relatively little data.
With the ever-changing world of college football, here are three things that should be considered for the spring game moving forward.
Keep it about the fans
One of my favorite things about Michigan’s spring game is the accessibility. It’s free, it’s easy to navigate, and as long as you can deal with Michigan’s temperamental spring weather, it’s a great opportunity to meet up with friends and bring the family to a football event. Athletic Director Warde Manuel recently discussed the spring game, and he acknowledged it’s about the fans.
I’d hate to see the spring game used as some sort of major money grab in the future that makes it inaccessible, especially for families that aren’t able to afford tickets during the season. As a mother of a toddler, it’s tough to justify spending a lot of money to have your kid sit in a loud stadium and squirm around, or want to walk around the stadium while the game is going on. That’s coming from someone who camped out at 4 a.m. my senior year to get to the front row of The Game in 2013. I love Michigan football, but it’s tough to justify that kind of spending.
On the other hand, the spring game is free, the crowds are significantly smaller, and it’s great to look around the stadium and see so many families supporting the program in an affordable way. I can’t wait to take my family to a spring game because I remember how fun it was as a student to be in the stadium and watch the players.
Delayed TV Broadcast
If coaches are truly worried about other teams scouting their players, the tape delay is a great solution. I was a bit peeved when I found out the broadcast would be on tape delay, but with other programs — cough cough Nebraska — changing the format entirely, I began to appreciate Michigan keeping things the same.
The tape delay could encourage more fans to show up to the game as opposed to just watching it on TV. I know coaches are concerned about the spring portal window, but it seems unreasonable to get rid of the game altogether. If having a delay means fans will still get to watch the team for free, that’s something I’m willing to deal with.
Scrimmage with other teams?
I know I just made arguments for keeping the game free, but introducing a scrimmage with another team could be a nice way to bring in some revenue. I may not pay to watch the Maize team play the Blue team, but I would be interested in paying to see Michigan play an entirely different team as long as the price is reasonable.
Colorado’s Deion Sanders may have been denied by the NCAA to scrimmage against another school this season, but those restrictions may not always be in place. Yahoo Sports outlined some of the arguments Colorado made, with reducing the risk of injury to your own team being among them. This could be a way to limit some of the snaps for players and still give the fans an exciting experience. If more coaches get on board with the idea, it could be enough to move the needle for the NCAA to approve this moving forward.
There are other possibilities beyond hosting teams at the Big House. Coaches could consider taking their team on the road in the spring to simulate what it’ll be like in the fall. Imagine Michigan taking a trip to scrimmage against a team like Stanford or Cal — coaches could simulate a game day situation well ahead of the trip. I’m not a coach, but it seems like it could be helpful for the freshmen early enrollees to get an idea of what to expect.
What do you think about the spring game? Let us know in the comments below!
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