Attendance Numbers Are A Big Clue on Why FCS Programs aren't in NCAA Football - RaychelSnr's Blog

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Attendance Numbers Are A Big Clue on Why FCS Programs aren't in NCAA Football Stuck

Posted on January 21, 2013 at 02:07 PM.

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Here are two significant numbers: 37.4 million and 6.4 million.

Each number represents the 2012 attendance totals for NCAA Football in both FBS and FCS football.

One number is not a record, the other number is an all-time record.

One sport has never been hotter, the other has been better.

There is no better argument for why FCS Schools aren't in NCAA Football this generation than to simply look at the above attendance totals.

FCS Football, for all its positives, set an all-time attendance record in 2012 with 6.4 million fans attending games throughout the season. FBS Football, on the other hand, continued a backslide from its 2010 record attendance figures.

And yet, even when one sport isn't at its best and the other is at its best, FBS football had six times more people going to games each and every week. When you are talking about why a game should include something or not, attendance figures mean a whole bunch. When you get down into the nuts and bolts of the economics of licensing 124 more teams at 1/6 of the potential return, you see exactly why FCS schools aren't included in the NCAA Football series.

Why are things different now versus the last console generation is the next question on your mind, and the answer is the cost of licensing and implementing FCS schools has dramatically risen with the advancement of technology this console generation (and it will do so again with the next generation).

While it is impossible to determine exact licensing costs of all the FCS schools, the grand task of adding 124 more programs with their own ratings and their own uniforms, and at least a few of their own stadiums is a daunting task. Add to that the Dynasty implications if you were to play an FCS season you suddenly have to have 2x the data crunched and simulated in what is already an egregiously slow process in NCAA's Dynasty Mode.

You could add FCS programs and not have them included in Dynasty Mode, but then what's the point of that? You are effectively licensing teams to just be placeholders for your generic FCS teams in Dynasty Mode.

You could add a separate FCS Dynasty Mode, but suddenly you are adding a new game mode on top of what you already have along with the extra data needed and such. It is a lot of work for 1/6 of the return.

You could add just a few of the top FCS programs into NCAA Football and that is an idea that seems to make the most sense to a rational mind. On the surface you could add the Top 30 or 40 programs, get the biggest return, add an FCS mode of sorts where you can play through a mini FCS season, save on licensing costs and manpower while still adding meaningful content to the game that will see a better return.

But would realism nuts enjoy that addition? It's possible many would find that offering unsatisfactory. I would personally be for such an idea versus the current status quo, as it would give you many more options to start a dynasty with many more unique challenges.

South Dakota State anyone?

But here's the problem: even with adding those programs, eventually someone is going to be unhappy. Eventually, you'll have left out a program that's inexcusable.

Eventually, someone gets angry and the whole cycle starts over again.

Eventually, a developers best efforts simply aren't enough.

Given the economic reality on the ground, it is perfectly reasonable why Team Builder can be used to make FCS programs and fans can enjoy that option. To a reasonable man, it makes perfect sense.

With this console generation coming to a close, it is highly likely that without inclusion of any FCS teams this year, we could be looking at a future where FCS teams probably are never making a comeback into the series. A shame, but one that unfortunately makes too much sense even to this idealistic NCAA gamer.

Do you care if FCS programs are or aren't in NCAA Football? What would you like to see happen in the future?

Comments

# 1 BreaksoftheGame @ Jan 21

I am not sure it is a cost factor as much as a programming issue. EA struggles with lag in its database screens. 70 players X 124 teams.....we would probably lose edit player if they added any more teams.

I am fine with teambuilder. I just wish we could have the postseason system as FCS.

# 2 DKHardee @ Jan 21

I want FCS teams. It's not NCAA football without them

# 3 johnnyg83 @ Jan 21

The market is the market. Licensing costs should have nothing to do with technology. If I was the FCS, I'd be giving it away for free. Norte Dame probably costs twice as much as all the FCS.

I think the attendance theory is flawed. They had 300+ teams in the last college basketball game. UMKC gets about 700 people at a basketball game. Syracuse? A bit more than 6x that.

It should have more to do with some combination of number of alumni and/or the size of the markets they play in.

# 4 khaliib @ Jan 21

There's so much EA's brand of football needs to get right before we start discounting what would/would not be a good addition.

What good are skins/shells if players/teams don't behave/play like it's College Football?

I guess there's not much to discuss on this as lond as FCS play no different than the Alabama's of College Football in this game.

# 5 TDavis45 @ Jan 21

Not to brag or anything, but our FCS Teambuilder Project does a great job with teams... this year we completed over 100 teams with accurate rosters (studied stats and ratings) and accurate uniforms. It really sucks we cant implement more than 12 teams into dynasties but many still download all of our teams and use them in play now, or remove the sun belt and replace them with FCS teams. We would appreciate

# 6 tril @ Jan 22

off topic but FBS shoould adopt the FCS playoff system. I watch these games strictly for the playoffs.

# 7 BBallcoach @ Jan 22

NO FCS TEAMS!!! Keep teambuilder and let us replace the FCS directionals with teambulder teams. FCS has no business taking dev time from the FBS in my mind.

# 8 8mileroad @ Jan 23

Adding an extra 100 or so teams isn't really as hard as you think. The only real "hurdle" is licensing fees, but we're talking about EA here... I think they can afford FCS licensing fees. If EA included a toggle to toggle on/off FCS teams when creating a dynasty, everyone would be happy. The only drawback could be the loading times, so if you're not into that then just toggle them off. I for one would love the inclusion of FCS teams.

# 9 KunaghNery @ Jan 23

I really don't care about FCS Football at all. But I think it would be nice to have a pool with a nice variety of licensed FCS teams for us to play against on Career Mode, in order to not play against those FCS Wests and Souths anymore.

# 10 KunaghNery @ Jan 23

Oh, the Teambuilder does an excellent job on doing this, btw. I'm only complaining because I can't import TB teams on my xbox :P

# 11 grabursock55 @ Jan 23

So FCS set an attendance record this year... and then you say it has been better? is that what the opening was saying? that dosent make sense, does it?

Anyway, most people don't boycott the game because of a lack of FCS schools, but obviously, it would be a nice thing to add, wouldn't it?

# 12 OUKOOL @ Jan 24

what if they let us edit the fake fcs teams ,i don't mean rosters but just the team names.i.e oklahoma vs. florida a&m instead of fcs east.
or when you set up your dynasty you could edit all of the fcs east,west,southeast and such. it would make the game feel more real.