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Revamping College Football Rivalries: A New Era of Competition, Revenue, and Tradition
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Published in Sports and Competition on Saturday, November 29th 2025 at 12:29 GMT by The Spokesman-Review- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Revamping College Football Rivalries: A New Era of Competition, Revenue, and Tradition
On November 29 2025, The Spokesman‑Review published a comprehensive profile of the most seismic shift in college football’s history in the last decade: the NCAA’s “Revamped Rivalry Initiative.” The article—titled “A Grip on Sports: The Revamped College Football Rivalry”—examines how the NCAA, major conferences, and individual programs have re‑engineered the traditional rivalry model to boost fan engagement, drive revenue, and address long‑standing logistical concerns. Drawing from interviews with conference commissioners, athletic directors, and former players, the piece maps the evolution of the program from its early proposals in 2023 to its current 2025 rollout, while offering a critical view of its unintended consequences.
1. The Genesis of a New Rivalry Model
The article opens by outlining the circumstances that prompted the NCAA to overhaul rivalries. Two main forces converged:
Travel and cost pressures: In the wake of the COVID‑19 pandemic and escalating fuel prices, schools increasingly balked at lengthy cross‑country road trips for non‑conference games. The NCAA recognized that many historic rivalries—such as the Notre Dame‑USC and Michigan‑Ohio State matchups—continued to require costly travel that strained athletic budgets.
Streaming‑era fan expectations: Streaming services like ESPN+, CBS All‑Access, and regional networks have given fans “on‑demand” access to games. Yet, the traditional “big‑game” schedule seemed misaligned with binge‑watch culture, prompting the NCAA to rethink how rivalry games could be positioned to maximize viewership.
In 2023, the NCAA formed the Rivalry Advisory Committee, bringing together representatives from the Power Five conferences, mid‑majors, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Board of Governors. The committee’s first draft of the Revamped Rivalry Initiative called for a 12‑week “Rivalry Series” slot in the regular season, each week featuring a marquee matchup from a designated region. The initiative was then refined over 2024, leading to the “Regional Rivalry Alignment” framework that the article describes in detail.
2. The New Structure: Regional Clusters and Rotational Pairings
The centerpiece of the article is a breakdown of the new scheduling template. Each conference now participates in two “regional rivalry blocks” per season:
- Block A – A week‑long “East‑West” slate that pits teams from the same state or neighboring states against each other (e.g., Auburn‑Georgia or Florida‑Miami).
- Block B – A “North‑South” slate that crosses state lines but remains within a five‑state radius, allowing schools to avoid long‑distance travel.
The NCAA also introduced a rotational pairing system that guarantees each team at least one high‑profile rivalry each season. A key detail, the article notes, is the new “Rivalry Credit” metric—an analytics‑driven measure that quantifies a game’s historical significance, fan base overlap, and projected TV ratings. The teams with the highest Rivalry Credit receive preferential placement in the “Rivalry Series” weeks, ensuring that fan‑driven classics like Clemson‑Alabama and Texas‑Oklahoma retain their status as national fixtures.
3. Economic Impacts: A Boom in Local and National Revenue
A significant portion of the article focuses on the economic benefits observed in the first two seasons of the revamped system. In a recent press release, the NCAA reported a 12 % increase in total television revenue, with a particular spike in “Premium Pay‑Per‑View” buys for rivalry weeks. The article cites the Spokesman‑Review’s own financial analysis, which shows that:
- Ticket sales: The average attendance for rivalry games rose by 9 %, with 18 % of the revenue attributed to “Rivalry Premium” pricing.
- Local economies: Cities hosting rivalry games reported a 3.4 % boost in hotel occupancy and restaurant revenue during game weeks, as captured in a study by the University of Washington’s Department of Economics.
The article quotes an Auburn University athletic director, who says, “The revenue generated from our new Saturday night matchup with Georgia has not only offset travel costs but allowed us to invest in state‑of‑the‑art training facilities.” A similar sentiment is echoed by a University of Washington coach, who notes the ability to recruit more high‑profile talent due to improved budgets.
4. Player Welfare and Academic Considerations
While the financial upside is clear, the article does not shy away from potential downsides. The NCAA has mandated that each team’s schedule must contain at least 48 % of home games, a provision meant to reduce player fatigue and support academic commitments. The article provides a side‑by‑side comparison of the 2022–23 schedules with the 2025 schedules for three major Power Five teams, showing a shift toward more home‑field advantage in rivalry weeks.
A former NCAA official is quoted, “We had to ensure that student‑athletes are not burned out by back‑to‑back road games, especially when the academic calendar is tight. The new format keeps the tradition alive while respecting the student‑athlete model.”
5. Fan Reactions and Cultural Significance
The article dedicates a section to fan sentiment, drawing on social media polls and focus groups. Many fans embrace the idea of “Rivalry Fridays” that allow them to watch high‑stakes games in a week‑long binge‑style. However, purists argue that moving rivalry games to predetermined dates erodes the “surprise” factor and diminishes the sense of spontaneity that long‑time fans cherish. A quote from a longtime Cincinnati Bengals fan, who also follows college football, captures the sentiment: “It’s like the rivalry became a scheduled event, and that’s not the same as it being a natural clash of wills.”
The piece also highlights how the new system has helped preserve certain historic rivalries that were at risk of being displaced by conference realignment. For example, the storied rivalry between the University of Arizona and Arizona State University now features a “Home‑and‑Home” series, with each team hosting one game in the rivalry block. This move, the article notes, was praised by the Arizona Board of Regents for maintaining regional cultural identity.
6. Looking Ahead: Future Adjustments and Potential Expansion
In its closing section, the article projects possible evolutions of the Rivalry Initiative. One possibility is the expansion of the rivalry block to 14 weeks to include an “inter‑conference” week that pits a Power Five team against a strong mid‑major competitor, thereby giving mid‑major programs a chance to shine on a national stage. The article notes that a pilot program in the 2026 season will test a hybrid schedule that blends the current system with an “early‑season” rivalry slot to attract younger viewers.
The article also mentions the potential impact on bowl game selection. As the NCAA’s “Rivalry Ranking” becomes a key component in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s criteria, a team’s performance in the rivalry block could influence its chances of postseason play, thereby raising stakes even higher for these matchups.
Final Takeaway
A Grip on Sports: The Revamped College Football Rivalry offers a nuanced view of the NCAA’s attempt to reconcile tradition with modern economic and logistical realities. By creating a structured, regionally focused rivalry system that balances fan expectations, player welfare, and revenue generation, the NCAA aims to sustain the cultural heartbeat of college football while ensuring that the sport remains financially viable in an increasingly competitive sports entertainment landscape. Whether the initiative will ultimately satisfy every stakeholder remains to be seen, but the article convincingly demonstrates that the revival of college football rivalries is as much about preserving history as it is about forging a new future.
Read the Full The Spokesman-Review Article at:
[ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/nov/29/a-grip-on-sports-the-revamped-college-football-riv/ ]
