ESPN Fumbles Moving Celebration Bowl Date

HBCU Sports' Kenn Rashad addresses why ESPN's decision to move the Celebration Bowl (featuring the MEAC and SWAC champions) to a new date was a mistake. #hbcusports
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[@HBCUSports]

We welcome your comments about this topic.

[@aragas298]

How is this ESPNs fault because the SWAC won't change their schedules.

[@kennrashad1911]

That's the problem. The SWAC can't change its dates. There are no open dates.

[@G_Boom]

What do you mean by "the SWAC won't change their schedules"? The conference schedules are played by the rules set forth by the NCAA and within the timeframe allowed for their games. Teams can play regular season games from the Thursday before Labor Day thru the last Saturday in November.

[@finisher3x]

@@G_Boom - The issue is that the SWAC won't move the Bayou Classic off of Thanksgiving weekend. While the rest of FCS ends their season on the 3rd week in November, the SWAC is the ONLY FCS conference still playing regular season football on the 4th week in November. And because of that, the SWAC Championship takes place on the 1st or sometimes the 2nd week in December.

[@G_Boom]

@@finisher3x The NCAA FCS regular schedule ends on the last weekend of November. No rules are being broken or changed with any schools schedule.

[@aragas298]

@@G_Boom The Bayou Classic puts the SCG almost two weeks behind. The rest of the league completes play the week before.

[@mr_j7274]

Has the SWAC ever looked at starting their season a week earlier?

[@kevwaters101]

Views matter. Good thing they moved it. The college football landscape is changing. "ADAPT". FCS playoff teams have it worse.

[@regal394]

TV wise its a good move, ticket sales not so much 😅

[@KenKnucklesKnuckDogg]

The SWAC should have secured a definite date feasible to the SWAC in the contract they signed with ESPN. ESPN can do whatever they want, from my understanding! I mean, after all, we're talking about 3 schools that could be affected, Grambling, Southern and Alabama State. Are these schools guarannteed to win the SWAC?

[@lawrence8618]

Aside from player safety, they moved it so they wouldn't lose viewership to the College Football Playoffs and the NFL. You moved it up a week early, knowing the FCS Playoffs would air their top quarterfinal game on ESPN at noon, which was the highest-rated game in the entire playoff last season.

[@CarlaJenkinsTV]

I don't think it's a mistake on ESPN's part for a couple of reasons. I think that MEAC and SWAC schedules should be aligned since they're agreeing on the Celebration Bowl. Second, both MEAC and SWAC are Division I and starting in 2024 there will be 12 playoff teams with a Group of Five team. That means that the Celebration Bowl winner could also play in the playoff. Third, if no one is penalizing Notre Dame's independence, no one would penalize the Celebration Bowl's independence and the winner can be viewed as the HBCU representative.

[@HBCUSports]

FCS teams can't participate against FBS teams in a playoff. Different subdivisions can't compete against each other in postseason play, per NCAA rules.

[@LaDarius_Arceneaux251]

Should the schools cut back on the money games ?

[@robyeone7976]

11:35 @HBCUSports The MEAC hasn’t even tried to get an EXEMPTION from The NCAA, to attempt to do BOTH Playoff and Celebration Bowl. They aren’t even trying to do both. This is why it’s not an option.

[@G_Boom]

They don't need a exemption. If their 2nd place team has the record, they can be chosen to go to the FCS playoffs.

[@TrayjsuRush]

So you saying it needs to be a bye week because of what ? Folks financial situations or team not enough time to rest or what?

[@russellhaynes1142]

Your podcast is 90% SWAC and 10% other HBCUS please grow up HOST

[@christopherdukes2425]

No one cares about the MEAC 💯💯

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

If people think it is so unfair, then don't renew the celebration bowl contract (SWAC) or pay 6 schools to join the MEAC, so that the MEAC can have a championship game. ESPN has the media contract for the Celebration Bowl and they can move the game to whatever date they want and there is nothing you can do about (deal with the reality of the situation).

[@YardTalkHBCU]

They renewed it until 2027 for the same amount…

[@mistanderson]

SWAC need to stop crying.

[@russellhaynes1142]

Tell SWAC to change their schedule- the MEAC not complaining. The SWAC don’t run the C Bowl

[@G_Boom]

The Meac only has 6 teams. The conference schedules are played by the rules set forth by the NCAA and within the timeframe allowed for their games. Teams can play regular season games from the Thursday before Labor Day thru the last Saturday in November.

[@mistanderson]

@@G_Boom When the MEAC had 10-11 teams we still would've end the season NOV 23. When we had FAMU and BCU with AT we still ended the season the RIGHT WAY.

[@G_Boom]

@@mistanderson The Meac didn't have a championship game. Go look at the dates of the regular season the NCAA has for FCS schools and you'll see when the regular season official ends. Championship games are played after the regular season is over with.

[@MayyArnn]

ESPN didn't fumble anything because of the prior agreements made which is the fault of HBCU's but in 2027 it will be a different matter. Till then there's nothing that can be done because of the way they've put themselves at the mercy of others due to not having any value to negotiate a better deal at a lower time length. Those who can attract the casual audience will always hold value when it comes to negotiating. Without anything in place to attract them ( Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Hines Ward, Andre Johnson ) They will devalue HBCU's because to them there is nothing to attract who they're trying to bring to the product.

[@russellhaynes1142]

The SWAC have an excuse for everything