Will The Chase For TV Dollars Cost The Vols Some Fans?

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]The Sports Source Saturday kickoff is brought to you by Hearthside Bank and by Madisonville Marine.

[00:00:28]Good Saturday morning. Welcome in to the Sports Source Saturday kickoff. I'm John Pennington joined to my left by Ryan Callahan. Govall247.com.

[00:00:36]I always want to say goals247 sports because you wear the gear that says 247 sports. So you can find Ryan Govalls247.com.

[00:00:45]And right over here with the Minnesota Vikings, we have Bob Hodge. He's sporting his team colors today. Bob, thanks for being here. Ryan, thanks for being here.

[00:00:52]>> Ready for a fun show?

[00:00:54]>> Yeah.

[00:00:54]>> Oh gosh. Always ready for a fun show. We got we got Kirby Smart making some interesting comments. Were they smart comments?

[00:01:01]>> Ah, which former UT quarterback is more out of touch with reality? We got Nico Yamalyava and T. Martin both in the news. That's going to be later in the show. Which one of those guys has more nerve? We'll get into that. And we're also going to talk about all summer long we're going to be doing uh like a big issue facing college sports every week.

[00:01:19]And this week's big issue that we're doing our deep dive on is how college sports really isn't being driven by fans right now. They're not listening to you.

[00:01:27]They're listening to TV executives. And we'll get into that and even answer the question, could there be a bubble on this TV stuff? That's all coming up on today's show. We got banging in the studio. You'll just have to put up with it if you hear that. Hopefully the AI will take that out when I when I air this thing. All right, first segment of our program brought to you by Hearthside Bank. Since 1920, Hearthside Bank has had locations southeast Kentucky, East Tennessee. Always within reach, always there to help you reach your financial goals. Can't think of better people to do your banking with. Hearthside Bank and Heartsside Bank.com is where you go to learn more. Okay. Um, put on the screen right now a Kirby Smart quote that I thought was interesting. He said, "This is the theory that nobody likes to hear." And a lot of SEC coaches are saying this in our meetings. They say they don't have the grind that we do.

[00:02:18]Smart said with they in that sentence being the Big 10 is what he means. Three of the Big 10's nine games are hard, but their bottom four games are not bottom are not our bottom four games. I'm going to play in Starkville and Vanderbilt in my bottom four, and I'm holding on to my butt.

[00:02:35]All right. Well, George has had to hold on to their butt a whole lot going to Starkville and Vandy the last few years.

[00:02:40]Um, Ryan's that sour grapes from a guy who's coaching a team that his conference hasn't beaten the Big 10 in a national championship three years.

[00:02:50]>> I don't think so. And I I I think there's legitimacy to this on two fronts. I I've made this case a couple times recently. I I think the biggest thing about the SEC, and this is not necessarily referring just to games on the field, is that the depth of the conference is in terms of aggressiveness and the money they're spending and how badly they all want to win. I don't think the Big 10 has 16 teams pulling all in that direction trying to win and doing everything they have to to win in football. I think the SEC has a lot closer to that. And >> I start to say it's not all 16, but it's it's deep.

[00:03:22]>> So I think I think that's where I think that's where coaches are seeing this is if you've got a backup or a third teamer on your roster, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, someone one of those teams might pick them off in the transfer portal and pay them a lot of money to come there. You can't stockpile talent. I think that's what makes the SEC's job harder more so than the deep schedule. But even the schedule, I still would lean toward the SEC being tougher week to week and and the road games to to Kirby's point being more consistently dangerous than the Big 10's bottom of the SK bottom of the conference games.

[00:03:52]I'm not as sure about this as Ryan is because if you if you start picking it apart, and we're going to pick some of it apart, I think that some of that is a little bit of perception. Now, I will say this, at the bottom of the SEC, I think the bottom teams are better than the bottom teams in the Big 10. I think when you get down into that area, but other than that and you're and you're talking about maybe the last four, five teams, >> okay, yeah, SEC better, sure they are.

[00:04:30]But at the same time, I don't think anybody fears the bottom of the SEC if you're going there. And I know it's a little bit more of a moving target than it used to be. Vanderbilt was always at the bottom and okay, last couple years they haven't been. But I think once you get past that, no, I don't think the SEC's any deeper until you get down to these slugs. Which teams are going to finish with five wins? The SEC's five win teams will be a little bit better than the Big 10's five win teams.

[00:04:59]>> Over the last three Okay, I didn't mean to interrupt. Go ahead.

[00:05:01]>> Oh, no. I was at that that was it.

[00:05:03]>> Over the last three years, the Big 10 has been beating the SEC head-to-head.

[00:05:07]Certainly in postseason, they've taken more than their share. Uh, but I want to do this as the standings went last year.

[00:05:13]We're going to look at which of these would you rather go to? Which is tougher on which is the tougher road game. So, we'll just start with the two teams that finished in first place last year. Would you rather go at Indiana or at Texas A&M?

[00:05:26]>> Despite the fact Indiana won a national championship, I'd rather go to Indiana in any given year. And that's not going back throughout history. We're not going back to Texas A&M in the 80s and 90s.

[00:05:38]Mhm.

[00:05:38]>> I just think in any given year, Texas A&M is a tougher place to play than Indiana.

[00:05:43]>> I I I'm going to agree. I I don't know if Indiana will sustain what they did last year. So, if you're picking this year, next year, I'll take Texas.

[00:05:51]>> Just to be clear, before the show we said, how are we going to do this? We all said recent times and now it's like any given year and you're saying, I don't know if they could sustain. So, we're looking at let's go ahead and redo.

[00:06:01]>> Well, now if you look at it last year, >> Indiana's obviously >> I think it's hard to look at it just that year though. I was more likely to look at it as saying >> I'm basically thinking now, next few years, you know, somewhere in that range.

[00:06:12]>> All right. Just so we're now you know, >> and more importantly, now we know at Ohio State or at Old Miss.

[00:06:19]>> Ohio State.

[00:06:20]>> Yeah.

[00:06:22]>> I was I was about to say that one doesn't even need discussion.

[00:06:25]>> No. See, now this one I at Oregon or at Georgia. That's a to me that's a that's a really I just I pass on that one. Boy, I tell you what. I think as good as Georgia has been in the past five, six years under Kirby Smart, let's say the Kirby Smart era.

[00:06:44]>> Yeah, >> I don't think they've been, you know, their home record is incredible. So, obviously, it's a tough place to play.

[00:06:52]>> Oregon's home record is pretty incredible. It's not up there with where Georgia is at. I will give Georgia that much of an advantage.

[00:07:01]>> I'm I'm with Bob on that one. slightly g slightly go with Georgia, but it's not by much.

[00:07:06]>> Okay. I would have put those two as kind of equal.

[00:07:08]>> Yeah.

[00:07:09]>> At Michigan, at Alabama, and again, we're going by last year's standings.

[00:07:13]So, these teams finished across from each other, >> which is the tougher road trip.

[00:07:17]Alabama's home record's been incredible, but they've lost four games each of the last two years overall. Feels like Alabama's sliding a little bit as a program, but Michigan I man, I don't know. I I think they'll bounce back a little bit with Whittingham, but I don't know that they're a national title contender anytime soon. So, get I'll still say Alabama.

[00:07:34]>> I'm gonna go with fuzz Michigan. Oh, I mean, just a just a little bit of Michigan because Michigan has been good.

[00:07:41]We're not talking about a bottom >> excuse me, talk not talking about a bottom feeder team.

[00:07:47]>> So, I'm going to go just slightly. If I had if I had to pick, I'd rather go to Tuscaloosa than Ann Arbor.

[00:07:52]>> Okay, I'll break the tie and go the other way. No offense.

[00:07:55]>> That's quite all right. All right. I would have I would have fought you guys on the Oregon Georgia. This one I'll just go I'll go Alabama by fuzz if we're some of these I would put in the even.

[00:08:03]Yeah. But since we didn't do that with Georgia and Oregon, >> we'll make this one go the other way.

[00:08:07]All right. At USC or at Oklahoma. See, traditionally both of those you wouldn't want to go to either one of those position.

[00:08:12]>> Correct.

[00:08:13]>> And there, you know, Oklahoma made the playoff last year. Two years ago, they were six and six.

[00:08:17]>> Right. USC going in the right direction.

[00:08:20]>> Uh you're saying USC went to Oklahoma. I would I'd rather go to USC, too. So, Oklahoma's hard.

[00:08:27]>> Then this is going to be then Kirby Smart's going to be right cuz we're we're smashing it for SEC.

[00:08:32]>> At Iowa at Texas.

[00:08:35]>> Texas had a lot of down years, but right now I'd rather go to Iowa.

[00:08:38]>> I'm about to eat some SEC words maybe, but yeah, I'd rather go to Iowa than Texas because Iowa can't score.

[00:08:44]>> Let's get one more in in the uh in this round.

[00:08:49]>> Add Illinois at Vanderbilt.

[00:08:51]>> This is tricky.

[00:08:52]>> No, it's not. No, if we're talking last year, remember last year? It's definitely I'd rather go to Illinois than Vanderbilt. Um, and I think you're >> traditionally you'd rather go to Illinois than >> But what is Vanderbilt moving forward?

[00:09:05]Yes, I would. We don't even need to finish this. So, it's >> I would I would rather have played at Illinois this year than at Vanderbilt.

[00:09:12]>> It's like Indiana. Is Vanderbilt going to be a seven and five program moving forward? They could be. I mean, they just stole a fivestar quarterback that was committed to LSU. This is a different era, you know.

[00:09:21]>> Yeah. I don't.

[00:09:22]>> No, this is this is this is good. I think now that we think about Miss is much tougher than Ohio State. Okay, Kirby Smart looks to be right. We'll come back and tell you. We'll do the Tennessee comparison. Who did they wind up tied with in the standings? And we'll finish this up and we'll see if it changed anybody's perspective on things.

[00:09:37]Come on back on the Sports Source Saturday Kickoff.

[00:09:41]Welcome back to the Sports Source Saturday Kickoff. This segment brought to you by Madisonville Marine. There is no better place to buy a boat. Why selection? They got more boats than you can shake a stick at. And I don't know if you've ever shaken a stick at a boat, but you're going to wear your arm out down there at Madisonville Marine. Also, the best prices, best customer service, you name it, they got it. Madisonville Marine, Highway 411 North in Madisonville. Okay, we are hammering this thing in that the SEC, Kirby Smart's right. All these SEC get road games are much tougher than the Big 10 according to our threeman panel here.

[00:10:15]You did you want to change this one? I thought you were saying >> I was just saying I think this >> you say you'd rather go to Illinois than Vanderbilt >> except for last year.

[00:10:24]>> I mean no last year I'd rather go to Illinois.

[00:10:27]>> Yeah.

[00:10:29]>> I would rather historically go to Vanderbilt.

[00:10:32]>> Mhm.

[00:10:33]>> Last year I would have rather gone and played at Illinois. Yeah.

[00:10:36]>> than going to play at Vanderbilt.

[00:10:38]>> So So say you had to schedule one for next year.

[00:10:40]>> If I had one schedule for next Doug let's go future now. Next five years.

[00:10:44]>> Next five years. Okay. Then I would lean into Illinois a little bit.

[00:10:49]>> Okay.

[00:10:50]>> I'd rather go to Vanderbilt, dude.

[00:10:51]>> I would, too. So, I'm going to say, >> yeah. All right. So, they have their second.

[00:10:55]>> It's a close call, but I'll I'll lean that way.

[00:10:57]>> Okay.

[00:10:58]>> Here's the thing. Vanderbilt should never have been that high. Yeah. To have been in this conversation. That's fair.

[00:11:02]>> I just like the fact that we went from is it long past, recent past, now we're into the future.

[00:11:10]>> All right. At Minnesota or at Missouri?

[00:11:14]Uh, what do you say, Vikings fan? We'll start over here.

[00:11:17]>> Oh, I'd much rather go to Missouri.

[00:11:21]>> I'd rather go to Minnesota.

[00:11:24]>> Missouri.

[00:11:24]>> I I would too.

[00:11:26]>> They've been kind of equal programs.

[00:11:28]>> Missou's at least had some peaks. You know, they Minnesota has been more of a standard seven and five, six and six, seven and five, six and six.

[00:11:40]>> You're going to see this in a couple years at Washington or at Tennessee. the two team the two stadiums you can arrive by boat to >> um >> and >> I would I would I'd rather go okay in the future I'd rather go to Tennessee and the president rather go to Tennessee in the past I'd rather no no no I'm I'm getting it confused >> yes >> Washington okay >> so >> Tennessee tougher than Washington >> yes >> Tennessee is tougher than Washington yes >> even though they lost three home games last year they had a lifelong home winning streak.

[00:12:14]>> Washington's a tough place to play when they're when they're pretty good, especially >> but Nean's Everybody says Nean's one of the loudest in the country. So, >> and Tennessee's got a great home record under Josh Henson.

[00:12:22]>> Yeah, with the exception of last year.

[00:12:23]Yeah. All right. At Nebraska or at LSU?

[00:12:27]>> I'd rather play at LSU >> when than Nebraska.

[00:12:31]>> Yeah.

[00:12:32]>> Tiger Stadium is considered.

[00:12:33]>> Okay. Now, are we talking past, present, future?

[00:12:36]>> This week, this is one I mean LSU is like Nean Stadium. Everybody talks about how tough it is to play down there.

[00:12:41]>> And Nebraska is what is it? A night game. Night game or day game? Day game.

[00:12:45]It doesn't matter. Night game, I would go LSU.

[00:12:47]>> Okay.

[00:12:48]>> Don't talk me out. You You would go Nebraska.

[00:12:50]>> I I I mean Nebraska historically has been tough. Nebraska the last seven or eight years has not been tough. LSU has been that tough since 2019.

[00:13:00]>> If you're an athletic director, are you wanting to schedule a game at LSU or at Nebraska? You got to pick one. Where would you rather play this year with Lane Keifin and his $40 million?

[00:13:10]>> Well, in that case, and I'd rather play at Nebraska.

[00:13:13]>> I saw a graphic with records against power four teams in recent years.

[00:13:17]Nebraska's won like four games against power four teams outside the conference.

[00:13:20]So, you're saying I I think it's LSU is tougher.

[00:13:23]>> All right. This It's good for television. All right.

[00:13:28]At Northwestern or at Kentucky? Two traditional powers.

[00:13:34]I'd rather go.

[00:13:35]>> That's one of those passes to me. But >> I'd rather go to Northwestern.

[00:13:38]>> They got a cool new stadium that's coming up. Yeah, >> they do.

[00:13:41]>> Uh Kucky's at least had some good years.

[00:13:43]>> They have even a 10- win season not too long ago. So, yeah, >> I'd rather go to Northwestern, too.

[00:13:50]>> All right, let's start rolling the water toward you. Uh >> at Penn State or at Florida. See, that's another one I would put down in the push zone.

[00:13:59]>> Yes, that would that would be a push.

[00:14:02]The swamp is just everybody's scared of the swamp. Everybody's scared of the white out up here.

[00:14:06]>> I would I'd rather go to Florida if we're looking at recent history >> recent years. Yeah. James Franklin had Penn State in the playoff mix. You got to say Florida's been worse recently >> at UCLA at Auburn.

[00:14:20]>> You know what? I'm going to go with Auburn. And for a simple reason, UCLA gets nobody in their stadium.

[00:14:26]>> Meaning Okay. No, you'd say you'd rather go to UCLA.

[00:14:29]>> Yeah, I'd rather go to UCLA. We're picking the worst is basically the >> I' I'd rather go to UCLA.

[00:14:34]>> UCLA has been down and cannot get anybody.

[00:14:37]>> Yeah, Auburn's down, but UCLA's down and has a terrible atmosphere.

[00:14:40]>> Here's the one where he's going to be holding on to his butt. He says going to Mississippi State. Mississippi State or Ruters on the road.

[00:14:46]>> I don't know that there's a huge difference there.

[00:14:48]>> Yeah, I'm I'm I'm going to go to Mississippi State.

[00:14:50]>> Get cowbells.

[00:14:52]>> They stink.

[00:14:53]>> Well, no, wait a second.

[00:14:54]>> I'd rather go to >> Okay.

[00:14:56]>> I'd rather go to Mississippi State. They stink. I know.

[00:15:00]stinks, but Mississippi State stinks.

[00:15:06]>> Another push for me.

[00:15:07]>> Yeah, it's basically a push.

[00:15:09]>> Oh, if we're picking pushes. Yeah, they're the Cowbells are annoying, but they don't win a lot of games either way. So, yeah, I'll take I'll take Starkville as the easier.

[00:15:17]>> Oh, okay. Don't want to go to Pascataway.

[00:15:20]>> Yeah, New Jersey.

[00:15:20]>> They're they're interesting enough to make it weird.

[00:15:23]>> This is a push for me. These are two good home field advantages. They don't neither team has ever hit the highest highs, but >> those are tough places to play.

[00:15:32]Wisconsin's hell, South Carolina was pretty darn down last year, but Wisconsin's been down the last two or three years. They've really fallen off of late. I'd probably say I wouldn't want to go to South Carolina. I'd rather go to Wisconsin right now than South Carolina.

[00:15:44]>> I'd rather go to Wisconsin.

[00:15:46]>> I'd rather go to South Carolina.

[00:15:48]>> You lose.

[00:15:49]All right, here's the last one in terms of our standings go. So, these are the bottom of the league. at Maryland or at Arkansas?

[00:15:57]>> I'd rather go to Maryland than Arkansas.

[00:15:59]>> I I'll say Maryland, too. Pretty close because Arkansas's not very good.

[00:16:04]>> Arkansas, though, >> they ain't calling no hogs up there.

[00:16:07]>> Exactly. And and Arkansas, even though when they're bad, they still tend to play pretty >> pretty good at home.

[00:16:13]>> And here are the two teams that, you know, they got two more teams in the Big 10 at Michigan State at Purdue are the two teams that we didn't get in here. U so >> Purdue's been awful. on Michigan State right now is at a low for the >> They are at a low for them. So what we only had three or four that went to the Big 10's way like 124.

[00:16:29]>> So we got Okay. So does that change anybody's >> take? Uh >> actually we got five for the Big 10 and 11.

[00:16:36]>> Yeah. 11 for the SEC, five for the Big 10.

[00:16:38]>> You know, if if we change the pairings, yes, it would definitely change. But since that was the rule, >> no, I'm not going to change my mind on most of that. I think that, you know, the Big 10 has been better slightly at the top and I still think when you when you get to the bottom, the T Tennessee is a little bit better at the or not Tennessee, the SEC is better at the bottom. This is confusing me. I'm an old man. Yeah, if I'm if I'm Josh Hypel, I'd take a a road game against one of these middle- of the road Big 10 programs over a road game against an average SEC program any day. So, I think here's here's the bigger question. We only got like 30 seconds to do this. Does it matter? We just did this whole exercise and in the middle of it, it kind of hit dawned on me. Maybe it doesn't matter because we are in an age where you can go spend $40 million and your team is completely different this year.

[00:17:34]or you spend $40 million and your quarterback gets popped for gambling and you go in the tank this year. It it can never rise or fall any quicker than it is right now. Indiana out of nowhere.

[00:17:44]LSU spending an insane amount of money for Lane Kein. Maybe they blow up this year. Uh Kentucky, they had a top 10 transfer portal class with a new coach that we know nothing about.

[00:17:54]>> I am I supposed to Well, there's going to be the same old Kentucky.

[00:17:58]>> I don't know. I have no idea what I have zero what Kentucky. So, does this even matter? comes off the carpet to be the best Vanderbilt team in history. It doesn't happen without transfer portal and money.

[00:18:11]>> Yeah.

[00:18:11]>> So, that's the way things change.

[00:18:13]>> It does matter because I think there's a little more financial commitment to winning in the SEC than in the Big 10.

[00:18:18]>> There you go. Excellent.

[00:18:19]>> Which rolls right back to your initial point, Ryan Callahan, everyone. It was all planned. Whole thing was planned. We We knew where we were going. I was supposed to spill the drink a little sooner, but other than that, >> and I was supposed to pretend to be confused.

[00:18:33]All right. Uh, who are when we come back, let's talk about big problems facing sports. And remember, we've still got something coming up. Who's got more nerve? T. Martin or Nicole? We'll explain that one. But when we come back, I want to do a deep dive into the fact that college sports figures aren't listening to you, they're listening to TV executives. Is that a good thing long term? And we'll give you some examples of how they don't care about you. That's next. Come on back.

[00:19:08]Welcome back to the Fort Source Saturday kickoff. This segment of our show brought to you by Rusty Wallace Kia of Knoxville on Callahan Drive. I bought five vehicles in a row down there. So, in case that hasn't tipped you off enough, I believe in Rusty Wallace Kia of Knoxville on Callahan Drive and they will beat any deal made to you on a new Kia offered to you on a new Kia by any other dealer.

[00:19:29]So, wherever you go, if you're not going there and you're buying a new Kia, you're spending too much money. Rusty Wallace Kia of Knoxville. All right. I want to talk about, as I said, this summer we're doing some things where we're looking at big picture problems in sports. I don't think that the the the people running college sports look at this as a problem. I do. And that is they aren't taking their cues from you, the fan. They're taking their cues from TV executives.

[00:19:55]>> It's all about the TV contracts, whatever they want. And we're gonna do two quick examples here. Uh first of all, let's focus on kickoffs, kickoff times. Ryan, the Balls may get a ton of day games. They may get late night games. And it's all because ESPN has a million games to put on over their platforms. It it's nothing to do with what Tennessee fans want or need. U there was a time when in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Tennessee kicked off at two o'clock. Two o'clock. That's what you did. It's a home game. Two o'clock.

[00:20:27]People from West Tennessee can drive over for that and they can drive home.

[00:20:31]Okay, perfect. That's no longer a consideration. They don't care. Is that a good thing or a bad thing that fans just Hey, you take it. Last year they all wanted more night games. They didn't get them. Is it a bad thing that the schools no longer pay attention to the needs of the fan base? it it's it's bad for the sport and and this is I mean in the long run this is going to be interesting to see how much of this fans are willing to tolerate but they they've I think just come to accept the fact that whether it's the playoff conference expansion all this stuff has been aimed at getting more TV money and so yeah I think they they've it's sort of baked in at this point that fans expect it but the the idea is fans will go anytime they they'll go >> they take it for granted that fans will do whatever and They do.

[00:21:19]>> Yeah, absolutely. So, will there will there come a time when they decide I'm not doing this anymore? I I mean, it's probably a long way kickoffs for the moment.

[00:21:26]>> But but yeah, for the kickoff stuff, yeah, I I don't think it's um I don't think it's good. Um but I think I think fans have come to tolerate it because they they know that's part of it now and that's all the sport's worried about.

[00:21:35]>> Yeah. I just find it annoying that you have to sit there um and look at I mean, we do the Saturday pregame show and I'm left a week before. Okay. Have they put the announcement out and then they'll say, "Well, we're not going to put out that. We're going to hold on that game.

[00:21:48]You're not going to know until next week.

[00:21:50]>> Well, people are coming from all over the state. They're trying to figure out if they can make it to a game or not. I I it makes me angry the fact that you don't even announce if you want to make it for TV, fine, but at least give people two or three weeks notice. And now it's two weeks, maybe one week. I I just don't think that's enough. And I don't I think it's really ignoring the fan base and their wants and their desires. You're a season ticket holder and you've come you're somebody who's come to like the night games.

[00:22:13]>> I I like the night games. I mean, it it is something that has grown on me.

[00:22:19]>> They they've really put a lot into making the night games with all the lights and the fireworks and it is a bigger show >> and and typically the night games have been better games >> than than what you get, >> but your point is well taken that this has nothing to do with anybody sitting in that stadium. As a matter of fact, things like light shows and fireworks, I think that's because we got to do something to make sure that these people want to come >> and aren't just watching it on TV >> and aren't just watching it on television. So, it does give you a little bit better of an experience. Um, and and here's something else. I mean, if you live in Knoxville and that game kicks off at 8:30, you're getting home at 1:00 1:30 in the morning probably, maybe even later.

[00:23:09]Yeah, because >> does anybody at UT, the networks anywhere take that into consideration that okay, we are making it harder on these people? To your point, not a bit.

[00:23:24]And if they thought they could make an extra dollar by moving a a Knoxville kickoff to 10:00, >> you'd have a Knoxville kickoff at 10:00.

[00:23:32]And I guess they look at it and they say, "Look, the money is what drives everything else. Well, as long and you'd rather us win than kick if we're winning and kicking off at 3:00 a.m., you'll be good with it. So, we need the money to win. So, deal with it." The problem is everybody gets the money. So, it doesn't guarantee winning.

[00:23:47]>> And and and now here's something else.

[00:23:49]It makes it harder on your local businesses, too.

[00:23:52]>> Yep.

[00:23:52]>> When you don't have s I mean, if you've got a two o'clock game, >> you're coming in, you're eating breakfast, you're going out, you're eating dinner.

[00:23:59]>> Yep. You kick off at 8 8:30, >> you're not eating anything after that.

[00:24:04]>> Yeah.

[00:24:05]>> Another thing in football that TV is driving. You You have no problem with going to 24 teams. But most fans, you see, I don't hear anybody else. You're not clamoring for it. But I'm okay.

[00:24:17]>> I don't know that anybody's sitting there going, "Oh, we got to get to 24."

[00:24:20]Greg Sanki says 16, but he's got Josh Epipel and Danny White saying 24 because they want to get in the playoff. You've got coaches all over. You got the Big 10 pushing for 24. Eventually, it's going to be 24. There's there's no question.

[00:24:32]It'll go to 24 and it'll dilute the regular season and so be it. But that's another one where >> fans aren't asking for this. And we'll get into the basketball thing in a second. But fans aren't clamoring for 24 teams to get in there. And at some point, you ought to start listening to them, to the consumer.

[00:24:50]>> Well, this is the problem. We've said it repeatedly over the years, but it's true on stuff like this more than anything else. No one's looking out for the greater good of the sport. No one's looking out for what. There's no NFL commissioner over college football saying this is what the sport needs to be successful long term. They're just saying to your point, >> what do what makes the most money? Of course, it's more playoff games, but that's not what the sport wants and not what the fans want. For sure.

[00:25:15]>> And the most money doesn't get everybody thinks, well, that is what's best for the sport is the most money that anybody who's run a business. It depends on the business you run. But I'll give you an example. my businesses. There have been times where I've had potent I've had people that wanted to get on my show.

[00:25:31]I it wasn't going to be a good fit for my brand. Would have been money. I could take the money and just not care. But if I bring them on, that has an impact on everybody else I have on my show.

[00:25:42]>> The way the the people I'm pushing would be saying, "Wait a second. You're lumping us in with this group, so I didn't do it." In other words, more money wasn't what was really best. And I think you may be running into that. Of course, you love the money, but boy, if you're doing something that's eventually going to hurt your connection to fans, I I can't say that that's for the good of the sport. I tell you what, when we come back, let's move this over to basketball where once again, you're having a giant expansion that's coming in terms of the postseason that not only are people not clamoring for it, they're getting it. Come on back, we'll discuss.

[00:26:20]Welcome back to the Sports Source Saturday kickoff. This segment brought to you by Games and Things. Right now, they got a great deal, great deals on bar stools. We use bar stools in some of our sets down here in our studios, Sports Source Digital Network Studios.

[00:26:32]Be sure to check it out on YouTube and subscribe. Games and Things outfitted the whole thing. Not only poker tables like this, but pub tables like you sometimes see in this studio. Uh bar stools, a bar. They've got it all at Games and Things. And right now, they have bar stools at tremendous deals. Go check them out in West Knoxville or if you're outside the Knoxville area, visit them online at ourgameroom.com.

[00:26:54]All right, John Pennington back with Bob Hodgej over here, back with Ryan Callahan over here. Um, fans, as I said, they're not only not glamoring for a 76 team men's basketball tournament and women's basketball tournament, and I'm going to get emails over this, but I'm sorry, those games are blowouts in the first.

[00:27:14]You don't have as many women's teams that are capable of winning in the first round. You're getting fewer and fewer in the men's side, too. But there is no reason.

[00:27:22]>> You're also going to have 76 women's team get in there. You're also going to have games where there are 25 people in the stands. And I don't want the emails.

[00:27:30]If you send me the emails, I will send you the attendance numbers back and prove that I'm right. 18 only a slight exaggeration. So, it's bad for the men's. It's ridiculous for the women's.

[00:27:42]Uh but Bob, you got people who are openly saying, "No, we like it as is.

[00:27:48]If if you are defying the people, this could actually hurt the tournament."

[00:27:52]>> Yes. And and I think they've taken steps to maybe hurt the tournament a little bit anyway because the mid majors and the smaller than mid majors are being shoved aside. This is going to I I read a story the other day. Is this the return of the mid majors? No. This is Auburn getting in one game over 500.

[00:28:14]This is Oklahoma being able to skate in under the wire. That's who's going to be getting into this thing is bad big boy school.

[00:28:22]>> Yeah.

[00:28:22]>> And I have no desire to see that. I don't mind the football expansion, the basketball thing. No. I have a real problem with going from 64 to 76. I >> One of the fun things, Ryan, that everybody does is the bracket stuff.

[00:28:39]>> Yeah.

[00:28:41]Good luck printing a 716 bracket into one sheet. It's already pretty small at 68.

[00:28:47]>> We were ignoring the first four. Now what do we do?

[00:28:49]>> Yeah, exactly. You just ignored the first four. Yeah. Um I just this could backfire. Yeah. The football thing, that's a long-term thing that may dilute the regular season fine. I think you're really running a risk of hurting the product so much by watering it down so much and putting so many bad big boy schools as you said in there. Your ratings could fall on this thing. I I think you could lose interest if somebody isn't sitting there filling out a 76 bracket.

[00:29:17]>> I think that takes that takes interest away from people. There are people who aren't basketball fans who do that every year. Yeah.

[00:29:22]>> Because oh well this is fun. I like this team because their mascot. I like this team because the color.

[00:29:27]>> Yeah. I I I think 76 could be you've passed the point of diminishing returns.

[00:29:32]>> Yeah, I I think so, too. But I they're betting the opposite. To Bob's point, I think they know it's going to be the Oklahoma, the Auburns getting in, and they're banking on bigger fan bases are going to watch. So, higher ratings.

[00:29:44]>> Exactly.

[00:29:44]>> And we'll see. It might it might backfire. It's very possible that it will. I mean, I think in those first four games though, people were watching I mean that not to give them any credit, they're watching the games that involved Texas or whoever instead of the the 16 seeds playing each other.

[00:30:01]>> You'd rather watch the 16?

[00:30:02]>> I watched I watched the the first four when Tennessee played in it.

[00:30:05]>> Yeah.

[00:30:05]>> I can honestly say I've not sat down to watch the first four games, >> but but they always put the marquee programs that are in there in the later game because that's the one that draws the bigger rating. Those six teams playing each other, no one's watching those. So they they know what's going to get the bigger ratings. I think they're I think they're making us sadly a smart bet. I think I think it's probably You like the bet?

[00:30:23]>> No, I don't like it. I don't like it. I think on the on the TV side it'll probably work.

[00:30:28]>> I think it could hurt them long term.

[00:30:29]You think it could work?

[00:30:30]>> I think on the TV side, yeah, >> I I agree with what Ryan said because you do get a bigger fan base that comes in there, >> but is there the the upsets?

[00:30:42]>> Yeah. regardless of how many or how few is what set this tournament apart.

[00:30:47]>> And see, there could be more upsets now.

[00:30:49]>> Well, but u I here's what I don't think.

[00:30:51]>> Consider Illinois beating >> Right. And that's what I was getting ready to say.

[00:30:55]>> If Texas squeaks in under the wire and beats an undefeated Virginia team.

[00:31:00]>> Yep.

[00:31:01]>> Does anybody look at that the same as Baltimore, Maryland County, school for whomever?

[00:31:06]>> Florida GF Coast, George Mason. We could go on and on with those little VCU. No, it's it's >> and and so to me that changes the dynamic. It changes the interest. But I do think at least in the short term they win their bet because you do get the Auburn fan base, the Texas fan base, the >> Yeah, >> I just think long term you're hurting yourself.

[00:31:28]>> Yes, I think you are. I think your interest will diminish. I think you're going to have people that if it's the same big boy schools every year, I think that loses its >> and eventually it will be the same schools every year because you're gathering in so many of them. You don't have anywhere else to go.

[00:31:43]>> Nope. All right. When we come back, this is the interesting college administrators will do anything >> for the television dollars. But is there a threat to that revenue stream?

[00:31:53]Is it a bubble in some ways? I'm going to throw out a number for you that's kind of interesting. We'll see if these guys think that that's a problem or ah, it'll be fine. We'll discuss it next.

[00:32:02]You have to wait. That's a tease. Figure out what this big strange number that you haven't seen is next.

[00:32:19]Welcome back in Sports Source Saturday Kickoff. This segment of our program is brought to you by Daniel Hood Roofing.

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[00:32:52]College sports is 100% being driven by TV executives. That's because sports are old school television silver bullet versus cord cutting in two in 2024. I almost sound like AI. In 2024, uh 75 of the top 100 prime time broadcasts were sporting events. That's prime time. 75 out of 100. If you look just all day parts, it's literally 98 or 99 out of 100 are sporting events. So that's why all these executives are throwing the money at the sports.

[00:33:25]Analysts expect college football media rights to more than double over the next decade to $8.4 billion per year by 2034.

[00:33:36]8 billion. So what could go wrong? Well, I found this interesting. A recent Emory University study, and this is not just Emmery students, this is one of those things where they do nationwide. Emory University study found that only 23% of Gen Z, that's folks who are now 13 to 28, identify themselves as passionate sports fans. 23%. Millennials, that's the age older, that's 29, 44, that is the age range that people want for their advertising. They say they're 42% passionate sports fans. That's a 19% drop generation to generation.

[00:34:11]If those folks aren't passionate about sports at a 20% clip like the current group, the main group, are they going to continue to make live sports and sporting events the silver bullet for television? Or are these TV networks going to start to say, "Okay, we don't need to give as much money because they aren't doing the numbers they used to."

[00:34:30]And then all of a sudden all these colleges >> that are spending all their time sucking up the TV executives, are they going to wind up saying, "Oh, wait.

[00:34:40]>> We should have been trying to get these Gen Z people.

[00:34:43]>> We should have been trying to attract the young people to stay with us." It's not an either or either or. You could do one of you could do both. Problem is, they're not doing both. They're aiming everything at TV. That could just be nonsense. You could say, "Ah, they'll grow into it. They'll be passionate."

[00:34:58]But Gen Z was an over-the-top passionate. Baby boomers are like 32%.

[00:35:03]Uh my group Gen Gen X was 33% passionate. Millennials 42% and now down to 23. Is that a number that you would pay attention to or it's going to keep on going up forever. Just like the housing market in the late in the early 2000s.

[00:35:20]>> I'll tell you what I'd make of that number. I think there are a lot of people in that younger generation who are into sports but maybe aren't passionate about a team. They've grown up with gambling, fantasy sports, things like that.

[00:35:33]>> Watching highlights on Twitter or Tik Tok.

[00:35:36]>> So I think there are more people interested in the games who will follow the games than that 23% would would say, but maybe they're not interested enough to go to a game. So I'm >> I watch an entire game on TV.

[00:35:47]>> It might be both, but I I think >> I know a lot of people that just do the Tik Tok thing for highlights.

[00:35:51]>> Sure. I I mean, if I'm an athletic director, that would concern me more for future ticket sales than future TV ratings. I think that's a real concern for filling a 100,000 seat stadium in 20 years.

[00:36:01]>> I think you're going to have ticket sales first.

[00:36:04]>> Yep.

[00:36:04]>> And then TV ratings will follow >> because the reason you sit down and watch a three, three and a half, four hour football game is because you're passionate about that team. Yeah, >> I mean I watch the games either the teams I really like or the teams I really hate. Green Bay Packers. So that's what I watch. And if if I just don't have that interest and that passion, okay, I'm going to I'm going to sample it. I'll watch a little bit here.

[00:36:35]I'll go out and do something else. And that's when your TV ratings start going down and your TV dollars start going down.

[00:36:40]>> Even if I've played five bets on five different games, that doesn't mean I'm going to sit there and watch it. I may just watch Sports Center.

[00:36:45]>> You're watching Keeping Up with your bets.

[00:36:47]>> Might just watch Sports Center and get the scores at the end of the day.

[00:36:50]>> Might be watching my phone just the scores as opposed to >> actually sitting down passionately watching these games. I just think that's a mighty big drop.

[00:37:00]>> 42% to 23%.

[00:37:02]>> That would concern me >> if I were a college sports administrator for both reasons.

[00:37:06]>> Yeah.

[00:37:06]>> Tickets again.

[00:37:07]>> And and I think this is one of the reasons for the drop right there.

[00:37:10]>> But the ticket thing is interesting and that's part of this that ties into this.

[00:37:14]It's not just the TV is the problem.

[00:37:15]We're saying they're doing everything for TV. At what cost?

[00:37:18]>> That could be the cost. If you haven't cultivated the next generation of fans to be as passionate about your school, we talked about this a I've talked about a lot on different shows. The fact Red Zone is one of those that stands out to me.

[00:37:31]>> Well, look how many people we got watching Red Zone.

[00:37:33]>> Well, terrific. They're not, you know, tied to a team like you with the Vikings, me with the Patriots, your Titans.

[00:37:41]>> Yeah. I mean, I'm there win or lose. A lot of times angry and cursing when they lose, but I'm there win or lose.

[00:37:48]>> If I'm not passionate about it, eh, I got other things to do.

[00:37:52]>> Exactly.

[00:37:52]>> And that's when you run into trouble.

[00:37:53]So, you may want softcore fans who it's on and I'll watch it. I'd rather have hardcore fans who are there through thick and through thin and will buy the tickets. And everybody right now, >> I'm a much bigger hardcore fan.

[00:38:05]>> Well, everybody right now is for the softcore fans on the uh the sports stuff. So, >> all right. when we come back.

[00:38:13]Nico Yamalava or T. Martin, who's more out of their mind? Come on back and I'll explain.

[00:38:20]Welcome back to the Sports Source Saturday kickoff. Hey, tomorrow morning we will be at 11:00 a.m. on WAT6 Live.

[00:38:27]Uh we'll be uh covering just about everything there is to cover, including a lot of the basketball stuff we didn't get to today. Juke Harris, the amount of money Tennessee is spending on that roster. We'll get into all that tomorrow morning at 11 in Knoxville on WAT. But if you're not in Knoxville, if you're watching today's show on the CW Nashville, you can catch that show at about 2:00 PM Central time on the Sports Source Digital Network. That's our free channel on YouTube. We put up segments of the shows all week. We put up the full shows all week. And boy, coming this fall, we're have multiple multiple shows covering football. And we'll get more into once spring and summer, we're get more into some of the special productions that we do. We did several during basketball as well. All of that Sports Source Digital Network, get there on YouTube and subscribe. All right.

[00:39:09]I've been teasing this the whole way. A pair of former fall quarterbacks in the news this week. Uh they have more may have more golf than sense if you ask me.

[00:39:18]Nico Yamalyava wrapped up spring practice at UCLA this week. Let me put this quote up there. He said it was fun.

[00:39:25]My last spring game. I tried to go out there and enjoy it with the guys. It was good to just play with what we've been working on these past few months. All right. His last spring game. He's still got two more years of eligibility.

[00:39:38]I I haven't seen him listed on any mock drafts for next year, but we'll get to that. We'll get to that. Here's the other side of this. Um T. Martin. T.

[00:39:47]Martin. I I saw an ad. Here's the ad.

[00:39:49]Saw an ad this week where he's coming to town for an autograph show in a couple of weeks. And he'll you can you can pay to get autographs. You can pay him to take a selfie with you. Everything starts at 30 bucks. Some of it's 60, some of it's 80.

[00:40:02]And this is about what, a week and a half since he appeared in a video with Lane Keifing trolling V fans about him being at LSU and coming to Knoxville to recruit.

[00:40:14]Okay. So, I'm going to ask you guys, who is more out of touch? the guy who is not on any mock drafts and apparently is manifesting his own last season at at college because he's going to go to the NFL or the guy who just trolled ball fans and now he's coming to town saying, "Hey, give me money and I'll sign something for you." Who's more out of touch?

[00:40:38]>> Uh, I I'll start you go because I think it's Nico.

[00:40:42]>> Um, T Martin will always have people here.

[00:40:45]>> Yeah. national championship team is now fading into the the past almost 30 years, whatever. T- Martin's always going to have fans. We got a street named after him, etc. Nico doesn't seem to realize, and Nico's people, he hasn't been good.

[00:41:03]He was fine his first year at Tennessee.

[00:41:07]He was less than average last year UCLA and he's already basically declaring I'm I'm heading for the NFL and and so I went and looked he's not even ranked right now in the top nine quarterbacks coming out of college next year which that translates into about a sixth or seventh round draft pick. And if you're Nico, you have fallen a long long way.

[00:41:34]So I'm going to go Nico is more out of touch. I think he and his camp are certainly out of touch with reality.

[00:41:39]They they may be counting on Bob Chznney's new offense to or his new the new >> Bob Chzn. Is that right? Bob >> the new coach out there. I think it's Bob >> Chzn. It's not Kenny. Uh they may be counting on him to turn UCLA around and and improve that offense. But that's hoping and wishing. That's manifesting as they say. I think uh I think to be thinking you're going to go pro after this year with your body and not to mention the fact if I'm a scout I'm paying attention to that >> like this guy's got a really inflated view of himself >> been doing now for three years.

[00:42:12]>> Yeah man and I don't want anything to do with if this is his folks that we always say well it's his dad. This is him.

[00:42:19]>> Yeah.

[00:42:20]>> This is his comment. This is his statement. So maybe his father has beating that into him. But either way, I would be noticing that as a scout. It's like, does this guy have any sense of reality of his own worth?

[00:42:34]>> Ryan, who's the bigger goofball here on this one?

[00:42:37]>> More out of touch is the same guy who uh whose inner circle was more out of touch with his market value last year, Nico Malyava. That I mean, I do wonder, is there an outside chance that maybe he slipped some truth in here by saying, "This is my last spring game at UCLA one way or the other. Either I'm going pro or I'm hitting the portal." Maybe he didn't say he didn't say the last spring game.

[00:42:56]>> Yeah. So, but I I I think in in the back of his mind, he is talking about the pros. He he he thinks he's going pro after this year. No question. Um but yeah, I don't think he's staying at UCLA next year either way. If he needs to come back to college, he'll get out the door and say UCLA has held me back for two years. I'm going to Miami or whoever will pay me. So, u yeah, I think he's I think he's more out of touch here. Tob's point, always going to have some fans in in Knoxville. Always will have that place in history as the quarterback that delivered a national championship. True.

[00:43:23]Would you come back and force those people to pay you money to sign your name? I would not.

[00:43:28]>> Assistant coaches aren't making a fortune. I mean, >> in in in today Well, >> in today's in today's world, I think that's just where you're at.

[00:43:38]>> I'm the only one that has a problem with it. I got a problem with it. Sorry. I just And that doesn't mean I don't like Team Martin. It's just don't troll a fan base on social media. And look, UT isn't paying him. If they wanted him to coach you, they could pay him to coach you.

[00:43:51]So, I get that.

[00:43:52]But don't troll with Lane Keifin the fact that you're going to come recruit in Knoxville and then turn around and say, "Oh, I love you now. Sign sign here. Give me your check and I'll I'll sign my name after you write a check to me after you hand over your Vinmo to me." I just >> I I think that's wrong. I just wouldn't do that. And I get that that's what people do. Don't do it here. Don't Don't It's one thing. Dale Murphy's coming to town with that same show. Okay, >> that makes sense. Dale Murphy is not a UT guy. Jamal Lewis coming to town. Uh Peerless Price is going to be at that same show. I'm promoting the show. Um >> and that's fine. None of those people trolled UT.

[00:44:36]>> Correct.

[00:44:37]>> I just T Martin win.

[00:44:39]>> No, no, no. I'm still giving Nico the win. I'm just not I'm not pushing the T.

[00:44:44]Martin aside because well he won the title. That doesn't have anything to do with decisions he's making now. And I think trolling Tennessee fans was bad decision. And I think then turning around within a week and saying, "Pay me for my autograph. You want your picture made with me?" "Yeah, good. $60."

[00:45:01]You know, I'm sorry. I'm not gonna not gonna pass on that one. So >> I just I just think that's the world.

[00:45:08]>> And it's a diff T choosing to be an assistant coach in the SEC. It is a little bit. I mean, he's coaching. He's competing with Tennessee everywhere you go. That's a weird deal, but I mean, I guess I can sort of understand.

[00:45:18]>> I wonder if any recruiting while he's >> Yeah, maybe he will. That's what he meant in that video. I'm coming to town to recruit and sign autographs. Hey, we'll see you on the Sports Source tomorrow, either on WAT or on the Sports Source Digital Network. Thanks for joining us. Have a good rest of your Saturday.