WATCH: Nick Saban explains his desire for bigger SEC schedule and how to fix attendance problems
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Alabama coach Nick Saban has made it clear that he would prefer a nine-game SEC schedule every year.
However, when he appeared on ESPN’s “First Take” this morning, he explained how he thinks that could also have a positive effect on dwindling college football attendance.
As you can see in the video below, shared by ESPN on YouTube, more marquee matchups every season would draw fans to the stadium:
“I think somebody needs to step up in college football and get ahead of dwindling attendance, people not coming to games — too many games that people are not interested in,” Saban said. “I think every player in the SEC should play every team in the SEC in their career and we don’t do that right now since we expanded to 14 teams and we only play eight SEC games. I’ve been for that for a long time.
“I’m also for playing every game as a Power 5 game. You play nine, 10 games in the SEC and then you play two other Power 5 schools. So, when people go to buy tickets and you have to pay premium for all of that, they are not seeing Division II schools. They’re seeing, oh we’re playing five SEC schools and Oklahoma this year at home. I think it’s a good thing for college football.”
It seems as if things are trending toward a nine-game SEC schedule, as some other major conferences have already made the switch.
Will it also help fix the attendance problems? Only time will tell.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
