They only playing 3 games?

Super excited to get this thread kicked off after it looked like it may not happen. So, after looking at the "amended" 2020 schedule, let's start the guessing. We're 11 and a butt from kickoff against MTSU so let's hear some picks and thoughts.

Here's how I'm seeing these games. I really don't know much about most of our opponents this year, so it's hard to say. But here's how I see it breaking down.

Prediction: 7-8 wins

No definite losses
Probable losses: Tulane, BYU
Toss-ups: MTSU, AF, GA Southern, Navy, Citadel
Probable wins: ULM, UTSA
Gimmies: ACU, Mercer

Yes, this assumes no games get cancelled which is a big assumption.

I'll apologize up front for this being a bit of "Debby Downer" post. I just thought it was a thought provoking perspective.

This week, The Washington Post ran an article that pointed out (counter to what one might expect) the scrapping of Power 5 Conference college football this season may actually have a silver lining for the major TV networks.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/26/college-football-tv-profits/

Since this article may be behind a pay wall, its major points were as follows:

1. Buying the rights to college games has become so expensive that sometimes networks are better off if the games aren’t played at all.

2. With the NFL telecasts, the relative size of the viewership drives highly profitable ad revenues and forces the networks to strike a deal where they partially pay in advance. For college football, the networks don't pay ahead of time and the pandemic has been driving down what advertisers can afford to pay for to air a spot during a college game.

3. Even prior to the pandemic, the profitability of telecasting college games has been steadily decreasing. "Ad revenue is now barely covering what it costs the network to broadcast a game.
In the 1990s, the profit margin on a college-football game could range between 20 and 30 percent. With viewership down and the packages costing more, it’s now often between 15 and 20 percent. That makes the networks a lot more vulnerable to a weakened ad market."

4. The article cited last year's Ohio State - Penn State game, where Fox likely barely broke even when considering an analysis of ad revenue vs. broadcast rights and production costs. It was a high stakes, competitive game, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and drew 9.2 million viewers.

In comparison, "the pro matchup between teams from the same states, the Steelers and Browns, garnered 15.7 million viewers on Fox the week before."

5. "A provision in the nearly 60-year-old Sports Broadcasting Act prevents the pro league from showing games on Saturdays during the college football season. If all five conferences cancel this fall, networks and the NFL are likely to push for — and get — dispensation to show highly rated pro games on Saturday."

6. There are some potential economic drawbacks if the games aren’t played. One of the largest is that carriage fees — the amount a cable or satellite provider pays to a network per subscriber — is contingent on fresh programming. If a sports programming channel such as Fox Sports 1 doesn’t offer enough games, carriers can claim the network is violating its carriage agreement and resist paying those fees.


This set me to pondering how the Army-Navy telecast has fared for viewership, and I found the following article:

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/20...text=The Army-Navy Game averaged,(4.5, 7.13M).


Army-Navy hits four-year lows on CBS
"The Army-Navy Game averaged a 4.9 rating and 7.72 million viewers on CBS last Saturday, marking the lowest rated and least-watched edition of the rivalry since 2015 (4.5, 7.13M).

Ratings fell 2% and viewership 4% from last year (5.0, 8.05M) and 6% and 8% respectively from 2017 (5.2, 8.42M). After seven-straight increases from 2011-17, ratings and viewership have now declined in back-to-back years.

Despite the lower numbers, Army-Navy ranks tenth among college football games this season. CBS aired five of the top ten."

Has anyone seen this series? I think most of you would find it engrossing. I like studying the dynamics of college football and wow - was this a further eye opener. some takeaways: 1. There is so much football talent in this country that doesnt make it on to a Div 1 field. 2. What the heck are these JUCOs trying to accomplish and is this the best use of community resources? 3. Everyone of these programs should have a CRO - Chief Realism Officer. These kids who are hanging on the fringes of being able to function in society think they are going to the NFL. Most arent even getting to 1AA. There should be life skills classes rather than Theater. 4. I'm no shrinking violet but coaches should no longer be permitted to communicate as HC Jason Brown does. (Independence KS CC).

Although there are a few Army West Point football players that have utilized the college transfer portal, it is my guess and just my guest that part of the reason is the academy fit and/or the post-graduation military commitment versus football itself, although that could be a part of it as well.

Well, as you can see from the Rivals feature, ‘Transfer Tracker: Complete coverage of the transfer portal’, this is a non-stop activity amongst football “Student-Athletes”.

Why do I put quotes around student-athletes? Well, in this case, and again it’s just a guess of mine, but I seriously doubt that that the majority of these players in the portal are there because they feel that academically, their current college/university does meet the mark, but more so that their current college/university is not a place where they can fine-tune their gridiron skills to make it to the next level, which is the NFL.

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Obviously, there are many talented players out there that will make that dream come true ... we see it every single year via the draft, participation in the NFL camps, and making the roster. However, the percentage of those that do, is extremely low and in my opinion, very very misleading to those “student-athletes”.

At least in baseball, there is an option that in my opinion parallels a major segment of college football today and that’s called the minor-leagues. I can’t speak to the mindset of that graduating high school senior baseball player that decides that he will skip college and signed that minor league contract ... but at least he has an option to do so. That does not exist with college football, and hence, college football for all of it’s Saturday excitement for the fans it is really the minor-leagues, tied with a bow that has the label, “College Football".

Actually, I am not even saying that is bad per se, but lets at least call it what it is.

I welcome your thoughts?

If y’all want to know why JM and our staff have been so successful and have done such a good job at USMA, let me tell you a little story from dinner tonight. Success leaves clues.
I ran into a guy at my favorite local pizza joint wearing USMA shorts so naturally we started a conversation. Turns out his son was recruited by Brent Davis 5 years ago.
He went to USMAPS then transferred to another FCS school and never went to West Point. The Dad told me Davis still keeps in touch with his son 5 years later!!
Every school in America talks about “the brotherhood.” Our program actually backs it up. That is friggin outstanding!

Army fans surely remember Larry Dixon as one of the Black Knights top fullbacks in the program over the span of the last decade plus.



In 2010, the Rivals 3-star recruit was piling up yardage at USMAPS in preparation for joining the Army Black Knights the following season. Dixon started the 2011 season as a regular backup to Jarred Hassin, but he moved into the starting lineup the last five games and the two fullbacks combined for 942 yards as the Black Knight rushing total increased once again to 4158 yards in just 12 games, with Raymond Maples contributing a 1,066 yards running the counter play off the triple option.

Well, that was then and this is now and we are featuring the former fullback in a different light, but one that will still draw attention to him once again being a contributor to the cause.

The cause that we are referring to is the COVID-19 Pandemic and the contribution is the 2015 graduate of West Point and his insight to some financial guidance and insight that may be applicable to the GBK readership.

As an Army Captain and currently taking Captain Careers Course, Larry has made himself available to share information that might have escaped some of our subscribers and non-subscribers here on GBK.

His user name is Ldixon26

GBK Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the information belong solely to Larry Dixon, and not to GoBlackKnights.com or any individuals associated with GBK (etc. Publisher, Writers, etc.).

Finally, posters should NEVER share private financial information on the forum, or with Mr. Dixon via anything mode of communication on the GoBlackKnights.com site.

Cade Anders from South Georgia. His dad is his head coach. He is versatile and more of an old-school H-back type with toughness, ball skills and a great work ethic.

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Hey GBK, another good video interview with the staff and players. Keep up the good work

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