BY: BRAD ROGERS
Our Brand is in Crisis
College football is serious business in Florida. So, when its two largest state schools, the University of Florida and Florida State University, are not living up to what is known as “the standard” on the football field — that is, winning big and often and occasionally bringing home a national championship — angst and anger sets in among the fan bases.
And it isn’t pretty. Coaches get fired. Stadiums sit half empty. People become apocalyptic.
My son, Cole, and I are both lifelong college football fans. Fan, just as a reminder, is short for fanatic. And, yes, we both are. Unfortunately, we cheer for different teams — he’s a ‘Nole and I’m a Gator. I’m not sure where I went wrong, but I’ve learned to live with his misguided allegiance.
In normal years, part of the fun is bantering and blustering about one another’s team leading up to the last weekend in November, when the two teams traditionally meet.
This year, however, there’s almost a shared empathy for one another as we see our teams struggle to win and championships are nothing more than a dream.
For Gator fans, it’s a sad commentary that “the good news” is that the school fired coach Billy Napier, who is walking away with a cool $21 million buyout of his contract.
For Seminole fans, they are praying they can fire their coach, Mike Norvell, although the price tag for that wish to come true is an eye-popping $53 million. “Our brand is in crisis,” my son lamented the other day. Our brand? Lordy.
Well, yes, these football programs are more than a point of pride for people like the Rogers. They are huge money-making machines for both the schools and their communities.
UF football in 2024 generated $100 million in revenue; for FSU, it was $90 million. Wins not only puff up fans’ chests but open donors’ wallets and attract student applications.
Yes, young folks in Florida want to go to a school that wins football games. (The parties are so much better when you win).
As someone once said, football in the South is more religion than sport. Amen. When FSU’s athletic director, Mike Alford, announced a few weeks back that “our comprehensive assessment of the football program will be completed at season’s end,” FSU fans, like my son, rolled their eyes and sighed.
“What the heck?” Cole the ‘Nole said. “We just got beat by Stanford!” Heh, heh, yes you did. Oh, I mean, I’m sorry. And I am sorry.
Those who have been following Florida and FSU football since the days when Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden strolled the sidelines remember the joy and jubilation of the annual Sunshine Showdown, as the UF-FSU game has come to be known, in its glory years.
When both schools were highly ranked every year. When both schools were loaded with NFL talent. When both schools’ coaches were not only great field generals but also great quote machines.
Ah, those were the days. For now, though, the UF and FSU faithful are left to hope each of our teams can somehow salvage winning seasons and hire new coaches who can restore their team’s pride and return them to their rightful place among college football’s elite.
Because when we’re both good, we’re all good. It’s college football in Florida, after all, and right now our brands are indeed in crisis.
Oh, and Go Gators!
As someone once said, football in the South is more religion than sport. Amen. When FSU’s athletic director, Mike Alford, announced a few weeks back that “our comprehensive assessment of the football program will be completed at season’s end,” FSU fans, like my son, rolled their eyes and sighed.
“What the heck?” Cole the ‘Nole said. “We just got beat by Stanford!” Heh, heh, yes you did. Oh, I mean, I’m sorry. And I am sorry.
Those who have been following Florida and FSU football since the days when Steve Spurrier and Bobby Bowden strolled the sidelines remember the joy and jubilation of the annual Sunshine Showdown, as the UF-FSU game has come to be known, in its glory years.
When both schools were highly ranked every year. When both schools were loaded with NFL talent. When both schools’ coaches were not only great field generals but also great quote machines.
Ah, those were the days. For now, though, the UF and FSU faithful are left to hope each of our teams can somehow salvage winning seasons and hire new coaches who can restore their team’s pride and return them to their rightful place among college football’s elite.
Because when we’re both good, we’re all good. It’s college football in Florida, after all, and right now our brands are indeed in crisis.
Oh, and Go Gators!