How much will you watch CFB and how?

[Jeremy]

Tough poll to formulate but simple premise;

If the market continues down the direction of leagues being spread across many different service, how much CFB will you watch and are you somebody that is going to seek out games across multiple streaming services (Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Paramount, Peacock, etc)? Or, are you likely to watch only what is on your primary cable-like streaming service (i.e. Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling, etc)?

Casual = ISU and 1 or 2 games/week
Heavy = ISU and 3+ games/week

A common concern is that while streaming may be the obvious future (and current reality for many of us), the fragmentation of where games are shown may decrease visibility for a program like ISU or a league like the Big 12 that won’t be as prevalent on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, or ESPN. This poll will be pretty skewed given the site audience, but interesting.

 

[CoachHines3]

I will get whatever I need to get in order to watch football from 11AM to 10PM.

 

[CyJack13]

Saturday afternoon, I need to be able to flip back and forth to multiple games, def not interested in trying to find a single game on Prime

 

[everyyard]

I’ll watch Big 12. That’s it. However it is broadcast.

 

[TitanClone]

YTTV and ESPN+ covers anything I care to watch currently

 

[Remo Gaggi]

I’ll start watching Thursday night thru Saturday night. But I will probably skip any BIG games unless I can watch the Hoks and their powerful 100 yards-a-game offense getting crushed by most any other team.

 

[JM4CY]

I’ll watch Big 12. That’s it. However it is broadcast.

This. But if I have other Big 12 games on, I’m likely doing something else and just have it on in the background. (If Iowa or Nebby are getting beat in the 4th qtr, though, and I have nothing else I need to get done, I will often turn that on to watch that **** burn.)

 

[isufbcurt]

I normally watch a lot of games per week across multiple channels. It's easy to just switch back and forth between games on different channels.

However, I have no desire to have multiple different streaming services to watch different games. If that happens then I will watch less unfortunately.

The ESPN 3 thing that we have to purchase to get some ISU games is stupid in my opinion.

 

[Trice]

It sure seems like the streaming industry is moving toward consolidation, both at the app level (HBOMax+Discovery as the first of what I assume will be more mergers) and in the bundling of different apps (Disney+ESPN+Hulu). So I think in time this will end up less fragmented than we think and look more like cable.

That said, I won't pay extra for services I won't otherwise use. I'll find a stream.

 

[ISUTex]

Whatever is on YTTV. I'm not subscribing to 50 different f@#$ing streaming services. I couldn't keep up with all of the passwords and I'd probably forget to cancel them after football season is over.

 

[cytor]

I’ll start watching Thursday night thru Saturday night. But I will probably skip any BIG games unless I can watch the Hoks and their powerful 100 yards-a-game offense getting crushed by most any other team.

Hoks and their 100 yards of offense per game? Sounds like you are giving them too much credit.

 

[Rabbuk]

I'll pirate the few games I watch.

 

[CoachHines3]

my only complaint will be when these streaming companies start broadcasting games I want to watch and you can't simply just flip back and forth.

you'd almost have to have 2/3 tvs set up on that streaming services to watch.

 

[Macloney]

We watch every ISU game and will go to bars, get new services, etc. to do it. We'll turn on other games if nothing else is on, but we will turn on almost any live sport if nothing else is on. Usually prefer to watch Big 12 games if available, but after the addition of the new teams and departure of the 2, I honestly don't see myself caring much anymore.

 

[CRcyclone6]

I watch just about anything that's on on a Saturday. I like turning the TV on at 11am, being able to switch easily to any of the six or seven games that are available at anytime. I'm not going to like having to pay for different services like I do with ESPN+. Oh well, I'll make it work.

 

[JM4CY]

I'll pirate the few games I watch.

 

[Jeremy]

I'm a diehard CFB fan so will watch any and all games between Wed night through late Sat night. If not a great matchup, I'd be more likely to stay on Hulu where I can flip back and forth between a few games then I am to switch between apps for similar level games.

Counter to many here, I like ESPN because I can watch it, ESPN2, Fox, CBS, etc within the same Hulu interface for ease. I also like watching the big dogs from any league (yes, even the SEC and B1G) but that seems like it will also be more fragmented.

I worry the most about a school like ISU that needs exposure and the harder that becomes for casual fans, the more it will impact things like growing the fan base, perception, recruiting, rankings, etc.

 

[cygrads]

I’ll watch Big 12. That’s it. However it is broadcast.

Agree, I won't watch anyone else out of spite and CFB is becoming NFL Lite so I'll just watch the NFL.

 

[JM4CY]

I'm a diehard CFB fan so will watch any and all games between Wed night through late Sat night. If not a great matchup, I'd be more likely to stay on Hulu where I can flip back and forth between a few games then I am to switch between apps for similar level games.

Counter to many here, I like ESPN because I can watch it, ESPN2, Fox, CBS, etc within the same Hulu interface for ease. I also like watching the big dogs from any league (yes, even the SEC and B1G) but that seems like it will also be more fragmented.

I worry the most about a school like ISU that needs exposure and the harder that becomes for casual fans, the more it will impact things like growing the fan base, perception, recruiting, rankings, etc.

Which is why those network games, when we get them, are huge for us to get as often as possible. And preferably win, of course.

 

[jsb]

So let’s assume Iowa State has an off week or they play on the road at 11. My usual way of doing things from 2:30 until 10:30 would be to flip around fox, the espns, abc, cbs, big 10 network, and fox sports and find the most interesting games. I tend to favor big 12 or big 10 games.

If conferences go to streaming as a big option, I certainly think that would affect what I watch. If it was a super interesting game I might seek it out. But it makes flipping back and forth more annoying and less seamless.

That’s why I’m not sold on Amazon or apple being great for the big 12 long term. You’d absolutely have less casual eyes on games. And that will hurt the brand of the conference. Out of sight out of mind.