Saturday is for college football, and Sunday is for the NFL, right? Well, not quite. For once a year, there is college football on a Sunday, which we can all agree is absolutely awesome. But why is there college football on a Sunday? Let’s find out why!
A Look at the College Football Game Today
Although Sunday is traditionally reserved for the professional variant of the game, once a year there is college football on a Sunday. In what has become another tradition amidst a litany of quirks that makes college football the best sport in the world, there is now always a Sunday game on the college football Week 1 schedule and the reasons are fairly straightforward.
Firstly, the college football season starts earlier than the NFL campaign. With the advent of Week 0, there are two weeks before professional football season gets underway, leaving a Week 1 window where college football can get as much exposure as possible. As a result, the college football Sunday game usually features two high-profile teams to display in the shop window.
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Furthermore, Week 1 takes place on Labor Weekend, and America loves nothing more than combining a holiday and sport. Both the college football and NFL schedules are built around marquee events such as Thanksgiving, and it wouldn’t be an American holiday without football. There’s no NFL available, so college football nobly steps into the breach to entertain.
Unsurprisingly, there’s a financial element to the college football Sunday. Being the only game on television, there is a captive audience for broadcasters, while sponsorship of a stand-alone game means a high return on investment for advertisers in that unique space. As the college football world embraces a new financial era, everyone is looking to make a buck on college ball.
Who Is Playing College Football Sunday in 2024?
As we mentioned earlier, the college football Sunday game ordinarily features two high-profile teams in order to maximize the allure of the game. The 2024 edition is no different as the 13th-ranked LSU Tigers of the SEC and the 23rd-ranked USC Trojans of the Big Ten face off in a game that has legitimate College Football Playoff ramifications even at this early stage.
If you want further evidence on how important marketing value is to college football Sunday, rather than playing this game in Baton Rouge (it’s a home game for LSU), the Week 1 showcase takes place in Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas. The home of the Las Vegas Raiders and UNLV Rebels is the casino capital of America, and you can bet the location of college football Sunday has fiscal motivations.
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