How the Super Bowl’s Evolution Should Influence College Football Playoff Schedule

The evolution of sports schedules really shows how American athletics keeps shifting. From the Super Bowl’s moving dates to the College Football Playoff’s (CFP) current scheduling headaches, both the NFL and college football have to keep up with what fans want these days.

Let’s dig into how these changes happened. There’s a case to be made for shaking up the CFP calendar, maybe even taking a page from the NFL’s playbook.

The Historical Evolution of the Super Bowl Schedule

Most fans think of the Super Bowl as a February tradition, but that wasn’t always true. The very first Super Bowl—back when it was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game—kicked off in Los Angeles at 4:15 p.m. Eastern.

For a while, if the game was on the West Coast, it still happened during daylight hours. Super Bowl XI, for example, had the Raiders and Vikings playing while the sun was still up.

By the time the 1990s rolled around, the NFL was inching the Super Bowl later into January. Super Bowl XXIV landed on January 28, 1990.

This shift was partly because of the wild card rounds being added to the playoffs. That’s not so different from what the CFP is wrestling with now as it expands and pushes its championship back.

The Move to February

Things really changed with Super Bowl XXXVI, which got bumped to February after the 9-11 attacks. That wasn’t the plan, but it set a new precedent.

Soon after, Super Bowl XXXVIII became the first one intentionally scheduled for February. Now, February is just when the Super Bowl happens. The NFL’s decision to “own the calendar” has worked—February belongs to football.

Lessons for the College Football Playoff

The CFP has a lot it could pick up from the NFL’s tweaks. Right now, the CFP is looking at moving its national championship into late January.

But honestly, is that enough? If college football wants to stand out, maybe it’s time to try something bolder—like meaningful games in August.

Advantages of an August Start

Kicking off college football in early August? That has some real perks:

• Increased Visibility: With the NFL still on pause, college football could own August. That’s a big spotlight.
• Player Safety: Sure, August heat is a thing. But you could play in domes or pick cooler spots. There are ways around it.
• Scheduling Flexibility: Starting earlier gives everyone more breathing room. Less overlap with the NFL playoffs, which can only help.

Picture Oregon State and Washington hosting games in August, or Indiana playing at Lucas Oil Stadium with the AC on. You keep fans engaged and players safer.

Eliminating Conference Championship Games

There’s talk about ditching conference championship games altogether. Instead, teams could add a 13th regular-season game, played at neutral sites—think domes—in August.

This way, you keep the balance of home and away games and fit the schedule into what college football’s becoming.

Financial Implications

Would anyone actually lose money? Probably not. More games mean more revenue, and the media would eat up August football.

Advertising and sponsorships would likely fill any financial gaps from dropping conference championships.

The Future of College Football

Times change. So does the way we schedule big sporting events.

The NFL pulled off a pretty impressive shift with the Super Bowl schedule. That move showed how much a well-timed calendar can matter.

Maybe the College Football Playoff should take a page from that playbook. It could make things more exciting, or at least shake up the routine.

Curious about more ideas on where the CFP could go from here? Check out the full article on College Sports Wire.