This is one trend Syracuse should avoid
The Syracuse Orange football program built up a lot of momentum in Fran Brown’s first season. As they prepare for spring practice, a growing number of programs are skipping their spring game, so we wondered if it’s something that the Orange should do?
Nebraska HC (and former Fran Brown boss) Matt Rhule was the first HC to say he was passing on a spring game this year. Rhule cited the transfer portal, and not injury concerns, as the reason for his decision.
“The word ‘tampering’ doesn’t exist anymore,” Rhule said Saturday at his midwinter news conference. “It’s just an absolute free open common market. I don’t necessarily want to open up to the outside world and have people watch our guys and say, ‘He looks like a pretty good player. Let’s go get him.”
Recently, Texas, USC and NC State have all come out and said they’d skip the annual spring game. It’s typically a fan friendly event which allows schools to try and sell more fans on the upcoming season. While Syracuse doesn’t draw anywhere near the 60k that Nebraska had last year, it seems worth it for the Orange to continue to end spring practice with a public scrimmage.
College football coaches are notoriously paranoid individuals. The idea that other schools are only learning about players at P4 schools by watching spring games is ridiculous. Tampering is rampant for sure but if anyone should be looking to hide their good players, it should be the smaller schools. Are we supposed to believe that recruiting staffs don’t know the backups at B10 or SEC schools?
College sports is alienating fans in a number of ways and making it so practice visibility only goes to boosters and donors isn’t a great path for a school in Syracuse’s position. Look, Nebraska and Texas won’t see any impact on attendance, but the spring game gives Orange fans a look at the team and as a kid-friendly event, it’s crucial to help grow the fanbase.
Since arriving in Syracuse, Fran Brown has shown that connection to the community is important. From players and staff performing community service to hosting an affordable summer camp, it’s clear Brown is serious about making his team accessible and with a desire to pack the Dome, it’s the right call.
Schools have priced out many fans as they look for ways to generate revenue and spring games should not become the next fan event to be put behind a paywall.