"Exploring Solutions for a Revitalized College Football Bowl Season Amidst Transfers and Upsets"
Nick Carparelli, the executive director of Bowl Season, proposes solutions to the increasing number of player opt-outs in college football bowl games. His suggestions include eliminating early signing day, closing the fall transfer portal window, and allowing bowl games to compensate players for participation, potentially through name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. These changes aim to unclog the busy December schedule and incentivize players to participate in non-playoff bowl games. The future of the bowl system is under discussion, with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams next season, which could further impact player participation in the 35 other bowl games. Despite opt-outs, bowl games continue to draw significant television viewership, outperforming other sports broadcasts.