Will schools have College Football in 40 years?

[Green Line]

My friends and I were talking about this over the weekend.  I hope to God they do, but the future is looking worse and worse.  Dozens of Chicago Public League schools have forfeited their seasons due to not having enough players.  The Highland Park IL youth league cancelled their entire program for the same reason.  Many Catholic High Schools in my area are struggling to field teams despite having 70+ sized rosters just a few years ago.

Not to mention plummeting NFL ratings.. many parents are afraid to have their kids play football.  Now, if you're gonna come in here and tell me how football sucks cause you'd rather sit on your computer all day, DONT.

[NewYorkExpress]

In forty years there won't be College Football or the NFL. But we'll adapt. Basketball, Baseball and Soccer will become more popular.

[SATW]

Yes, there will be football in 40 years. I think as more and more safety precautions are added and implemented the numbers for youth football will bounce back.

[Pragmatic Conservative]

Big money maker so as long as university on campus is still a thing college football probably will be. The sport has lasted well over over a century; I think it can last 40 more years.

[Del Tachi]

I think it will definitely still be around, but it will be a very, very different animal.  While college football has persisted for over 100 years, its only existed in the cable/BCS era for the past 20 and has experienced massive changes since then.  There's no reason to think that's going to be slowing down.  Cable television/the BCS has been way more transformative for college football than increasing concerns about health and safety.

National bowls under the BCS meant huge television audiences and higher payouts for winning teams.  The rush to get on television has meant that teams are more likely to schedule big, non-Conference games early in the season.  This, coupled with a playoff, inherently lessens the importance of Conference play.  With an expanded playoff very likely in the future, we will probably start to see the death of our legacy Conferences - the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, etc.  in favor of powerhouse teams choosing to schedule themselves against each other during the regular season.  This means more neutral sites, big matchups, and more money flowing through college athletic programs (for those who can keep up).

I expect that mid-century we'll be reduced to 20-40 Division I-like programs, with all of the major Conferences having folded, and a 16 team playoff dominating the entire second-half of the season.   

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Conference play is still hugely important, LSU lost it's #12 ranking to now be unranked after losing to Mississippi State, OU would not be in the playoff if it lost to Oklahoma State and/or TCU, among some other examples.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I expect that mid-century we'll be reduced to 20-40 Division I-like programs, with all of the major Conferences having folded, and a 16 team playoff dominating the entire second-half of the season.  

We already have this, and it's called the NFL. Nobody wants to watch. This would not have a prayer of working. What makes college exciting is every school/coach having a unique style that defines the school. Thank God for Army, Texas Tech, Washington State, Tulane, Arizona State and Georgia Tech. (e: Not to mention the Blue Turf of Boise or the iconic traditions of many student bodies that occur alongside the playing field.) That is why we watch football the way we do. The last thing any one wants is 20 historic powerhouses to hate on and play the same game. Let's take the Blue Bloods rankings to define top programs: http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/17336754/alabama-crimson-tide-notre-dame-fighting-irish-ohio-state-buckeyes-oklahoma-sooners-usc-trojans-lead-list-college-football-blue-bloods

I'm sure Iowa, TCU, and Ole Miss fans will cherish and embrace the Cleveland Browns role rather than have the opportunity to oscillate between 6 and 10 wins per season based on roster experience. Mizzou has already tried a similar strategy in the current context and uhhh, not good!

[Santander]

I expect that mid-century we'll be reduced to 20-40 Division I-like programs, with all of the major Conferences having folded, and a 16 team playoff dominating the entire second-half of the season.  

We already have this, and it's called the NFL. Nobody wants to watch. This would not have a prayer of working. What makes college exciting is every school/coach having a unique style that defines the school.

Exactly lol. Having a 30 team league literally defeats the purpose of college football.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Yes, someone will design a helmet that completely prevents any possibility of a concussion at some point.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Of course not. All will perish on the Alrar of Progress.