For All The Marbles

After last night's momentous Golden Globe Awards, we're headed toward another exciting evening tonight. The College Football National Championship Game is this evening featuring Alabama vs. Georgia with Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar at halftime. Let’s talk about that and a few other things so you can complete the watercooler talk.

So...how was your weekend,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS - Tune into our Instagram to catch the recap of our morning TV appearance about tonight's big football game. We're empowering the sports curious. 

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College football 

If you agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nick Saban, head coach of Alabama Crimson Tide, agrees with you. He starts his day with two Little Debbie oatmeal cookies. There’s oatmeal in them so that counts right?

Don’t forget to check out our Five Things To Know About The National Championship Game here so you’re in the know for tonight’s game.

 

Sideline stat

After being the voice of Monday Night Football, former NFL (National Football League) coach Jon Gruden is heading back to the sidelines and he’s getting paid handsomely to make the move. He’s been off the field for nine years but the Oakland (soon to be Las Vegas) Raiders are giving him the largest contract in NFL history, $100 million for 10 years.

Overtime

Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux may have had the goal of the year. He scored a goal after the puck bounced off an opposing player’s butt. Somewhere Sir Mix-A-Lot is smiling.

Coaches’ corner

It was a wild weekend in the wild card playoff games in NFL. Tennessee Titans quarterback did something no else has done in NFL playoff history, he threw a touchdown to himself during his team’s epic comeback to beat the Kansas City Chiefs. PLAYOFF RECAP

5 Things To Know About The Big Business Of College Football

Even though college football players can’t earn a salary, college football is big money. How big? You’ll find out.

That’s what he said,

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS – Like what you see? Share Last Night’s Game with a friend or like us on Instagram for a chance to win some sweet swag. Contest ends Sept. 26th!

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Five Things To Know About The Big Business Of College Football 

1. The “power five conferences” (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, SEC) bring in considerable revenue, mostly due to lucrative TV deals. The SEC (Southeastern Conference) alone brought in $311 million from TV/radio rights for the 2014-2015 regular season.

2. Sponsorships are an additional source of revenue. Last year, the University of Michigan signed a deal with Jordan, a Nike brand. The deal runs through 2027 with an option to go to 2031. If it runs its full course, the school will pocket a minimum of $173 million that includes $85 million in Nike apparel/products.

3. While the schools are bringing in bank, the players are not. They can receive a cost of attendance stipend from the school, which is intended to help with outside school expenses (food, gas, etc). During their college career, they are not allowed to use their athletic ability, name or school name to make money. This is an ongoing debate and if you’d like to read more, this is a great article.

4. Athletes may not be able to be compensated financially but conferences are getting creative, providing covered medical expenses for injured athletes after they leave school and lifetime scholarships to sweeten the deal.

5. College head coaches make as much if not more than most NFL (National Football League) head coaches. The highest coaching salary in the NFL is $9 M. The top three highest paid coaches in college are:

1. Nick Saban (Alabama Crimson Tide) $11.12 M

2. Jim Harbaugh (Michigan Wolverines) $7 M

3. Urban Meyer (Ohio State Buckeyes) $6 M

Don’t worry most college coaches’ salaries come out of ticket sales and TV contracts, not tuition. 

But wait, there's more.

Want more of what’s happening right now in sports to chat up your colleagues? Here’s the three things you need to know for today.