• Loading stock data...
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

College GameDay Means More to Schools Than a Saturday Morning Spotlight

  • ESPN’s weekly pregame show “College GameDay” has become part of the fabric of U.S. sports culture.
  • There’s a symbiotic relationship between ESPN and host schools.
Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger

Since ESPN’s weekly pregame show “College GameDay” launched in 1993, it’s become part of the fabric of U.S. sports culture.

Each week, the show travels to a different school, bringing more than 100 members of a production crew, star anchors and analysts, and a full-on set. It showcases storylines and games across the sport’s landscape — and multiple college sports administrators told Front Office Sports they consider it a “three-hour infomercial” for the host school.

The vast majority of GameDay’s stops are for top Power 5 matchups. Ohio State and Alabama, for example, have each hosted more than 15 times.

But this year, it has embraced new locations and non-Power 5 programs — by Week 11 it will have visited three schools for the first time: Kansas, App State, and Jackson State.

There’s a symbiotic relationship between ESPN and host schools: The show has provided major marketing value for the school and surrounding community, as well as an immediate economic boost. 

In turn, ESPN has enjoyed a tangible increase in ratings, and employees have been welcomed with unparalleled enthusiasm, GameDay’s coordinating producer Drew Gallagher told FOS.

Putting On The Show

With the exception of a few annual matchups — like Army-Navy — ESPN’s producers choose their next GameDay location just one week in advance.

The show had planned to head to Texas A&M in Week 3 but ended up at App State — partially because the Mountaineers had upset the Aggies the week before.

“We don’t have any sort of checklist,” Gallagher said. “When a team becomes a story, that’s what gets on our radar.”

Once a location is chosen, athletic department officials embark on a whirlwind week of meetings and coordination. In many cases, both academic and local officials join in.

“Especially for a place that’s hosting it for the first time, it’s a complete university effort,” App State Senior Associate AD for Strategic Communications, Joey Jones, told FOS.

  • The GameDay crew provides schools with an extensive checklist including some of the most minute details, such as how much power the set will require. Particularly for a first-time host, the placement of the set is a major decision.
  • There are school-specific tasks as well. “Sometimes we’re asking them to do things like move light posts or shut down major roadways,” Gallagher said. “It can be a disruption to the school and to the campus.”
  • An example: GameDay’s arrival at Kansas fell during the school’s fall break, when much of the student body leaves, Kansas Deputy AD for External Affairs and Revenue Generation Jason Booker told FOS. So the school worked with Greek life to keep fraternity houses open for the weekend.

For the schools, the disruption is more than welcome. “It’s just nonstop planning for the entire week to get ready for what is a signature moment in our university’s history,” Jones said.

The GameDay bus arrives on Thursday, and the set-up begins.

‘A Three-Hour Infomercial’

The GameDay crew “doesn’t view it as our job to provide propaganda for the school,” Gallagher said. But from the featured content to the physical backdrop, “it’s only natural that the show is just going to end up putting a spotlight on the school in a positive way.”

“Having College GameDay and all that surrounds it was really immeasurable for us,” Jones said. But there are a few quantifiable categories.

First, the athletic department earns nationwide prestige.

Kansas, universally known as a basketball school, hardly gets any exposure for its football program. As an HBCU, Jackson State gets far less coverage than FBS schools despite its recent success — GameDay unquestionably provided its biggest spotlight.

The free marketing, in fact, starts days before the GameDay crew even shows up, school officials said. In the week leading up to the show, the host team gets multiple spots on “SportsCenter” and extra coverage from local media outlets.

That marketing can translate directly into revenue. Jones noted that App State donors who may not have “paid much attention” in recent years demonstrated a renewed sense of interest.

The school’s academics get free advertising, too. GameDay plays into what’s known as “The Flutie Effect” — how a dominant athletic program can translate to an increase in applications.

Kansas had already seen a 30% uptick in applications since its basketball team won the national championship, Booker said. So he expects that the football team’s success — and its exposure on GameDay — will only add to that momentum. “Those are all intangible things that students are looking for,” he said.

Beyond campus borders, local communities see an immediate positive economic impact

  • The 100-plus-person GameDay production crew fills hotels and restaurants.
  • Fans from surrounding regions, opposing teams, and even the show itself pour into these towns.
  • The show spotlights regional businesses, like restaurants, as the hosts enjoy televised tastings of local fare.

What can that add up to? Jackson State estimated that GameDay was part of a weekend that generated $8.9 million for Jackson, Mississippi.

Perhaps that’s why the show has caught the attention of lawmakers. This week, state senator Ellie Boldman drafted a bill to bring the show to Montana.

“The amount of money the free exposure provides for the universities featured on its program is enormous, coupled with the economic benefit for the private sector, including our hotels, restaurants, bars and related sales of game day gear,” she told 406 Sports. “It’s time for the State of Montana to be in that spotlight.”

A Win-Win For ESPN

Some might wonder whether GameDay has taken a strategic risk by visiting multiple schools without the brand recognition of its usual Power 5 hosts. But the numbers say otherwise.

Through Week 9, GameDay has seen its best ratings start since 2009, according to the network. 

  • In Week 3, App State drew 2.2 million viewers on average, with 2.8 million in the show’s final hour. That was a 15% increase from the Week 3 matchup in 2021.
  • In Week 6, Kansas notched 2.3 million viewers on average, and 3 million during the last hour — 22% more than in Week 6 of 2021.
  • Last week’s show at Jackson State, despite being an FCS school, wasn’t far behind. It drew 1.8 million viewers, with 2.3 million in its final hour.

For ESPN production employees, the constant travel and weekend hours can be grueling. But particularly at first-time host schools, the crew receives a hero’s welcome.

“They tend to roll out the red carpet,” Gallagher said.

App State’s chancellor, for example, invited GameDay hosts to join her and university donors for dinner at her home, Jones said. Rece Davis and Desmond Howard stopped by — it isn’t every week that a university president or chancellor invites you to their personal residence.

And the fans provide unparalleled energy — they greet the GameDay bus, camp out overnight, and buy up the entire local supply of posters for the weekly poster-making contest.

When students and faculty members walked by the set, they made sure to stop and welcome ESPN employees. “For this group that travels every week,” Gallagher said, “that warms their soul.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

San Diego Wave FC falls to Orlando Pride at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA on April 29, 2023.

The New Tailored Approach to Women’s Sports Uniforms

For new women’s sports leagues, every detail is custom.
Mar 10, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) and center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) react after a call on a play against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at Paycom Center.

ESPN ‘Aggressive’ in NBA Schedule Flexes, On Pace for Record

This Sunday’s Sixers-Mavericks game was subbed out for Magic- Cavaliers.

How COVID-19 Transformed Sports Media

COVID-19 changed how games are produced and even how we watch them.
Dec. 18, 1982; New York, NY, USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Dolphins quarterback David Woodley (16) is pursued by New York Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau (99) at the Orange Bowl.

Mark Gastineau Sues ESPN for $25 Million, Alleging Deceptive Editing of Favre..

Gastineau is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played from 1979 to 1988.

Featured Today

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) cuts down the net after beating LSU in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament between Iowa and LSU at MVP Arena, Monday, April 1, 2024 in Albany, N.Y.
opinion

Reader Mailbag: Leagues Need Must-Watch Moments

Readers responded to NHL success and what it means for other leagues.
Moolah Kicks
March 8, 2025

Breaking the Mold: The Brands Designing Footwear Specifically for Female Athletes

New companies are laser focused on changing the women’s athletic footwear landscape.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY, 22: Houston Astros play the Washington Nationals in Spring Training at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2025 in West Palm Beach, FL. (
March 6, 2025

Astros Strength Coach Stephanie Grubbs Is Building an ‘Arsenal’ of Skills

The MLB team’s first female coach talks to FOS about her trajectory.
Lia Thomas of University of Pennsylvania competes in the finals of the 200 yard freestyle during the Women s Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships at Harvard University.
March 2, 2025

One Group Is Funding the NCAA Transgender Ban Lawsuits

ICONS is funding three major lawsuits against schools, conferences, and the NCAA.
Behind the scenes with NBC's TODAY show at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

NBC, Olympics Reach $3 Billion Rights Extension

The Olympics will remain on NBC through at least 2036.
March 12, 2025

As Ovechkin Closes on Gretzky, Caps Secure Local Broadcast Access

The NHL team will have local productions of four exclusive national games.
March 13, 2025

Sports Rebundling Continues As DirecTV, Roku Bet on Live Rights

DirecTV and Roku lean further in to sports to attract viewers.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
March 12, 2025

PGA Tour’s $20 Million Signature Events Seeing TV Ratings Boost

Three of the four elevated tournaments have made viewership gains.
March 12, 2025

CBS Sports at Stake As Paramount Acquisition Gets Contentious

Skydance says a rival bid for CBS Sports’ parent is “fraudulently misrepresented.”
Mar 8, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the fourth quarter at the TD Garden.
March 11, 2025

Celtics-Lakers Draws Record Ratings, NBA Nearly Even With Last Year

The game peaked at 5.34 million viewers.
March 10, 2025

ESPN Sets Women’s Hoops Ratings Record—Without Caitlin Clark

ESPN didn’t air Iowa games during last year’s regular season.