The recently concluded bowl season featured the continuation of a trend. Potential draftees skipping bowl games; mainly non-New Year’s Six games. Highlighting the need and an opportunity to reform bowl season.

There are multiple reasons why this bowl skipping trend is happening. First, there are health concerns inherent to football. A moment in Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game highlights this. When LSU Football quarterback Joe Burrow had the wind knocked out of him before halftime. He ultimately finished out the game; as LSU went on to win the national championship. Nevertheless, it was a moment that likely made LSU and Cincinnati Bengals fans nervous. After all, he’s expected to be the top overall draft pick in April’s NFL Draft.

Second, the low benchmark to become bowl eligible is cheapening bowl season. Nowadays even a 5-7 team can qualify for a bowl game. Leading to the kind of situation Cincinnati Football faced in the Birmingham Bowl. When then 10-3 Cincinnati faced 6-6 Boston College Football. Ultimately, it was a mismatch with Cincinnati winning in a blowout.

Cincinnati’s bowl game points to the unique way that bowl games are organized. Bowl games have different historical conference alignments. For example, the Rose Bowl typically has the Big Ten champions face the Pac 12 champions. Cincinnati was invited to the Birmingham Bowl was because of they’re in the AAC. Perhaps one way to improve bowl games could be through having more matchups determined by conference standings. Having a conference runner-up face another conference runner up. Potentially making these games more challenging and compelling.

Currently, the College Football Playoff is making a few bowl games super compelling. While other previously mentioned factors are making others less compelling. Leaving some players and fans disinterested in some games. This isn’t a significant issue unfolding in college basketball. With multiple factors providing reasons why that’s the case.

For starters, basketball doesn’t have the same safety concerns that football has. Along with that, March Madness has higher stakes than all but three bowl games. With every NCAA Tournament team having at least a shot at the national championship. For most players, the NCAA Tournament is the biggest stage of their playing career. Those heightened stakes are more than enough to keep a potentially draftee from skipping it.

The low stakes of many bowl games are hurting a unique part of college football. Many lack the history and pageantry of New Year’s Six Bowls. Especially the games named simply for the hosting town or sponsor. Until those organizing bowl games find more ways to make them compelling. More players might skip their games while many fans might tune out.