AUBURN, Ala. -- Almost since the first marriage of college football and television,
fans have been conditioned to have low expectations of their university-produced
Highlight shows are pretty standard fare, resistant to change and sometimes
Into this stodgy lineup jumps "Auburn Football: Every Day...", a new weekly
broadcast that is novel because it adds a cinematographic flair and a reality-TV
format in a place where few viewers expect it.
That might be why it's been so well-received by Auburn fans.
"Auburn Football: Every Day..." is not a documentary, at least in the artistic sense. The filmmakers are not independent. They work for Auburn and the university gets final say in what goes on the show.
But the show has a documentary-style sophistication that appeals to both older fans and teens more accustomed to MTV or reality shows. Both audiences are a target market.
Authentic Films co-founder Jess Atkinson has tapped into a simple concept: Today, anyone has the tools to tell their own story. That means they can also control, or at least influence, their message in ways never before possible.
The question is not why Auburn has embraced this "behind-the-scenes" show,
but why so few other schools have? (Good ideas are always copied in college
football, so that may be coming later.)
It's worth wondering what would have happened if the camera crews had been
around in 2008?
Undoubtedly, the episodes would have put a slightly more positive spin on
Auburn's midseason implosion. Would fans have bought it, or would the show have
to add a laugh-track during some of the darker moments? In any case, it might be
more interesting to see the clips left on the cutting room floor.
Schools are getting smarter at spreading their own message without
intermediaries. That may mean sharper video shows, but it could also mean a
cloudier picture of where a program truly stands.
"I think one day everyone will be telling their story in one shape or another," Atkinson said. "I just don't know how long that will be. But clearly we're moving in that direction."
(Contact Auburn beat Evan Woodbery at firstname.lastname@example.org. His column appears on Thursdays in SEC Extra.)