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Division 1 College Conference Realignment


dfwabel

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1 hour ago, pianoknight said:

 

Notice that the football teams are earning roughly ONE HUNDRED MILLION more in revenue per year.  Granted, football has A LOT more expenses.  But even the 25th ranked team for football revenue (Texas Tech) is raking in $60m per year.  And remember that schools in the Big Ten and SEC are earning about ~$50m/year just for existing.  Indiana might make $23m in basketball (and an untold number from football), but just for playing in the Big Ten they rake in another $50m annually.  In other words, Indiana as a Big Ten "brand" is more financially lucrative than actual Indiana Basketball. 

 

Hush, Indiana's living-in-the-Knight-era AD might hear you.

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On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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19 hours ago, dfwabel said:

Keep in mind that B1G football and MBB both split gate receipts. Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin have some of thier football gate split within the other members and IU does it with MBB gate receipts.

 

That's not lost on me.  But the bigger point is that football is driving everything in the current landscape.  There are really three criteria for major conference alignment.  A potential school needs to offer one (or more) of the following:

  • A brand name and/or nationally competitive football team
  • A large national fanbase
  • Access to a new, major media market

Look at past Big Ten and SEC expansion and this is painstakingly clear.  Nebraska brought a major brand name and while current struggles have been documented, is still considered a traditional football power.  Omaha and Lincoln aren't major markets, but the Huskers have a large, nation-wide fan base who will watch games.  Rutgers and Maryland, conversely, aren't really seen as traditional powers, but they bring access to the NY/NJ Metro and the Baltimore/DC Metro, respectively.  Same thing in the SEC, as A&M brings a brand name, a national following and access to major Texas media markets.  Mizzou may not be on quite the same level in regards to historical success, but opened up the SEC into St. Louis and Kansas City.

 

One of the interesting things to remember about the Big Ten deal is that BTN can bill higher rates for subscribers within the leagues footprint.  In other words, as a Nebraska fan in Oregon (outside the B1G footprint), BTN only makes a small portion of what I pay for my cable bill.  Subscribers within the footprint generate a much higher return for the conference.  So in effect, the Rutgers/Maryland pickup wasn't purely about Scarlet Knight or Terp sports, but the millions of NY/NJ/Baltimore/DC residents who are alumni of Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Northwestern, etc.  

 

 

 

 

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At this rate, I'm just hoping for anything which can get UAB, Buffalo & NIU to the American, Louisiana & Georgia State to Conference USA, and New Mexico State to any conference which is actually competitive.

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2 hours ago, MBurmy said:

At this rate, I'm just hoping for anything which can get UAB, Buffalo & NIU to the American, Louisiana & Georgia State to Conference USA, and New Mexico State to any conference which is actually competitive.

 

Eh... that's not going to happen. All of those teams are pretty happy where they are... except for New Mexico State.

 

The WAC is under constant pressure of possible implosion at any time. Chicago State is a freaking mess, Kansas City isn't happy with what they wanted from the WAC, Seattle and Grand Canyon probably wouldn't mind finding greener pastures like Cal State Bakersfield did... and there are rumors that the WAC may be looking at another Division II school in Dixie State (Utah). The Trailblazers are set to possibly make that move here. This means the WAC would have only 7 counting members (this is, of course, before Bakersfield leaves for the Big West). New Mexico State wouldn't mind finding a new home if it all goes to hell.

 

Another D-II school that might be set for a move is Augustana (SD). The Vikings would be a perfect fit for the Summit League alongside a good chunk of their old North Central Conference rivals (The Dakota schools and Omaha)

 

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1 hour ago, MBurmy said:

I just wish UW-Whitewater would move up to at LEAST D2...

I think Mount Union could make the jump too. With two big time Division II conferences to choose from. GLIAC has several top football schools and G-MAC has teams within 25-45 minutes of the school.

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2 hours ago, MBurmy said:

I just wish UW-Whitewater would move up to at LEAST D2...

Why? The additional cost for salaries and scholarships isn't worth it. DII isn't an increase in prestige especially when the school is hindered by the amount of academic aid.  Unless a player has a 3.5 grade point average or a 25 on the ACT, his academic scholarship money counts toward the 36-scholarship limit. Federal aid doesn't count to the scholarship limit.

 

DIII has been helped in the last four years by now being able to offer financial aid packages in the Fall of a student's senior year of HS, as opposed to waiting until his family's W-2 and/or 1099 from the current year.

 

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On 12/16/2018 at 4:30 PM, Seadragon76 said:

 

Eh... that's not going to happen. All of those teams are pretty happy where they are... except for New Mexico State.

 

The WAC is under constant pressure of possible implosion at any time. Chicago State is a freaking mess, Kansas City isn't happy with what they wanted from the WAC, Seattle and Grand Canyon probably wouldn't mind finding greener pastures like Cal State Bakersfield did... and there are rumors that the WAC may be looking at another Division II school in Dixie State (Utah). The Trailblazers are set to possibly make that move here. This means the WAC would have only 7 counting members (this is, of course, before Bakersfield leaves for the Big West). New Mexico State wouldn't mind finding a new home if it all goes to hell.

 

Another D-II school that might be set for a move is Augustana (SD). The Vikings would be a perfect fit for the Summit League alongside a good chunk of their old North Central Conference rivals (The Dakota schools and Omaha)

It's been rumored that if Augustana joins, Omaha and Denver are leaving the Summit. Omaha to Horizon, Denver to a western based conference.

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5 hours ago, Bmac said:

It's been rumored that if Augustana joins, Omaha and Denver are leaving the Summit. Omaha to Horizon, Denver to a western based conference.

 

That makes no sense to me... I would think that Omaha would be happy to see a fellow NCC alum in the same league.

 

As for Denver... Where the hell would they go? The Mountain West wouldn't want them, they're a little far off for the West Coast, and the WAC is one good move from implosion.

 

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On 12/18/2018 at 8:41 AM, Seadragon76 said:

 

That makes no sense to me... I would think that Omaha would be happy to see a fellow NCC alum in the same league.

 

As for Denver... Where the hell would they go? The Mountain West wouldn't want them, they're a little far off for the West Coast, and the WAC is one good move from implosion.

What about the big sky? 

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1 hour ago, lilben777 said:

What about the big sky? 

 

Big Sky's kind of big and kind of full of public schools of regional significance.  Denver's academic profile isn't exactly a fit.  Also no football could be an issue.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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On 12/18/2018 at 7:41 AM, Seadragon76 said:

 

That makes no sense to me... I would think that Omaha would be happy to see a fellow NCC alum in the same league.

 

As for Denver... Where the hell would they go? The Mountain West wouldn't want them, they're a little far off for the West Coast, and the WAC is one good move from implosion.

Omaha wants nothing to do with their pre-D1 days. Rumor has it they've been looking to join a more metropolitan conference and this move could set off a chain reaction.

 

Denver and Seattle are rumored to be headed to the WCC potentially.

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41 minutes ago, Bmac said:

Omaha wants nothing to do with their pre-D1 days. Rumor has it they've been looking to join a more metropolitan conference and this move could set off a chain reaction.

 

Denver and Seattle are rumored to be headed to the WCC potentially.

A Denver-BYU rivalry could be the one we never realized we needed until it begins.

As for Seattle, it'll be years (maybe decades) before they get as competitive as the Zags, but once they do, it may be to basketball what the Apple Cup is to football...

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58 minutes ago, MBurmy said:

A Denver-BYU rivalry could be the one we never realized we needed until it begins.

As for Seattle, it'll be years (maybe decades) before they get as competitive as the Zags, but once they do, it may be to basketball what the Apple Cup is to football...

I think that's taken care of by Washington and Washington State basketball.

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5 hours ago, Bmac said:

Omaha wants nothing to do with their pre-D1 days. Rumor has it they've been looking to join a more metropolitan conference and this move could set off a chain reaction.

 

Denver and Seattle are rumored to be headed to the WCC potentially.

 

I find that hard to believe that Omaha wants to separate from old rivals. What would they gain in the Summit? They would be the outlier in that league... yes, you would be able to go to cities that are as big as, if not bigger then, Omaha itself.

 

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On 12/17/2018 at 3:28 PM, MBurmy said:

I just wish UW-Whitewater would move up to at LEAST D2...

 

On 12/17/2018 at 5:42 PM, dfwabel said:

Why? The additional cost for salaries and scholarships isn't worth it. DII isn't an increase in prestige especially when the school is hindered by the amount of academic aid.  Unless a player has a 3.5 grade point average or a 25 on the ACT, his academic scholarship money counts toward the 36-scholarship limit. Federal aid doesn't count to the scholarship limit.

 

DIII has been helped in the last four years by now being able to offer financial aid packages in the Fall of a student's senior year of HS, as opposed to waiting until his family's W-2 and/or 1099 from the current year.

 


It would make much more sense for Milwaukee to drop down to D2 and find a way to add football there.

Not that I expect that to happen either.  Bold, visionary moves have been the exact opposite of how they've done things since the Bruce Pearl days.

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5 hours ago, Bmac said:

Omaha wants nothing to do with their pre-D1 days. Rumor has it they've been looking to join a more metropolitan conference and this move could set off a chain reaction.

 

Denver and Seattle are rumored to be headed to the WCC potentially.

I presume Omaha’s targeting the Horizon League.  All schools there are at rom very near large metro  would also help with travel 

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I want to say UNO made a play for Valley membership when they added Valpo.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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