Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[McCall]

Is that from ESPN? Because when it comes to college realignment ESPN is only slightly more reliable than "random dude on the Rivals board who claims to know somebody in the athletic department".

From the Colorado Springs Gazette:

In feedback to The Gazette ? in comments on blog posts, and in Twitter and Facebook discussions ? the reaction to the potential move has been almost unanimously negative. Those fans have issues with travel and its cost, the health of the Big East especially after TCU left for the Big 12 before arriving, Air Force?s ability to compete and losing regional rivalries. Air Force has said the travel change won?t be too dramatic, it wouldn?t join an unstable Big East, the Falcons rank favorably with other Big East football programs in budgets and stadium size, and regional rivalries could be part of nonconference scheduling.

As for Navy... well, I thought they were ready to make the jump, but apparently now they're waiting for stability before moving to the Big East. Then again, it's the typical say-nothing statement from a college AD, so who the hell knows, really?

Especially to join a league that is more slapped together than Frankenstein's monster and will lose AQ status come next negotiation phase.

Not a chance - not with the lack of any better non-AQ conferences (the MWC without Boise, TCU, Air Force, BYU, and Utah is pretty much as bad as the WAC) out there, and especially not with ESPN's influence on conference realignment and the fear of legal action on the part of the Big East if their AQ bid were to get revoked.

Yes a chance. The Big East is gonna be a shell of what it is now. All the big name schools will be gone. UConn and Rutgers are on their ways out, as is Louisville, Cincy an West Virginia possibly. Basically, the BE is gonna be remnants from the MWC and CUSA disguised as a power conference. The next BCS evaluation will reveal the truth.

[Lights Out]

Who exactly would be in line to replace the Big East? The WAC and MAC... LOL. The Mountain West isn't looking much better with Boise, Air Force, TCU, BYU, Utah, and perhaps even San Diego State either already gone or on the way out. And Conference USA is going to get raided too. Remember, the BCS has already come out and said they need six power conferences in order to function. With no passable non-AQ conferences left to replace them, the Big East is pretty much guaranteed their bid if BSU and AFA go AQ. That, plus the arguments laid out by Clay Travis in the article I linked to, pretty much solidifies my opinion that they aren't losing their bid.

Bottom line: will it be fair if/when the Big East gets to keep its automatic-qualifier bid, considering how poor the quality of play has become in the conference? No... but you can blame this realignment frenzy if/when it happens.

[Lights Out]

Which may only have 5 AQ leagues.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/os-murschel-college-insider-09182011-20110918,0,5035606.column

According to Sentinel sources, the BCS board of directors has suggested that to continue operating, it needs six automatic qualifying conferences.

That need, plus the impending lack of any not-suck-awful non-AQ conference, will keep the Big East off the hot seat, IMO.

[rams80]

Which may only have 5 AQ leagues.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/os-murschel-college-insider-09182011-20110918,0,5035606.column

According to Sentinel sources, the BCS board of directors has suggested that to continue operating, it needs six automatic qualifying conferences.

That need, plus the impending lack of any not-suck-awful non-AQ conference, will keep the Big East off the hot seat, IMO.

ESPN's response: We're paying you guys hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights to air 5 games annually, and we will be damned if we have to toss one of those spots to an 8-9 win Cincinnati, Connecticut, or East Carolina or Houston. And if you DON'T want our money, well, we wonder if the NCAA would be interested in us bankrolling a play-

BCS: UNCLE! UNCLE! UNCLE!

The BCS Board of Directors really doesn't have a lot of negotiating leverage here.

[HedleyLamarr]

I can tell you that it seems like the vast majority of Mizzou fans want the SEC. Myself included. Better recruiting AND more money.

Well, I think it depends who you talk to. I think Mizzou would have a much harder time winning a National Title trying to play through Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, aTm, than they would having to play through Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan/State, and Nebraska.

I'll use the same line that I used for Texas A&M:

It's not like Missouri has been racking up the National Championships or conference championships as a member of the Big XII. To use the "they'll never ever win in that conference" argument doesn't hold much water when they aren't winning championships in their current conference.

It's all about money and stability. The SEC has both. Can't say the same for the Big XII.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

As a Syracuse fan, it's really sad to me to see what's happened to the Big East, but at least my team is on to greener pastures (in football, at least...).

I just wonder if there was a moment pre-SU and Pitt defection that the Big East could have been more offensive. There was a lot out there picking up Kansas, K-State and others. I wonder why they waited to get poached when the writing was clearly on the wall that it was eat or get eaten?

[Lights Out]

It's all about money and stability. The SEC has both. Can't say the same for the Big XII.

Plus, the SEC name has cachet. That'll help in recruiting. Can't really argue with how successful the SEC has been - and Mizzou and A&M can now sell a chance to be a part of it to recruits.

[McCall]

As a Syracuse fan, it's really sad to me to see what's happened to the Big East, but at least my team is on to greener pastures (in football, at least...).

I just wonder if there was a moment pre-SU and Pitt defection that the Big East could have been more offensive. There was a lot out there picking up Kansas, K-State and others. I wonder why they waited to get poached when the writing was clearly on the wall that it was eat or get eaten?

Because the Big East set themselves up to be THE dominant basketball conference and are tragically realizing just how much of a priority football is over basketball. They were in denial just too long and now they're paying for the bad timing.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

As a Syracuse fan, it's really sad to me to see what's happened to the Big East, but at least my team is on to greener pastures (in football, at least...).

I just wonder if there was a moment pre-SU and Pitt defection that the Big East could have been more offensive. There was a lot out there picking up Kansas, K-State and others. I wonder why they waited to get poached when the writing was clearly on the wall that it was eat or get eaten?

Because the Big East set themselves up to be THE dominant basketball conference and are tragically realizing just how much of a priority football is over basketball. They were in denial just too long and now they're paying for the bad timing.

You're exactly right.

So then, why can't we just have football-only conferences and let basketball and other sports shake out accordingly?

[DCDuck]

I can tell you that it seems like the vast majority of Mizzou fans want the SEC. Myself included. Better recruiting AND more money.

Saying you'd rather be in the B1G but would "settle" for the SEC is like a baseball free agent saying he'd rather be with the Yankees but would "settle" for the Red Sawks.

I never said that. One person did and it amounted to nothing. Probably just someone running their mouth, making statements on their own personal preference.

For the record, that was me. And it was officially reported in an ESPN article from an "anonymous official inside of the University of Missouri".

The article didn't say "settle" but it did say that the Big 10 is Missouri's primary, first choice. But it also said that they would be excited to join the SEC, too.

I'd call anything that isn't a first choice "settling", wouldn't you? It's not like Mizzou is going independent and will only join a conference if the B1G calls.

[DaytonBlue]

I'm sick of ESPN announcers saying Mizzou shouldn't leave the Big 12 because of tradition. The traditions are being ripped away anyways and Mizzou needs to get out from under the Longhorn shadow. The names and geography of the conferences when this is done might make the 90s and earlier NFC West (STL, NO, ATL, CAR, SF) look logical.

[rams80]

As a Syracuse fan, it's really sad to me to see what's happened to the Big East, but at least my team is on to greener pastures (in football, at least...).

I just wonder if there was a moment pre-SU and Pitt defection that the Big East could have been more offensive. There was a lot out there picking up Kansas, K-State and others. I wonder why they waited to get poached when the writing was clearly on the wall that it was eat or get eaten?

Because the Big East set themselves up to be THE dominant basketball conference and are tragically realizing just how much of a priority football is over basketball. They were in denial just too long and now they're paying for the bad timing.

This is what happens when you let Providence of all schools have a death grip on the Commissionership.

[rams80]

I'm sick of ESPN announcers saying Mizzou shouldn't leave the Big 12 because of tradition. The traditions are being ripped away anyways and Mizzou needs to get out from under the Longhorn shadow. The names and geography of the conferences when this is done might make the 90s and earlier NFC West (STL, NO, ATL, CAR, SF) look logical.

PROTIP: ESPN is a rather considerable financial stakeholder in the continued viability of the Big XII by virtue of its ownership of both first tier TV rights and the third tier rights of certain programs that shall remain nameless. That is going to slant their editorial bias towards arguing that Missouri should stay, because the Big XII isn't viable if it keeps losing members.

[dfwabel]

As a Syracuse fan, it's really sad to me to see what's happened to the Big East, but at least my team is on to greener pastures (in football, at least...).

I just wonder if there was a moment pre-SU and Pitt defection that the Big East could have been more offensive. There was a lot out there picking up Kansas, K-State and others. I wonder why they waited to get poached when the writing was clearly on the wall that it was eat or get eaten?

Because the Big East set themselves up to be THE dominant basketball conference and are tragically realizing just how much of a priority football is over basketball. They were in denial just too long and now they're paying for the bad timing.

You're exactly right.

So then, why can't we just have football-only conferences and let basketball and other sports shake out accordingly?

They openly discussed expansion during the football media days in Newport, RI in early August. However, they were caught off guard by Pitt and SU. They turned down the ESPN TV deal last year, and at the time, were right in testing the market since the landscape for live programming changed with the Pac-12 deal this summer FOX airing games on FX, and NBC/Comcast deeper into the picture. Now, three schools will leave with their negotiating window will open in 2012.

[DaytonBlue]

I'm sick of ESPN announcers saying Mizzou shouldn't leave the Big 12 because of tradition. The traditions are being ripped away anyways and Mizzou needs to get out from under the Longhorn shadow. The names and geography of the conferences when this is done might make the 90s and earlier NFC West (STL, NO, ATL, CAR, SF) look logical.

PROTIP: ESPN is a rather considerable financial stakeholder in the continued viability of the Big XII by virtue of its ownership of both first tier TV rights and the third tier rights of certain programs that shall remain nameless. That is going to slant their editorial bias towards arguing that Missouri should stay, because the Big XII isn't viable if it keeps losing members.

Good point.

[ESTONES6]

I mean, I don't think the Big East establishing themselves as a dominant basketball conference was necessarily a BAD idea. They could have realized that they really won't be able to compete with the Big 10 and the SEC in football for the Midwest to East markets... even the ACC to an extent.

I think they had foresight enough to look at the revenue making sports and establish a strong foothold in basketball and just assumed football is football and will always turn a profit. However, I don't think they had enough foresight to think about this dramatic re-alignment that may or may not take place... or already has taken place (Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M, Pitt, Syracuse, Texas Christian).

I think its inevitable that we will move to 5 major football conferences. I think the SEC and Big 10 are going to pick up a few ACC/Big East schools, the Big XII will settle in at 10, the Pac 12 will settle at 12, and the Big East and ACC will form some sort of left over conference. It may not be in the foreseeable future, but I think it is an inevitability.

[McCall]

I mean, I don't think the Big East establishing themselves as a dominant basketball conference was necessarily a BAD idea. They could have realized that they really won't be able to compete with the Big 10 and the SEC in football for the Midwest to East markets... even the ACC to an extent.

I think they had foresight enough to look at the revenue making sports and establish a strong foothold in basketball and just assumed football is football and will always turn a profit. However, I don't think they had enough foresight to think about this dramatic re-alignment that may or may not take place... or already has taken place (Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M, Pitt, Syracuse, Texas Christian).

I think its inevitable that we will move to 5 major football conferences. I think the SEC and Big 10 are going to pick up a few ACC/Big East schools, the Big XII will settle in at 10, the Pac 12 will settle at 12, and the Big East and ACC will form some sort of left over conference. It may not be in the foreseeable future, but I think it is an inevitability.

FSU and Clemson are the only schools that might leave, an even that seems unlikely. They'll probably add UConn and Rutgers an go to 16, maybe down to 14, but that's about it. ACC has pretty much already engulfed the Big Easy schools it wants. Whatever us left after WCU, L'ville an Cincy find a new home will just be CUSA essentially.

[Chicageaux]

I mean, I don't think the Big East establishing themselves as a dominant basketball conference was necessarily a BAD idea. They could have realized that they really won't be able to compete with the Big 10 and the SEC in football for the Midwest to East markets... even the ACC to an extent.

I think they had foresight enough to look at the revenue making sports and establish a strong foothold in basketball and just assumed football is football and will always turn a profit. However, I don't think they had enough foresight to think about this dramatic re-alignment that may or may not take place... or already has tUCF coach: ?Everything in place? for Big East move taken place (Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M, Pitt, Syracuse, Texas Christian).

I think its inevitable that we will move to 5 major football conferences. I think the SEC and Big 10 are going to pick up a few ACC/Big East schools, the Big XII will settle in at 10, the Pac 12 will settle at 12, and the Big East and ACC will form some sort of left over conference. It may not be in the foreseeable future, but I think it is an inevitability.

FSU and Clemson are the only schools that might leave, an even that seems unlikely. They'll probably add UConn and Rutgers an go to 16, maybe down to 14, but that's about it. ACC has pretty much already engulfed the Big Easy schools it wants. Whatever us left after WCU, L'ville an Cincy find a new home will just be CUSA essentially.

That's pretty much exactly what's happening:

UCF coach: ?Everything in place? for Big East move

[ESTONES6]

I mean, I don't think the Big East establishing themselves as a dominant basketball conference was necessarily a BAD idea. They could have realized that they really won't be able to compete with the Big 10 and the SEC in football for the Midwest to East markets... even the ACC to an extent.

I think they had foresight enough to look at the revenue making sports and establish a strong foothold in basketball and just assumed football is football and will always turn a profit. However, I don't think they had enough foresight to think about this dramatic re-alignment that may or may not take place... or already has taken place (Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M, Pitt, Syracuse, Texas Christian).

I think its inevitable that we will move to 5 major football conferences. I think the SEC and Big 10 are going to pick up a few ACC/Big East schools, the Big XII will settle in at 10, the Pac 12 will settle at 12, and the Big East and ACC will form some sort of left over conference. It may not be in the foreseeable future, but I think it is an inevitability.

FSU and Clemson are the only schools that might leave, an even that seems unlikely. They'll probably add UConn and Rutgers an go to 16, maybe down to 14, but that's about it. ACC has pretty much already engulfed the Big Easy schools it wants. Whatever us left after WCU, L'ville an Cincy find a new home will just be CUSA essentially.

I think West Virginia is still in play for the SEC... either as the 14th and final member, or the 16th and final member. I think West Virginia is the bottom of the short wish list (Mizzou, Florida State, Miami, Clemson) for the SEC. I just can't believe they have been disregarded so quickly by both the SEC and Big 10. I understand it more from the Big 10's perspective because it is not an upper-echelon academic school, but it is well above average in football and basketball, increases footprint, and sets up a Big 10 East Division easily.

There is just too much money to be made. Has anyone heard significant rumors about the future of the BCS/Playoff System? A lot of people think that if the major football conferences are reduced just 5 or even 4, that it is all but decided for a playoff system. I almost think if its 5 or more so 4, that it would make things easier for the BCS because it reduces the number of conferences, reducing the number of cross-over conference games. I think it would almost be easier for them to look at the non-conferences games, and take the 4 major bowls + a national title and just say the top 2 teams from each conference get a BCS bowl bid.

[Lights Out]

That's pretty much exactly what's happening:

UCF coach: ?Everything in place? for Big East move

So I guess the six schools the Big East is adding look to be Boise State, Temple, UCF, Air Force, Navy(?), and one other school. Who would be the sixth?