Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[oz615]

I'm hoping that somehow this super-conference alliance could somehow become football-only and allow for the creation (or revival) of smaller, more closely-knit (geographically) conferences for basketball and other sports. I've felt for awhile now that each individual sport should have its own governing body so that schools like Louisiana Tech don't have to break themselves by sending their volleyball and soccer teams to the mountain states just because the football team didn't have anywhere else to go.

That's the main thing that concerns me about this situation,especially the non-revenue sports on the men side,you think it's bad now,just wait 10 years from now.

[NJTank]

I think eventually Rutgers will get in the Big Ten, so the Big Ten Network can get greater exposure in the New York TV Market

[infrared41]

With a playoff the big teams will have no reason to play the little guys. Why should Ohio State bring in a team like Kent when they can just as easily schedule a good team and get a real tune-up before conference play?

Ohio State has no business pulverizing a little bug like Kent State anyway. That's like the Yankees playing a "tune-up" against the Montgomery Biscuits.

In your rush to be...well...you, it seems you missed the point. The Kent States of the college football world lose out if they can't score the big payday. By lining up to be a punching bag for the big schools, the mid-major schools get much needed cash for their programs. When Kent State uses their non-conference schedule to play patsy for the behemoths they pick up an extra million-five or so for the program. Losing that revenue would have a serious impact on their programs. Do you think the small schools play the big schools just because they think it's fun to get pounded 58-3? They need that money. Take that cash away and we won't be talking about the mid-majors who make a run at the top 25 and pull off the great upsets every year because there won't be any mid-majors left.

Don't you have a ship to run aground or something?

[HedleyLamarr]

I am reading now that Texas and Texas A&M are petitioning to join the Big 10... which is something I don't think anyone called. Is it true? Probably not. But anyway:

High level sources in multiple conferences have told KCTV5 that Texas and Texas A&M are looking to move to the Big Ten Conference and are in talks to join the conference, while the University of Oklahoma is planning on petitioning the Southeastern Conference to become a member of its conference.

http://kentsterling.com/2010/06/10/big-ten-expansion-texas-and-texas-am-may-choose-big-ten/

http://www.kctv5.com/sports/23860558/detail.html

If this is true... now I start to get worried. Can anyone say "Game Changer"?

If I remember right, all this Big Ten expansion talk began because of a rumor of Texas possibly getting an invite. Of course, the Texas state legislature insists that Texas has a dance partner in any possible expansion/realignment....namely Texas A&M and possibly Texas Tech and Baylor.

As for the SEC, getting Oklahoma is probably the biggest fish they could possibly get. Of course, Oklahoma State likely will want to stay with Oklahoma, and from a money aspect...you can't do much better than getting T. Boone Pickens in your conference.

[dfwabel]

I think eventually Rutgers will get in the Big Ten, so the Big Ten Network can get greater exposure in the New York TV Market

Since I started this thread, I have started to switch in that the Big Ten has to get Rutgers. They already have the "exposure" in that it is available now, if you as a consumer want to pay for it on whatever tier your cable/satellite operator has it on. Even if selected, the Big Ten and will have to come to a new or revised agreement on how much to charge in order to have more subscribers want to have it, or whether to have it on a basic tier.

BTN is already available in 90M homes, and is subscribed to in just over 45M. Reportedly, the network gets anywhere $0.35- 0.88/subscriber from viewers in the conference footprint compared to $0.05- 0.10/subscriber outside the footprint (say Las Vegas). It is also reported that the subscriber fees make up just 40% of their income, the other 60% comes from advertising. If you leave out Texas, Nebraska had the highest TV ratings of the potential teams. Rutgers pulled in 60% less of an audience. Husker also told the Big Ten that they could get more viewers to their games in Kansas City than Mizzou can. They could go Syracuse and still squeeze max dollars.

[The_Admiral]

In your rush to be...well...you, it seems you missed the point. The Kent States of the college football world lose out if they can't score the big payday. By lining up to be a punching bag for the big schools, the mid-major schools get much needed cash for their programs. When Kent State uses their non-conference schedule to play patsy for the behemoths they pick up an extra million-five or so for the program. Losing that revenue would have a serious impact on their programs. Do you think the small schools play the big schools just because they think it's fun to get pounded 58-3? They need that money. Take that cash away and we won't be talking about the mid-majors who make a run at the top 25 and pull off the great upsets every year because there won't be any mid-majors left.

Not being a fan of the 1919 Chicago White Sox, I try not to advocate getting paid to lose games. Doesn't seem very sporting.

[dfwabel]

I am reading now that Texas and Texas A&M are petitioning to join the Big 10... which is something I don't think anyone called. Is it true? Probably not. But anyway:

High level sources in multiple conferences have told KCTV5 that Texas and Texas A&M are looking to move to the Big Ten Conference and are in talks to join the conference, while the University of Oklahoma is planning on petitioning the Southeastern Conference to become a member of its conference.

http://kentsterling.com/2010/06/10/big-ten-expansion-texas-and-texas-am-may-choose-big-ten/

http://www.kctv5.com/sports/23860558/detail.html

If this is true... now I start to get worried. Can anyone say "Game Changer"?

If I remember right, all this Big Ten expansion talk began because of a rumor of Texas possibly getting an invite. Of course, the Texas state legislature insists that Texas has a dance partner in any possible expansion/realignment....namely Texas A&M and possibly Texas Tech and Baylor.

As for the SEC, getting Oklahoma is probably the biggest fish they could possibly get. Of course, Oklahoma State likely will want to stay with Oklahoma, and from a money aspect...you can't do much better than getting T. Boone Pickens in your conference.

The Baylor issue is done. They are not a part of any movement. Baylor still is a private, Baptist school, and in 1994 when the SWC fell apart, the top six state elected officials like Gov., Lt. Gov., House Speaker et al were all Baylor grads, Tech grads, or had degrees from both. They had a good run, but today the power of the state is different in terms of collegiate affiliation.

In 1994, those Tech and Baylor lawmakers knew that UT and aTm would leave the SWC and move to the then Big 8. To not be left out, those lawmakers threatened to eliminate the Permanent University Fund, an endowment consisting two million acres of west Texas land which was later found to possess mineral and oil rights worth billions. Most UT System schools gets 2/3 of the specified earnings, specific aTm System schools get the other 1/3. The other public university systems (Tech, Univ. of Houston, UNT, Texas State) are prohibited by law not to be included. They had their own endowment started in 1984.

OU's AD, Joe Castiglione has said that he will follow the lead of Texas. I take him at his work. Plus, teams like OK State and aTm, who move to the SEC, just make a lateral move as they really are not going to get better in football. And I think that OU and UT do not want to be in a division in which they would have to not only play each other each year, but would also have to play Alabama and LSU.

Why put yourself through that? The need to run the table in division just have the pleasure to play Florida (or Georgia) in the SEC title game?

[HedleyLamarr]

OU's AD, Joe Castiglione has said that he will follow the lead of Texas. I take him at his work. Plus, teams like OK State and aTm, who move to the SEC, just make a lateral move as they really are not going to get better in football. And I think that OU and UT do not want to be in a division in which they would have to not only play each other each year, but would also have to play Alabama and LSU.

Why put yourself through that? The need to run the table in division just have the pleasure to play Florida (or Georgia) in the SEC title game?

Money. A whole lot of money.

Currently, the SEC has 15-year broadcasting deals with both CBS and ESPN that began this past season. To simplify just how big a deal CBS has...CBS's deal with the SEC involves bigger money than the deal CBS has with the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Also, ESPN owns the TV rights to all SEC home games in every sport.

These two TV deals are the reason why the SEC doesn't need their version of the Big Ten Network, nor do they absolutely need to expand. The Pac-10 and the Big Ten are playing catch-up, and the only way they can do that is by expansion. The country is already fully-exposed to the SEC with these TV deals. The conference won't be expanding just for the sake of expanding...they'll only be making moves that will increase their revenue exponentially. Adding a Texas A&M or a Virginia Tech doesn't do this. Adding a Texas, or to a lesser degree an Oklahoma, does.

[gueman]

And according to the Baltimore SUN via the ChiTrib the University of MARYLAND is being considered for the Big 10. WHAT! If anything I would think WVU, Pitt, Rutgers and Syracuse would jump to the ACC. That they would not lose MD.

[dfwabel]

OU's AD, Joe Castiglione has said that he will follow the lead of Texas. I take him at his work. Plus, teams like OK State and aTm, who move to the SEC, just make a lateral move as they really are not going to get better in football. And I think that OU and UT do not want to be in a division in which they would have to not only play each other each year, but would also have to play Alabama and LSU.

Why put yourself through that? The need to run the table in division just have the pleasure to play Florida (or Georgia) in the SEC title game?

Money. A whole lot of money.

Currently, the SEC has 15-year broadcasting deals with both CBS and ESPN that began this past season. To simplify just how big a deal CBS has...CBS's deal with the SEC involves bigger money than the deal CBS has with the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Also, ESPN owns the TV rights to all SEC home games in every sport.

These two TV deals are the reason why the SEC doesn't need their version of the Big Ten Network, nor do they absolutely need to expand. The Pac-10 and the Big Ten are playing catch-up, and the only way they can do that is by expansion. The country is already fully-exposed to the SEC with these TV deals. The conference won't be expanding just for the sake of expanding...they'll only be making moves that will increase their revenue exponentially. Adding a Texas A&M or a Virginia Tech doesn't do this. Adding a Texas, or to a lesser degree an Oklahoma, does.

I am going to disagree to a point. The current deals with CBS and ESPN (forming ESPN's SEC Network) are great, but prior to that specific contract, the SEC was looking into their own network. The SEC current deal avoided startup costs as they use ESPN's Charlotte studios as a base and they also takes up the airtime which the Big Ten moved to the BTN.

Their current 15 year contract should not even allow any school to gain immediate full dollars, but it will be increased than their current Big XII. No conference instantly profit shares like that, even the NFL.

Another reason why aTm is holding out is that the Houston Astros and Rockets are looking to leave Fox Sports Houston and form their won sports channel. Comcast may hold a 30% stake in that new venture and aTm, could piggyback on that since College Station is 90 miles from metro Houston. Slive already said that a channel was fine to have.

Fans and boosters are more interested in championships. Horns fan and Sooner fan now think that they should finish #1 in the division as a birthright; that would not occur in the SEC West with LSU and or Bama. Aggie knows that they are still #3 or 4 at best. So they SEC is not going to get a better team in aTm, but it would get a better academic school since they only have two AAU in Florida and Vandy.

[infrared41]

In your rush to be...well...you, it seems you missed the point. The Kent States of the college football world lose out if they can't score the big payday. By lining up to be a punching bag for the big schools, the mid-major schools get much needed cash for their programs. When Kent State uses their non-conference schedule to play patsy for the behemoths they pick up an extra million-five or so for the program. Losing that revenue would have a serious impact on their programs. Do you think the small schools play the big schools just because they think it's fun to get pounded 58-3? They need that money. Take that cash away and we won't be talking about the mid-majors who make a run at the top 25 and pull off the great upsets every year because there won't be any mid-majors left.

Not being a fan of the 1919 Chicago White Sox, I try not to advocate getting paid to lose games. Doesn't seem very sporting.

It's not but we all know that "sporting" has very little to do with sports.

[BaltimoreFan]

-Maryland gets the next invite. Maryland gives you again footprint. The school provides you access to the Baltimore and DC markets, which combined is good enough to be the 4th largest market in the country. Question here is if those in charge of Maryland want to jump off the titanic or not.

The Big Ten would be stupid if they did not offer to Maryland, if they were concerned with their TV network. The Terps are the only team in the Baltimore and DC area, that is truely shared by both markets. The Capitals have become more popular in Baltimore lately, but I think that's more of a bandwagon thing for now. All other teams are completely seperate. So in that case, the Big Ten would really be getting the #4 TV market.

Also, every is talking about the Big 4 Superconferences, Big 10, Pac-10, SEC, and ACC/Big East, dominating college football. That will be interesting, because I think the Mountain West will be better able to compete in football rather than the ACC/Big East (other than the fact it wouldn't have 16 teams). The ACC/Big East would embarrass themselves in any football playoffs/bowls they'd get invitied to (although they would probably dominate in basketball). If the Mountain West is left out, that will probably create a whole new postseason controversy.

[ESTONES6]

To be honest, when the dust settles... I think its going to be Big 10 (Big Midwest), SEC, Pac 10 (Pac 16), Mountain West, and a Big East/ACC merger.

There are strong basketball school out east and I don't see them making just a football merger move. However, I do see the Big 10 and SEC NOT stopping. Honestly, I think more school will be gobbled up, and you might see 20 team conferences. It doesn't seem likely, but with all this money revenue, I just don't see it stopping.

It's being reported that the Mountain West are looking at Kansas and Mizzou. I can see them getting Kansas and Kansas State. I think with this interest in Mizzou, it might force the Big 10's hand to extend an invite.

If the rumors are true that Texas and A&M are interested in the Big 10... there may be movement and shifting like we've never seen. I do expect ND to fall in line. There are reports the ND and the Big 10 are in talks again, and have a different feel than the previous "talks."

[dfwabel]

To be honest, when the dust settles... I think its going to be Big 10 (Big Midwest), SEC, Pac 10 (Pac 16), Mountain West, and a Big East/ACC merger.

There are strong basketball school out east and I don't see them making just a football merger move. However, I do see the Big 10 and SEC NOT stopping. Honestly, I think more school will be gobbled up, and you might see 20 team conferences. It doesn't seem likely, but with all this money revenue, I just don't see it stopping.

It's being reported that the Mountain West are looking at Kansas and Mizzou. I can see them getting Kansas and Kansas State. I think with this interest in Mizzou, it might force the Big 10's hand to extend an invite.

If the rumors are true that Texas and A&M are interested in the Big 10... there may be movement and shifting like we've never seen. I do expect ND to fall in line. There are reports the ND and the Big 10 are in talks again, and have a different feel than the previous "talks."

That rumor is not true. The majority of the information coming out from Texas has gone through Chip Brown (Orangebloods) and Kirk Bohls (Austin American-Statesman) who are virtually fed information to leak so the school is not seen as the lead. In the latest story from Bohls:

One highly placed Big 12 school official said there was no doubt that league members UT, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State would join the Pac-10.

"The decision has been made," he told the American-Statesman. "We're bringing everybody to the Pac-10 but A&M."

In addition, the Texas House Committee on Higher Education will meet Wednesday ?to discuss matters pertaining to higher education, including collegiate athletics.? State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, said Friday, ?any threats would be empty threats,? since the Legislature no longer sets tuition rates (that's left to the regents) and has its hands full with the budget.

Lastly, in a Fort Worth-based story, TCU wants to shut Baylor out of the MWC.

[rams80]

Lastly, in a Fort Worth-based story, TCU wants to shut Baylor out of the MWC.

Speaking of revenges 15+ years in the making....

I guess Tom Osbourne isn't the only guy who still carried something of a grudge over the formation of the Big XII.

[illwauk]

I think it would make more sense for the Texas and Oklahoma schools to move to the SEC instead of the Pac-10, but geography seems to be less of a concern now more than ever.

One good thing that could come from this is the default reformation of classic conferences as divisions. If the Pac-10 does expand to 16 teams, the original Pac-8 will likely form one of the divisions. I could also see a division in the ACC/Big East mash-up containing all the original ACC teams depending on whether or not the SEC targets any of their schools.

[charger77]

Sorry, but I don't want to read the whole thread.

Why is the Big XII the conference being picked apart?

Thanks,

-Dan

[Bmac]

Sorry, but I don't want to read the whole thread.

Why is the Big XII the conference being picked apart?

Thanks,

-Dan

$$$

[Bmac]

I really hope this move to the Big Ten helps Husker baseball. It should be nice joining the colder weather teams. I can't wait.

[rams80]

Sorry, but I don't want to read the whole thread.

Why is the Big XII the conference being picked apart?

Thanks,

-Dan

$$$

And apparently some fundamental disagreements over the direction in which the Conference was headed and how it was run. Also the Commissioner was never very proactive in addressing those concerns.