Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[Red Wolf]

1 hour ago, Sec19Row53 said:

Yeah, there's only so many ways you can parse those initials. I've thought about doing polls about who is IU, UK, KU, UT, UM, OSU, UW, and probably others I'm forgetting. I'm sure I won't, but I'd be curious on some of these and how they're viewed as a whole.

 

There's gotta be research somewhere that sorts that stuff out. I mean, that's why the old Big 8 schools have backwards initials in the first place, right?

[Sec19Row53]

25 minutes ago, Red Wolf said:

 

There's gotta be research somewhere that sorts that stuff out. I mean, that's why the old Big 8 schools have backwards initials in the first place, right?

I'm glad I'm not imagining stuff like that. I mean, it's the University of Kansas, but they go by KU (right?). University of Oklahoma - OU. dot dot dot

[WillLanigan]

32 minutes ago, Red Wolf said:

 

There's gotta be research somewhere that sorts that stuff out. I mean, that's why the old Big 8 schools have backwards initials in the first place, right?

That’s a really good point … there’s CU, KU, MU, NU, and OU.  But I’m pretty sure they’re all “University of ___” and not “___ University”.  I guess it’s smart branding to be different like that. 

[Red Wolf]

9 minutes ago, Sec19Row53 said:

I'm glad I'm not imagining stuff like that. I mean, it's the University of Kansas, but they go by KU (right?). University of Oklahoma - OU. dot dot dot

 

You're not imagining it at all. Same applies for the University of Colorado (CU), University of Nebraska (NU), and University of Missouri (MU). It's a whole thing.

 

Even fans of the schools get them wrong like the guy from that 30 for 30 that went to Naismith's grave and was talking about Kansas University even though it's the University of Kansas.

 

I've also seen high school kids call refer to the University of Arkansas State and I just don't know what to do with that.

[McCall]

The ACC has been looking into expansion as well. West Virginia was mentioned as a possibility in an article on espn. If UWV left the Big XII, who has said they intend to add a 14th member, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that they not only try to bring in the remaining Four Corner schools, but maybe one of Stanford or Cal. I would think Stanford would be the more desirable option, but if they would hold out for a Big Ten invite, I could definitely see the Big XII taking Cal. This would leave only Oregon State and Washington State (assuming Oregon and Washington also head to the Big Ten). Thus ending the Pac-#. Only way the name lives on is if they "merge" those remaining schools with the Mountain West, but use the Pac name for branding purposes. Still don't think they'd be considered a Power 5 school. Much like how the American lost it's Power status even though it was essentially the Big East rebranded.

[nickp91]

Bringing Cal & Stanford to the ACC Bring UW & Oregon with them and change the name to APCC

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Such a shame. When I was a kid, I thought the Pac 10 was so cool. USC was cool. UCLA was cool. Arizona State was cool. The games were on late, the schools won basketball titles, they had good uniforms, and the Rose Bowl tradition seemed neat.

 

My enthusiasm for college sports took a huge hit when the ACC cannibalized the Big East. The Pac 12 falling apart -- and Colorado being the tipping point -- stinks.

[Red Comet]

I don't think I've heard many, if any, refer to the University of Missouri as MU. Mizzou on the other hand......

 

KU I've heard all the time and Kansas State is almost always referred to as K-State. 

And on that note, no one under the age of 70 or pandering politicians pronounces Missouri as "Missouruh". 

Edited July 29, 2023 by Red Comet

[McCall]

2 minutes ago, Red Comet said:

I don't think I've heard many, if any, refer to the University of Missouri as MU. Mizzou on the other hand......

And on that note, no one under the age of 70 or pandering politicians pronounces Missouri as "Missouruh". 

Not as common as "Mizzou", but yes, MU is fairly common, especially back in the Big 8/early Big XII days.

[BBTV]

20 minutes ago, Red Comet said:

I don't think I've heard many, if any, refer to the University of Missouri as MU. Mizzou on the other hand......

 

KU I've heard all the time and Kansas State is almost always referred to as K-State. 

And on that note, no one under the age of 70 or pandering politicians pronounces Missouri as "Missouruh". 

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

Such a shame. When I was a kid, I thought the Pac 10 was so cool. USC was cool. UCLA was cool. Arizona State was cool. The games were on late, the schools won basketball titles, they had good uniforms, and the Rose Bowl tradition seemed neat.

 

My enthusiasm for college sports took a huge hit when the ACC cannibalized the Big East. The Pac 12 falling apart -- and Colorado being the tipping point -- stinks.

 

Small regional conferences were comfy

[Red Comet]

1 hour ago, McCall said:

Not as common as "Mizzou", but yes, MU is fairly common, especially back in the Big 8/early Big XII days.

 

Okay, fair enough. It felt like as time went on, though, that MU did give way to Mizzou if not in the athletic department's marketing then certainly in the public opinion. 

[SeaTac]

College Football is dead. Long live the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. 

[jlog3000]

42 minutes ago, SeaTac said:

College Football is dead. Long live the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. 

 

Basically you're admitting that it's now money who gets to dictate how college sports should be the way from how those with power want. If that's the case, good job and hope they are proud of themselves.

[4_tattoos]

I still watch major D1 sports for the level of competition. In the last decade I've began following Division 2 sports closer to fulfil the regional tradition that's been lost in D1.

[TrueYankee26]

14 hours ago, jlog3000 said:

 

Basically you're admitting that it's now money who gets to dictate how college sports should be the way from how those with power want. If that's the case, good job and hope they are proud of themselves.

Not only that.

 

Superconferences will be the end game, with Big 10 and 12 gobbling up their choice of Pac 12 schools, Big 10 and SEC getting the ACC schools they want, and the rest are left behind.

[jlog3000]

7 minutes ago, TrueYankee26 said:

Not only that.

 

Superconferences will be the end game, with Big 10 and 12 gobbling up their choice of Pac 12 schools, Big 10 and SEC getting the ACC schools they want, and the rest are left behind.

 

But with only 3 superconferences? Also good luck to all of those in terms of fair & balanced schedule format (depending on the sport being sponsored), even to find their fair share of permanent rivals plus the randoms for a x-year span.

[BBTV]

I know this isn't a novel idea, but maybe the major conferences (I guess that's the "Big"s, SEC, ACC?) should merge into a single entity and sell a TV package as a whole - kinda like how the NFL has networks bidding for the AFC, NFC, and special nights.  They could keep their rivalries and stay as "conferences" if they want, but there's the potential to make more $ as a combined entity than as separate ones.

 

They'd say F-off to the NCAA* and just have their own rules, their own playoff, and declare their own championship.

 

*I guess the risk here is that the NCAA could impose penalties for small schools that still want to do jobs to the major teams that are no longer in the NCAA.  They'd have to work that out, since the Super Conference would still probably want some of those tune-up games.

 

Or maybe not, since they have their own separate playoff and make their own rules, the teams don't need to worry about a computer or imperfect ranking, so they could play full conference schedules and maybe the playoff teams have 7-5 or 8-4 records... but it's fine, whereas that's not fine in the current NCAA system.

 

EDIT:

They could also merge their respective networks together and basically charge whatever the hell they want - both as streaming services and to cable subscribers, since it'd be a monopoly.  

[TrueYankee26]

31 minutes ago, jlog3000 said:

 

But with only 3 superconferences? Also good luck to all of those in terms of fair & balanced schedule format (depending on the sport being sponsored), even to find their fair share of permanent rivals plus the randoms for a x-year span.

More like 2.5, Big 12 get the "best of the rest"

[DG_ThenNowForever]

17 minutes ago, BBTV said:

I know this isn't a novel idea, but maybe the major conferences (I guess that's the "Big"s, SEC, ACC?) should merge into a single entity and sell a TV package as a whole - kinda like how the NFL has networks bidding for the AFC, NFC, and special nights.  They could keep their rivalries and stay as "conferences" if they want, but there's the potential to make more $ as a combined entity than as separate ones.

 

If you break it down to its core, the whole system is weird. It's teenagers playing for free (mostly) for academic institutions that are supposed to be about learning but are instead about wealth extraction, creating so much revenue that the actually talent see none of.

 

I'd be all in favor of an NFL Jr designed for 18-22 year olds, but there's really no impetus to do that. Universities have paid billions in athletic facilities they shouldn't really need, the NFL gets free talent development, and the players have essentially no organizing ability.

The the NIL program was actually allowed to move forward -- by Supreme Court decision! -- feels like a miracle that wouldn't happen today, just two years later.

 

With all of these kinds of issues, I'm on the side of labor and the best deal for the players. If a multi-billion dollar contract for college athletics provides 50% of revenue for the players, count me in. Otherwise, the structural inequities remain awful and harder every year for people like me to watch.