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Conference Realignment thread

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2 hours ago, Ibanez said:

ESPN just released a statement. I'll go and get the link but it Basically said every team is looking for a new conference but if the eight do stay put, they would look to add two teams. The teams listed were BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston. Pretty sure they just randomly used those teams.

Here is the thing. I was listening to John Kurtz and 365 Sports. They were told if the Big 12s remaining members were to just rebuild the conference, they don't think they would add more Texas teams. Maybe Houston but SMU would be SOL. My guess I'd if four teams get poached, Memphis gets a spot of they want it. It would be worth it to get away from Tulsa, Tulane, ECU, and Temple. (I know Temple had a great three year run but no one on Philly cares. And I think it's booty when teams play on an NFL stadium.)

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31865190/big-12-officials-meet-discuss-possible-departures-oklahoma-texas-sec

@RebelRobert beat me to it.

I believe they listed those four teams (BYU, UCF, Cincy, and Houston) because they were the top finalists when the Big 12 had "auditions" and decided not to take anyone. It would make sense that they would use that same list rather than having the entire dog and pony show again, when little has changed in the last couple of years.

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57 minutes ago, Ibanez said:

I say they lose five teams. I think it will be Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and one more. I'll say West Virginia.

If I had to guess, I would say they lose only two. I don't think it makes sense for the PAC to try and expand. I don't think many of you realize how far away Lubbock is from the major Texas media markets (350ish miles) -- adding Texas Tech is not going to get the PAC 10 network on cable stations in Dallas, San Antonio, or Houston.

I think Kansas is the only team with a real shot, either with the B1G or the ACC; though the B1G didn't want them in the last expansion round and ACC would cause major travel headaches.

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I have no insider information, so this is all speculation.

Any conference realignment will likely be driven by dollars and cents.  I can understand how the SEC bringing in Texas and Oklahoma could increase the per-team payout for everyone in the league, so from a money perspective, it can definitely make $en$e.  From a football competition standpoint, I think it's great for the SEC but not great for Texas and Oklahoma.  Whereas Oklahoma in the Big 12 is pretty much guaranteed a playoff spot under the new proposed playoff, they have a much tougher path to the playoff through the SEC.  Texas hasn't really been playoff-worthy for a while now, so maybe they don't care about that as much as they care about the increase in dollars.

If Texas and Oklahoma leave, I can definitely understand the other members looking for greener pastures than what would be left of the Big 12.  I would expect Kansas to pursue an invite to the Big 10, and I wouldn't be shocked to see the Big 10 extend an invite.  I can see West Virginia petitioning for membership in the ACC, but I would be a bit surprised if the ACC extended an invite.  I don't think the Pac 12 would be interested in any of the leftovers - and definitely not Texas Tech as some here have asserted.

If Kansas and the others stay in the Big 12, then they don't actually have to expand.  With eight members, they have enough members to continue existing as a conference.  But I would expect to see them add at least a couple members to protect the conference against any other members leaving in the future.  I don't really expect them to add more than they feel they have to since they won't want to dilute their (reduced) media payouts any more than they have to.  So if only Texas and Oklahoma leave, then they'll probably only add two schools.

So who do they pick?  I'd be in favor of BYU joining, even with the conference being watered down with no Texas or Oklahoma.  I agree with the table posted earlier in the thread that rates BYU as the best expansion candidate.  If I had my druthers on expansion partners, I'd go with Boise State.  But I'm not so sure BYU is among the first two invited, or that BSU is high on their list.  West Virginia would likely petition for additions from the East.  As such, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, or Memphis seem like the most likely to get a call.

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6 hours ago, 415hawaiiboy said:

So if the West Coast is what it is (screw the East Coast, can’t fix geography) and adding one or two schools in the Central Time Zone isn’t going to move the needle enough to appease the East (always an ever moving bar), then the P12 could consider doubling down in their markets and cultivating rivalries, if they plan to expand to say 14 or if one or two eastern P12 schools get picked off.  This would be the opposite way of thinking, and keep their footprint tighter.  
 

I find San Diego State to be accretive to this strategy from a fan base strategy long term.  The P12 invite could really boost things in California (and the Phoenix market) regarding rivalries, cross attendance, water cooler talk.  Make California great again for college football.  
 

So think a step ahead.  Instead of far flung conferences chasing eyeballs and then like the WAC’s pods, and downsizing due to Tulsa and Rice having little connection with Hawaii and Fresno State, for example.  Chase and win hearts!  I run a YouTube channel and an important metric is viewer retention.  Double down in California.

Sure, go football-only/upgrade the Big West with SDSU added.
 

 

 

One question.  Is the P12 going to elevate a Cal State?

 

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11 minutes ago, RebelRobert said:

Only two out of twelve members are UC’s.  I am not sure the other 10 care about that nonsense.

 

Two of those other 10 are USC and Stanford.  They would care.  If nothing else, to protect against said Cal State siphoning off football players.  You'd need at least one of the California members to give the okay to join their club.

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4 hours ago, Ibanez said:

I guarantee you Boise States Alumni can drive trucks in the snow to get things delivered to Columbus or East Lansing better than anyone. That's a skill people with a lot of money would look for like B1G donors and Presidents. Someone needs to transport their illegal good and protect their shady business practices and activities.

BSU to the B1G!

Are you sure? 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/photo-boise-states-equipment-truck-hits-cow/

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11 hours ago, Old_Sparty1857 said:

Basketball does not drive the bus. It’s all about football. 

Of course---but a really good basketball conference can provide another nice revenue stream.   Heck, even when it comes to TV, the old Big East had separate TV deals for football and basketball.   They made more from their basketball deal than from their football deal.  They were the exception of course---but there is money to be made off of basketball---and that will be important for a group that wont be seeing a Big12 distribution of 37.7 million a team anymore.   

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This is speculation but within the realm of possibility. Texas and Oki to the SEC and just like last time the other biggies smell blood and the possibility of dissolving the Big 12. The Big 10 goes after Oki State and Texas Tech which brings them to 16 to keep pace with the SEC. At that the Pac -12 goes to 16 by adding Baylor, TCU, Kansas and K-State. That leaves Iowa State and W Virginia which reluctantly go to the AAC because with the B-12 no longer in existence their addition will elevate the AAC to P-5. The ACC could add West Virginia and Notre Dame to get to 16. That would leave the AAC as the only option left for a G5 school if they were inclined to expand to 16 like the rest of the P5. In this scenario only BYU and a few MW teams might be considered. Not a pretty picture for MW fans but certainly a possibility.

 

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4 hours ago, Pelado said:

  As such, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, or Memphis seem like the most likely to get a call.

The minute their new stadium opens, SDSU will outpace all of these AAC teams in terms of overall program strength and revenue.

BYU, though, is clearly the best candidate for any P5 conference (barring religious school controversies). 

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I don't understand why the MWC can't pick the cream of what's left over TCU, OSU or Baylor etc. Hell we were battling it out with the Pac 12 for conference superiority until BYU, TCU, and Utah left. We had just added Boise State everything looked great, then the poaching began

Let's reinvite TCU, BYU, Baylor, OSU and Gonzaga as Basketball only that's a solid conference. We would have exposure in 4 time zones.

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6 minutes ago, HeyReb89 said:

I don't understand why the MWC can't pick the cream of what's left over TCU, OSU or Baylor etc. Hell we were battling it out with the Pac 12 for conference superiority until BYU, TCU, and Utah left. We had just added Boise State everything looked great, then the poaching began

Let's reinvite TCU, BYU, Baylor, OSU and Gonzaga as Basketball only that's a solid conference. We would have exposure in 4 time zones.

Big-12 has all the NCAA basketball Tourney credits $$$ and bowl tie-ins so they call the shots and get to invite who they want.

If Big-12 dissolves we will pick and choose through the dead carcasses and decide if any have what it takes to sit at the same table as SJSU, Utah State and Wyoming.

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I am not a lawyer but wouldn't Texas A&M have a lawsuit against the SEC if they worked on a deal behind their back to change the conference structure?  What type of people treat their partners this way?

If I was the Texas A&M administration I would be calling the BIG TEN and PAC-12 today to get out of the SEC.

You make expansion decisions without consulting the Texas A&M President?  Bullshit.

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https://www.si.com/college/2021/07/23/big-12-in-disarray-texas-oklahoma-expected-to-depart

The two schools have described their intentions with the SEC as “exploratory,” according to sources within the Big 12. But conference leaders believe it is much more serious. In fact, the Big 12 firmly expects the Longhorns, the ringleaders of this latest realignment, to announce their departure soon, with Oklahoma closely behind.

“I’d say Texas is for sure gone and probably Oklahoma,” says an administrator.

Administrators from Texas and Oklahoma did not join their brethren on a joint conference call Thursday night to discuss the matter with league athletic directors and school presidents—a striking snub that speaks to their inevitable exit. The top destination is the SEC, a league that both programs contacted in the last few weeks. The Longhorns, however, might have at least one other option, sources say: the ACC.

https://www.si.com/college/2021/07/23/big-12-in-disarray-texas-oklahoma-expected-to-depart

Words to live by:  Never Trust Texas

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15 minutes ago, Del Scorcho said:

 

If that is the case, the MWC needs to decide if we really want to add a Kansas State, Baylor or an Iowa State to our Conference.

Is it worth it?  Does it get us any additional money?

I would be in favor of Baylor and Iowa State I think.  I would have to look into it more.  Kansas State, I don't know.

These decisions may have to be made soon so MWC needs to really think if we want these bottom feeders?

If we could get Houston and SMU along with them, it would be worth it!  A presence in Texas with SMU, Houston and Baylor would be nice.

Maybe let the AAC have WV, Kansas State and Iowa State.

MWC can take Houston, SMU, Baylor and BYU.

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6 hours ago, wolf from 73 said:

This is speculation but within the realm of possibility. Texas and Oki to the SEC and just like last time the other biggies smell blood and the possibility of dissolving the Big 12. The Big 10 goes after Oki State and Texas Tech which brings them to 16 to keep pace with the SEC. At that the Pac -12 goes to 16 by adding Baylor, TCU, Kansas and K-State. That leaves Iowa State and W Virginia which reluctantly go to the AAC because with the B-12 no longer in existence their addition will elevate the AAC to P-5. The ACC could add West Virginia and Notre Dame to get to 16. That would leave the AAC as the only option left for a G5 school if they were inclined to expand to 16 like the rest of the P5. In this scenario only BYU and a few MW teams might be considered. Not a pretty picture for MW fans but certainly a possibility.

 

I'm good with this - as long as they have the 6 autobids for the playoffs.

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