College Football Realignment

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by WMR

UK would be a much more attractive candidate than Kansas to a prospective conference, period. IDK why you want to discredit it, but averaging 65-69k fans per game year after year is a huge deal, especially when considering how generally lackluster Kentucky's football teams have been.

Stadium size and attendance are huge lynchpins in any school's desire to join/move conferences.

I do agree that your initial point about "Kentucky looking to bolt" was silly.

Having good home attendance in football is nice, but that doesn't make money for anyone else. For another conference to want to bring you in, you have to bring something to the party to share. Kentucky basketball would be attractive to any and every other league -- name recognition, TV ratings, NCAA tournament payouts, packed houses when the Wildcats come to town. Kentucky football? Doesn't move the needle at all.

In that respect, UK and KU are more alike than different, although Kentucky's football program has been better supported over the years than Kansas' has been.

Luckily for the Cats, it's just a hypothetical because their league isn't cracking apart!

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Slyder

Big East Commish and WVU AD Oliver Luck's friend has been doing some work behind the scenes toward a "Big East Network". His name? Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. There has been some rumors that the NFL network has been working on this "solution" for a couple seasons since the Big East went from Traghese to this new guy.

John Maranotto mentioned it a couple months ago about working on a Big East Network with Paul Tagliabue, but nothing was ever mentioned afterwards, not even from Tagliabue. There's been more speculation that the Big East is blowing smoke with it.

I do think there is more truth to the Worldwide Leader and the Big XII threatening a lawsuit if A&M had joined the SEC, which is why the Aggies were not invited.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by WMR

UK would be a much more attractive candidate than Kansas to a prospective conference, period. IDK why you want to discredit it, but averaging 65-69k fans per game year after year is a huge deal, especially when considering how generally lackluster Kentucky's football teams have been.

Stadium size and attendance are huge lynchpins in any school's desire to join/move conferences.

I do agree that your initial point about "Kentucky looking to bolt" was silly.

I tend to agree with Island Red, stadium size and attendance are useful because they show what kind of support a program has. But one concern in particular that I heard when the Big 11 was looking at Nebraska was "Sure they always sell out their home games, but does anyone else in the country care?"
Apparantly the respective decision makers decided that the rest of the country cared enough.

Really it's 2 pronged answer; 1) Does admitting this school get the conference into a market that it otherwise doesn't have. 2) Does admitting this school bring the sort of attention that even people not in the school's market will care about.

I think in Kentucky's case the answer is yes to question 1, no to question 2(if you're talking about football.)

In any event, I'm happy the Big 10's not looking to kick anyone out because Indiana wouldn't be particularly attractive to any conference if it got the boot right now.

[Slyder]

With the discussion/comparision of UK to KU brought another conference to my mind. I am not saying this IS going to happen but just bringing it up as something I see that COULD happen.

The Big 10 decides Notre Dame isn't going to ever join any conference so they expand to 16 and add Missouri (kickback to Nebraska and Iowa for closer rivals), Maryland, Virginia, and Georgia Tech. The commissioner stated somewhere (don't have the link) about the southward movement of the population and wanting to get the Big 10 relevant in the south hence (Georgia Tech) plus the 3 ACC schools (I believe) have the accreditation.

The Big East then knowing the Big 10 is done calls up BC, Florida State/Virginia Tech (other ends up in the SEC for discussion sake), and Clemson and they leave Tobacco Road behind.

Would Duke, UNC, Wake, Miami, and NC State have any value to anyone or would they be in the same boat as Kansas and Kansas State? That is who came to mind when UK/KU comparisions were flying.

[IslandRed]

It's food for thought, and I can't help wondering if maybe there's a bubble forming with respect to college football and TV rights money that could pop at some point. I mean, there really aren't that many non-bowl games that get huge ratings, and the inventory is already starting to saturate the Saturday airwaves. I know ESPN/ABC, CBS, Fox etc. wouldn't be handing out the money if they didn't expect to get it back plus extra, but things don't always turn out as planned.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Slyder

With the discussion/comparision of UK to KU brought another conference to my mind. I am not saying this IS going to happen but just bringing it up as something I see that COULD happen.

The Big 10 decides Notre Dame isn't going to ever join any conference so they expand to 16 and add Missouri (kickback to Nebraska and Iowa for closer rivals), Maryland, Virginia, and Georgia Tech. The commissioner stated somewhere (don't have the link) about the southward movement of the population and wanting to get the Big 10 relevant in the south hence (Georgia Tech) plus the 3 ACC schools (I believe) have the accreditation.

The Big East then knowing the Big 10 is done calls up BC, Florida State/Virginia Tech (other ends up in the SEC for discussion sake), and Clemson and they leave Tobacco Road behind.

Would Duke, UNC, Wake, Miami, and NC State have any value to anyone or would they be in the same boat as Kansas and Kansas State? That is who came to mind when UK/KU comparisions were flying.

I think Duke and Wake would have the hardest time. Duke's football program is atrocious and Wake is decent, but hardly overpowering.

UNC has had some success in football lately, although probation is looming. What is interesting is who they trail in attendance. UNC is 33rd in the nation in attendance, WVU (the top team by attendance in the Big East) is 32nd.

NC State is 34th in attendance and offers the Raleigh-Durham market. NC State has also had some success in football. The basketball team also plays in the RBC Center, which is home to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Miami has completely fallen apart but does offer South Beach as a potential market. They also have a new basketball arena as well, but the football facilities are extremely lacking.

I do find it interesting mentioning the Big East bringing back Va Tech and Boston College. I would have figured with the way the schools left and potential animosity that resulted from the traditional Big East schools that I doubt it would come to pass.

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I do think there is more truth to the Worldwide Leader and the Big XII threatening a lawsuit if A&M had joined the SEC, which is why the Aggies were not invited.

Yeah, the more that comes out the more it looks like the SEC is simply going to wait for A&M to quit the little 12 then invite them, and the A&M president was given authority today to do just such a thing.

[dabvu2498]

School most screwed in all this: Iowa State.

[Slyder]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I do find it interesting mentioning the Big East bringing back Va Tech and Boston College. I would have figured with the way the schools left and potential animosity that resulted from the traditional Big East schools that I doubt it would come to pass.

If the Big East is looking at getting to 12 or 14 and ACC shows chinks I'd do it in a heart beat and just spin it as the prodigal son (BC) returning home. Virginia Tech is too good of a program not to be considered for a return. I doubt that Fla State would leave ACC but I just wanted to get some opinions on the value of Tobacco Road in the general consensus outside of themselves.

Duke=Kansas
UNC=Kansas St (KSU has had some periods of success nothing major though)

Originally Posted by dabvu2498

School most screwed in all this: Iowa State.

And theres one school that might be more screwed in the Big 12. I think it could be argued that Baylor would be more screwed, there is some rumors that depending on situations that the Big East might take Iowa State if they go for 2 7 team divisions.

I see no way that Baylor lands in a conference. The Pac 12 has already said they want nothing to do with the Baptists at Baylor. They're too far west for a "midwestern" big east.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Slyder

If the Big East is looking at getting to 12 or 14 and ACC shows chinks I'd do it in a heart beat and just spin it as the prodigal son (BC) returning home. Virginia Tech is too good of a program not to be considered for a return. I doubt that Fla State would leave ACC but I just wanted to get some opinions on the value of Tobacco Road in the general consensus outside of themselves.

Duke=Kansas
UNC=Kansas St (KSU has had some periods of success nothing major though)

This is the thing though, I don't see the Big East expanding unless its to either:

1. Replace teams that they could likely lose to the B10 or even the ACC if the B10 comes after them first.

2. Accept a new D-1 team who is already in conference (Villanova)

3. Add a team from a midmajor conference such as the A-10, MWC, or C-USA.

I will agree with you that Duke is the equivalent of Kansas, but UNC isn't in the same ballpark as Kansas State. UNC pulls similar crowds to WVU in football and present the Raleigh-Durham area in addition to Chapel Hill. Kansas State is the second best program in a midwestern state with not much urban pipelines close by.

[IslandRed]

UNC has had some success on the gridiron over the years, but philosophically and culturally, they are far more closely aligned to Kansas and Duke than any football-first school like Kansas State or WVU. In one respect, UNC is a lot like Kentucky -- they want to win in football and they'll give it the old college try, but they need to win in basketball and will accept nothing less.

Elsewhere in the ACC... I have no idea what will still be left of Miami after the smoke clears from the meteor that just hit them.

[KronoRed]

The New York Times is reporting Texas A&M has notified the Big 12 it will withdraw from the conference.


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...-12/50183202/1

Hard to believe they would do such a thing without a sure bet of somewhere else to go.

[medford]

Originally Posted by KronoRed

The New York Times is reporting Texas A&M has notified the Big 12 it will withdraw from the conference.


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...-12/50183202/1

Hard to believe they would do such a thing without a sure bet of somewhere else to go.

I can't believe they don't have a sure bet of where they'll land. Most likely, its a procedural thing the SEC is requiring to imune themselves from any lawsuits from Kansas, Iowa State, K-State, etc.. for breaking up the B12 by taking aTm from them. In this case, proceduraly, aTm would be a free agent, of their own accord, paying out a departure settlement to the B12 and the SEC just happens to be willing to accept the free agent with open arms.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by WVRed

I think Duke and Wake would have the hardest time. Duke's football program is atrocious and Wake is decent, but hardly overpowering.

Wake Forest is also the smallest Division 1-A school aside from Rice. And they have no real geographic area to themselves.
Duke's not much bigger, and most of their fans are from New Jersey. Maybe the Big Ten will go after them instead of Rutgers.

[texasdave]

The Texas Aggie domino falls.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...2_a3&eref=sihp