Future Collegiate Conference Realignment

[KronoRed]

I don't see the ACC touching UCF, they bring nothing the ACC doesn't already have.

I think everyone the big12 keeps itself alive like the big east did after Miami left, still on life support but somehow still chugging, they add Cincinnati, UCF, USF and someone else from Houston,Memphis and ECU.

Whenever NBC's deal with ND ends then you'll see more movement.

[Slyder]

Whenever NBC's deal with ND ends then you'll see more movement.

Am I the only one who believes that if this ever does happen you will see total Armageddon and even conferences like B1G will cease to exist as they are and you'll see a greater shift to "Blue Bloods" (OSU, Michigan, Alabama, USC) and "not Blue Bloods" that even schools like Illinois, Mississippi schools, etc will fall victim to the TV money like the Big East and Big 12 before them?

[bucksfan2]

As of August 4, 2021.....place your bets. What will this thing look like in a couple years beyond Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC? Will the Big10 add Kansas and/or Iowa State? Does the PAC12 take on OK State, Texas Tech, and maybe more? Does WVU land in the ACC? Does the remaining 8 stick together and add some of the best G5 teams? Does the ACC get raided by the Big10 and SEC? Does the Big10 go after some PAC12 schools? Does Notre Dame give in and join the ACC?

You get the point....what does it look like when this round of movement comes to a temporary end?


I will go first. I barely lean (like 52%)

- the Big10 adds Iowa State and Kansas
- the ACC adds WVU and UCF or Cincinnati after ND flirts but does not join
- PAC12 agrees to take OK State and Texas Tech
- PAC12 strongly considers TCU and Baylor, but both go to the AAC for now.
- Kansas State goes to the MWC

I go back and forth, but as of today the other 48ish% of me would bet on there is no more major movements and the remaining 8 stay together and add 4 new G5 members. I think the piece together a better media deal than expected at over $20 Million per team per year.

What I want to happen.

The B1G and P12 create some kind of schedule arrangement where games count as "conference games."

The Big 12 adds UC, UCF, BYU (for football), Memphis, Rice, and Houston.

The ACC and SEC stand pat as they currently are situation.

I don't see any value for the B1G to take Kansas and Iowa St. Kansas is a dumpster fire in football, their basketball program is a mess, and Iowa St is, well, Iowa St.

The Big 12 may lose OU and Texas, but are able to add valuable markets in Memphis, Houston, Cincinnati, Orlando and the country wide Mormann market. I think that conference could be better than the last version of the Big East that UC was in. The Big 12 will no longer be able to command a large TV contract, but will be the 5th best league.

ACC's grant of rights makes it damn near impossible for teams to leave that conference. I don't see anything happening there.

[Rojo Rijo]

As of August 4, 2021.....place your bets. What will this thing look like in a couple years beyond Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC? Will the Big10 add Kansas and/or Iowa State? Does the PAC12 take on OK State, Texas Tech, and maybe more? Does WVU land in the ACC? Does the remaining 8 stick together and add some of the best G5 teams? Does the ACC get raided by the Big10 and SEC? Does the Big10 go after some PAC12 schools? Does Notre Dame give in and join the ACC?

You get the point....what does it look like when this round of movement comes to a temporary end?


I will go first. I barely lean (like 52%)

- the Big10 adds Iowa State and Kansas
- the ACC adds WVU and UCF or Cincinnati after ND flirts but does not join
- PAC12 agrees to take OK State and Texas Tech
- PAC12 strongly considers TCU and Baylor, but both go to the AAC for now.
- Kansas State goes to the MWC

I go back and forth, but as of today the other 48ish% of me would bet on there is no more major movements and the remaining 8 stay together and add 4 new G5 members. I think the piece together a better media deal than expected at over $20 Million per team per year.

I'm sticking with what i've been saying

Kansas and Iowa State to the B1G
Texas Tech, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State to the PAC12
West Virginia and Kansas State to the AAC

[Strikes Out Looking]

The Big 10 requires more than just a football team to join the conference - all of the 14 schools are research universities as well. While money does talk, I can't see the Big 10 taking just any old school just because it has a football program.

[WVRed]

I can get behind this somewhat, but what is OU complaining about? OSU plays their biggest games at noon. Oregon, Michigan, and PSU will all be at noon this season. OU was pretty vocal about playing Nebraska at noon his season, but that is pretty much like playing Kansas this year, you are not going to get a marquee slot.

FWIW I think if the conferences and teams thought this was a big problem, they would push back against it. I get Fox's idea, but does anyone really think OSU vs PSU at night is going to get beat in the ratings? OSU vs Oregon may be the highest ranked game in week to, regardless of slot.

It’s actually 11 am in Norman (central time zone)

The idea of prime time games is more exposure to a national tv audience in that it helps with atmosphere and recruiting. Hard to do that when people are still waking up, getting around, or even working on weekends. Most eyes are in the late afternoon/evenings.

I do see why from Foxs end though. You pretty much know the Mouse House is going to counter any prime time matchup with either the top SEC matchup or Clemson.

[adkindo]

The Big 10 requires more than just a football team to join the conference - all of the 14 schools are research universities as well. While money does talk, I can't see the Big 10 taking just any old school just because it has a football program.

right, which is why there is speculation (although that is all it is) they may consider KU and ISU....two AAU schools that are also R1 (I assume) designated universities. It is why there is also speculation about the Big 10 being interested in the 4 California schools in the PAC12. Getting Stanford, Cal and UCLA would be a wet dream for many Big10 Presidents....and AD's would love USC (who also fits the academic side).

[adkindo]

It’s actually 11 am in Norman (central time zone)

The idea of prime time games is more exposure to a national tv audience in that it helps with atmosphere and recruiting. Hard to do that when people are still waking up, getting around, or even working on weekends. Most eyes are in the late afternoon/evenings.

I do see why from Foxs end though. You pretty much know the Mouse House is going to counter any prime time matchup with either the top SEC matchup or Clemson.

its really not the time slots....they will not care one bit to play Georgia @ 11AM Central on ABC in a couple years. It is about money and exposure. Would you rather have a schedule of home games against Texas Tech, WVU, Kansas and Iowa State......or Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss? The first group is mostly solid quality football....the second group is mostly premier level college football.

[adkindo]

I don't see the ACC touching UCF, they bring nothing the ACC doesn't already have.

I would have to know what exactly you are referring to, but I can assure you that UCF would be a benefit in the Central Florida market, especially the I4 Corridor (Daytona-Orlando-Tampa). I am not sure how much, but that stretch is Gator Country....and probably UCF is #2. Do not get me wrong, FSU has a Central Florida fan base, but it is small compared to the Gators......and Miami has no major position in Central Florida. It is a massive highly populated land area where UCF and USF have been flooding with alumni in recent decades.

Also, this is not a Gator bias on my part....I actually like FSU and Miami more than the Gators.....but it is undeniable Central Florida is Gator Country. Here is what has to be understood....UCF in 2000 was not a "football" school. Far less students were at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday night to watch them play Toledo or Kent State. There were a ton of Gator and FSU fans that were students at UCF. Over the last couple decades as UCF has become relevant, the rivalry with USF and knocking off some big teams, UCF has became a "football" school and there are very few students that are not primary UCF fans. UCF graduates over 17,000 students a year....dumping many of them into communities on the I4 corridor. That is more than UF, FSU, USF and far more than Miami....so the math is pretty simple. This is a relatively new change in the market when you consider that UCF had 22,000 students in 1992 and have over 71,000 (66,000 full time) students in 2021. UCF is taking over this market, and that will be expedited if they ever get a seat at the big table.

[adkindo]

West Virginia and Kansas State to the AAC

you need to knock that crap off right now

[Assembly Hall]

The Big 10 requires more than just a football team to join the conference - all of the 14 schools are research universities as well. While money does talk, I can't see the Big 10 taking just any old school just because it has a football program.

Endowment money talks to. And the B1G schools get a ton of it.

[KronoRed]

I would have to know what exactly you are referring to, but I can assure you that UCF would be a benefit in the Central Florida market

It would be a benefit to UCF no question but I don't see how it helps the ACC that much, TV networks aren't as big as they were but they still matter and the ACC network is already on for everyone in Orlando, double down in Orlando or add Cincinnati and get into a whole new market?

Maybe if the ACC they went to 18-20 teams or fsu left.

[adkindo]

It would be a benefit to UCF no question but I don't see how it helps the ACC that much, TV networks aren't as big as they were but they still matter and the ACC network is already on for everyone in Orlando, double down in Orlando or add Cincinnati and get into a whole new market?

Maybe if the ACC they went to 18-20 teams or fsu left.

In regards to the new market, that is information that would need analysis that I do not have. The ACC Network in not available with all cable carriers within the ACC footprint. For example, I think Spectrum NC and Spectrum Central Florida offer the ACC Network, but other Spectrum's along the East Coast do not carry. I do not think any Comcast Xfinity customers have access to the ACC Network. In many ACC markets, the only access, is Dish, Direct TV, Sling, etc. so direct demand is often more important than $ per cable subscriber. Maybe the ACC Network gets worked out at some point, but it is a crap show right now which often requires ACC team fans to change their provider to get access. I know ESPN and Comcast has been in a cold war over the ACC Network for several years, and reports are they are not even close on price point. Like I said, I know some of the complications but I have no real idea how they would impact each market.

Central Florida is a split market between Spectrum and Comcast and the lines are all over the place...as in one subdivision is on Comcast Xfinity and the adjacent subdivision is on Spectrum. UCF and Cincinnati are both complicated because neither are the primary team in their own markets, but my speculation (guess) is UCF is diminishing the gap at a more rapid pace than Cincinnati.

[bucksfan2]

Endowment money talks to. And the B1G schools get a ton of it.

The B1G is impressive, but not as impressive as I thought it would be. Both UM and NW are substantial, OSU is around half of UM and NW, but one of the higher public institutions. They are impressive when you compare to the public schools as opposed to the elite private institutions.

The B1G moves in the past made a lot of sense. Adding blue blood institutions of PSU and Nebraska were really no brainers. I don't think there was the foresight needed for Nebraska, but it made sense at the time. Adding Rutgers and Maryland brought important east coast markets with the expansion of the B1G network. Remember when it started, even the cable provides in Ohio did not carry B1G network.

I think Kansas and Iowa St are the most similar universities out there to what the B1G currently has. However, when you consider what the future of television is going to, what do those two schools offer? In the next decade I think you will see conferences sell streaming services of their games. Iowa St and Kansas offer little in that regard, Kansas may offer basketball, but basketball doesn't drive the broadcast conversation.

I keep hearing Colorado as a legit option, as well as USC, but I just think USC is more a pipe dream. Would USC leave UCLA, Cal, and Stanford? Would it be a football only move? Colorado gives Nebraska a more natural rival, is fairly easy to get to from everywhere west of Columbus, and brings in a big and growing market, as well as being an AAU member.

Any move the B1G makes has to make the conference better, it can't be a reactionary move. I could maybe, maybe talk myself into Iowa St and Colorado, but ISU and KU does nothing for the conference.

[Hoosier Red]

right, which is why there is speculation (although that is all it is) they may consider KU and ISU....two AAU schools that are also R1 (I assume) designated universities. It is why there is also speculation about the Big 10 being interested in the 4 California schools in the PAC12. Getting Stanford, Cal and UCLA would be a wet dream for many Big10 Presidents....and AD's would love USC (who also fits the academic side).

I really think the only schools the B1G expands for are in the Pac-12. Basically every team west of Illinois enjoys the relative recruiting advantage they have over Iowa State created by the fact that to paraphrase Chevy Chase, "They're in the B1G, and you're not." 2) Kansas would undoubtedly love to make the move, but I don't think they're going anywhere without bringing kid brother tKSU along.