Conference Realignment: What Next?

[Violet Ram]

Didn't the A-10 formerly (or still does?) buy it's time on CBS for the championship game?

Can't speak prior to VCU and Butler joining, but my understanding is that ESPN owns the rights via the media contract and they sublicense it to CBS.

[Django]

So what do y'all think about UCF, BYU, Houston and Cincinnati replacing UT and OU in basketball? Will the B12 still be the same strength in basketball? I think all the former SW, b8 b12 athletic departments are going to be stressed and it's going to hurt them... kind of a slow death type of thing? It seems that schools that support football out of the P4 will be hurting.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

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Sources: Big 12 Could Add Four New Members By End of Next Week - Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde, Si.com – September 3, 2021

The Big 12 is expanding and doing it at warp speed. Less than six weeks after Texas and Oklahoma announced their impending departure to the SEC, the league is poised to add four new members in a process that could culminate in one week’s time.

UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati are expected to apply for Big 12 membership next week and then could be approved for admission in a meeting of Big 12 presidents Sept. 10, multiple sources tell Sports Illustrated. The league has the eight votes needed for expansion.

In this scenario, the four teams will join the league by 2023 or, at the very latest, 2024, and may even compete alongside Oklahoma and Texas before those two powerhouses depart for the SEC, making for a couple of awkward seasons in a 14-team Big 12. The timeline is fluid and has been described as optimistic, but not unrealistic. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has even gone on site visits, most recently taking a trip to meet with Houston officials on Thursday.

“Now that the names [of the potential new additions] are out, I’d think that will expedite the process,” said one Big 12 source.

The four new members are not expected to immediately get full distribution shares. However, their first-year shares in the Big 12 are expected to double if not triple their American distribution, which is around $6 million or $7 million.

With the additions, the Big 12 will retain its status as an Autonomy 5 league, college football leaders believe. The NCAA granted autonomy powers in legislative matters to the Big Ten, SEC, Pac-12, ACC and Big 12, but the most important piece relates to the College Football Playoff. The Power 5 conferences hold lucrative bowl tie-ins as part of the CFP contract, which does not expire until after the 2025 season.

College Football Insider Shares Potential Timeline For Big 12 To Add 4 Teams – Dan Lyons, The Spun by Sports Illustrated - September 3, 2021

BYU To Apply For Big 12 Membership, According To Report – Mitch Harper, KSL Sports – September 3, 2021

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – BYU might be a member of the Big 12 Conference sooner rather than later. Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde report that BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston are expected to apply for Big 12 membership. Then leading to Big 12 Presidents voting on the membership of those four schools on Friday, September 10th.

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Global Dataset (Sorted by Conference, then by Niche’s 2021 College Ranking)

Niche Rank • Niche Grade • School • Conference • Enrolment

110 • A • TCU Horned Frogs • Big 12 • 11,379
137 • A • Baylor Bears • Big 12 • 19,566
148 • A • Iowa State Cyclones • Big 12 • 35,000
160 • A • Oklahoma State Cowboys • Big 12 • 25,295
165 • A • Kansas State Wildcats • Big 12 • 22,221
179 • A- • Texas Tech Red Raiders • Big 12 • 40,322
193 • A- • Kansas Jayhawks • Big 12 • 28,423
276 • A- • West Virginia Mountaineers • Big 12 • 26,269

94 • A • Brigham Young Cougars • FBS (Ind.), WCC • 33,633

66 • A+ • Tulane Green Wave • American Athletic • 11,722
86 • A+ • SMU Mustangs • American Athletic • 11,649
118 • A • South Florida Bulls • American Athletic • 50,830
124 • A • Tulsa Golden Hurricane • American Athletic • 3,343
149 • A • UCF Knights • American Athletic • 68,571
171 • A- • Cincinnati Bearcats • American Athletic • 45,949
200 • A- • Temple Owls • American Athletic • 39,755
212 • A- • Houston Cougars • American Athletic • 46,324
523 • B • Memphis Tigers • American Athletic • 21,458
529 • B • East Carolina Pirates • American Athletic • 28,718
835 • B- • Wichita State Shockers • American Athletic • 15,778

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Proposed New Big 12 Conference (Sorted by Enrolment)

Niche Rank • Niche Grade • School • Conference • Enrolment

149 • A • UCF Knights • American Athletic • 68,571

212 • A- • Houston Cougars • American Athletic • 46,324
171 • A- • Cincinnati Bearcats • American Athletic • 45,949
179 • A- • Texas Tech Red Raiders • Big 12 • 40,322
148 • A • Iowa State Cyclones • Big 12 • 35,000
94 • A • Brigham Young Cougars • FBS (Ind.), WCC • 33,633

193 • A- • Kansas Jayhawks • Big 12 • 28,423
276 • A- • West Virginia Mountaineers • Big 12 • 26,269
160 • A • Oklahoma State Cowboys • Big 12 • 25,295
165 • A • Kansas State Wildcats • Big 12 • 22,221

137 • A • Baylor Bears • Big 12 • 19,566
110 • A • TCU Horned Frogs • Big 12 • 11,379

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’Leftover’ American Athletic Conference Schools (Sorted by Niche’s 2021 College Ranking)

Niche Rank • Niche Grade • School • Conference • Enrolment

66 • A+ • Tulane Green Wave • American Athletic • 11,722
86 • A+ • SMU Mustangs • American Athletic • 11,649
118 • A • South Florida Bulls • American Athletic • 50,830
124 • A • Tulsa Golden Hurricane • American Athletic • 3,343
200 • A- • Temple Owls • American Athletic • 39,755
523 • B • Memphis Tigers • American Athletic • 21,458
529 • B • East Carolina Pirates • American Athletic • 28,718
835 • B- • Wichita State Shockers • American Athletic • 15,778

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The Big 8 Conference – Est. 1907 • The Big 12 Conference – Est. 1994 • The American Athletic Conference – Est. 2013

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[kayako]

So what do y'all think about UCF, BYU, Houston and Cincinnati replacing UT and OU in basketball? Will the B12 still be the same strength in basketball? I think all the former SW, b8 b12 athletic departments are going to be stressed and it's going to hurt them... kind of a slow death type of thing? It seems that schools that support football out of the P4 will be hurting.

Short term just slightly weaker than its current version, but not by much. But it's going to hurt both football and basketball if/when their TV contract gets halved from 40M to 20M. I am thinking the original 8 members will keep all, if not most of the exit fees, and I think the new members will find it difficult to compete in a conference that's more than a step up from AAC/WCC. BE should continue to work with them.

[Omaha1]

Didn't the A-10 formerly (or still does?) buy it's time on CBS for the championship game?

Can't speak prior to VCU and Butler joining, but my understanding is that ESPN owns the rights via the media contract and they sublicense it to CBS.

I am pretty sure that is the same arrangement the Valley had when Creighton was in the league. The MVC really wanted a showcase time on National TV just to get attention.

[Violet Ram]

Didn't the A-10 formerly (or still does?) buy it's time on CBS for the championship game?

Can't speak prior to VCU and Butler joining, but my understanding is that ESPN owns the rights via the media contract and they sublicense it to CBS.

I am pretty sure that is the same arrangement the Valley had when Creighton was in the league. The MVC really wanted a showcase time on National TV just to get attention.

I haven't seen or heard anything to this effect. All of the articles about the deal describe it like:

The CBS Television Network will still continue to carry the A-10 Men’s Basketball Championship game, as part of a separate sublicense deal with ESPN.

.

There's similar language in multiple articles by differently outlets but that precise lang came from an A10 PR: https://atlantic10.com/news/2020/11/19/ ... mpionships.

The way these articles read, it doesn't sound like the A10 is buying airtime, but I would say that the A10 likely seeks a smaller media rights deal for more televised games.

[Jet915]

Seth Greenberg
@SethOnHoops
· 1h
For those wondering about how the next realignment will impact the @BIGEASTMBB how about the Big East-West. Take the best non football playing programs and create a 20 team super conference with two division with cross over games. Imagine a league with @NovaMBB and @ZagMBB

[Django]

Seth Greenberg
@SethOnHoops
· 1h
For those wondering about how the next realignment will impact the @BIGEASTMBB how about the Big East-West. Take the best non football playing programs and create a 20 team super conference with two division with cross over games. Imagine a league with @NovaMBB and @ZagMBB

What a dipshit. Adding Gonzaga would be 12 teams. What other 8 teams is this walking half ASS Butt cheek talking about?

[kayako]

Seth Greenberg
@SethOnHoops
· 1h
For those wondering about how the next realignment will impact the @BIGEASTMBB how about the Big East-West. Take the best non football playing programs and create a 20 team super conference with two division with cross over games. Imagine a league with @NovaMBB and @ZagMBB

Eastern Division
UCONN
Providence
St. John's
Seton Hall
Villanova
Georgetown
VCU
Xavier
Dayton
Butler

Western Division
DePaul
Loyola Chicago
Marquette
Saint Louis
Northern Iowa
Creighton
Wichita State
New Mexico State (FBS independant)
Grand Canyon
Gonzaga

yikes this is bad

[Jet915]

Seth Greenberg
@SethOnHoops
· 1h
For those wondering about how the next realignment will impact the @BIGEASTMBB how about the Big East-West. Take the best non football playing programs and create a 20 team super conference with two division with cross over games. Imagine a league with @NovaMBB and @ZagMBB

Eastern Division
UCONN
Providence
St. John's
Seton Hall
Villanova
Georgetown
VCU
Xavier
Dayton
Butler

Western Division
DePaul
Loyola Chicago
Marquette
Saint Louis
Northern Iowa
Creighton
Wichita State
New Mexico State (FBS independant)
Grand Canyon
Gonzaga

yikes this is bad

that's gross....the most I can fathom is 16 and that's if the Big XII dies and everyone consolidates:

UConn
Providence
St. John's
Seton Hall
Villanova
Georgetown
VCU
Xavier
Dayton

DePaul
Butler
Marquette
Saint Louis
Creighton
Gonzaga

I can't even think of 1 more worthy team. Wichita fits basketball wise but academically, they aren't even close....