Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[Edrick]

Nothing came out of the B12 meetings so can we put realignment to bed for a while?

What else would we talk about?

Something, perhaps, with a positive likelihood of happening? Maybe like Powerball or something.

[HoosierPal]

Nothing came out of the B12 meetings so can we put realignment to bed for a while?

From the Dallas/Ft. Worth SportsDay, expansion is still being studied.

Of the Big 12's three defining issues, expansion remains unresolved and still alive. The conference could have publicly dismissed adding new members just like it did for a conference network. Instead, the Big 12 asked for more study and data from its consultants and put Commissioner Bob Bowlsby in charge.

The presidents are expected to revisit the issue sometime later this summer or early fall, Boren said. Here's what we know -- or believe we know -- based on what Bowlsby and Boren said last week, as well as guidance from several industry sources with knowledge of the situation.

Expansion is still an issue. As long as the Big 12 has just 10 members, expansion talk will never be too far away.

For security's sake, the conference has a grant of rights for the life of its TV contracts with Fox and ESPN that are supposed to keep members in place. But 10 projects a less than stable image, at least to the outside.

"There are presidents I haven't heard from in a long time that I'm hearing from," Boren said. "There's a lot of desire to join this conference, but they don't need to do anything."

The Big 12's bargaining chip. It's called "pro rata" and its existence in the Big 12's current media contracts with ESPN and Fox was first reported by CBS Sports.

Essentially, the Big 12 would get the same amount it currently gets from its TV partners for adding more schools, approximately about $23 million per and going up with the contract. The clause doesn't require ripping up the contract or network approval. And the Big 12 doesn't have to pay anywhere to full amount to the new members, who are making far less in "group of five" conferences.

So existing members could get a minor windfall from what's left. Or the Big 12 could wheel and deal with its TV partners for an extension and more cash and security while maybe adding two teams and not four -- or more.


http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/collegesports/2016/06/08/carlton-big-12-hurry-comes-tonbspdealing-lingering-issue-expansion

[Bill Marsh]

I've been thinking about this Big XII situation from the perspective of teams not named Oklahoma or Texas, and why it will be almost impossible to get them to agree to expansion.

Currently Big XII teams play every other team in the league every year in football. That means 3 home games every 6 years against Texas and 3 more against Oklahoma. Those are big pay days.

Expansion from 10-12 automatically means divisions and in all likelihood, divisions with UT in one and OU in the other. In 6 years, a team from the opposite division will play UT or OU a maximum of 4 times in 6 years, i.e. 2 home games instead of 3. So, the question for these members is, who do you want to add from outside the conference who will replace UT or OU on your schedule every year?

BYU? Cincinnati? Memphis? Temple? UConn? UCF? USF? Houston?

I can't imagine that any member thinks that they benefit by this substitution.

Then there is the lesser question of the other current members who will be replaced on their schedule by newcomers. UConn's decline from an attendance peak of 40K per game to last year's 28K shows just how devastating or can be to a football program to schedule lesser opponents. But the experience of BC and Syracuse is even more telling. Both averaged about 30K last year as opposed to attendance approaching 45K in the old Big East Football. In their cases, it wasn't a drop in quality. It was changing to opponents that no one cares about. No regional rivals. No opponent alums in the work place. Fewer opponent fans traveling to games to boost attendance.

Will fans in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, or Iowa care about a game vs UConn, Cincy or any of the others the way they care about games against neighboring opponents? Unlikely. They risk declines in attendance and ratings. Games against K State, or Iowa State, or Texas Tech may not seem like big draws, but they're bigger draws than anyone on the list of potential candidates.

There are many similarities between this situation and the Big East. When teams go from playing everyone else in the conference to missing games against some of those same teams, it's a loss. Expansion from 10 to 12 or whatever is a big step. It's not just roses all the time in the B1G. They have struggled with the fact that rivalries have been disrupted. The odd configuration of divisions in the B1G and in the ACC reflects the lengths to which they have gone to reduce this disruption.

[GoldenWarrior11]

If the Big 12 had added West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati and TCU in 2010, they would be in a stable and secure position moving forward. West Virginia would not be on an island, the league would not have lost three years of conference championship game revenue, TV media money would be even higher, and they would not be ripe for picking by the other power conferences. It also would have allowed the ACC to take UConn instead as a replacement for Maryland, and all would be right in the world of college conference alignment. Everybody deserving of being at the big table would have a place.

[_lh]

If the Big 12 had added West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati and TCU in 2010, they would be in a stable and secure position moving forward. West Virginia would not be on an island, the league would not have lost three years of conference championship game revenue, TV media money would be even higher, and they would not be ripe for picking by the other power conferences. It also would have allowed the ACC to take UConn instead as a replacement for Maryland, and all would be right in the world of college conference alignment. Everybody deserving of being at the big table would have a place.

The additions at that time of WVU, Louisville, TCU and either Houston or BYU would have been great and the B12 would have been in great shape going forward. No one, not even Cincinnatians get excited about or care about UC football. They had a nice 3 year run out of 100 years of football but they are not P5 material and never will be.

[NJRedman]

If the Big 12 had added West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati and TCU in 2010, they would be in a stable and secure position moving forward. West Virginia would not be on an island, the league would not have lost three years of conference championship game revenue, TV media money would be even higher, and they would not be ripe for picking by the other power conferences. It also would have allowed the ACC to take UConn instead as a replacement for Maryland, and all would be right in the world of college conference alignment. Everybody deserving of being at the big table would have a place.

The additions at that time of WVU, Louisville, TCU and either Houston or BYU would have been great and the B12 would have been in great shape going forward. No one, not even Cincinnatians get excited about or care about UC football. They had a nice 3 year run out of 100 years of football but they are not P5 material and never will be.

I disagree, you are obviously an X fan but Cincy was great in the Big East in FB. They would have been a great addition to the Big XII if they were taken with WVU and UofL. Those were the three best programs in a BCS conference by far and would have strengthened the XII and put them in a better position than they are today. Cincy went to TWO BCS bowls. They are clearly a step up from BYU since they actually have people in their market.

[DudeAnon]

If the Big 12 had added West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati and TCU in 2010, they would be in a stable and secure position moving forward. West Virginia would not be on an island, the league would not have lost three years of conference championship game revenue, TV media money would be even higher, and they would not be ripe for picking by the other power conferences. It also would have allowed the ACC to take UConn instead as a replacement for Maryland, and all would be right in the world of college conference alignment. Everybody deserving of being at the big table would have a place.

The additions at that time of WVU, Louisville, TCU and either Houston or BYU would have been great and the B12 would have been in great shape going forward. No one, not even Cincinnatians get excited about or care about UC football. They had a nice 3 year run out of 100 years of football but they are not P5 material and never will be.

I disagree, you are obviously an X fan but Cincy was great in the Big East in FB. They would have been a great addition to the Big XII if they were taken with WVU and UofL. Those were the three best programs in a BCS conference by far and would have strengthened the XII and put them in a better position than they are today. Cincy went to TWO BCS bowls. They are clearly a step up from BYU since they actually have people in their market.

Yea. UC Football is probably 3rd in the city behind Reds and Bengals. It has a ton of interest. They would easily sell out most games in the B12.

[NJRedman]

The additions at that time of WVU, Louisville, TCU and either Houston or BYU would have been great and the B12 would have been in great shape going forward. No one, not even Cincinnatians get excited about or care about UC football. They had a nice 3 year run out of 100 years of football but they are not P5 material and never will be.

I disagree, you are obviously an X fan but Cincy was great in the Big East in FB. They would have been a great addition to the Big XII if they were taken with WVU and UofL. Those were the three best programs in a BCS conference by far and would have strengthened the XII and put them in a better position than they are today. Cincy went to TWO BCS bowls. They are clearly a step up from BYU since they actually have people in their market.

Yea. UC Football is probably 3rd in the city behind Reds and Bengals. It has a ton of interest. They would easily sell out most games in the B12.

There was a legit rivalry with Louisville and a growing one with WVU. Throw in annual games against Texas, OU and the like and they would easily sell out almost every year. PLUS it wouldn't leave the Big XII with any teams on an island. A KY, OH and WVU cluster would be good for the league expanding eastward.

[_lh]

If the Big 12 had added West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati and TCU in 2010, they would be in a stable and secure position moving forward. West Virginia would not be on an island, the league would not have lost three years of conference championship game revenue, TV media money would be even higher, and they would not be ripe for picking by the other power conferences. It also would have allowed the ACC to take UConn instead as a replacement for Maryland, and all would be right in the world of college conference alignment. Everybody deserving of being at the big table would have a place.

The additions at that time of WVU, Louisville, TCU and either Houston or BYU would have been great and the B12 would have been in great shape going forward. No one, not even Cincinnatians get excited about or care about UC football. They had a nice 3 year run out of 100 years of football but they are not P5 material and never will be.

I disagree, you are obviously an X fan but Cincy was great in the Big East in FB. They would have been a great addition to the Big XII if they were taken with WVU and UofL. Those were the three best programs in a BCS conference by far and would have strengthened the XII and put them in a better position than they are today. Cincy went to TWO BCS bowls. They are clearly a step up from BYU since they actually have people in their market.

Like I said, UC had a nice 3 years out of like 100 years of football in the BE. They still lost money on two of their BCS Bowl games. UC football is an after thought here and while games against OU and Texas would sell out, games against Iowa St.. Kansas, KSU and others would not. Most college football fans living here are OSU fans even if they attended UC.

Houston would have been a much better add in this imaginary scenario. Better tradition, better program and better market. BYU has a much larger following as well with a better tradition.

One of the main reasons the B12 has not expanded this summer is because a team like UC is really not that attractive when you come down to it.

[NJRedman]

The additions at that time of WVU, Louisville, TCU and either Houston or BYU would have been great and the B12 would have been in great shape going forward. No one, not even Cincinnatians get excited about or care about UC football. They had a nice 3 year run out of 100 years of football but they are not P5 material and never will be.

I disagree, you are obviously an X fan but Cincy was great in the Big East in FB. They would have been a great addition to the Big XII if they were taken with WVU and UofL. Those were the three best programs in a BCS conference by far and would have strengthened the XII and put them in a better position than they are today. Cincy went to TWO BCS bowls. They are clearly a step up from BYU since they actually have people in their market.

Like I said, UC had a nice 3 years out of like 100 years of football in the BE. They still lost money on two of their BCS Bowl games. UC football is an after thought here and while games against OU and Texas would sell out, games against Iowa St.. Kansas, KSU and others would not. Most college football fans living here are OSU fans even if they attended UC.

Houston would have been a much better add in this imaginary scenario. Better tradition, better program and better market. BYU has a much larger following as well with a better tradition.

One of the main reasons the B12 has not expanded this summer is because a team like UC is really not that attractive when you come down to it.

Houston doesn't bring as much to the table since there are already four other teams in Texas in the XII. If you think most people in Cincy are OSU fans what do you think about Houston and UT and A&M? Houston doesn't beat them out. Also Cincy was selling out against Rutgers, USF and Cuse so I think they would have no problem selling tickets to all Big XII games. I know I wont change an X fans mind about Cincy but I actually watched Cincy football for about a decade so i'm well aware of what they are and what they are capable of. Cincy is the better market for the Big XII since they already own Houston, it's the better program overall and is closer to WVU. Cincy should have been added when the Mountaineers were.