Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[GoldenWarrior11]

Didn't UC/UConn/USF get the majority of exit fees? I seem to recall ECU/Tulane/Houston/SMU/Memphis/UCF getting short end of the stick (rightfully so).

[stever20]

Didn't UC/UConn/USF get the majority of exit fees? I seem to recall ECU/Tulane/Houston/SMU/Memphis/UCF getting short end of the stick (rightfully so).

The tourney units were a pretty big deal though. I think if memory serves me right, it was about 60 million for exit fees but then like 30-40 million dollars for the tourney units. I mean, just WVU's units last year were worth over 2 million dollars to the AAC. Syracuse's units were worth over 3.5 million dollars. Louisville's units worth over 3.75 million dollars. Pitt 1.25 million dollars. That's 10.5 million dollars just this past year.... 13.5 million dollars last 2 years before that(each). So that's over 38 million dollars there just in the last 3 years. And Louisville still will be paying out for instance 2.75 million this year, 2.5 million next year, and 1.25 million 2 years from now for the tourney units.

And I think the tourney units are split a lot more equally. And if say Cincy/UConn leave- they would lose out on that.

[hortle]

Memphis axed. Temple cut. The list is trimmed further for Big 12 expansion.

With Tulane, Rice, and Air Force making the cut, it's a major taste of humble pie for a number of posters on fan sites that ridiculed other programs/universities and inaccurately propped up their own. It's certainly a call-back to 2012 when certain (then) American schools were certain and adamant that the C-USA callups would be receiving the Big East name, MSG, tournament credits, etc. Sometimes personal desire get in the way of facts.

um, those schools did get the tournament credits from the schools like Syracuse, Louisville, Pitt, WVU, etc. And the AAC schools also did get almost all of the exit fee money.

An absolute bargain in exchange for the Big East name, our tourney credits, a much better tv deal (we'd be lucky to be getting $1 mil each in the AAC), MSG, first class citizenship in a power conference, and the freedom to choose our own destiny.

you just got roasted, son. stever, is the glass always half empty?

[DudeAnon]

Jesus. I tuned into UC, UCONN and now the Houston game. It is night and day the crowd and caliber of Houston vs the other 2. I now think Big 12 should take Houston and BYU. Those are the 2 best football additions. Also, if Big 12 can get a GOR from UT for adding Houston then even better for them.

[HoosierPal]

Bad timing, Houston, beating Oklahoma today 33-23. You're lucky there is no expansion vote tomorrow. Think OU will vote for you after the buttkicking?

[Xudash]

Jesus. I tuned into UC, UCONN and now the Houston game. It is night and day the crowd and caliber of Houston vs the other 2. I now think Big 12 should take Houston and BYU. Those are the 2 best football additions. Also, if Big 12 can get a GOR from UT for adding Houston then even better for them.

Houston President in an email to his BOT (imagined): "Assuming one particular game assures us an invitation to the Big 12, then pleased be advised that I will be sitting by my phone on Monday at 8:30AM sharp for an expedited invitation from that conference."

Then, anecdotally, we have a UCONN fan on the Boneyard site, who rationalizes that they didn't have to worry about their close call against MAINE, given that TENNESSEE, as an example, had a close call against APP STATE. Let's dissect that gem:

1. UT doesn't have UCONN's issue: they're already in the SEC.

2. UCONN can't compare to UT in football, notwithstanding UT's recent history.

3. UT PUT OVER 100,000 in Neyland Stadium the other night. UCOMM looked ridiculous on that measure.

The overall point is that UCONN has little margin for error or poor performance in all this, and they otherwise look stupid, comparing their relative plight to that of an established SEC program.

If the criteria don't include media market and population presence on a heavily weighted basis, UCONN probably is toast in all this.

Any way you look at this, HOUSTON made themselves look like they belong in the P5 today.

[HoosierPal]

Interesting article about Comedy Central. Does anyone really want into this league?

http://www.campusrush.com/big-12-expansion-status-houston-cincinnati-byu-uconn-david-boren-2006279271.html

Oklahoma president David Boren decided to speak without a script again this week. And it's never good for the Big 12 when an unfiltered Boren shows up in front of microphones. "I'm not saying there won't be expansion," Boren said at an OU Board of Regents meeting. "I'm not saying it can be automatically assumed that there will be expansion."

[ArmyVet]

Interesting article about Comedy Central. Does anyone really want into this league?

http://www.campusrush.com/big-12-expansion-status-houston-cincinnati-byu-uconn-david-boren-2006279271.html

Oklahoma president David Boren decided to speak without a script again this week. And it's never good for the Big 12 when an unfiltered Boren shows up in front of microphones. "I'm not saying there won't be expansion," Boren said at an OU Board of Regents meeting. "I'm not saying it can be automatically assumed that there will be expansion."

UCONN chances not great.

Always leave the Big 12 wiggle room for the unpredictable. Could there be four teams added for a money grab and an entrée into Florida? Sure. But the only school not yet mentioned that is still perceived to have a realistic chance in all this is Connecticut. Yet UConn's chances have dimmed as BYU's candidacy has crumbled, as both could have conceivably been added as football-only. UConn would have placed its other sports in the Big East. (UConn's candidacy really got hurt when the league decided against a television network, as UConn's Northeast market was a much better sell than its football program.)

What else wacky could happen? Nothing should be left off the table. But for now, only Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and Connecticut have a reasonable chance. And it appears Cincinnati and Houston have pulled away. But this being the Big 12, we know there's a lot of time left for something strange to happen.

[Bill Marsh]

Interesting article about Comedy Central. Does anyone really want into this league?

http://www.campusrush.com/big-12-expansion-status-houston-cincinnati-byu-uconn-david-boren-2006279271.html

Oklahoma president David Boren decided to speak without a script again this week. And it's never good for the Big 12 when an unfiltered Boren shows up in front of microphones. "I'm not saying there won't be expansion," Boren said at an OU Board of Regents meeting. "I'm not saying it can be automatically assumed that there will be expansion."

UCONN chances not great.

Always leave the Big 12 wiggle room for the unpredictable. Could there be four teams added for a money grab and an entrée into Florida? Sure. But the only school not yet mentioned that is still perceived to have a realistic chance in all this is Connecticut. Yet UConn's chances have dimmed as BYU's candidacy has crumbled, as both could have conceivably been added as football-only. UConn would have placed its other sports in the Big East. (UConn's candidacy really got hurt when the league decided against a television network, as UConn's Northeast market was a much better sell than its football program.)

What else wacky could happen? Nothing should be left off the table. But for now, only Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and Connecticut have a reasonable chance. And it appears Cincinnati and Houston have pulled away. But this being the Big 12, we know there's a lot of time left for something strange to happen.

There seems to be a consensus emerging that it will be Houston + Cincinnati. Yet, some people in Texas linsist that the Longhorns really don't want UH and are only giving lip service to their support to gain political support in the legislature for votes needed to approve funding for their own proposals.

I think it's too murky to know what will come out of this process, but I'd look to the networks and not the B12 presidents for clues.

[HoosierPal]

Here is an interesting ancillary discussion on Big 12 Expansion. Assume they add Houston and any other - Cincy, BYU, UConn, it really doesn't matter for this discussion. First, you go to two 6 team divisions. You have 5 teams now in Texas. Do you keep them in the same division? If not, who goes North? Not a good option. Houston being the newbie gets outed from Texas? That would be a slap in the face to the Cougars who want to rule the state. But hey, the new guy gets no vote right?

OK Houston stays in the South, then who would be the 6th team in with the Texas boys? You aren't breaking up OU and OSU plus the league wouldn't want OU and UT in the same Division as that eliminates the UT - OU Big 12 Conference Championship game money maker. So do you break up KU and KSU? Hmm. Or do you pull Iowa State in. I'm sure that would not be very popular in Ames....all their division rivals in Texas. Certainly WVA and CIncy would have to stay together as 'travel partners'. UConn, nope. Way too far away from Texas for routine trips. I guess if BYU is selected, they might be a logical candidate to go South if they win the Big 12 lottery.

If you do send Houston North, which two do you bring into the South? Looks like KSU and KU?

There just isn't an obvious decision. Okay, you don't base your expansion decision on which team goes where, but it does bring up an interesting situation.