Big XII Bad for College Football

[PharmHawk]

The Big XII negotiating a new deal is outstanding news for Iowa State. This gives ISU the chance to settle down and look toward the future after a hectic month, to say the least. However, with what I have seen so far, there are potential major flaws with this deal that have to be addressed.

The uneven money distribution in the Big XII has been in place since the beginning of the conference. Many people point to this as being the center of all the animosity that formed between conference members and led to the struggle to stay afloat over the last month. One could also argue that the uneven profit sharing can be attributed to the growing disparity within the BigXII conference. Unfortunately, ~75% of the money was dispersed evenly throughout the conference last year which will not be the case going forward.

The Big XII big boys (ie Texas and Oklahoma) are now able to make the financial gap within the conference much larger. They will be taking a much larger chunk of the revenue and have the potential to create their own network. This will widen the gap between the top and bottom very quickly. We will soon be watching a 2 team conference battle for a place in the national championship on a yearly basis.

Im not saying this is a bad turn of events. This is great for Iowa State. However, ISU needs to realize that this arrangement does not have the makings to last so they need to prepare for another event similar to the last month within the next 5-10 years. Be happy with the new money, spend it wisely but dont get lulled to sleep. This arrangement throws parity out the window and creates only a couple real contenders for the conference championship and leaves everyone else a distant 3-10. Texas refuses to play fair.

As a hawkeye grad I look forward to continuing a competitive rivalry with ISU and am glad to see that they have made out ahead through this whole ordeal. Im just worried about the repercussions we will see throughout the whole college football landscape from these negotiations.

[Clonefan32]

The Big XII negotiating a new deal is outstanding news for Iowa State. This gives ISU the chance to settle down and look toward the future after a hectic month, to say the least. However, with what I have seen so far, there are potential major flaws with this deal that have to be addressed.

The uneven money distribution in the Big XII has been in place since the beginning of the conference. Many people point to this as being the center of all the animosity that formed between conference members and led to the struggle to stay afloat over the last month. One could also argue that the uneven profit sharing can be attributed to the growing disparity within the BigXII conference. Unfortunately, ~75% of the money was dispersed evenly throughout the conference last year which will not be the case going forward.

The Big XII big boys (ie Texas and Oklahoma) are now able to make the financial gap within the conference much larger. They will be taking a much larger chunk of the revenue and have the potential to create their own network. This will widen the gap between the top and bottom very quickly. We will soon be watching a 2 team conference battle for a place in the national championship on a yearly basis.

Im not saying this is a bad turn of events. This is great for Iowa State. However, ISU needs to realize that this arrangement does not have the makings to last so they need to prepare for another event similar to the last month within the next 5-10 years. Be happy with the new money, spend it wisely but dont get lulled to sleep. This arrangement throws parity out the window and creates only a couple real contenders for the conference championship and leaves everyone else a distant 3-10. Texas refuses to play fair.

As a hawkeye grad I look forward to continuing a competitive rivalry with ISU and am glad to see that they have made out ahead through this whole ordeal. Im just worried about the repercussions we will see throughout the whole college football landscape from these negotiations.

My only issue with your whole post is this statement. The gap was wide to begin with-- I don't think this deal does anything to "widen the gap".

[PharmHawk]

My only issue with your whole post is this statement. The gap was wide to begin with-- I don't think this deal does anything to "widen the gap".

Growing disparity between money distribution creates a growing competitive gap. Thats hard to argue against.

[CIVILCY]

Growing disparity between money distribution creates a growing competitive gap. Thats hard to argue against.

the gap is where it is and I don't think it can get much bigger.

[moforisu]

How come Indiana does not have a very good FB team when they get the same money as everyone else. Equal sharing seems to not be working for them. Without Ohio St and Michigan in the B10 the rest would be poor.

[Cydkar]

Growing disparity between money distribution creates a growing competitive gap. Thats hard to argue against.

So the Big 10 should give other conferences money to even the playing field?

[PharmHawk]

the gap is where it is and I don't think it can get much bigger.

Im assuming you dont mean that ISU is far and away ahead of the rest of the conference. Then, the goal would be to decrease the gap. Not keep status quo or potentially widen it. Not saying ISU shouldnt be excited about the deal just pointing putting my thoughts in writing.

[PharmHawk]

So the Big 10 should give other conferences money to even the playing field?

Youre right, in an ideal world of parity all conferences would have similar resources. This is not realistic. But, I would expect conferences to strive toward raising each member of the conference equally and allow for a competitive balance as seen by equal revenue sharing in the Big 10 and SEC. A strategy that has proven successful by the way, look at the last few national champions.

[chadm]

If I remember correctly Iowa spent more on football than ISU did for all sports last year.

It has been fairly even on the football field the past 12 years and ISU has more than passed Iowa for all other sports in a National ranking. (directors cup)

[Cydkar]

Youre right, in an ideal world of parity all conferences would have similar resources. This is not realistic. But, I would expect conferences to strive toward raising each member of the conference equally and allow for a competitive balance as seen by equal revenue sharing in the Big 10 and SEC. A strategy that has proven successful by the way, look at the last few national champions.

But, when you have a member of a conference that is head and shoulders more lucrative than the rest what are you to do? Texas is unique and if the B12 is bad for college football it is only because Texas is.

[Three4Cy]

If I remember correctly Iowa spent more on football than ISU did for all sports last year.

It has been fairly even on the football field the past 12 years and ISU has more than passed Iowa for all other sports in a National ranking. (directors cup)

Nobody cares about the directors cup except for Stanford (wins it every year) and for some reason people on here. The Directors Cup means nothing to Iowa and honestly nothing to most schools. We have to stop throwing it around like it's some golden nugget.

[PharmHawk]

If I remember correctly Iowa spent more on football than ISU did for all sports last year.

It has been fairly even on the football field the past 12 years and ISU has more than passed Iowa for all other sports in a National ranking. (directors cup)

Im really not trying to get into a argument about Iowa and ISU. As far as the directors cup goes, I believe Iowa was ahead in the standings last year and the year before but I could be wrong. I dont pay to much attention to the cup to be honest. What you are trying to say is you believe ISU spends their money more wisely than Iowa. Im trying to say Texas seems to spend their money as well as anyone in the country and they are about to get even more of it compared to everyone else in the conference making conference championships even fewer and further between for everyone else in the conference.

[chadm]

Nobody cares about the directors cup except for Stanford (wins it every year) and for some reason people on here. The Directors Cup means nothing to Iowa and honestly nothing to most schools. We have to stop throwing it around like it's some golden nugget.

It is a strong statement on the overall achievments of the 'whole' Athletic Department. I am not naive that the money is made from football. Don't through the positives out.

[PharmHawk]

But, when you have a member of a conference that is head and shoulders more lucrative than the rest what are you to do? Texas is unique and if the B12 is bad for college football it is only because Texas is.

I agree and have no solutions. Florida and Ohio State bring in huge amounts of money for their conference and have no problem sharing the wealth for the good of their conference. The problem is Texas, theres no doubt about that. I would like to see more even money distribution, which would be a positive for ISU and the rest of the conference. Lets be honest, Texas is not Notre Dame, I dont think they could swim as an independent. They need a conference but theyre not going to play fair within the conference. The Big XII is the only conference that lets them get away with it.

[Illiniclone]

The Big XII negotiating a new deal is outstanding news for Iowa State. This gives ISU the chance to settle down and look toward the future after a hectic month, to say the least. However, with what I have seen so far, there are potential major flaws with this deal that have to be addressed.

The uneven money distribution in the Big XII has been in place since the beginning of the conference. Many people point to this as being the center of all the animosity that formed between conference members and led to the struggle to stay afloat over the last month. One could also argue that the uneven profit sharing can be attributed to the growing disparity within the BigXII conference. Unfortunately, ~75% of the money was dispersed evenly throughout the conference last year which will not be the case going forward.

The Big XII big boys (ie Texas and Oklahoma) are now able to make the financial gap within the conference much larger. They will be taking a much larger chunk of the revenue and have the potential to create their own network. This will widen the gap between the top and bottom very quickly. We will soon be watching a 2 team conference battle for a place in the national championship on a yearly basis.

Im not saying this is a bad turn of events. This is great for Iowa State. However, ISU needs to realize that this arrangement does not have the makings to last so they need to prepare for another event similar to the last month within the next 5-10 years. Be happy with the new money, spend it wisely but dont get lulled to sleep. This arrangement throws parity out the window and creates only a couple real contenders for the conference championship and leaves everyone else a distant 3-10. Texas refuses to play fair.

As a hawkeye grad I look forward to continuing a competitive rivalry with ISU and am glad to see that they have made out ahead through this whole ordeal. Im just worried about the repercussions we will see throughout the whole college football landscape from these negotiations.

How about the fact that the Big 10 has a TV deal worth $245 million? That's not bad for college sports? This is college sports, not professional. If teams are making that much money, then why not pay the players? The big ten creating their own network is the reason for all this realignment. Teams that don't get anything from their conferences want what the Big 10 has.