Big East mulls expansion (ESPN.com)

[delt4cy]

Here's a wild idea. Instead of playing defense to unstable Texan whims, the former North should go on offense.

I say ISU, Mizzou, KU, and KSU split off from the Big 12 and convince Louisville, Cincy, Pitt, and WVU to join in a new conference.

Invites also go out to our Big 8 counterparts OU & OSU if they aren't riding UT's coattails.

Then you have a choice between TCU & Baylor or UConn & Syracuse for 12 members. That'd be a heck of a 12 team conference.

[tazclone]

True. OU and ATM might threaten to leave as a bargaining chip to get what they want, but is the SEC really willing to pull the trigger on superconferences? Im not sure they, or any other conference, is willing to do that at this point.

Great post. I think a lot of this is aTm posturing to get a little more $$$ or to put some pressure on Texas. Texas has exactly what they want. They have a conference for non revenue sports, they have a network that is/will making/make them more money than any other school and they have the added negotiating power of a conference. aTm wants what Texas has so they are putting the squeeze on.

The SEC commissionere recently stated that they could go to 16 teams in fifteen minutes if they wanted to get there. They don't and as long as they don't I don't see a lot of shuffling.

I think you see Larry Scott and the Big East mentioning expansion in order to create instability and keep their conferences in the limelight. I see both as nothing more than sabre rattling. They are going public to see if any ADs come calling but reality is they can't add many markets they don't already control.

[tazclone]

Here's a wild idea. Instead of playing defense to unstable Texan whims, the former North should go on offense.

I say ISU, Mizzou, KU, and KSU split off from the Big 12 and convince Louisville, Cincy, Pitt, and WVU to join in a new conference.

Invites also go out to our Big 8 counterparts OU & OSU if they aren't riding UT's coattails.

Then you have a choice between TCU & Baylor or UConn & Syracuse for 12 members. That'd be a heck of a 12 team conference.

A conference that would net teams $5-10 million dollars less than what they already receive. Do you think it would be wise for JP to give up $15-20 million per year plus pay an exit fee that greatly increased? Especially since a good chunk of that money is slated to pay for the scoreboard, football facility, softball/soccer facilities?

[00clone]

Regardless of any expansion, I like where we are now. I think we are way more stable than the interwebs are saying and the pot-stirring by aTm/OU will accomplish its goal of corralling the LHN (showing conference games exclusively and/or high school games is absolute BS imo). I'm comfortable staying at 10 teams, I like the option of adding BYU/AF, and I like option of taking 6 schools from my list and being the first super-conference right before the Tier 1 contract comes up for negotiation. I love the fact that JP has gotten the facility improvements rolling. I love the line-up of head coaches we have. I love sitting here in July finding myself picturing a Royce alley-oop to a flying Tavon and then Georges tweeting about it. And finally, I love the fact that I rick-rolled a bunch of you people this morning.

And... I'm spent.

Your positive mood is not welcome here.

I agree on the good vibes. WRT expansion, I hear Air Force has a good passing game, but they're worthless on the ground. *rimshot*

[cyhiphopp]

If the Big 12 should feel the need to expand, pick 2 off this list, in this order, and I'd be happy:

1. ND
2. BYU
3. Air Force
4. Louisville
5. Memphis
6. New Mexico
7. Cincinnatti

I am coming to the conclusion that (since ND won't be joining us) the best possible situation is adding BYU and Air Force as a package deal. They already have an intense rivalry and would bring value to the conference. Air Force isn't getting enough attention - it has a very solid football program, a national following, a huge patriotic media draw, and to top it off their academic reputation is at the Ivy League level. AF will be extremely conservative in their decision making and won't join if there is any chance the Big 12 falls apart. But I think bringing in BYU at the same time would help. I imagine that BYU sees the Big 12 as the ideal spot for them - an AQ league that allows their own network - they might even be drooling at the thought of joining us.

The BYU/Air Force addition has one more incredible perk: every time an ISU team travels by plane to Colorado or Utah they can take a dump on Nebraska. (Has that idea been stated before?)

Regardless of any expansion, I like where we are now. I think we are way more stable than the interwebs are saying and the pot-stirring by aTm/OU will accomplish its goal of corralling the LHN (showing conference games exclusively and/or high school games is absolute BS imo). I'm comfortable staying at 10 teams, I like the option of adding BYU/AF, and I like option of taking 6 schools from my list and being the first super-conference right before the Tier 1 contract comes up for negotiation. I love the fact that JP has gotten the facility improvements rolling. I love the line-up of head coaches we have. I love sitting here in July finding myself picturing a Royce alley-oop to a flying Tavon and then Georges tweeting about it. And finally, I love the fact that I rick-rolled a bunch of you people this morning.

And... I'm spent.

Heck, you don't even have to be flying to BYU/AF. If you are driving through the great Nebraska waste land you can pull over, drop trou, and give Nebraska their well deserved deposit.



As for your list, I think it's pretty valid. However, I think Cinncinatti is much more valuable than Memphis.

Air Force is a conundrum for me. I'm not sure what their worth would be to the Big12. It would be cool to have fly boys all across the country and overseas tuning in to see ISU vs AF every year though.

[royhobbs09]

Exactly. Everyone needs to forget about what they think sounds like a good conference based on the schools team, particularly basketball teams.

Conference expansion in todays world centers completely around football and what media market that football team delivers. Now that doesn't mean that the school is just in a big state, but that the football program is followed by a large portion of the state and the conference can sell those football veiwers to the networks and grow the TV package.
For example, San Jose State is in the huge state of CA, but any major conference adding them would not be able to convince the TV network that Spartan football will add millions of viewers.



Louisville could possibly be a candidate for Big12 expansion. Kentucky is a pretty big state and while the University of Kentucky is also a big university, I don't think they dominate the state so much that they dwarf Louisville in football. I think Louisville is important enough that the Big12 could sell that for a TV deal. BYU is also improtant enough in their state and nationally to be a bargaining chip for TV deals. The Utes might be slightly more important to the state, but BYU is still a player and they have the national mormon following as well.

Memphis is irrelevant in football. The only thing the entire state of Tennessee cares about is the Vols.

I agree that BYU and Louisville are players. BYU has a much larger following in Utah than does the Utes along with a bigger national following (particularly in the West). The Pac-12 chose Utah over BYU based upon cultural fit only (Cal would have vetoed BYU and unanimity was required). BYU would have made them more money. While Louisville's football program likely would be amongst the lower earners in the Big 12, Louisville's basketball program is very profitable. In fact, Louisville's basketball program is more profitable than most major conference football programs, including programs like Wisconsin, for instance.

Which Football and Basketball Programs Produce the Largest Profits? «

I think BYU and Louisville would be value adding additions to the conference if added prior to the renegotiation of the first tier rights in 2015, particularly since a conference football championship could be added to the mix if we got back to 12. And, with direct flights to SLC from everywhere both would fit travel wise as well. Two new time zones would be added, creating additional scheduling possibilities for TV time slots as well. Since I believe ND and Arkansas are pipe dreams that will never happen, I would like Beebe to get really bold and make a strong push for two of Miami, South Florida and Florida State first. We could promise more money to each of those schools and opening the Florida market to our conference for TV and recruiting purposes would be well worth the additional travel time. If that is not a possibility, then two of BYU, West Virginia, Louisville, Pitt or San Diego State (only if added with BYU) would be just fine IMO.

[cyhiphopp]

Great post. I think a lot of this is aTm posturing to get a little more $$$ or to put some pressure on Texas. Texas has exactly what they want. They have a conference for non revenue sports, they have a network that is/will making/make them more money than any other school and they have the added negotiating power of a conference. aTm wants what Texas has so they are putting the squeeze on.

The SEC commissionere recently stated that they could go to 16 teams in fifteen minutes if they wanted to get there. They don't and as long as they don't I don't see a lot of shuffling.

I think you see Larry Scott and the Big East mentioning expansion in order to create instability and keep their conferences in the limelight. I see both as nothing more than sabre rattling. They are going public to see if any ADs come calling but reality is they can't add many markets they don't already control.

I think the logistics of a 16 team conference would be very daunting and I am not sure if a 16 team conference would be able to make much more than 12 team conferences do. They would all be fighting each other for the same big market teams and not everyone is going to get them.

As far as Big East expansion goes, I think it might be more than posturing and feelers. At 9 teams, the Big East has a big target on their backs. If they can expand to a stable 12, it hurts the chances that anyone tries to go to 16.

I think the Big East could expand further westward and help themselves a little. I'm not sure about how the money would work out though.

[cyhiphopp]

I agree that BYU and Louisville are players. BYU has a much larger following in Utah than does the Utes along with a bigger national following (particularly in the West). The Pac-12 chose Utah over BYU based upon cultural fit only (Cal would have vetoed BYU and unanimity was required). BYU would have made them more money. While Louisville's football program likely would be amongst the lower earners in the Big 12, Louisville's basketball program is very profitable. In fact, Louisville's basketball program is more profitable than most major conference football programs, including programs like Wisconsin, for instance.

Which Football and Basketball Programs Produce the Largest Profits? «

I think BYU and Louisville would be value adding additions to the conference if added prior to the renegotiation of the first tier rights in 2015, particularly since a conference football championship could be added to the mix if we got back to 12. And, with direct flights to SLC from everywhere both would fit travel wise as well. Two new time zones would be added, creating additional scheduling possibilities for TV time slots as well. Since I believe ND and Arkansas are pipe dreams that will never happen, I would like Beebe to get really bold and make a strong push for two of Miami, South Florida and Florida State first. We could promise more money to each of those schools and opening the Florida market to our conference for TV and recruiting purposes would be well worth the additional travel time. If that is not a possibility, then two of BYU, West Virginia, Louisville, Pitt or San Diego State (only if added with BYU) would be just fine IMO.

Adding Florida teams would be crazy, but cool.

Interesting list. Why would we want SDSU though? I'm pretty sure most of California doesn't know they exist.

[delt4cy]

A conference that would net teams $5-10 million dollars less than what they already receive. Do you think it would be wise for JP to give up $15-20 million per year plus pay an exit fee that greatly increased? Especially since a good chunk of that money is slated to pay for the scoreboard, football facility, softball/soccer facilities?

Cleary the sarcasm was missed. Plus, is the exit fee issue even settled? If the conference dissolves, is that even relevent as was discussed last summer?

My biggest concern in all of this is if the southern schools scatter, who's left out in the rain? ....yep ISU.

[Cyrok]

Which Football and Basketball Programs Produce the Largest Profits? «

1 Texas (football)
15 Iowa (football)
21 Louisville (basketball)
61 ISU (football)
62 Kansas State (football)
63 Purdue (football)
73 Kansas (basketball)

[Clonefan32]

1 Texas (football)
15 Iowa (football)
21 Louisville (basketball)
61 ISU (football)
62 Kansas State (football)
63 Purdue (football)
73 Kansas (basketball)

But I was informed that basketball programs play absoultely NO role in realignment...there is NO money to be made on basketball!

[SvrWxCy]

Cleary the sarcasm was missed. Plus, is the exit fee issue even settled? If the conference dissolves, is that even relevent as was discussed last summer?

My biggest concern in all of this is if the southern schools scatter, who's left out in the rain? ....yep ISU.

I believe the exit fee is settled, just not sure what the final number actually was. And also of interest is the idea of how many schools need to be left to collect this fee, so as to say what if we only have 4 or 6 (or less) schools left could the exit fee be collected?

And on that note too, what do the tv contracts have as far as their exit clause?

[royhobbs09]

Adding Florida teams would be crazy, but cool.

Interesting list. Why would we want SDSU though? I'm pretty sure most of California doesn't know they exist.

Admittedly, San Diego State would be my last choice on the list and an add based mostly off of potential. But, their basketball attendance is good, their football attendance is improving, their radio flag station is the largest sports station in San Diego, and they have a pretty large enrollment. They are the only show in town in the 28th largest market (would be 4th largest market in the Big 12). They would potentially open up Southern California recruiting to the Big 12 and adding them and BYU would be send a message to that the Big 12 won't bow to the Pac 12 in the west (likely means the Pac12 network won't be on basic cable in San Diego, for instance). I think a move to a BCS conference would see SDSU take off in the same way Arizona/Arizona State did with their move to the Pac-10 in the 1970s.

[cykadelic2]

But I was informed that basketball programs play absoultely NO role in realignment...there is NO money to be made on basketball!

Just because Louisville is profitable with their BB program does not tilt the scales in their favor in negotiating TV contracts for FB. FB TV contracts drive realignment.

[tazclone]

Heck, you don't even have to be flying to BYU/AF. If you are driving through the great Nebraska waste land you can pull over, drop trou, and give Nebraska their well deserved deposit.



As for your list, I think it's pretty valid. However, I think Cinncinatti is much more valuable than Memphis.

Air Force is a conundrum for me. I'm not sure what their worth would be to the Big12. It would be cool to have fly boys all across the country and overseas tuning in to see ISU vs AF every year though.

I think people misconceive who people in the Armed Forces cheer for in college football. They generally cheer fo their home team or the team they grew up watching. Somebody from Nebraska doesn't go into the Air Force and then give up Nebraska for Air Force. I have never understood the love for Air Force people have on this board. IMO they bring very little to the plate.