Story on the Big East's football future

**ChrisMWilliams** · 05-23-2011, 11:43 AM

Here's an interesting read on the future of the Big East in football and no, Iowa State is not mentioned.

Many questions looming as Big East ponders expansion - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com

**cygrads** · 05-23-2011, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisMWilliams

Here's an interesting read on the future of the Big East in football and no, Iowa State is not mentioned.

Many questions looming as Big East ponders expansion - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com

If the Big East was smart they would add Houston and be done. Opens up recruiting in Texas and Houston is a sleeping giant.

**cysocool** · 05-23-2011, 12:06 PM

Chris, Do you think its better for the Big12 to stay at 10 teams or expand back to 12 with a championship game?

**alarson** · 05-23-2011, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by cygrads

If the Big East was smart they would add Houston and be done. Opens up recruiting in Texas and Houston is a sleeping giant.

Agreed. I believe houston is planning on building a new stadium sometime soon here as well. If they got into BCS play that could be a big bump for them attendance-wise.

Also it would put TCU on less of an island in Texas, giving some opportunities to save some travel costs.

**ChrisMWilliams** · 05-23-2011, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by cysocool

Chris, Do you think its better for the Big12 to stay at 10 teams or expand back to 12 with a championship game?

Today, I'd prefer to stay at 10. That means more money for Iowa State as opposed to a 12 team league. The only thing that stinks about the future setup is the nine game conference schedule. That's not a positive for Iowa State, having to play Iowa every year and all.

**ChrisMWilliams** · 05-23-2011, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by alarson

Agreed. I believe houston is planning on building a new stadium sometime soon here as well. If they got into BCS play that could be a big bump for them attendance-wise.

Also it would put TCU on less of an island in Texas, giving some opportunities to save some travel costs.

I think that they should consider SMU as well. Having TCU and SMU in the same conference (that's a big rivalry) would be attractive, one would think. Then add UCF to give USF a partner in Florida. All of the sudden, this league would have multiple dots popping up in Texas & Florida, which would be big from a recruiting standpoint.

**cysocool** · 05-23-2011, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisMWilliams

Today, I'd prefer to stay at 10. That means more money for Iowa State as opposed to a 12 team league. The only thing that stinks about the future setup is the nine game conference schedule. That's not a positive for Iowa State, having to play Iowa every year and all.

A part of me would like to expand back to twelve teams. Mostly to regain a larger television footprint and because I think there are a couple schools that would fit in nicely. It would be nice that Big12 actually had 12 schools. I agree that more money for Iowa State is probably most important, along with stability.

Good article...

**Al_4_State** · 05-23-2011, 12:29 PM

I'd like to expand to 12 teams if the programs were guaranteed to increase everyone's pot. IMO, BYU and ND would do that, as well as BYU and a school like Louisville. I'm not sure how vulnerable the Big East is though. I'm sure the Big 12 would be more lucrative, but the difficulty in competing in the league may be a turn off.

For the Big East, adding UCF, ECU, and a Texas school (SMU or Houston) makes a lot of sense.

**cyclonedave25** · 05-23-2011, 12:31 PM

I would like to keep the league at 10 teams, until we renew our 1st tier tv contract. I think by adding 2 more teams and a championship, it will offset the cost of having to split the money 2 more ways.

**twojman** · 05-23-2011, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by cyclonedave25

I would like to keep the league at 10 teams, until we renew our 1st tier tv contract. I think by adding 2 more teams and a championship, it will offset the cost of having to split the money 2 more ways.

This (almost)

The championship game would be a $25 Million/season gain right off the top. Depening on the teams added there could be a chance for the Big 12 to bargain for more $'s on the new Fox deal. I sure hope something like that was written into the agreement.

**Jarrods79** · 05-23-2011, 12:40 PM

I'm for expanding to 12 teams only if one of those teams is Notre Dame. I think a lot more stability would come to the Big 12 with that move. I'm not sold on BYU though. It is probably going to take some time in convincing ND to come over, and I'm convinced that is what they are doing while publicly stating we are holding steady at 10.

**Wesley** · 05-23-2011, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisMWilliams

Today, I'd prefer to stay at 10. That means more money for Iowa State as opposed to a 12 team league. The only thing that stinks about the future setup is the nine game conference schedule. That's not a positive for Iowa State, having to play Iowa every year and all.

Yeah, when we start making money by bowling, then we can go to 12 teams.

**ahaselhu** · 05-23-2011, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by cysocool

A part of me would like to expand back to twelve teams. Mostly to regain a larger television footprint and because I think there are a couple schools that would fit in nicely. It would be nice that Big12 actually had 12 schools. I agree that more money for Iowa State is probably most important, along with stability.

Good article...

I don't buy the argument that we should stay at 10 teams because it means more money for ISU. Add the right 2 teams, and we'll likely get a better TV deal that will mostly, if not completely, make up for splitting the pie 12 ways instead of 10.

The baseline has typically been $20,000,000 per team, meaning a total of $200,000,000 from TV with 10 teams. To get the same with 12 teams, we'd need $240,000,000 from TV, a 17% increase. When you look at the footprint we currently have, I think its very realistic that the right two teams could be expected to add that much.

**Stormin** · 05-23-2011, 01:16 PM

IMO, going to 12 teams is only feasible if it means more TV revenue and that would mean a bigger TV coverage area. Adding a couple of teams from Texas really does NOTHING. And adding a couple teams from sparsely populated areas does nothing as well.

Playing 9 conference games may seem like it sucks, but in reality I think it increases the odds of having 2 BCS teams almost every year. Look how it worked out for the Big 10. Chances are we could have one undefeated and a one loss team almost every year. That would offset some of the financial loss of a Football Championship and actually move a team up the pecking order if we have a decent season. Having 9 conference games means we have lost one cupcake. So in a normal 6 win season we might get 5 wins. Or in a 7 game season, we get 6 wins.

IMO, we are getting closer to a 50-50 shot against Iowa on an almost every year basis. If we can't get 4 wins in the conference we really shouldn't be bowling anyway.

**cykadelic2** · 05-23-2011, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Jarrods79

I'm for expanding to 12 teams only if one of those teams is Notre Dame. I think a lot more stability would come to the Big 12 with that move. I'm not sold on BYU though. It is probably going to take some time in convincing ND to come over, and I'm convinced that is what they are doing while publicly stating we are holding steady at 10.

Agree, ND has to be included in order for B12 expansion to make financial sense.