COLUMN: Welcome to the conversation, hypocrites
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
Prior to this week, I believed a serious bargaining chip held by teams NOT in the SEC and big10 was to threaten a breakaway. Take 75 teams worth of eyeballs to a different league.
Risky.. yea.
Stupid… probably…
but I thought it was a legit threat to the massive contracts given to SEC and Big10.
What happens in the next round? Will any of the teams prove good enough that they'll be taken? It will be a Big XII vs ACC battle for survival. Just hope we'll be at a spot to be ok.
As we’ve seen, the angst comes mostly from not being able to keep up with the Joneses so I think the restlessness would come if the Big10 opens up a financial lead over the SEC or vice versa. The Big10 is trying to recreate the civil war strategy where the North eventually overcomes a bunch of early dominance from the South on the field through higher population and more money.
Once the schools start paying players directly, schools like Auburn won’t be happy if schools like Indiana have a higher salary cap. That’s when they will get the idea that they could keep more money for themselves if they weren’t sharing so much with Vanderbilt.
It will probably start with unequal revenue sharing, pushed through with threats to break away if they don’t get it.
And once these conferences get to be 20 or 24 members, what’s to stop the top half of the league from breaking off to form a new conference? I see lots of people say they won’t because they need the easy wins. But it will probably eventually end up like basketball where you can get into the playoffs even with a losing record in your conference, whereas in lesser conferences you need to either win it or go undefeated to get an auto bid. I mean, theoretically UNI has an easier path to the NCAA tourney because they have an easier conference but neither Iowa nor ISU would want to switch places with them. On the contrary, ISU fans take great pride in playing in the toughest conference and are generally happy even if they have a losing conference record as long as they get a tourney bid.
It may take 20 years but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Big10 and SEC each goes to 24 members and then back to four conferences of 12 each if the upper class in each conference eventually ditches the middle class teams.
Not really. The SEC considered a nine game conference schedule this year. They went to ESPN and asked how much additional revenue will you give us for going to 9? Mind you, the large SEC deal was already in place. ESPN said no more $. SEC said OK, we be good with 8.
Media members are getting tapped out. Same issue we had when FOX was maybe not going to pay ASU/UU a full share. Same issue that CBS/NBC/FOX are not going to pay WAOR a full share.
Same issue that I have to believe ESPN is like, “F no” to FSU thinking they are transferring from ESPN ACC to ESPN SEC for giant increase in $ and no additional eyeballs to ESPN since they already own FSU content.
Maybe the next round will calm down because the media members are finally saying no.
Next round of conference drama may be the top 4 in the B1G telling Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, etc that they no longer get full shares.
The new Big 12 is set up to weather this better. No divas insisting on special treatment.
Nice write up Chris. This doesn’t feel like a victory to me, but more like survival.
We lost Bedlam (all three of Oklahoma's rivalries really) but we gained ASU/Arizona and BYU/Utah, the latter of which from what I've seen of Utah's psychosis is the most irrationally hate-filled rivalry in sports history.
Still have KSU/ISU and KSU/KU. ISU has been a thorn in KU basketball's side even if they won't admit it. The SWC conference rivalries grow again the longer TCU/Baylor/Tech/Houston are back together. Cincy/WVU could grow and it seems inevitable we add Pitt to that area at some point. For now ISU still has CyHawk as well.
Looking at the Big Ten, it's almost like the Big 12 got MORE regional and more close knit compared to what else is going on.
The mountain schools have a lot of potential and if their football improves new rivalries will spring up, they are as regionally tight as they've ever been even in this new conference. Colorado has never been this great of a regional geographic fit in any conference, neither has either Arizona school.
I wish we were the hoops big dog but Arizona/KU is a natural rivalry in the making and I can't even imagine if UConn joins and stars fighting KU for titles.
Why would the SEC ever go to 9?
They get all the benefit of being the clear best fb conference yet often get to avoid having the toughest schedules. It's brilliant.
I think every other team's fans already has an instant rivalry with Utah... or at least took some pleasure from them being forced to "come crawling over to the Big XII".
I used to always root for their football teams to beat smug/elite PAC teams and new money Oregon.
Now I'm not sure how I will treat them..
You think it is bad NOW, until 1987 they only played a 6 game conference slate in a 10 team league. They finally moved up to 7 games from 1988-1991 before the 1992 expansion to 12 teams moved it to East West divisions and 8 games. The only upside to the six game conference schedule was much tougher OOC games. Alabama use to play all kinds of interesting OOC schedules and went all over the place back then. For example, in 1978, Alabama's 5 OOC games were Nebraska @ Legion Field, @ Mizzou, Southern California @ Legion Field, @ Washington and Virginia Tech. So, while it sucked playing so few Conference games, the OOC schedule was fun.
I sympathize with schools that ended up as "outcasts", a position which was almost guaranteed for us a few short years ago, The visions and dedication JP has had for us really kept us in mix, IMO. When he showed up our football stadium was sort of like a deserted island in the middle of an asphalt and concrete jungle, but over time has evolved, (and is continuing to do so), to the point where we can be and are, competitive at every level of sports and scholastics. Attending ISU and becoming a Cyclone is now a badge of honor that any student, athlete or not, can carry with pride for their entire life...
Now though, they struggle from year to year while we go to the board of regents not with our hand out, but with our plans for the next stage of growth and improvement that primarily has already got the finances in place. If BF doesn't get his numbers they might be the next to be knocking ondoors looking for acceptance. I really do hope not, they are a fine school with an average athletic program and could have trouble finding placement anywhere they would deem "acceptable". We are very fortunate to not be in that spot, at least for now...
One thing that gives me great pride is the fact that academics have not been lost in this journey, a fact that is as important to parents as it is to students. I sometimes wonder if eventually we'll have to incorporate "Cyclone City" as a suburb. Ames is not a bustling metro with something to do every night, but a strong and safe community that coexists very well the university, it's staffs and athletes. We are indeed lucky to have the best of both worlds.
And lastly, I feel for the poor supporters to our East. Once upon a time, they were the "big brother" of our state, more athletic successes in most years, with much more financial backing and national recognition in a conference that was once considered primary and relevant. Now however, their relevance comes because of the number of eyes they can put on televisions from week to week. To them, bigger is better, I hope that works out for them.
Sadly, because of health and finances, I haven't been to JTS since the south end zone and a few other projects have been completed, but I'm still proud as hell to be a Cyclone, always have been, and always will be, no matter who/where we play,
CY'S MY GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now though, they struggle from year to year while we go to the board of regents not with our hand out, but with our plans for the next stage of growth and improvement that primarily has already got the finances in place. If BF doesn't get his numbers they might be the next to be knocking ondoors looking for acceptance. I really do hope not, they are a fine school with an average athletic program and could have trouble finding placement anywhere they would deem "acceptable". We are very fortunate to not be in that spot, at least for now...
One thing that gives me great pride is the fact that academics have not been lost in this journey, a fact that is as important to parents as it is to students. I sometimes wonder if eventually we'll have to incorporate "Cyclone City" as a suburb. Ames is not a bustling metro with something to do every night, but a strong and safe community that coexists very well the university, it's staffs and athletes. We are indeed lucky to have the best of both worlds.
And lastly, I feel for the poor supporters to our East. Once upon a time, they were the "big brother" of our state, more athletic successes in most years, with much more financial backing and national recognition in a conference that was once considered primary and relevant. Now however, their relevance comes because of the number of eyes they can put on televisions from week to week. To them, bigger is better, I hope that works out for them.
Sadly, because of health and finances, I haven't been to JTS since the south end zone and a few other projects have been completed, but I'm still proud as hell to be a Cyclone, always have been, and always will be, no matter who/where we play,
CY'S MY GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Utah, but they’re still second to BYU. Package those two along with Baylor to their own subdivision.
FWIW: I think OU is going to be the Wisconsin of the SEC: perennially solid program that occasionally makes a run at the conference championship, but never truly challenges to top dogs for on- or off-field supremacy of the conference.
I think Texas is on the Nebraska glide path into the SEC: perennially over ranked program with delusional fans that is coasting on its past accomplishments into perpetual mediocrity.
With Clemson and FSU easing toward the door, the ACC doesn't appear to be in a strong position, at least in terms of football and media rights.
