*****The Super, Mega, Huge Big 12 Expansion Thread*****

[Cyclophile1]

Ditto. The BCS and NCAA play a part in it too though.

I don't think college sports/football is "ruined" by this, but it's certainly not fair to several dozen FBS college football teams. We got lucky, plain and simple.

There are a lot of fine universities around the country that have been playing sports with pride and passion for a very long time that are going to get the shaft as the top level pulls even further ahead of them. Yes, we are in the top level because of history but it's a little painful to think about half or more of the FBS teams out there are effectively being relegated to a different division through all this re-alignment mess.

The top level looks increasingly like professional sports and that's a little sad. It's great to be a part of it, but we could have been brushed to the ash heap without much thought from the powers that be. Moves like we have seen the last few years have told us there is no such thing as permanent security in this business of college sports and there could be further distillation of the top level to weed out the low value schools and consolidate power even further. ISU most likely would be among the first of the remoras brushed off the big sharks in that kind of power play. So, while it's nice to be all warm and cozy under the big, thick blanket of UT and OU now, I hope we never see the day when the bed is deemed too small for the red-headed little brother up in Iowa.

We have a short time window to show we can play and deserve to be at the Big Boy table IMO. I'm very glad we have the leaders in the AD that we have and I really hope we can break through in this window of opportunity. I also hope the fans and stakeholders really step up as well and help support this AD, because we really need it now.

 

[cyman05]

I didn't want to quote the whole re-post so I just copied this portion minus the Shaggy Bevo piece. If any of that is true, then *%*$ ESPN for ruining college athletics. No one entity should have that much power, and who are they to say this school isn't worthy, but that one is.

Basically there is no commish to look out for the common good of college football. Since the whole thing is driven by money, ESPN has become the de facto commish. I can't ever imagine that changing. It stinks that ESPN gets to decide who makes the cut when it comes to college athletics, but who has the power to oppose them? Certainly none of the big schools who prosper the most are going to challenge them. And all the fly-over schools with little population don't have a voice to bring ESPN down.

I hope if there are 4 big conferences that ISU is in one of them. But did anybody else notice how all these TV deals from the major conferences expire in the mid 2020's? I think that's when ESPN is going to trim the fat down to about 40 teams that make the big boy table.

 

[Bestaluckcy]

So why did big brother let MU and TAM get away? Were they short on pocket change last summer? I am not sure that ESPN holds all of the power you are suggesting.

 

[KnappShack]

It's obvious that we need to bring back baseball.

 

[HFCS]

There are a lot of fine universities around the country that have been playing sports with pride and passion for a very long time that are going to get the shaft as the top level pulls even further ahead of them. Yes, we are in the top level because of history but it's a little painful to think about half or more of the FBS teams out there are effectively being relegated to a different division through all this re-alignment mess.

The top level looks increasingly like professional sports and that's a little sad. It's great to be a part of it, but we could have been brushed to the ash heap without much thought from the powers that be. Moves like we have seen the last few years have told us there is no such thing as permanent security in this business of college sports and there could be further distillation of the top level to weed out the low value schools and consolidate power even further. ISU most likely would be among the first of the remoras brushed off the big sharks in that kind of power play. So, while it's nice to be all warm and cozy under the big, thick blanket of UT and OU now, I hope we never see the day when the bed is deemed too small for the red-headed little brother up in Iowa.

We have a short time window to show we can play and deserve to be at the Big Boy table IMO. I'm very glad we have the leaders in the AD that we have and I really hope we can break through in this window of opportunity. I also hope the fans and stakeholders really step up as well and help support this AD, because we really need it now.

The fast growing amount of schools moving up to FBS is not helping either, it's just further cementing the new unofficial boundary.

Old Dominion
UMass
UTSA
Texas State
Georgia State
UNC Charlotte
UT Arlington

I know I'm leaving out somebody. All these fledgling programs are doing is growing the divide between major and non major conferences. It's sad because MWC and CUSA were starting to really hit their stride in football, especially MWC which could have ended up a major in football if it stayed as it was with just the planned BSU-Nevada-Fresno St addition.

 

[ia8manfan]

Ditto. The BCS and NCAA play a part in it too though.

I don't think college sports/football is "ruined" by this, but it's certainly not fair to several dozen FBS college football teams. We got lucky, plain and simple.

So if all this goes down like Shaggy Bevo says, some schools, like the ACC basketball schools, will be getting screwed on the deal (think Duke, UNC, etc.).

First question: If it is proved that ESPN has been behind the realignment processes the whole time, is that illegal?

Second question: Could the ACC BB schools, along with perhaps Comcast and Fox, sue ESPN/Power Conferences for monopoly, collusion, tortuious interference, etc. ?

 

[jdoggivjc]

So if all this goes down like Shaggy Bevo says, some schools, like the ACC basketball schools, will be getting screwed on the deal (think Duke, UNC, etc.).

First question: If it is proved that ESPN has been behind the realignment processes the whole time, is that illegal?

Second question: Could the ACC BB schools, along with perhaps Comcast and Fox, sue ESPN/Power Conferences for monopoly, collusion, tortuious interference, etc. ?

If UNC gets screwed in this it's their own doing. They may suck in football, but with 11+ million TV sets in North Carolina, they can basically pick the conference they want to be in. Both the SEC and Big 10 wants them (they are an AAU school), and if they actually wanted to come to the Big 12 I doubt this conference would turn them down either. But if UNC rides this "North Carolina loyalty" (NCST, Duke, and WF) to obsolescence, they have nobody to blame but themselves.

 

[CyBer]

Something afoot today?


Scout.com: Big 12 Announcement This Morning

I missed this thread

 

[Bestaluckcy]

So if all this goes down like Shaggy Bevo says, some schools, like the ACC basketball schools, will be getting screwed on the deal (think Duke, UNC, etc.).

First question: If it is proved that ESPN has been behind the realignment processes the whole time, is that illegal?

Second question: Could the ACC BB schools, along with perhaps Comcast and Fox, sue ESPN/Power Conferences for monopoly, collusion, tortuious interference, etc. ?

Hate to dump water on everybodie's parade but I think there are still many hurdles before things "goes down like Shaggy Bevo says" . Probably first and foremost is FSU needs to step up to the plate. I can think of two times the Big 12 was on life support and when it approached 12 midnight Texas and Oklahoma decided not to jump. Will FSU do the same? The Texans like to think the world revolves around them and they are always in control. Notice a Texan authored the S Bevo story. Florida has a little of their own cache'.

Neinas has laid the ground work for this to possibly happen. Will Bowlsby close the deal? Neinas is wishing to step out of the limelight. There are probably several reasons Neinas is turning this over Commish Bob. This may not be the greatest of time to switch ramrods.

Conference realignment has the ability to create some strong national brands. A strong national brand is not the same thing as a monopoly. A monopoly has creates significant barriers to entry. Can college football be monopolized? For example see what has happened to TCU and Boise St. in the last few years. Their perceived success has elevated them to the national scene. What is to stop Fox or NBC from taking the ACC or Conf USA and building them up until they are a strong brand name in their own right. Not all viewers understand the difference in quality between a SEC and a Mac team. It is not so apparent especially if they refuse to play each other.

Instead of ESPN running this show my theory is all of this is running on "fear and greed". The circus ringman is hyping "feelings of fear and greed" but it is just an illusion. If the players figure it out the show may end quite differently than everyone is suspects.

 

[HFCS]

Hate to dump water on everybodie's parade but I think there are still many hurdles before things "goes down like Shaggy Bevo says" . Probably first and foremost is FSU needs to step up to the plate. I can think of two times the Big 12 was on life support and when it approached 12 midnight Texas and Oklahoma decided not to jump. Will FSU do the same? The Texans like to think the world revolves around them and they are always in control. Notice a Texan authored the S Bevo story. Florida has a little of their own cache'.

Neinas has laid the ground work for this to possibly happen. Will Bowlsby close the deal? Neinas is wishing to step out of the limelight. There are probably several reasons Neinas is turning this over Commish Bob. This may not be the greatest of time to switch ramrods.

Conference realignment has the ability to create some strong national brands. A strong national brand is not the same thing as a monopoly. A monopoly has creates significant barriers to entry. Can college football be monopolized? For example see what has happened to TCU and Boise St. in the last few years. Their perceived success has elevated them to the national scene. What is to stop Fox or NBC from taking the ACC or Conf USA and building them up until they are a strong brand name in their own right. Not all viewers understand the difference in quality between a SEC and a Mac team. It is not so apparent especially if they refuse to play each other.

Instead of ESPN running this show my theory is all of this is running on "fear and greed". The circus ringman is hyping "feelings of fear and greed" but it is just an illusion. If the players figure it out the show may end quite differently than everyone is suspects.

Good post, if this thing solidifies towards a 4 conference power structure, the best mountain and Texas teams left out should get together ASAP because that league would rival ACC/Big East leftovers for #5, and possibly just clearly beat them for #5.

BSU, AFA, Houston, SMU, Hawaii, Nevada, Fresno State, and BYU if/when they can schedule less and less major conference teams. To me that's likely stronger than ACC minus the top 6 football schools and Big East remnants. A team running the table with that conference schedule and one or two good non conf games could make the top 4 or certainly be the #3 or #4 ranked champion of a conference.

If that were to happen over enough years, if SEC and Big 12 are successful at 14-16 teams. The Pac 12 probably eventually adds a couple teams from among the best fit. If Vandy can be fine in the SEC, the Pac 12 can function with one or two more less than elite universities.

 

[Bestaluckcy]

Good post, if this thing solidifies towards a 4 conference power structure, the best mountain and Texas teams left out should get together ASAP because that league would rival ACC/Big East leftovers for #5, and possibly just clearly beat them for #5.

BSU, AFA, Houston, SMU, Hawaii, Nevada, Fresno State, and BYU if/when they can schedule less and less major conference teams. To me that's likely stronger than ACC minus the top 6 football schools and Big East remnants. A team running the table with that conference schedule and one or two good non conf games could make the top 4 or certainly be the #3 or #4 ranked champion of a conference.

If that were to happen over enough years, if SEC and Big 12 are successful at 14-16 teams. The Pac 12 probably eventually adds a couple teams from among the best fit. If Vandy can be fine in the SEC, the Pac 12 can function with one or two more less than elite universities.

There you go. Lot of moving parts to all of this. Its all a sort of high stakes poker.

 

[cyman05]

Good read on how today's announcement changes the game:

Champions Bowl changes college football's big picture - CBSSports.com

 

[CyFan61]

Just realized how lucky we are as a state to have two of our universities in the BCS, let alone the group of 48 Pac-12, Big 10, Big 12, and SEC schools that are truly big-time.

Iowa is the third-smallest state to have multiple BCS conference schools (only MS and KS are smaller).

 

[bosco]

Good read on how today's announcement changes the game:Champions Bowl changes college football's big picture - CBSSports.com

Financially this is great for all the teams involved but I don't think ISU will ever play in this game unless they are the B12 champion and don't get to the playoff.

It sounds like this bowl is going to the highest bidder and figures of +$40 million have been bandied about. If the B12 champion does go to the playoffs and ISU is the second best team the article says the conference picks the replacement. With the kind of money that these bowls are shelling out they'll want a bigger name draw then ISU especially if they have a choice between ISU or Texas.

 

[CyBer]

It's obvious that we need to bring back baseball.

 

[KnappShack]

Just realized how lucky we are as a state to have two of our universities in the BCS, let alone the group of 48 Pac-12, Big 10, Big 12, and SEC schools that are truly big-time.Iowa is the third-smallest state to have multiple BCS conference schools (only MS and KS are smaller).

To put that in perspective Southern California has only 2 BCS schools and I believe the metro area has 6 times the population of the entire state of Iowa

Iowans are blessed no matter what the hawkeye fans say.

 

[Yellow Snow]

This s a great thread with some Dodd tweets...


Scout.com: Dodd Tweet

 

[CyFan61]

This s a great thread with some Dodd tweets...


Scout.com: Dodd Tweet

I agree with those in that thread who say that Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech would be a home run for the new Big 14 Conference. (Assuming Notre Dame is off the table.) An absolute home run.

Hell, it would be a grand slam, in the bottom of the 9th inning, down by three runs, with two outs and two strikes, in Game 7 of the World Series.

 

[Trainer]

fear setting in for ACC fans.
Scout.com: Death knell of the ACC in Football?

 

[Yellow Snow]

Here is the North Carolina Tar Heel reacton... this is quite funny considering they were flat out making fun of the notion FSU would ever leave for a conference with such crappy academics as the B12... Now they are praying for an SEC invite... lol

Scout.com: Death knell of the ACC in Football?