Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[isutrevman]

There’s a lot of “GORs can be broken” takes and zero actual breaking of GORs. Same as last summer.

Agree. If Texas and OU couldn't get out of their GORs, I don't see other schools being able to.

 

[20eyes]

I would agree that the Big10 adding Cal & Stanford is redundant from a TV exposure standpoint. Especially when their sport brands pale USC & UCLA.

But it doesn't seem cost effective from a travel or scheduling perspective for the Big10 to add an odd number of Pac12 teams.

Adding ND creates an even number, which is ideal from a divisions & scheduling perspective. But ND is right in the middle of Big10's geography. And 21 teams would support three 7 team divisions.

It seems like there are curve balls with realignment. To keep an even # of Pac12 adds, could we see the Big10 add the highest media value school among CU, ASU or UU?

In this scenario NDs partner would have to be UW...right?

 

[WhoISthis]

There’s a lot of “GORs can be broken” takes and zero actual breaking of GORs. Same as last summer.

The “GORs have always worked before” is a bad take.

These things are always more about risk/reward than anything else.

And there’s a big difference between suggesting it will be settled and saying the GOR will be broken. BIG difference.

It will be the former, in which all schools realize this is the only way they extract realignment value from the GOR

 

[ISU85]

It looks like the B1G is still trying to squeeze ND with these latest rumors but I don't see ND caring at all about anyone else's timetable. For now their new TV contract is the only timetable that matters. If the B1G tries to force their hand in the short term I expect the answer to be no.

 

[WhoISthis]

I would agree that the Big10 adding Cal & Stanford is redundant from a TV exposure standpoint. Especially when their sport brands pale USC & UCLA.

But it doesn't seem cost effective from a travel or scheduling perspective for the Big10 to add an odd number of Pac12 teams.

Adding ND creates an even number, which is ideal from a divisions & scheduling perspective. But ND is right in the middle of Big10's geography. And 21 teams would support three 7 team divisions.

It seems like there are curve balls with realignment. To keep an even # of Pac12 adds, could we see the Big10 add the highest media value school among CU, ASU or UU?

ND actually prefers to be the “6th PAC school” in terms of scheduling imo. The less they are BIG the better

 

[Bikeryde]

Lol. If we’ve learned anything in the last year- never say never when it comes to realignment is all.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

There are only ever 1-3 truly elite teams every year. There's really no competitive reason to have more than 4 team CFP. CFP expansion is ALL about the extra $1B TV money to be had...

Expansion is the money, but also the thought of getting into the playoffs. Right now only a handful of teams really have the opportunity to get into the playoff let alone win the title.

Expanding the playoff will allow teams to get into it as a showcase for the season, much like the NCAA bb tournament does. The goal will become getting into the playoff not actually winning it all, that is how coaches and programs will be measured, just like they are in basketball today.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

The “GORs have always worked before” is a bad take.

These things are always more about risk/reward than anything else.

And there’s a big difference between suggesting it will be settled and saying the GOR will be broken. BIG difference.

It will be the former, in which all schools realize this is the only way they extract realignment value from the GOR

People have been saying this for a year and nothing has happened. The GORs were written for exactly this reason, by very expensive lawyers. But it won’t stop you and people like you from saying for the next 14 years that it’s a matter of time before a school just leaves the ACC and risks leaving behind the rights to broadcast its home games. There’s no point in arguing about it because I’m right and frankly you’re wrong until something changes, and nothing has changed.

 

[CascadeClone]

Agree. If Texas and OU couldn't get out of their GORs, I don't see other schools being able to.

True, but ESPN and OuT EXPECTED the Big12 to dissolve. It didn't because the R8 were both angry and desperate enough to hold together.

If this is tried in the ACC, they (ESPN/Fox) will plan better - ie get 4 teams each to SEC & B1G, and those 8 are enough to dissolve. They might even talk to the left behinds beforehand and tell them not to panic, soft landing spots available in Big12.

So it's not getting past he GoR, it's eliminating them beforehand with smarter prep.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

True, but ESPN and OuT EXPECTED the Big12 to dissolve. It didn't because the R8 were both angry and desperate enough to hold together.

If this is tried in the ACC, they (ESPN/Fox) will plan better - ie get 4 teams each to SEC & B1G, and those 8 are enough to dissolve. They might even talk to the left behinds beforehand and tell them not to panic, soft landing spots available in Big12.

So it's not getting past he GoR, it's eliminating them beforehand with smarter prep.

There was a Frank the Tank (I think) post by a lawyer that said dissolving the conference probably won’t kill the GOR. It would lower the risk but there would still be a potentially nine figure lawsuit by the Wake Forests assserting that they own the broadcast rights to Ohio State at UNC or Alabama at FSU.

 

[CoKane]

Agreed I’m not sure any of them are B1G takes (other than ND). But Warren’s comments seem to strongly imply that they’ll add somebody.

Assuming for argument that it’s ND, Stanford, Oregon, and Washington, I’m warming to the idea of taking Cal, San Diego State, and the four corners. Oregon St and Wazzu sadly end up in the MWC.

I don’t really see a world where Utah or Colorado are takes but Cal isn’t. If you think no one gives a **** about college football in California, fair, but that’s also true in Colorado, and there 8 times as many people in CA than CO.

It will be valuable to have a presence in California. The future is coast to coast superconferences. The Big 12 wants to be that 3rd league. We want to be in California, Texas, Florida.

Of course if the TV guys say no, then it’s a no. We don’t know that. But I think it would be a yes if Arizona and Colorado are also yesses.

With 18 schools, do something like 2 protected rivals plus 6 of the other 15 schools, and then the last weekend is a semifinal game with the teams seeded 5 through 18 also paired up by the conference for a ninth game.

Becasue Cal doesnt give a **** about sports and comes with a Texas attitude

 

[20eyes]

True, but ESPN and OuT EXPECTED the Big12 to dissolve. It didn't because the R8 were both angry and desperate enough to hold together.

If this is tried in the ACC, they (ESPN/Fox) will plan better - ie get 4 teams each to SEC & B1G, and those 8 are enough to dissolve. They might even talk to the left behinds beforehand and tell them not to panic, soft landing spots available in Big12.

So it's not getting past he GoR, it's eliminating them beforehand with smarter prep.

SEC: FSU, Clemson, VPI, NCSU

B1G: Miami, UVa, UNC, GT

 

[cyIclSoneU]

Becasue Cal doesnt give a **** about sports and comes with a Texas attitude

Unlike Texas we can tell them to **** off if they demand special treatment. That will be fun.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

There was a Frank the Tank (I think) post by a lawyer that said dissolving the conference probably won’t kill the GOR. It would lower the risk but there would still be a potentially nine figure lawsuit by the Wake Forests assserting that they own the broadcast rights to Ohio State at UNC or Alabama at FSU.

Big fan of that blog for realignment talk.

 

[BryceC]

The “GORs have always worked before” is a bad take.

These things are always more about risk/reward than anything else.

And there’s a big difference between suggesting it will be settled and saying the GOR will be broken. BIG difference.

It will be the former, in which all schools realize this is the only way they extract realignment value from the GOR

Why would any school from a left behind league ever settle regarding a GoR agreement? They are entitled to their media rights income if the break it and they won't get a better deal than that.

 

[Clonedogg]

SIAP, Pretty sure if ND is out of the ACC it only takes 7 to dissolve ACC.

 

[CloneJD]

Why would any school from a left behind league ever settle regarding a GoR agreement? They are entitled to their media rights income if the break it and they won't get a better deal than that.

The thought would be that the departing schools pay out above and beyond what the media rights deal was for the remaining term of the grant of rights. Some of the sec/big money would trickle down to the left behind schools.

 

[BCClone]

Unlike Texas we can tell them to **** off if they demand special treatment. That will be fun.

But it still puts a divide in your conference and creates issues

 

[StPaulCyclone]

Eventually but not for a while. No one has beaten a GOR yet.

ND, Stanford, Oregon, Washington to the B1G would guarantee our pick of the corner schools plus Cal. Could be an interesting situation if we only want 4, or maybe we take all five plus Washington State or San Diego State and grow to 18. The B1G would already be at 20, after all.

Cal + SDSU could be a pretty intriguing California base for our league, along with the four corners.

Again, can we please make sure our future is secure before promoting anymore G5 teams?

 

[CloniesForLife]

Again, can we please make sure our future is secure before promoting anymore G5 teams?

I posted something similar in the other thread. Promoting G5 schools is more future competition for ISU to remain in the "power conference(s)"