Maybe expansion isn't the word now.
Maybe it's consolidation. Consolidation of the remaining schools not in the SEC or B1G influence.
In other words....the destruction of college football
Absolutely. It’s been coming. We’ve all have talked another the super 64.
That was before SEC hegemony. And UT sucking and not wielding their power. Them joining the SEC opposed to acting like a true kingmaker and building the Big 12, reduced the number.
That’s huge in short term for the networks. Is there any wonder espn was all over the move? 3 to 4 super conferences totaling 64 is more expensive.
I think the BIG may be idyllic enough to try and preserve the Pac12 by adding a Pac12 side to their network. They can allow the Pac12 survive mostly in tact, saving some semblance of value and history in the Rose Bowl, while adding the elite academic brands.
The only thing they give up is the opportunity cost of making more if they only added a few Pac12 or ACC teams, but the travel would suck, and I don’t think you can get just one NC school, so there’s redundancy there.
it Wouldn’t surprise me if the Big 12 loses KU to big 10 (cross matchup with MU) but ends up with one of the Arizona schools and/or Utah, (SDSU over Boise because of this) plus leftover ACC like Louisville (maybe BIG for the IU rivalry and cross matchup with UK), Pitt (maybe SEC with cross matchup with PSU), Miami, GT (unlikely BIG, but maybe).
Either way, the big 8 sticking together is good, it basically guarantees it’s Oregon St/WSU/wake/Syracuse/BC that are either getting left out or are satellites