My analysis of the "List"

[VPDcurt]

Now that it is confirmed the 11 schools who made the cut will give a presentation next week to the Big 12 in Dallas, what do you think our plan for this will be? Who will give the presentation?

I have always contended that no school should be able to give the presentation we could give. Academics, athletic accomplishments, brand, our tv market and location, should be compelling evidence when presented in person if done in a dramatic and compelling way.

I think we're good as long as our admin uses PowerPoint. Keynote is glitchy .

 

[Ldandy]

Just add Uconn, Cincy, BYU, and Houston and move on with life. These schools are all ready to compete in P5 Conferences now, where as the rest of the schools under consideration have glaring holes in their potential P5 Resumes.

Give the newbies all a reduced share for the remainder of the current TV Deal and then make them whole under the next contract. JMO but 14 makes more sense than 12, as it puts you on par numbers wise with The B1G, SEC, and ACC while providing a hedge against future conference defections.

 

[shizzle787]

Just add Uconn, Cincy, BYU, and Houston and move on with life. These schools are all ready to compete in P5 Conferences now, where as the rest of the schools under consideration have glaring holes in their potential P5 Resumes.

Give the newbies all a reduced share for the remainder of the current TV Deal and then make them whole under the next contract. JMO but 14 makes more sense than 12, as it puts you on par numbers wise with The B1G, SEC, and ACC while providing a hedge against future conference defections.

Those are the four I want. The problem is that BYU sports sans basketball and football are going to have to deal with the Sunday rule.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I think this is ascribing way too much strategy to these decisions. That level of strategy and tactics require a united chain of command. This process is being guided by a group of individuals with differing interests and opinions. The simpler truth is probably that some of the Presidents support different paths. They have to reach consensus, so they're methodically eliminating things they can all agree on (they want better academic schools, etc.).

I think the division in their ranks existed 6 or so months ago but they have (in some cases) come to the conclusion that they have to expand and so for the last 4 or so months they have agreed who the finalists are (and used the consultant's market data to verify their thinking).

 

[MountainMan]

Rice is probably the biggest winner as at worst they are going to the AAC or MW.

I'm guessing that the current roster in C-USA makes them feel quite the opposite. They really should be in a conference with Tulsa and Tulane so they can have some sort of peers as opposed to schools like Western Kentucky. I'm nost sure there is a school who was once in a top tier conference (SWC) that has fallen as far as they have to what is viewed as arguably the worst conference in the coutnry.

 

[uc1974]

I have a lot of like for Rice as an institution and I hope whatever happens that they can do a little better, conference-wise. Houston played a great FB game today and, if that is one's sole criteria, should be in the B12 by 1800 hrs tonight (BMT). B12 would be insane to take them but hey, look at the ACC and Louisville so anything is possible. Can't see KU, KSU, ISU going for them unless there is a major compromise afoot. Houston is academic Pablum as well as a recruiting nightmare for the other TX schools in the B12. Still see UC-UConn as most logical with zero teams a possibility. As previously noted, there may be false logic or no logic so stay tuned. Choices may already have been made anyway and the presentations may just be an excuse to eat popcorn and drink beer with one's conference mates.

 

[auror]

I have a lot of like for Rice as an institution and I hope whatever happens that they can do a little better, conference-wise. Houston played a great FB game today and, if that is one's sole criteria, should be in the B12 by 1800 hrs tonight (BMT). B12 would be insane to take them but hey, look at the ACC and Louisville so anything is possible. Can't see KU, KSU, ISU going for them unless there is a major compromise afoot. Houston is academic Pablum as well as a recruiting nightmare for the other TX schools in the B12. Still see UC-UConn as most logical with zero teams a possibility. As previously noted, there may be false logic or no logic so stay tuned. Choices may already have been made anyway and the presentations may just be an excuse to eat popcorn and drink beer with one's conference mates.

Would the Big12 take back Texas A&M?

In a heartbeat.

In the end, concerns over a Texas voting bloc and recruiting issues, etc., are much less important than $. If Houston can sustain this football, they will be worth enough $ later to make joining now make sense.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Would the Big12 take back Texas A&M?

In a heartbeat.

In the end, concerns over a Texas voting bloc and recruiting issues, etc., are much less important than $. If Houston can sustain this football, they will be worth enough $ later to make joining now make sense.

One thing about the old SWC, most of the members were very competitive in football (albeit with a good amount of cheating). Adding Houston would give the B-12 a good amount of gravitas within Texas even if UT were to leave in just shy of a decade.

 

[Nostical]

As the rush committee for the Delta Chi sorority was sorting out and debating its applicants for the final time, one of its candidates was surprisingly voted Miss Homecoming and absolutely sparkled with beauty and poise on the stage. She was more poised and beautiful than they had remembered from their several coffee get togethers. Now reality hit. Fearing that a rival sorority had also taken notice and may extend the invite to the very same co-ed, the committee quickly made her a Delta.
Watching yesterday's game suggested the problem for the Big XII has morphed a bit. Before it was that Houston would affect its other members' recruiting, or make the conference too Texas-centric. Now, it's that the incredibly focused national display of both inspiring fan support and exciting play have made other conferences take even greater notice of a way to reach into Texas. The debate is now about what's worse for the Big XII, adding Houston to its ranks or seeing a rival conference make mischief in their "house". A&M was bad enough, I can't see Houston being left out of the Big XII.

 

[djct1999]

As the rush committee for the Delta Chi sorority was sorting out and debating its applicants for the final time, one of its candidates was surprisingly voted Miss Homecoming and absolutely sparkled with beauty and poise on the stage. She was more poised and beautiful than they had remembered from their several coffee get togethers. Now reality hit. Fearing that a rival sorority had also taken notice and may extend the invite to the very same co-ed, the committee quickly made her a Delta.
Watching yesterday's game suggested the problem for the Big XII has morphed a bit. Before it was that Houston would affect its other members' recruiting, or make the conference too Texas-centric. Now, it's that the incredibly focused national display of both inspiring fan support and exciting play have made other conferences take even greater notice of a way to reach into Texas. The debate is now about what's worse for the Big XII, adding Houston to its ranks or seeing a rival conference make mischief in their "house". A&M was bad enough, I can't see Houston being left out of the Big XII.

Really? Name one other conference that would seriously consider a Houston add. I agree, that if the Big12 is simply looking for a money grab and OU and UT know they are bolting after the current GOR, Houston makes sense. Other any other scenario, Houston offers very little. The Sec won't add them. I seriously doubt the ACC is interested in a team that is 3rd and will always be 3rd in its own market.

 

[Adios]

I seriously doubt the ACC is interested in a team that is 3rd and will always be 3rd in its own market.

I don't. Houston can still add to the ACC with the schools in that conference.

 

[shizzle787]

Really? Name one other conference that would seriously consider a Houston add. I agree, that if the Big12 is simply looking for a money grab and OU and UT know they are bolting after the current GOR, Houston makes sense. Other any other scenario, Houston offers very little. The Sec won't add them. I seriously doubt the ACC is interested in a team that is 3rd and will always be 3rd in its own market.

Maybe the Pac 12.

 

[djct1999]

I don't. Houston can still add to the ACC with the schools in that conference.

Add what exactly? Truth is, when you strip the subjective nature of actual on field performance away from expansion/realignment and focus on the bottom line, value becomes far more obvious. It is why, even after strong social media support, that Memphis was left out. It is why, in the end, Houston should be as well. They add no financial value for longterm sustainability - to the Big12, the Sec, or the ACC. In many ways, UH is the anti-UConn. They are weak in every metric but recent on field football success. By suggesting UH as a viable candidate, in my mind you are also weakening UConn as one. We can't have it both ways. Which one do you really thing university presidents and TV execs want?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Add what exactly?

Another Louisville type academic institution.

 

[junglehusky]

Add what exactly?

According to Butch in the FB board - golf championships. Maybe ease off the chronic dude - all things in moderation.

 

[djct1999]

Another Louisville type academic institution.

I think, unintentionally, you are supporting my argument.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think, unintentionally, you are supporting my argument.

Never claimed I wasn't.

The way I see it, there are two and only two possibilities for the ACC expanding again:

1) Notre Dame joins for football (would only happen if NBC one days ends their contract with ND).

2) Texas joins with an ND type arrangement (would need assurances that the LHN would remain for as long as ND's deal with NBC.

 

[shizzle787]

Never claimed I wasn't.

The way I see it, there are two and only two possibilities for the ACC expanding again:

1) Notre Dame joins for football (would only happen if NBC one days ends their contract with ND).

2) Texas joins with an ND type arrangement (would need assurances that the LHN would remain for as long as ND's deal with NBC.

There is another way ND could be leveraged into joining a conference. Threatening to take away their P5 status will do the trick.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

There is another way ND could be leveraged into joining a conference. Threatening to take away their P5 status will do the trick.

Who exactly would do that?

 

[shizzle787]

Who exactly would do that?

Someone who wants ND in their conference for football.

 

[auror]

Add what exactly? Truth is, when you strip the subjective nature of actual on field performance away from expansion/realignment and focus on the bottom line, value becomes far more obvious. It is why, even after strong social media support, that Memphis was left out. It is why, in the end, Houston should be as well. They add no financial value for longterm sustainability - to the Big12, the Sec, or the ACC. In many ways, UH is the anti-UConn. They are weak in every metric but recent on field football success. By suggesting UH as a viable candidate, in my mind you are also weakening UConn as one. We can't have it both ways. Which one do you really thing university presidents and TV execs want?

You're conveniently forgetting that Houston is in the 4th largest market, one that the ACC currently has no piece of. Do you think ESPN might want more carriage fees or streaming eyeballs in Texas? Remember, the ACC is a conference WITH a network already. Footprint is even more important to the ACC. Houston has 40,000+ enrollment. It has double the endowment of UConn according to Google. It has wealthy and influential donors. It's tier 1 Carnegie.

Your response will probably be that Houston doesn't offer a large enough share of that market. However, with the trajectory of the program (they brought in their best recruiting class ever this year) and coaching staff, Houston is ranked again this year and definitely not inconceivable they'll be ranked at least one of the next 2 years. With success comes better recruits, fans, and higher market share. Especially since they've had past athletic success; this is a dormant program with woodwork fans and obviously a large alumni base in the market.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Not sure of how the collective presidents feel but I imagine ESPN would have no problem dumping Wake to make room for a school like Houston. As the ACC currently sits however, adding one school would be nearly impossible (unless of course ND becomes a full member) and adding two would not be any easier.

 

[donyell34]

Houston is in yarders , more positives than negatives.

 

[Dooley]

Like Louisville, Houston football is peaking at the most opportune time. Not only that, but fans are starting to latch on to them as the next "darling football program".

The most important thing to come out of Houston's win yesterday is the TV rating it drew. That's an astronomical local number, which is what UH is selling. Dallas-Fort Worth drew a huge local too.

Houston:
Okla-Hou: 4.0 overnight & 12.8 in Houston, market’s highest rating for an opening weekend cfb game across ESPN nets

Did a quick lookup. That Houston-OU 12.8 TV number in Houston bigger than any regular-season or New Year's Six CFB game last year in market.

DFW:
DFW Saturday Ratings:
Oklahoma/Houston 7.3
Alabama/USC 5.2
UCLA/Texas A&M 5.0
LSU/Wisconsin 5.0
Astros/Rangers 3.4
SDakSt/TCU 2.0

Houston’s triumph over OU a winner in the ratings, too

Point is: if you don't go to UConn football games, you have to at least turn your TVs/streaming devices to the game. 29K crowds and low TV ratings will not help our cause whatsoever when Houston posts up numbers like that (and yes, a large number of OU fans are certainly embedded in these numbers). BYU also drew over 30K fans to Phoenix last night. They had so many fans there that it sounded like a home game for BYU...in Phoenix...against Arizona.

 

[JayhawkScott]

Just add Uconn, Cincy, BYU, and Houston and move on with life. These schools are all ready to compete in P5 Conferences now, where as the rest of the schools under consideration have glaring holes in their potential P5 Resumes.

Give the newbies all a reduced share for the remainder of the current TV Deal and then make them whole under the next contract. JMO but 14 makes more sense than 12, as it puts you on par numbers wise with The B1G, SEC, and ACC while providing a hedge against future conference defections.

As a fan I don't want 14. All that is going to do is make teams like KU and KSU almost never play the Oklahoma and Texas schools in football and play them sparingly in all the other sports as well. That's a terrible option. If that is what they're going to do it would be better if the league just dissolved and let the chips fall where they may. 14 is a bad number for the Big 12 and I highly doubt the league expands that large at least at this point.

What I think is going to happen is the league will expand by 2 because that is the best formula for advantage into the football playoffs. It's going to be 2 of BYU/UConn and Cincinnati. I'm hoping that it is Uconn and Cincinnati but I could easily see it being BYU and Uconn as those are clearly the two best options that look most like P5 schools. And actually if it is BYU/Uconn the conference doesn't look like it got watered down at all. In fact it looks at least as strong as the original Big 12 if not stronger brand wise. The only problem with it is travel, but, I'm sure in time we'd all get used to it. Just say no to 14. If you get into the league you're going to want to be playing KU/OU/ Texas etc on a yearly basis or at least every other year not every 4 years and only once at home in 8 years.