Countdown to Cannibalism

[WestHartHusk]

Screw waiting for the 16-team superconference, I am waiting for the conference cannibalism to begin. There is no reason to believe that when the SEC reaches 16 (if for some reason this is a magic number) they don't seriously consider cutting Miss. State to pick up an NC State, VPI. Same for B1G, how long after they get to 16 (again, assume this is a magic number) before Purdue becomes expendable to grab UConn, BC or Cuse? In these situations it's almost free money. SEC loses nothing by dropping MS State and adds a large new market, same with B1G and IN.

 

[Drumguy]

The Big 12 was done a year ago, still has a lot of the same issues, the Big East has imploded, the ACC is a balloon about to pop; probably lots of innate instability in many of the conferences, so sure I'd make no assumptions about the future for any school.

It's like a bunch of unruly teens picking on ... UConn, Cincy, etc in the hopes no one is going to notice how deficient they are and pick on them.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

SEC loses nothing by dropping MS State...

Loses nothing? I don't see how something as immature as Survivor can serve as a business model. I don't see how you can build a strong relationship around common goals if all the participants are constantly looking over their shoulders, forming cabals, plotting against each other to make sure they are not next to be voted off the island.

 

[Drumguy]

Loses nothing? I don't see how something as immature as Survivor can serve as a business model. I don't see how you can build a strong relationship around common goals if all the participants are constantly looking over their shoulders, forming cabals, plotting against each other to make sure they are not next to be voted off the island.

If you believe there is honesty among theives you are deluding yourself. When MD left the ACC after 60 years there is no guarantee any college will not act in it's perceived best interest. And whether you think its going to happen or not, the next step after blowing up all traditional rivalries will be as WHH states it, cannibalizing each other.

 

[MarbleheadHusky]

I have often thought the same thing. All we ever hear about this realignment shuffle is how everything revolves around football, cable boxes and expanding one's conference footprint. At what point do the Wake Forests and Washington States of the world start getting worried.

The only instance I can think of a school getting kicked out of a conference is Temple. Has there been more? Why do I barely remember a fight from Temple?

 

[RegisteredUconn]

If you believe there is honesty among theives you are deluding yourself. When MD left the ACC after 60 years there is no guarantee any college will not act in it's perceived best interest. And whether you think its going to happen or not, the next step after blowing up all traditional rivalries will be as WHH states it, cannibalizing each other.

I wonder if Kevin Ollie recruits cannibals. I wonder how the sales pitch goes. "Come on up to Storrs where we stab each other in the back and eat each others' lunches. And if there's no lunch, hell, we eat each other."

 

[ctchamps]

If you believe there is honesty among theives you are deluding yourself. When MD left the ACC after 60 years there is no guarantee any college will not act in it's perceived best interest. And whether you think its going to happen or not, the next step after blowing up all traditional rivalries will be as WHH states it, cannibalizing each other.

Of course there are those people within Alabama who are arguing that Miss. St is getting a free pass. Same with people at Ohio St. with Iowa. Not all fans, university leaders or BOT people but certainly there are detractors.

These are businesses and everyone has their own business model. Furthermore, there is quite a variation when it comes to analyzing value. I doubt Iowa or Miss. St gets the boot, but who knows. Maybe there will be a steady chorus of individuals who get the momentum to create one super conference from the best of the five power conferences, with a new name and their own network, separated completely from outside networks, and in creating this, they remove programs that they consider more takers than givers.

BTW: any Brooklyn Dodger fan or Whaler fan knows this is cutthroat!

 

[upstater]

Joining a conference like the SEC means you're in forever. It's like the Hotel California, you can check out any time you want, but you can't ever leave (or be kicked out!) So, sure, you can purposely not try very hard, but they ain't kicking you out.

 

[Gurleyman]

Thought this thread was about the Mayan apocalypse. I was starting to check out my neighbors - to see who looked most tasty.

I'm reminded of a quote:

"I'm taking some Eric Roberts home in a doggy bag, anyone else want some?"

 

[ctchamps]

Thought this thread was about the Mayan apocalypse. I was starting to check out my neighbors - to see who looked most tasty.

I'm reminded of a quote:

"I'm taking some Eric Roberts home in a doggy bag, anyone else want some?"

I think the apocalypse happened to the Mayans centuries ago.

 

[UConnJim]

I have often thought the same thing. All we ever hear about this realignment shuffle is how everything revolves around football, cable boxes and expanding one's conference footprint. At what point do the Wake Forests and Washington States of the world start getting worried.

The only instance I can think of a school getting kicked out of a conference is Temple. Has there been more? Why do I barely remember a fight from Temple?

The biggest example of a major conference imploding in recent times is the SWC when they merged with the Big 8. At that time, Houston, Rice, SMU, and TCU were ejected. So yes, the smaller private schools of the ACC should be worried that the bigger schools leave in mass.

 

[businesslawyer]

The biggest example of a major conference imploding in recent times is the SWC when they merged with the Big 8. At that time, Houston, Rice, SMU, and TCU were ejected. So yes, the smaller private schools of the ACC should be worried that the bigger schools leave in mass.

It is important to be technically clear here. The SWC didn't merge with anyone and none of its members were kicked out. What happened is that four SWC members left the conference to join the Big 8 (which then remaned itself the Big XII) and the SWC itself dissolved.

That is the likely roadmap for the future. Bama won't ever throw Miss State out. That would lead to war. What they will do one day is either renegotiate for a larger slice of the SEC pie, since they create more of it than Miss State, and, if they can't get that, form a new conference with Texas, Michigan, USC and the handful of others who bring equivalent amounts to the pie.

 

[Dann]

wash st
oregon st
wake
nwest
purdue
vandy
mst
auburn

 

[ctchamps]

It is important to be technically clear here. The SWC didn't merger with anyone and none of its members were kicked out. What happened is that four SWC members left the conference to join the Big 8 (which then remaned itself the Big XII) and the SWC itself dissolved.

That is the likely roadmap for the future. Bama won't ever throw Miss State out. That would lead to war. What they will do one day is either renegotiate for a larger slice of the SEC pie, since they create more of it than Miss State, and, if they can't get that, form a new conference with Texas, Michigan, USC and the handful of others who bring equivalent amounts to the pie.

Yep! Things potentially can evolve to that point. It makes absolute sense. Many in this forum objected to Seton Hall! Why wouldn't Alabama people feel the same way with regards to Miss. State. And the path would be as you describe.

 

[The Funster]

So let's say that UVa and UNC go to the B1G; FSU and Clemson go to the Big 12 and say NCSt and Vtech go to the SEC. That means that there is no ACC, so...

UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, Temple, Cincinnati, Louisville, Duke, GTech and I'm going to say we fight to keep BC and Miami out on principle but it has the makings of a pretty good eastern ALL SPORTS conference (and yes, that means no ND unless it's for all sports either).

 

[RegisteredUconn]

So let's say that UVa and UNC go to the B1G; FSU and Clemson go to the Big 12 and say NCSt and Vtech go to the SEC. That means that there is no ACC, so...

UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, Temple, Cincinnati, Louisville, Duke, GTech and I'm going to say we fight to keep BC and Miami out on principle but it has the makings of a pretty good eastern ALL SPORTS conference (and yes, that means no ND unless it's for all sports either).

Could you think a little smaller, please? Why aim for "pretty good"? If you wish to be irrelevant, why not try for a ticket for us on the C7 trolley?

 

[ctchamps]

So let's say that UVa and UNC go to the B1G; FSU and Clemson go to the Big 12 and say NCSt and Vtech go to the SEC. That means that there is no ACC, so...

UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, Temple, Cincinnati, Louisville, Duke, GTech and I'm going to say we fight to keep BC and Miami out on principle but it has the makings of a pretty good eastern ALL SPORTS conference (and yes, that means no ND unless it's for all sports either).

If we go by principals I would eliminate Pitt who voted against the ESPN contract while most likely negotiating with the ACC at the same time. They have the impression of collusion written all over them even if they are innocent. On the other hand if all were cobbled together that would be the BE without the C& plus Duke and GT.

 

[kingdobbs]

The only instance I can think of a school getting kicked out of a conference is Temple. Has there been more? Why do I barely remember a fight from Temple?

Affiliate membership is a tricky thing, because holding one is more or less at the sufferance of the full members of the conference. Temple was only an affiliate at the time (and the only affiliate at the time as well), and it would have trivial to say "We are no longer allowing any affiliate memberships". But the Big East also had cause to remove them for "failure to meet minimum standards of membership".

Voting membership, on the other hand, typically can't, or won't, be revoked outright by a vote of the other members, absent malfeasance by the member or member organization. No potential member would, in their right mind, join an organization that can kick them out without cause by a simple majority vote.