Expansion/realignment chatter post TAMU

[jpm25]

Pitt to B12, UConn, SU, RU to ACC all mentioned. Plausible scenarios.

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1258695

 

[epark88]

At this point, all I care about is my beloved Huskies having a good seat at the big-boy table when all the shuffling stops...

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Pitt to B12, UConn, SU, RU to ACC all mentioned. Plausible scenarios.

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1258695

Why would Pitt go to the Big 12? There is a good argument to be made that the The Big East is currently a more stable and potentially more lucrative conference going forward than the Big 12 at this point. And Pitt would be a huge outsider in that league. Just doesn't make sense at all.

All of these rumors of Big 12 expansion are being started by the Big 12 and Texas. I really do no see any situation in which a team leaves a BCS league to go to the Big 12. Everyone knows that the Big 12 will not exist in 8 years and no one wants to put up with Texas and all that comes with that. If the Big 12 wants to expand, it is going to be either a former SWC school (SMU/Houston/Rice) or BYU. I just don't see why anyone would leave a current BCS conference in order to go to that mess.

The bigger question is what the SEC is going to do. What they decide to do now is what will determine how big this 'bang' is here.

 

[businesslawyer]

Pitt is not going to the Big XII. They would have to be idiots. Ask yourself this -- if the Big XII invited us today, would we take it? No way we would. And Pitt being a few hundred miles west doesn't change the analysis at all.

 

[jpm25]

Why would Pitt go to the Big 12? There is a good argument to be made that the The Big East is currently a more stable and potentially more lucrative conference going forward than the Big 12 at this point. And Pitt would be a huge outsider in that league. Just doesn't make sense at all.

All of these rumors of Big 12 expansion are being started by the Big 12 and Texas. I really do no see any situation in which a team leaves a BCS league to go to the Big 12. Everyone knows that the Big 12 will not exist in 8 years and no one wants to put up with Texas and all that comes with that. If the Big 12 wants to expand, it is going to be either a former SWC school (SMU/Houston/Rice) or BYU. I just don't see why anyone would leave a current BCS conference in order to go to that mess.

The bigger question is what the SEC is going to do. What they decide to do now is what will determine how big this 'bang' is here.

SEC's next move is probably most important to UConn as it will most likely effect the ACC or Big East, but I don't think the Pac12 and B1G are going to be sitting on their hands in all of this. Larry Scott should be particulaly motivated to move over into another time zone with the couple of marquee teams that might not be so available again anytime soon.

 

[RS9999X]

All plausible scenarios.

As is TAMU to SEC and they sit on it for a bit Or they go to 9 games. Or the rest of the Big-12 comes begging to the SEC. Or NBC starts to show some serious interest in the BE and will pay for another time zone in the BE.

Revenue accretion is the problem with most scenarios. And now Sony wants to be player of some sort. Microsoft is kicking some tires. Who knows?

 

[upstater]

Pitt is not going to the Big XII. They would have to be idiots. Ask yourself this -- if the Big XII invited us today, would we take it? No way we would. And Pitt being a few hundred miles west doesn't change the analysis at all.

Because a lighter basketball league will allow Jamie Dixon to finally tailor his team's style of play for the NCAA tourney?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Pitt to B12, UConn, SU, RU to ACC all mentioned. Plausible scenarios.

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1258695

Chip Brown's sources are a combination of the Texas Athletic Department and his own imagination.

As of right now, the hierarchy of conferences in expansion is:

1) Pac 12 - great contract that is flexible, great demographics in target markets
2) Big 10 - great contract that is flexible, poor demographics
3) SEC - great contract that is not flexible, ok demographics (high growth but poor)
4) Big East - blank slate of a contract that will probably be very strong, ok demographics (low growth but high density and wealthy)
5) ACC - lousy contract that is not flexible, ok demographics (overlap with SEC is problem)
6) Big 12 - OK contract, membership chaos, weak markets in the north of conference

The ACC is not adding Big East teams because it can't. The ACC is a victim in this, not an aggressor.

 

[upstater]

The SEC, I would argue, is highly flexible. They are the behemoth. I guarantee there are opt-outs early in that contract, and the SEC can/will eventually throw its weight at ESPN and CBS and tell them what the score is. They are not going to stand by as other conferences eat their lunch. ESPN and CBS are petrified of ever losing the SEC. They will do practically everything to please them.

 

[Pudge]

A NOT insignificant fact in your Pac 12 analysis (YOH ... they are 3 hours behind the EST and a big Demographic). Living out there, you never can get away from how that affects you. The Boxscores NEVER get in the paper in baseball & a lot gets missed. So ... I beg to differ. I don't know what we are seeing with the hierarchy. There is no doubt, in my mind, that the SEC, Pac12 & B10 are the top tier. But, I'd argue that the BIG EAST has the most room to grow. Could our urban flavor & big demos push us far beyond the aCC?

 

[jpm25]

A NOT insignificant fact in your Pac 12 analysis (YOH ... they are 3 hours behind the EST and a big Demographic). Living out there, you never can get away from how that affects you. The Boxscores NEVER get in the paper in baseball & a lot gets missed. So ... I beg to differ. I don't know what we are seeing with the hierarchy. There is no doubt, in my mind, that the SEC, Pac12 & B10 are the top tier. But, I'd argue that the BIG EAST has the most room to grow. Could our urban flavor & big demos push us far beyond the aCC?

re: Pac 12 occupying Pacific and Mountain time zones - exactly why they would leap at a marquee name or two in the Central time zone. It is a huge deal for the Pac 12 network.

 

[CAHUSKY]

The Boxscores NEVER get in the paper in baseball & a lot gets missed. ?

People still read the boxscores in the paper? Pudge is old school.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

A NOT insignificant fact in your Pac 12 analysis (YOH ... they are 3 hours behind the EST and a big Demographic). Living out there, you never can get away from how that affects you. The Boxscores NEVER get in the paper in baseball & a lot gets missed. So ... I beg to differ. I don't know what we are seeing with the hierarchy. There is no doubt, in my mind, that the SEC, Pac12 & B10 are the top tier. But, I'd argue that the BIG EAST has the most room to grow. Could our urban flavor & big demos push us far beyond the aCC?

Not necessarily the boxscores, more that they lose viewers. The East Coast is either asleep, watching the news, or going to sleep when their games are on TV. Weekday games originating on the west coast do not command high ratings, and thus aren't as valuable to advertisers.

 

[Pudge]

excuse me.

It is the EYEBALLS on TV sets that matter. That should be understood.

 

[danlow1963]

excuse me.

It is the EYEBALLS on TV sets that matter. That should be understood.

that what this is all this is about, maximizing TV revenue.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The SEC, I would argue, is highly flexible. They are the behemoth. I guarantee there are opt-outs early in that contract, and the SEC can/will eventually throw its weight at ESPN and CBS and tell them what the score is. They are not going to stand by as other conferences eat their lunch. ESPN and CBS are petrified of ever losing the SEC. They will do practically everything to please them.

So despite a 10 year deal, you believe the SEC can unilaterally change any of the terms or terminate the contract any time they want?

 

[Excalibur]

So despite a 10 year deal, you believe the SEC can unilaterally change any of the terms or terminate the contract any time they want?

Didn't you once say that any contract was open for renegotiation?

 

[zls44]

The Pac-12 also operates in a largely-unopposed TV window. They've basically got no competition.

America is getting later. Technology advances. It isn't Spain, where everyone is eating dinner at midnight, but it's getting later. We're staying up later. We're travelling more than we did 40 years ago. It's not the West Coast anymore...it's just someplace else you can go.

 

[CL82]

Chip Brown's sources are a combination of the Texas Athletic Department and his own imagination.

As of right now, the hierarchy of conferences in expansion is:

1) Pac 12 - great contract that is flexible, great demographics in target markets
2) Big 10 - great contract that is flexible, poor demographics
3) SEC - great contract that is not flexible, ok demographics (high growth but poor)
4) Big East - blank slate of a contract that will probably be very strong, ok demographics (low growth but high density and wealthy)
5) ACC - lousy contract that is not flexible, ok demographics (overlap with SEC is problem)
6) Big 12 - OK contract, membership chaos, weak markets in the north of conference

The ACC is not adding Big East teams because it can't. The ACC is a victim in this, not an aggressor.

Thank you! Like countries often try to fight the last war (think France and the Maginot line) columnists are trying to analyze the current climate according to last round of realignment. With a new contract pending the Big East is a much more stable conference. The Big 12 or the ACC taking teams is wishful thinking on their part. I think the Big East may be well positioned to pick up a few pieces.

 

[jpm25]

Thank you. Like countries often try to fight the last war (think France and the Maginot line) columnist try to analyze the current climate according to last round of realignment. With a new contract paending the Big East is a much more stable conference. The Big 12 or the ACC taking teams is wishful thinking on their part. I think the Big East may be well positioned to pick up a few pieces.

you won the internets today with your avatar

 

[Mr.Phat]

Pitt to B12, UConn, SU, RU to ACC all mentioned. Plausible scenarios.

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1258695

Snooki to the Mountain West - I hope.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Didn't you once say that any contract was open for renegotiation?

Every contract is a starting point. But sometimes that starting point is pretty set in stone. As desperately as the Big East needed to make something happen a year ago, they didn't get it done. ESPN didn't have to budge, so they didn't.

 

[Adios]

you won the internets today with your avatar

I concur. Herbst is an incredibly beautiful and intelligent woman.

 

[upstater]

Every contract is a starting point. But sometimes that starting point is pretty set in stone. As desperately as the Big East needed to make something happen a year ago, they didn't get it done. ESPN didn't have to budge, so they didn't.

If they want to piss off the big dog, it's up to them.

 

[mattp]

does anyone know what TCU's contractual obstacles would be to leave us for the Big 12? i don't know if they'd want to jump into Texas' shadow or not, but is there anything preventing them from doing so? geographically it would make a lot of sense