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Message: [QUOTE="CAtlantic, post: 4067857, member: 11388"] Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 Heads up: This morning BTM has given some unexpected info on Big Ten’s recent thinking on SEC’s positioning. The info does not fit traditional past BTM’s conservative cautious statements of Big Ten possible future expansion so I will need to confirm my understanding of it all. Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “Big Ten’s eyeing SEC’s decision on pods. If SEC selects pods & “semi-final pod weekend” as their “9th” conf game to go with 3 OOC games and receives another boost on media REV because of pod semi-final content this could make Big Ten expand sooner than expected or wanted.” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “SEC would maximize their content in going with 4 pods & semi-final weekend. This is action which could force Big Ten into deciding on expanding with candidates that would not normally be considered especially under this time frame. Alliance schools would be off the board” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “You combine SEC’s possible changing of the structure of how conferences maximize their content with Big Ten’s internal dissatisfaction with their current divisional alignments it all could push Big Ten to 16 before they had planned” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “Much like when SEC created SEC Championship Game which structurally pushed other conferences to add 11 & 12 members to gain access to own CCG’s the movement towards pods in SEC could open up structural changes in Big Ten and others to keep up.” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “Big Ten have been discussing changes in divisional alignment for last few years. 14 teams in 1 division with top 2 schools in CCG is the chalk right now but this format does have issues especially when AD’s want to go to 8 Conf games to have equal 4 home & away each year.” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “4 pods of 4 schools cures lots of the issues that is causing strife inside Big Ten when it comes to alignment. Especially if you add 1 Eastern with 1 Midwest school. But Big Ten has 14 schools and will not raid schools from PAC & ACC at this time. This will not happen” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “Every alignment with 2 divisions and 7 schools you write down on paper has issues. None of it really works. You create 4 pods with 4 teams and suddenly Penn St is happy with Rutgers, Maryland +1 Eastern school. Add school in Midwest and you can make Nebraska happy.” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “Pods work beautifully on paper. Big Ten creating championship weekend during Covid is basically same as “Semi-Final weekend” with pods. 4 pod winners play each other for their 9th conf game. Crossover pod games (2nd place vs 2nd place etc) for other schools 9th conf game” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “Essentially, Big Ten believes SEC will be the first to at least experiment with this pod concept which is a concept many in Big Ten believes will work. All eyes on SEC if they pull trigger on pods and semi-final weekend.” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “If SEC does pull the trigger on pods and semi-final weekend how does Big Ten stand at 14? If SEC rakes in extra 35 mil for 2 “semi-final pod winner” games on final weekend of regular season to go with SEC CCG $ the following week how does Big Ten not follow suit?” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM “All eyes on SEC’s decision to go pods or stay 2 divisions. But pretty much all in Big Ten agree current alignment of Big Ten divisions will not last more than few more years. Most of those same people believe pods are the future and it’s coming faster than expected.” Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 This was unexpected information from BTM this morning. But it all boils down to this: there is a strong belief if SEC chooses pods they will monetize the bleep out of the new structure. If true, everyone eventually…especially Big Ten…will do the same. Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 BTM made no mention of possible schools in long email. Obviously it’s Big 12 schools. Watch SEC’s decision on new conference structure which will probably follow FBS 10 conferences and Notre Dame’s decision on playoff format. Greg Flugaur@flugempire · Oct 6 I’ve written this in a few DM’s in last hour. As you all know BTM has never considered WVU a Big Ten candidate for expansion but now it can’t be ruled out as long as Big Ten becomes more enamored with pod system to match SEC’s potential decision to monetize new pod structure. [/QUOTE]

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