SI: Oliver Luck expected to be next Texas AD

[specialisthusky]

http://college-football.si.com/2013/10/28/oliver-luck-expected-texas-athletic-director/

Luck has been often reported as an active proponent of expansion for the Big 12. Perhaps now with Luck running the athletic department at Texas, the Longhorns may support a 12 team or 14 team Big 12.

I think UConn may have an oppurtunity with the Big 12 if they go to 14. 12 would likely mean the AAC loses Cinci and/or U_F which would be another serious blow. FTT has often stated UConn should be doing everything in its powers to get a Big 12 invite, I'd say he is probably right at this point. If they are the next to expand let's get the heck off this ship. Although the Big 12 is probably the worst or second worst of the 5 conferences in terms of fit for UConn, it is undeniably more attractive than the AAC.

Nothing immenent, but this is probably another conference situation for Warde to monitor.

 

[Excalibur]

So the B12 may be looking at expansion right after we go 0-12. Great . . .

 

[geordi]

If the Big 12 goes to 12, you are likely looking at BYU and Air Force. If it goes to 14, think Houston as one of them. Cincy and Boise has a better shot that we do. We're just too far east to make any sense.

 

[bobbyinaz]

If the Big 12 goes to 12, you are likely looking at BYU and Air Force. If it goes to 14, think Houston as one of them. Cincy and Boise has a better shot that we do. We're just too far east to make any sense.

BYU would be in if they are willing to give up their no play on Sunday rule (which they appear to not be interesting in changing) but Air Force is not happening.

If the Big 12 expands IMO Cincy is in. Oliver Luck understands better than anyone how difficult it will be for West Virginia being on an island. Having Cincy at least gives them a clos(er) school to travel to/with. The question is who goes with them and how many teams do they want to add.

If it is 12 then it is Cincy & either BYU or one of UCF or USF

 

[Dooley]

If they want in, BYU is a lock. My guess would be that the B12 goes to 14 to stay on par with the ACC. These two conferences are the weakest of the P5 so my guess is that it's the B12's turn to try to strengthen its footprint. I'm not sure if they would want to go further west than Utah, so my guess would be that they come east to grab Cincinnati (WVU buddy), UCF and USF. Grabbing only one of the U_F schools essentially puts them on a similar island that WVU is currently enjoying so grabbing both locks down a significant DMA map, gives each school a geographic rival, and sends a blow across the ACC's bow by grabbing two FL schools. This football conference would have presence in very fertile recruiting grounds and, over time, this should strengthen that conference (assuming nobody leaves) as a better football conference than the ACC top to bottom. And, of course, this would crush UCONN because that's our roll in CR: the recipient of constant nut kicking.

 

[CAHUSKY]

He was a proponent of BigXII expansion when it suited his needs at WVU. I doubt he will be a proponent at Texas where expansion isn't important.

 

[specialisthusky]

He was a proponent of BigXII expansion when it suited his needs at WVU. I doubt he will be a proponent at Texas where expansion isn't important.

Possibly, actually probably, but he may also know a successful WVU is good for the Big 12 and that WVU will have trouble being successful if it remains isolated.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

If the Big 12 goes to 12, you are likely looking at BYU and Air Force. If it goes to 14, think Houston as one of them. Cincy and Boise has a better shot that we do. We're just too far east to make any sense.

Cinn will be the first in to help out their WV proplem
From an emerging market and recruiting sense a Fla team is a must.
UCONN is a long shot unless they go to 16 and 4 teams are Eastern.. The big 12 would not be in the schools best interest although its better than were we are now.
BYU is not looked upon to favorably by the Texas fundimentalists.
I know Easterners look at the Big 12 as way out west but its more central than you think. Norman Oklahoma to Phoenix is 1000 miles.
BSU and BYU are almost as much outliers as UConn
The only conferences that make sense for us is the ACC which will never happen or the B1G with a 5% maybe 10% ptobability
Actually are best chance is if the Football Schools form a separate division within the NCAA. Contingent upon remaining in the NCAA That Division must be exclusive. Especially by current conference affiliation. Those schools regardless of their bravado will not leave the NCAA.

 

[Fishy]

I think we're way, way too far afield for the Big 12.

If Texas does hire Luck, (honestly, when has OrangeBloods been right?), I think it probably means the Big 12 will ultimately be more likely to expand.

The Big 12 has a Texas problem. Eventually, the Longhorns are going to bail and they're going to pull off one to three others when they go.

If you're the other nine teams in that conference, you have to know this and why they've allowed Texas to create the Big 12 as a dependent appendage is a mystery. It will cost them some money now, but unless they want to end up as the island of misfit toys begging the AAC for a home, they'd best get to work expanding that conference.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I've already mentally prepared myself for a 4 team Big 12 expansion consisting of USF, UCF, Cinci, and Houston. Doesn't make it suck any less.

 

[gioff23]

The big assumption in all this is that TX stays in the B12. I have long held that they and OU will eventually look elsewhere. I'll be shocked if they add UH.

I would think UConn's best bet would be to partner w/BYU to join as FB only members. I have serious doubts BYU would join the B12, regardless, but it makes little sense for UConn to join that conf., and even less for them to invite us.

 

[FDNY99]

I found a picture of the Dude and MH3 getting ready to go hunt Luck down and force him to stay at WVU

 

[NickyNewark]

I thought I read somewhere where WVU had an out/promise in their contract with the big12 if they were left w/o at least 1/2 partners in the east so they would'nt be left alone on the eastern fringe for traveling purposes?A year ago I figured Cinncy/UConn the probable add's now with the Fla directional's in the conversation in the heart of ACC/SEC country I'm not as confident!You would think the NY/Boston TV market's would hold more appeal than central Fla?Not to mention UConn's academic's and hoop's appeal.Sometimes in CR they throw names like USF/UCF as red herrings so no one catches on to the real target!!

 

[HuskyJ]

If the Big 12 starts to look like they are about to add Cincinnati this could lead the ACC to preemptively take Cinci and along with them UConn. The reason being if the ACC thinks seriously that they will have a network, they will need Ohio and Conn/NY to make it more viable for ESPN. Once Cinci is off the board the ACC network won’t have anywhere to go that doesn't overlap with ESPN’s SEC Channel.

 

[bobbyinaz]

I thought I read somewhere where WVU had an out/promise in their contract with the big12 if they were left w/o at least 1/2 partners in the east so they would'nt be left alone on the eastern fringe for traveling purposes?A year ago I figured Cinncy/UConn the probable add's now with the Fla directional's in the conversation in the heart of ACC/SEC country I'm not as confident!You would think the NY/Boston TV market's would hold more appeal than central Fla?Not to mention UConn's academic's and hoop's appeal.Sometimes in CR they throw names like USF/UCF as red herrings so no one catches on to the real target!!

Having an "out" doesn't do them any good if they have no place to go.

 

[NickyNewark]

Having an "out" doesn't do them any good if they have no place to go.

Maybe, maybe not but remember their were many powerful ACC FB school's really mad about the passing of WV who Swoffy wants kept happy.And as HuskyJ alluded too no one in the ACC wants the Big12 sucking up any air in what they perceive ACC territory if they can help it!I think thats why if there was even a rumor of a B1G or big12 having interest in UConn or Cinncy they would send in a SWAT team with an invite to lock up the last perceived worthy markets!My guess is either the big12 or ACC either merge or 1 will break apart and we'll end up with 4- 18 team conferences in major CFB with an 8 team playoff ?Thats just my feeling not really what I'd like.I prefer the old regional conferences of the BCS period!

 

[husky10]

I would think UConn's best bet would be to partner w/BYU to join as FB only members. I have serious doubts BYU would join the B12, regardless, but it makes little sense for UConn to join that conf., and even less for them to invite us.

This would be an interesting idea even if we had to promise them some basketball series the way ND did with the ACC for football.

Best part is that it would be far from an ideal situation for UCONN so it follows conference realignment rule number one that nothing really good will ever happen in UCONNs favor

 

[btstimpy]

If the Big 12 starts to look like they are about to add Cincinnati this could lead the ACC to preemptively take Cinci and along with them UConn. The reason being if the ACC thinks seriously that they will have a network, they will need Ohio and Conn/NY to make it more viable for ESPN. Once Cinci is off the board the ACC network won’t have anywhere to go that doesn't overlap with ESPN’s SEC Channel.

Overlap with ESPN's SEC Channel would be fine. The people in those areas need something to watch in January, February, and March. SEC basketball is not good for watching. ESPN views the SEC as their signature football conference. They view the ACC as their signature basketball conference. They view the value of the two networks the same way. They also see appeal in lacrosse with the ACC. Both networks will also feature football, baseball, and softball. They have not pulled the trigger on the ACC network yet, but it's being worked on. They have been test running ACC soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and softball on ESPN3 for the past 2 years increasing the number of games each year.

UConn would certainly help with basketball content and in the New York area. Would Cincinnati help that much in Ohio?

 

[HuskyJ]

My thought on overlap of the ACC with the SEC is does ESPN really want more than one Conference Channel competing directly with another one they own in any one area. They have their stable of ESPN channels to bring multiple out of town conference games to an area. If the SEC Channel and possible ACC Channel complement each other as regional channels with less overlap I think they have more potential to ESPN. ESPN and ESPN2 still need to be the go to, because ESPN will always make more money off those then SEC or ACC Channels.

Cinnci may not bring that much to Ohio but it gets ESPN in there with its own conference channel since Fox has the BIG.

 

[btstimpy]

My thought on overlap of the ACC with the SEC is does ESPN really want more than one Conference Channel competing directly with another one they own in any one area. They have their stable of ESPN channels to bring multiple out of town conference games to an area. If the SEC Channel and possible ACC Channel complement each other as regional channels with less overlap I think they have more potential to ESPN. ESPN and ESPN2 still need to be the go to, because ESPN will always make more money off those then SEC or ACC Channels.

Cinnci may not bring that much to Ohio but it gets ESPN in there with its own conference channel since Fox has the BIG.

ESPN isn't worried about overlap between channels. They have overlap with their 3 main channels now. They are comfortable showing a Georgia vs Florida Women's soccer game on the SEC channel at the same time as a Florida State vs Notre Dame Volleyball game in Florida. They will want both channels to have national distribution.

 

[HuskyJ]

ESPN isn't worried about overlap between channels. They have overlap with their 3 main channels now. They are comfortable showing a Georgia vs Florida Women's soccer game on the SEC channel at the same time as a Florida State vs Notre Dame Volleyball game in Florida. They will want both channels to have national distribution.

Sorry, I wasn’t referring to the viewing audience, but to the cable providers they sell the channels too. There’s only so many sports channels any provider can put in their top paying category and only so much ESPN can get combined from them. Trying to sell The SEC Channel and The ACC Channel in any one state as both top tier would only cannibalize each other’s value. Unfortunately for the ACC the SEC would trump in any overlap state. Cinnci wouldn’t trump The BIG of course but it could be packaged with the other ESPN main channels to get the ACC on top tier in Ohio.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I thought I read somewhere where WVU had an out/promise in their contract with the big12 if they were left w/o at least 1/2 partners in the east so they would'nt be left alone on the eastern fringe for traveling purposes?A year ago I figured Cinncy/UConn the probable add's now with the Fla directional's in the conversation in the heart of ACC/SEC country I'm not as confident!You would think the NY/Boston TV market's would hold more appeal than central Fla?Not to mention UConn's academic's and hoop's appeal.Sometimes in CR they throw names like USF/UCF as red herrings so no one catches on to the real target!!

The XII is driven by Texas, which in turn is driven by football, regardless of what Kansas says or does on the court. Sadly, as UConn has proven (and nothing personal; but, Rutgers, Syracuse & etc. have not helped either this year), the Northeast is not a college football power region at this time. Florida is. Thus, I can see the XII’s interest in UCG, USF and then throw in Cincinnati to make West Virginia happy and add BYU to bring in a decent brand name.

 

[bobbyinaz]

The XII is driven by Texas, which in turn is driven by football, regardless of what Kansas says or does on the court. Sadly, as UConn has proven (and nothing personal; but, Rutgers, Syracuse & etc. have not helped either this year), the Northeast is not a college football power region at this time. Florida is. Thus, I can see the XII’s interest in UCG, USF and then throw in Cincinnati to make West Virginia happy and add BYU to bring in a decent brand name.

If the Big 12 is forced to expand they will add whatever schools FOX tells them to. With no network they will only add schools that increase the per team payout that comes from FOX. A conference championship game will add money but without increasing the $20MM per school that is paid out now the members will never agree to expansion