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This is the first time I've heard the term balkanization used to describe what's going on in college athletics and I think it's 180 degrees from what's actually happening. College sports aren't becoming more regionalized, they're becoming less. "Balkanization" is what used to make college sports great. You had people cheering hard because they weren't just watching their school against another school, they were playing against neighboring states and nearby institutions. They were playing against people they knew and you were rooting against people you knew from the other school, and that's what made it interesting and passionate. Now if anything college athletics is becoming more nationally homogenous. That's why BC fans don't get their hackles up for a game against UVA as much as they used to against Cuse. Missouri, WVU, TA&M, and others don't even play their biggest local rival anymore.
I understand your point Matt - what I'm pointing to is the regionalization of success in the sport. The most geographically homogenous conference is basically running the table every year.