Conference Realignment Rumors

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A very unreliable source is saying that USC has reached out to the B1G about possible membership. Completely unsubstantiated, but something to discuss and watch. You’d assume that there would be a response to the SEC adding OUT, adding USC and possibly Stanford could be a long play to get Notre Dame to join. Here is the tweet.


 
As far a CFB goes having USC in the Big is gonna be very interesting to say the least.  

 
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Fox announced lthisast week that they are no longer interested in bidding for the Pac 12/10.

While I understand the lack of value in the conference as a whole without USC and UCLA, is there value of paying more than it is worth as is to prevent ESPN from buying it?

It's almost certainly an issue if Fox just allows ESPN to get the rights to the Pac 12 with no fight considering they already have the SEC and ACC rights I would think. They would own 3/4 of the remaining conferences that are actually valuable and could literally freeze the Big Ten out of any credible non conference opponents and even possibly a significant amount of bowl games if they still exist in 5 years.

ESPN controls every single bowl game except:

The Holiday Bowl - Fox 

The Sun Bowl - CBS 

The Arizona Bowl - Barstool

The Music City Bowl- ABC 

Citrus Bowl - ABC 

Everything I saw says ESPN owns the College football playoffs but none say if they own the games itself. 

I absolutely do not put it past ESPN to start making every bowl games they own Big Ten free if they get The Pac 12. And if they do own the rights of the playoff bowl sites, They absolutely are the kind of company that makes the Rose Bowl an SEC vs ACC game. 

Am I missing something here or is this the future if Fox hands the Pac 12/10 to ESPN without even bidding?

 
With USC & UCLA joining in 2024, giving B1G 16, I think the next phase will add Colorado, Utah, Kansas and Pittsburgh.

All AAU

Pitt helps the east coast and restores a PSU rivalry.  They solid enough in football and hoops.  Also fitting in nicely with Maryland, Rutgers, and anybody else they get scheduled against in league.

KU is basketball mecca (Big Ten would love them) but they are kind of turning things around in football.  Plus playing Huskers or Iowa or Northwestern or Minnesota or Wisconsin or Illinois - just fits in nicely.

Utah (football and hoops) Mountain West and Colorado (Prime) add flavor to USC and UCLA.

Just been my hunch since the moment we heard USC & UCLA going to B1G because that makes sense to me (and not TV market sense since I could care less about TV dollars - the conference already banks more than enough)

Oregon and Washington are way too far for east coast games, and they seem to have little brothers (Oregon State & Wazzu State).

 
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I am not sure they would add anyone who can't bring a 100 million dollar value with them.  Only Notre Dame would do that.  Kansas BB  UNC BB?  Maybe.  

 
UNC & Notre Dame would be huge gets.. Neither will happen though as Notre Dame is entirely too self loathing and elitist. 

Kansas won't happen either as there isn't any real need.

They're going to be pressured into at least 1 more West Coast team.. (Stanford or Cal likely) and honestly, the research dollars Cal generates is a HUGE factor. (Though Stanford gets a hefty amount too.)

The East Coast Schools that make sense are Pittsburgh, Duke/UNC and don't rule out Virginia either... These 4 schools are HUGE research schools.

The likes of Utah, Kansas, Oregon, Washington simply can't compare with the 4 east coast schools. 

If/when expansion occurs it will be in the east and maybe (though doubtful) Notre Dame. Truth is, Notre Dame holds all the cards and they know it. The moment they decide to join either the SEC or B!G conference fully then alignment changes will quickly follow. I can see the SEC saying "we're best in athletics" and B1G saying "so what, we out you 3 to 1 in research $.$$". 

Nobody wants to admit it though we all know it... the big money for the conference comes from the tax payers pockets through grant dollars and honestly... it's not even close.

edit:

couple mistakes but mostly a link through 2021 of grant funds for R&D projects

and lastly, University of Nebraska's total Grant expenditures year 2020

 
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admo said:
With USC & UCLA joining in 2024, giving B1G 16, I think the next phase will add Colorado, Utah, Kansas and Pittsburgh.

All AAU

Pitt helps the east coast and restores a PSU rivalry.  They solid enough in football and hoops.  Also fitting in nicely with Maryland, Rutgers, and anybody else they get scheduled against in league.

KU is basketball mecca (Big Ten would love them) but they are kind of turning things around in football.  Plus playing Huskers or Iowa or Northwestern or Minnesota or Wisconsin or Illinois - just fits in nicely.

Utah (football and hoops) Mountain West and Colorado (Prime) add flavor to USC and UCLA.

Just been my hunch since the moment we heard USC & UCLA going to B1G because that makes sense to me (and not TV market sense since I could care less about TV dollars - the conference already banks more than enough)

Oregon and Washington are way too far for east coast games, and they seem to have little brothers (Oregon State & Wazzu State).
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You are putting far too much faith and confidence in Coach Prime to make Colorado a school that will be attractive for other conferences.  That isn't going to happen.  CU's athletic programs are poorly funded and the school/fans pay little attention to them.

If the Big Ten does look to make further expansions west, Oregon and Washington are far more attractive to the Big Ten in terms of overall athletic programs.  As others have stated, I wouldn't be surprised if the Big Ten looks to expand to the southeast, maybe to North Carolina or some other schools which have strong athletic programs and high academic standards.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
You are putting far too much faith and confidence in Coach Prime to make Colorado a school that will be attractive for other conferences.  That isn't going to happen.  CU's athletic programs are poorly funded and the school/fans pay little attention to them.

If the Big Ten does look to make further expansions west, Oregon and Washington are far more attractive to the Big Ten in terms of overall athletic programs.  As others have stated, I wouldn't be surprised if the Big Ten looks to expand to the southeast, maybe to North Carolina or some other schools which have strong athletic programs and high academic standards.
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Thanks, but I am primarily thinking AAU and logistics / traveling.

That's why I suggest LA (USC & UCLA) Utah & Colorado & Kansas, with Pitt adding to East.  I agree with you, and most who say that Oregon & Washington... Cal/Stanford, Notre Dame & UNC are nice options on paper and possibly TV markets. 

But, the conference (IMHO) would be wise to think of college student athletes with transportation and long flights to and from games.  And fans that want to travel to those games too ($$$).  That would be ideal thinking for the Conference.... but since these decisions are made about money, money, money, the schools I suggest probably won't make it to the BIG.   :hmmph

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ColoradoHusk said:
You are putting far too much faith and confidence in Coach Prime to make Colorado a school that will be attractive for other conferences.  That isn't going to happen.  CU's athletic programs are poorly funded and the school/fans pay little attention to them.

If the Big Ten does look to make further expansions west, Oregon and Washington are far more attractive to the Big Ten in terms of overall athletic programs.  As others have stated, I wouldn't be surprised if the Big Ten looks to expand to the southeast, maybe to North Carolina or some other schools which have strong athletic programs and high academic standards.
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Sadly, like everything in life of late, it's a two party analogy. Both have the same motivation and drive... $.$$$

Party A: They want the research revenue and are mostly managed by Geeks/Nerds/Groupies. Their motivation and drive for expansion is comes from more consideration given to research revenue. (Which, until college sports becomes incorporated, is the side I fall into.) They believe universities first priority must remain academic in nature and as such, if the research revenue is not viable from a possible new member said new possible member is snubbed.

Party B: They also want the research revenue but much prefer the national media attention gained from sports. Most certainly they will expand not from a research viewpoint but rather a national television audience draw. (Hence why I think Kansas will be part of the next SEC expansion as the SEC wants dominance for TV's in the two major money sports.)

Also, imo it makes perfect sense.. both parties get what they want and the pot is mostly balanced and equally divvied up with obvious research funding having a moderate edge over the TV market contracts and it's why Notre Dame holds all the cards. The conference that lands them becomes the dawg conference both in television marketing and research grants.. 

Notre Dame will eventually be forced to join a conference (sadly really and no, my second favorite team any give day is whomever is playing Notre Dame) and that to me is a perfect analogy of where capitalism gets destroyed and those with the haves squash the those with the have nots. 

Edit:

To again point out the truth about where money rules.. "From the Big Acadmic Alliance Website 

"Big Ten Academic Alliance universities engage in $10 billion in funded research each year. Leaders from our member universities are exploring ways to promote greater strategic engagement across the spectrum of the research enterprise to leverage and build upon the significant resources and research facilities."

So, again, are TV contracts important.. absolutely they are but not nearly as lucrative as research.

 
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