Confrence Re-Alignement Ideas?

Red_Payne

Red_Payne

New member
Was talking to a couple friends, and we were discussing what are the next big moves that may/could/should occur in terms of conferences shifting?

Everyone seemed to agree that BIG 12 will fall apart unless they find a way to grab Boise, Houston, and/or BYU... However, those teams could also be targeted by Pac-12.

Independents... Who could become one? Texas probably has the means to have some success as an independent. I also saw an article saying USC could see success as an independent, but the Pac-12 money they receive would be hard to match as an independent. Who else 'could' have success as an Indy team? OU?

Notre Dame - who are they likely to join, if they were to join a conference (unlikely, though)? B1G would love to have them, but so would ACC. What would make more sense for ND?

B1G - what two teams could you see being added? could you see two 8-team divs; or four 4-team divs.? Or no divs.?

 
I made something a few years ago about conference realignment. This is what I thought the Midwest should look like. I have all the conferences moved around some. I think more geographically located conferences make more sense for everyone. Should be no independents allowed - all conferences need same amount of teams/games etc.

(West)
Illinois
Iowa
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Wisconsin

(East)
Cincinnati
Indiana
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Purdue
Penn State
Pittsburgh

 
ND is already with the ACC for basketball and partly for football, so they clearly have a leg up.  There's also a negative history between ND and the Big Ten / (Great?) Western conference.

I think the bigger deal is whether we continue the charade of having half the teams in the division ineligible for postseason play.  Something has got to give.

p.s. - This addresses more than the one ND issue I was alluding to:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/687407-ten-reasons-why-notre-dame-will-never-join-the-big-ten

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Big XII: IMO the Grant-of-rights agreement not being renewed was telling.  It will expire in 2025, but the BTN agreement will be renegotiated in 2023, so getting out of the GOR will be more financially manageable at that time than now.

Look for Oklahoma/Texas/Kansas to start "shopping around" in another 4 or 5 years. (IMO)

Another factor for them is access to the playoff.  Right now they are at a slight disadvantage, being the weakest Power-5 conference.  If the playoff expands to 8, though, just being considered "power 5" would guarantee access, more or less.  The perceived or real weakness of a 10-team conference then becomes a strength.  Texas and Oklahoma would be in a good position to guarantee an easier path to the playoff than if they were in the SEC or B1G.  So maybe they stay put.

 
Kiyoat Husker said:
Big XII: IMO the Grant-of-rights agreement not being renewed was telling.  It will expire in 2025, but the BTN agreement will be renegotiated in 2023, so getting out of the GOR will be more financially manageable at that time than now.

Look for Oklahoma/Texas/Kansas to start "shopping around" in another 4 or 5 years. (IMO)

Another factor for them is access to the playoff.  Right now they are at a slight disadvantage, being the weakest Power-5 conference.  If the playoff expands to 8, though, just being considered "power 5" would guarantee access, more or less.  The perceived or real weakness of a 10-team conference then becomes a strength.  Texas and Oklahoma would be in a good position to guarantee an easier path to the playoff than if they were in the SEC or B1G.  So maybe they stay put.
Click to expand...


Frank the Tank has been a pretty reliable source for Expansion information, and what Kiyoat said is most likely taken from this article:

https://frankthetank.me/2016/07/29/the-return-of-conference-realignment-summer-of-big-12-cya-expansion/

As for what Kiyoat said, it's pretty much spot on: if the Big XII continues to reject expansion (and by extension, is rejecting extension of the GOR), then we may see one or two of the following jump ship to the B1G: Texass, Kansas, Oklahoma. Kansas and Oklahoma have already been vetted by the B1G and were originally part of the five-team expansion that was originally going to occur with Mizzery, DoNU, and aTm (until aTm's greed got the best of them), and Texass is big enough that they'd accept (with caveats, I'm sure). 

Also, if Mizzery continues to be a SEC doormat, don't be shocked if they move to the B1G with one of one of the bigger Big XII names--remember, the SEC doesn't have a GOR and members can leave at will. 

One other thing re: Oklahoma--the President that was pushing for a greater academic cache for the University has either stepped down or will do so soon. Oklahoma fans, as myopic and ignorant as they are, want the SEC. If Oklahoma's leadership abandons improving Oklahoma's academic cache, then you'll probably see them look to join the SEC, as there is zero improvement that can be done academically as part of that conference. Conversely, Oklahoma media and leadership have already taken notice of the significant improvements DoNU has made under the B1G. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
beorach said:
ND is already with the ACC for basketball and partly for football, so they clearly have a leg up.  There's also a negative history between ND and the Big Ten / (Great?) Western conference.

I think the bigger deal is whether we continue the charade of having half the teams in the division ineligible for postseason play.  Something has got to give.

p.s. - This addresses more than the one ND issue I was alluding to:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/687407-ten-reasons-why-notre-dame-will-never-join-the-big-ten
Click to expand...


This article has aged poorly.

Even if the major realignment happened, the chances that a playoff would replace the bowl system are almost absolute zero. The clout the bowl possess and the strong support the current system has from the men holding all the power in this situation means there won't be any sort of major change.





 
Click to expand...

 
Branno said:
This article has aged poorly.
Click to expand...


What you quoted had nothing to do with why I shared it, though, to be fair.  The OP was asking about ND.  ND was blackballed by the Western Conference teams.  Nebraska was denied admission to its ranks at one time also.  I think that's interesting.  The University of Chicago's role was the most interesting part of our conference's history I've learned about, though.  They were once as big as any of the teams in it but dropped football because they feared the corruption associated with the sport.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
There won't be any major realignments for at least 5 years, and when it happens I would bet that the schools most likely to be targeted and be accessible are Kansas and Vatech to the Big 10, and even that is a stretch.  The big 12 will exist only to the extent that it can serve the interests of Texas, but to that end they are in the catbird seat.  Oklahoma could move to the SEC but why would  they?   Kstate and Iowa st don't bring media markets that are attractive to any conference, and the remaining schools like their association with Texas because it brings them credibility.  You've got Cincinnati out there that could be a target of the ACC, but that move would be reactionary as opposed to a first move.  

Looking at what happened last time, the only real impetus for conference realignment was Texas pissing off the attractive schools in the big12.  Who's going to be that player next time?   

 
beorach said:
What you quoted had nothing to do with why I shared it, though, to be fair.  The OP was asking about ND.  ND was blackballed by the Western Conference teams.  Nebraska was denied admission to its ranks at one time also.  I think that's interesting.  The University of Chicago's role was the most interesting part of our conference's history I've learned about, though.  They were once as big as any of the teams in it but dropped football because they feared the corruption associated with the sport.
Click to expand...






They weren't just wrong, they were laughably wrong about one of the core tenants of their argument that ND wouldn't join the B1G. This should cast doubt on the rest of the points they make. It's just not a good article to use to defend the idea that ND wouldn't join the B1G, which it seems is what you were trying to do (specifically mentioning the bad blood between ND and the B1G). 

In the end, if ND really makes a decision on joining the B1G based off a slight that happened over 100 years ago.... do we really want them in the B1G?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Unless the Big 12 does something of substance it will go as follows;

Texas PAC12

Texas Tech PAC 12

Okie St. PAC 12

Oklahoma B1G

Kansas B1G

W. Virginia ACC

TCU MtnWest

Baylor MtnWst

ISU MtnWst

KSU MtnWst

If the Big 12 caves to their own stupidity and adds anyone it will be BYU and probably Houston.  Maybe Memphis and Cincy.

 
beorach said:
ND is already with the ACC for basketball and partly for football, so they clearly have a leg up.  There's also a negative history between ND and the Big Ten / (Great?) Western conference.
Click to expand...


I agree. Notre Dame is never leaving the ACC. They literally get to have their cake and eat it too. 

 
Crazyhole said:
There won't be any major realignments for at least 5 years, and when it happens I would bet that the schools most likely to be targeted and be accessible are Kansas and Vatech to the Big 10, and even that is a stretch.  The big 12 will exist only to the extent that it can serve the interests of Texas, but to that end they are in the catbird seat.  Oklahoma could move to the SEC but why would  they?   Kstate and Iowa st don't bring media markets that are attractive to any conference, and the remaining schools like their association with Texas because it brings them credibility.  You've got Cincinnati out there that could be a target of the ACC, but that move would be reactionary as opposed to a first move.  

Looking at what happened last time, the only real impetus for conference realignment was Texas pissing off the attractive schools in the big12.  Who's going to be that player next time?   
Click to expand...
Both OU and Texas would join the B1G if asked.  The brass at both school want to up their academic status.  

 
Back
Top