🏈 announcement SEC/Big12 - shake up in the bowl selection process

[TerryP]

What really stuck out to me, the Pac-12's growth is stunted due to available schools in the surrounding states...worse that other conferences.

I concur. There is a virtual College Football desert between them and the teams to be had.
I can see why they went after Texas, which may be a deal too late to make now. One has to think that the BIG12 is looking to the west with suspicious eyes. This underscores the value of the recent BIG12/SEC Bowl deal to the BIG12.

After the BIG12 gets back to 12 member, the PAC12 could be in a poor spot if they are not the first to jump toward 16...should anyone choose to start that mess.

Do you suppose that this may put an end to conferences being Academic-Reputation snobs, by denying members because they are not as impressive in the PAC12's mind?

Do you suppose that the situation will get dire enough to force the slitting of schools in states that want them to go as a package deal (i.e. Oklahoma/OkState, Kansas/Kansas State, Virginia/Virginia Tech)?

Academic-Reputation.

The only time you see this is when a school/conference is losing and fans are trying to bolster their position by mentioning academic standards. The standards/requirements for admission to different schools vary. They do with conferences as well. You see kids attending schools like Louisville because they can get in and play.

I've seen the differences in requirements for admission from Big East schools as compared to SEC schools. I have not seen the same from Pac12 or B1G schools other than fans bringing up this point.

If you recall, the B1G started bitchin' about the 25 rule when they had their ass handed to them by a two loss LSU team back in the '07 season. Their contention was they didn't allow "sign and places." Now, the SEC really doesn't either. And, to add, those in the B1G never had a decent response when questioned about the fact 25 was a hard rule across the board. Most of their complaints were centered on rankings of classes followed by the results they witnessed on the field when they met one of the SEC teams on the grid-iron.

Hey, I'm not blind. I realize the schools and educational systems in the south are ranked lower. I also realize the same kids that are playing down south were heavily recruited by the teams up north as well. It just so happens they play down south.

It's hard for a fan of a conference to admit the athletic programs of another conference are superior to your own.

 

[LBS]

You are comparing apples to oranges here Lbs. With the state of TX, you are looking at two distinct markets. There, it would fall into which team gets the most viewers but it will also bring into play who is broadcast on a specific day.

Arbitrarily, if we had a weekend with Florida vs Georgia vs a Kansas vs Iowa State game, which one gets the most views. A lot of the TV market discussion has to include the decisions made by the networks themselves.

It's not as simple as "which teams bring the most viewers." It's "which conference brings the most viewers." This isn't about a single team. Never has been. It's about the SEC brand.

To some degree I think you boster my point, although I see that there is a counter point there.
Kansas vs. ISU gets its tail kicked by UFvUGA because ours is a nationally more sexy game, but also but it is more sexy because these teams are simply better and ensure a nice base viewership. One can't seperate jersey wearing viewers from being TV sexy. We chose TAMU over Rice for a reason, despite Rice being closer and from the Houston market. TAMU versus and top half SEC team is a good TV product; because its the TAMU brand mixed with the SEC Brand.

With respects to Virginia, Old Dominion is making the FBS jump. Its in the populated Hampton Roads metorplex and home to a recruiting hotbed, but it will not be invited because its not Virginia Tech who stands a better chance despite being figurativly in the middle of nowhere.

Questions that accompany my coffee this morning:
Is there enough market left over in Texas to justify taking another Texas-based school?
Would/Could the Aggies block that?
Are there even option for the SEC in NC or VA?

 

[It Takes Eleven]

This is one of the reasons Tim's comments caught my attention earlier. I wouldn't consider BYU as a team that deserves a "place at the table" based on their recent success. But, given their location and the number of fans across the nation that follow the team, perhaps they do.

Another reason Tim's point throws a wrench in the works has to do with eyeballs as well. Does anyone think BYU / Utah as a TV market coup?

I don't think Utah is a massive TV market, but a 30,000+ school that is the LDS equivalent of Notre Dame (far fewer LDS than Catholics mind you - but nearing 10MM nationally) does have a national following. I work and live around a fair number of LDS and they love their BYU sports. They have had some good seasons recently, but in-conference they were second fiddle to TCU, and in-state they've been Utah's whipping boy for a while, too.

 

[planomateo]

The market of ND is to me is probably the hardest one to determine, extremely small school, small alumni base, the part of the area they are in is a melting pot of schools (much like the state of Texas) - Michigan/Ohio State/Michigan State/NW/etc - then you throw in their TV contracts.

I think TAMU pulls in Houston/DFW...not sure about San Antonio. But DFW pulls many other schools as well.

 

[planomateo]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-fo...football-realignment-florida-state-notre-dame

don't agree w/ everything this guy says. I don't think the Big-XII is on the level of the SEC, I don't think the Big-XII is the winners in all of this (at least not the long term), and I don't think this guy has really looked at the impact to the B1G/Pac-12 yet, I think he is focused to short term on who the winners/losers will be.

anyways, some interesting things he does say about SEC pulling a slick one and who really is in control.

 

[TerryP]

The market of ND is to me is probably the hardest one to determine, extremely small school, small alumni base, the part of the area they are in is a melting pot of schools (much like the state of Texas) - Michigan/Ohio State/Michigan State/NW/etc - then you throw in their TV contracts.

I think TAMU pulls in Houston/DFW...not sure about San Antonio. But DFW pulls many other schools as well.

That's true, it's very hard to determine.

You'll find the majority think the alumni base of ND is one of the wealthiest out there. But, numbers don't support that. In fact, one of our newest SEC members, A&M, ranks in the top 10 along with Texas and your Ivy League schools.

The thing that gives ND weight—and Tim touched on it in his comments about the LDS—is the fact there are 65MM Catholics in the States.

Other than that, they aren't relevant in today's college landscape. I'd have to do the research, but I'm fairly comfortable saying since Holtz left ND they have had less than five 10 win seasons. I'm thinking they fired a coach that gave them two of them; Willingham.

 

[TerryP]

To some degree I think you boster my point, although I see that there is a counter point there.
Kansas vs. ISU gets its tail kicked by UFvUGA because ours is a nationally more sexy game, but also but it is more sexy because these teams are simply better and ensure a nice base viewership. One can't seperate jersey wearing viewers from being TV sexy. We chose TAMU over Rice for a reason, despite Rice being closer and from the Houston market. TAMU versus and top half SEC team is a good TV product; because its the TAMU brand mixed with the SEC Brand.

Here we have to bring in the issue of time slots vs "TV sexy." I doubt we'd have the option to watch A&M vs Rice. IF that game was televised, it would be 1) A&M's PPV game that season or 2) regional broadcast for the early Saturday game.

You won't see a game like those two playing in the afternoon on CBS. You more than likely won't see it on the ESPN networks, save one of the ESPNU games or say a Fox broadcast.

Questions that accompany my coffee this morning:
Is there enough market left over in Texas to justify taking another Texas-based school?
Would/Could the Aggies block that?
Are there even option for the SEC in NC or VA?

Yes, but nothing in the the northern part of the state worth considering. Like Matt mentioned, the DFW area is in and of itself.

Yes, the Aggies could block that. The alumni group there is strong enough to strong arm a lot...with the exception of a certain group coming out of Austin.

NC: NC State. I know the NC State Admin would jump at it for monetary reasons alone. Last year was the first in awhile their Ath. Dept. turned a profit. Now, it was only about 500k. Consider this. The new ACC deal adds about 2MM per school so under the assumption they didn't spend more last year would have been around 2.5MM in the black. The last SEC deal added right at 12MM per school.

VA: Tech, it's the only school worth it. Although, I'd have bet if given the chance WVU would have preferred the SEC over the Big12. $$ again.

 

[LBS]

Regarding NCState and VT:
Would NC State be the pick from N. Carolina?
Is there indeed an issue with their state Legislatures, insisting that their in-state schools remain together (i.e. package deal or no deal)?

Regarding Notre Dame (brought up in another post or thread):
This is so different. 95MM southern Southern Baptists and 65MM nation-wide Catholics. Tiny Private school with larger Public Universities. Snow Belt and the Sun Belt. Godly high education and Bubba trying to get use to the concept of wearing shoes.
As it is Notre Dame is big enough for its own network contract. The SEC takes CBS and ESPN. Could there be a TV arrangement big enough to handle this deal?
Would ND be willing so share, as is the SEC way?