🏈 It's being reported that the SEC is split on the number of conference games (8 or 9)

[TerryP]

...from The Athletic.

 

[RTB X Bot]

For the second consecutive year, the SEC is set to decide on its future scheduling format — eight or nine games — at its spring meetings in Destin, Fla. But this time the conference really, really means it: A decision will be made.

Probably.
Maybe.

We’ll see.

The saga continues. SEC athletic directors are meeting early this week in Rosemary Beach, Fla., where the topic is under discussion, with hopes of moving it to a final resolution later this month at the larger meetings in Destin. A situation that has lingered longer than anyone expected may be nearing its exhaustive conclusion.

Talking to several people with ties to the conference who were granted anonymity to speak about the discussion, here is where things stand:

The decision to make

For a year now, the conference has been down to two options: a nine-game conference schedule where every team has three annual opponents and rotates the other 12 teams, or an eight-game schedule where everyone has one annual opponent. No more divisions. No pods.

The conference liked the two options because they result in every team playing everyone else at least twice every four years. This was the direction the SEC was going in even before Oklahoma and Texas joined the conference for 2024; expansion offered the excuse to do it once the two schools came in, rather than argue about what to do with the division setup. So this is set to be the final year of the SEC East and SEC West.

The nine-game schedule appeared to have the momentum heading into Destin last year; it just made more sense to expand the schedule when the conference was expanding, particularly with two programs some SEC schools were already playing. A nine-game schedule also preserved more annual rivalries. For example:

• Oklahoma and Texas would be the only annual game on those teams’ schedules in an eight-game setup. But in a nine-game format with three annual opponents, Texas and Texas A&M also would play every year.

• The Iron Bowl and the Cocktail Party also would be preserved in an eight-game format, but secondary rivalries — Alabama–Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia — would only happen twice every four years. A nine-game format kept those annually.

It made too much sense to go to nine games.

So, what happened?

As everyone met last year, they realized they didn’t have a consensus. Schools such as Kentucky preferred eight-game schedules because they didn’t care about more than one annual rivalry and liked eight-game schedules for competitive and financial reasons. (One fewer nonconference game means one fewer chance to schedule a very winnable home game.)

There were also other uncertainties, such as whether the College Football Playoff would expand, who would pay for canceling nonconference games and whether the SEC would get more money from ESPN. So, a decision was punted to the fall.

Then no decision was made in the fall, even after the CFP field officially was expanded to 12. Then no scheduling decision was made in the winter. The official reason was a lack of agreement among the schools. The unofficial reason was money, principally the ESPN deal.

The finances of it

ESPN’s deal with the SEC, which kicks in next year, is estimated to be for about $811 million per year for 10 years. It was signed prior to Oklahoma and Texas joining the conference but is believed to contain a pro rata clause that, in the event of expansion, increases the payment by an amount equal to what each school was set to get: $58 million per year per school would mean the new value of the contract would be about $927 million.

But this is where it gets thorny and where scheduling comes in.

The SEC has made the case to ESPN that this is not just two schools; this is Oklahoma and Texas. The SEC also can argue that by going to a nine-game schedule, it will provide more marquee games. For instance, Texas-Texas A&M every year, rather than twice every four years. Ditto for Alabama-Tennessee, Auburn-Georgia and other games that would be one of three annual games, rather than one in an eight-game format.

But how much more worth it that is to ESPN is unclear. If the network was bowled over by the possibility, a deal would have been announced by now.

So for the SEC schools already disposed to favor eight games, there isn’t a huge financial incentive to change your vote. Let’s say ESPN was offering to go over the pro rata amount a bit but not by that much. Kentucky or another school could say: Why vote for an extra conference game, which would mean one fewer home game every other year, when you get $2 to $3 million from home games with a fourth nonconference game? And yes, bowl eligibility — or just having a more impressive record — figures into it as well.

Nine-game proponents long have been believed to be in the majority. But SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has preferred more consensus before a decision is made, and if enough money from ESPN isn’t forthcoming, some of the nine-game votes might switch back to eight.

So, what will happen?

Spring meetings begin May 30 in Destin. A decision does not have to be made that week — theoretically, a schedule could be announced much later — but at this point, people around the conference appear tired of the topic and just ready to vote.

There’s still some belief that nine-game proponents will win out. Those tend to be from the more traditional powers: Alabama, Georgia and Florida are in favor, Texas A&M has been vocal in pushing for nine and so on.

But there’s enough pushback from the others, not just Kentucky, that one official in the conference speculated it could end up an 8-8 tie. Then what?

Sankey has been careful not to say what he favors, but many believe he’s in the nine-game category, and he could make his case in the room to the holdouts, pleading for the greater good. And that’s why the belief remains that when the next SEC schedule is announced, a 2024 slate including Oklahoma and Texas, it’ll be a nine-game schedule.

Probably.

Maybe.

We’ll see.

 

[TerryP]

Today, two months ago, a thread was started about the permanent opponents (three) being unfairly balanced. I bring that up to mention this.

For years Saban has been a lone voice in favor of the conference moving to a nine game schedule. That support has "wavered," to say the least. Going back to March:

League administrators are believed to be split on the issue—a divide that, for the most part, is along revenue-generating lines. Many of the conference’s smaller-budget schools are in favor of remaining at eight games, and many of the bigger-budget programs support a move to nine.​

​

But there are outliers. Alabama coach Nick Saban is in favor of the eight-game model, he told Sports Illustrated during an interview in March. The model provides a more “balanced” format as opposed to the nine-game format, which calls for each team to have three permanent opponents. Saban took issue with the three permanent opponents the SEC suggested for Alabama (Tennessee, Auburn and LSU). In choosing three permanent opponents for each team, the SEC is using historic rivalries, geography and a 10-year success metric. Based on conversations with those within the league, SI projected each team’s three permanents.​

​

Going back to that thread from March...this is the 1-7 format I favor. And frankly, I don't care if it's Auburn or Tennessee as Alabama's permanent opponent...though I'll admit a preference of UT.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

Going back to that thread from March...this is the 1-7 format I favor. And frankly, I don't care if it's Auburn or Tennessee as Alabama's permanent opponent...though I'll admit a preference of UT.

If we are down to one then it will be Auburn. The state legislature has previously threatened school funding to get the series restarted in the 1940's. Barner MeeMaw would stop the legislature from doing anything until they passed a law requiring the game happen every year. I am surprised they haven't already.

 

[BamaFan334]

Play 9. Add teams, play nine. I, as a fan, want to see us playGeorgia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida more.

 

[TerryP]

Play 9. Add teams, play nine. I, as a fan, want to see us playGeorgia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida more.

You would, with either schedule.

Nine, as proposed, makes no sense as a desire for a Bama fan.

 

[OldPlayer]

It’s easier to survive eight games than it is to survive nine. If the conference wants to continue to lead the country in getting teams into the CFP, playing nine games isn’t going to help.

 

[BamaFan334]

You would, with either schedule.

Nine, as proposed, makes no sense as a desire for a Bama fan.

I don't care to be like Georgia and take the cupcake schedule to a Natty. As a paying Alabama fan, I want to see bigger programs in Bryant-Denny and us beating teams on our way to a Natty.

 

[TerryP]

I don't care to be like Georgia and take the cupcake schedule to a Natty. As a paying Alabama fan, I want to see bigger programs in Bryant-Denny and us beating teams on our way to a Natty.

Georgia ain't got shit to do with this and neither does a cupcake schedule. It's all about the 8-ball the SEC would put Bama behind each, and every, season.

As a paying Bama fan, you will see the bigger programs in BDS, either way. Touting 3-6 versus 1-7 ... it doesn't make any sense in that light. You're saying you want to see more programs and then saying you'd rather see fewer? It's six rotating versus seven rotation; the 1-7 giving you more variety.

Why wouldn't you want to see every program in the SEC face the same opponent schedule, balanced? Would you rather bitch about an opponent having a weak schedule or see more balance in scheduling across the board?

 

[BamaFan334]

Georgia ain't got shit to do with this and neither does a cupcake schedule. It's all about the 8-ball the SEC would put Bama behind each, and every, season.

As a paying Bama fan, you will see the bigger programs in BDS, either way. Touting 3-6 versus 1-7 ... it doesn't make any sense in that light. You're saying you want to see more programs and then saying you'd rather see fewer? It's six rotating versus seven rotation; the 1-7 giving you more variety.

Why wouldn't you want to see every program in the SEC face the same opponent schedule, balanced? Would you rather bitch about an opponent having a weak schedule or see more balance in scheduling across the board?

Georgia has shit to do with it in the current SEC scheduling because they aren't forced to play the West more. The East is weak and they get a cupcake ride because of it. So how does that not have anything to do with it? Maintaining current playing relationships has something to do with it as well, and Georgia being in the East and getting easier teams on a yearly basis compared to Alabama does matter. So yes, play the extra SEC game and make it difficult on everyone, not just Alabama. I'd rather bitch about the SEC as a whole being the most difficult conference in the country like we have touted for years. I take pride in beating the best and don't want to slide by anyone. Doesn't make good for racking up National Championships as you want the road of least resistance, but as a former athlete and competitor I want to play and beat the best, not hope for a good draw.

 

[1CrimsonTider]

Georgia has shit to do with it in the current SEC scheduling because they aren't forced to play the West more. The East is weak and they get a cupcake ride because of it. So how does that not have anything to do with it? Maintaining current playing relationships has something to do with it as well, and Georgia being in the East and getting easier teams on a yearly basis compared to Alabama does matter. So yes, play the extra SEC game and make it difficult on everyone, not just Alabama. I'd rather bitch about the SEC as a whole being the most difficult conference in the country like we have touted for years. I take pride in beating the best and don't want to slide by anyone. Doesn't make good for racking up National Championships as you want the road of least resistance, but as a former athlete and competitor I want to play and beat the best, not hope for a good draw.

There wont be divisions. Everyone will rotate the same schedule as everyone else in the SEC in both proposals.

Your idea actually goes against what you are trying to say. Make it difficult on everyone and then saying let others keep easier schedules can't both be true.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I kinda liked the weekly games in 2020 when all games were sec games...

Play 8 gives everyone a chance at games nobody gives a crap about...

I know it wont be 10 or more....9 is best 100%

Screw the vandys amd kys that want more cupcakes....

And the 3 nick didnt want.
50+ likes those 3 as our permanents...

 

[TerryP]

Play 8 gives everyone a chance at games nobody gives a crap about...

That's not true. It's refuted in the article. Geez.

 

[TerryP]

Georgia has shit to do with it in the current SEC scheduling because they aren't forced to play the West more. The East is weak and they get a cupcake ride because of it. So how does that not have anything to do with it? Maintaining current playing relationships has something to do with it as well, and Georgia being in the East and getting easier teams on a yearly basis compared to Alabama does matter. So yes, play the extra SEC game and make it difficult on everyone, not just Alabama. I'd rather bitch about the SEC as a whole being the most difficult conference in the country like we have touted for years. I take pride in beating the best and don't want to slide by anyone. Doesn't make good for racking up National Championships as you want the road of least resistance, but as a former athlete and competitor I want to play and beat the best, not hope for a good draw.

As pointed out, you're not asking for anything. Both proposals cover your concerns; the 1-7 actually does it better.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

That's not true. It's refuted in the article. Geez.

It said ... some. Kentucky i think. Wanted less games for chance for better record and more chace for bowl

See below

 

[TerryP]

See below

"Such as," is an example in a series of examples: Grammar 101.

We'll find weak schedules (1-7 model) an example in the SEC rather than a tradition. Who doesn't want that?

 

[UAgrad93]

I’ll go for the 1-7 model. The 3-6 model tilts the balance toward some while it hinders others.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I’ll go for the 1-7 model. The 3-6 model tilts the balance toward some while it hinders others.

Things flip n flop

Thats what the problem is. Every one has an opinion that suits themselves at present

The talk of not wanting Tennessee. Lsu. Au
As 3. Look at bamas records vs LSU.
We should want them every year

 

[50+yeartidefan]

"Such as," is an example in a series of examples: Grammar 101.

We'll find weak schedules (1-7 model) an example in the SEC rather than a tradition. Who doesn't want that?

Don't have a clue what ur point is
Just grammer police?

I dont want weak schedules for bama. You are better by playing better
Much rather have lsu than msu full time

 

[BamaFan334]

As pointed out, you're not asking for anything. Both proposals cover your concerns; the 1-7 actually does it better.

Ok, fine. Just make me like it. That sound better? I was mainly wanting another conference game to take away Utah State or Mercer each year.