RE: What would you do if you were SEC commissioner or an SEC school president?
Assuming ACC schools are untouchable and that the Big 12 is where the wealth of schools would come from...I like going to 20. Long many years ago, I suggested we merge with the Big 12. Not gonna happen, but I think the 24 number has several perks, not the least of which is consolidating content and holding greater leverage in negotiations with networks. 20 is not too different from 24 as long as we target the right members.
Add BYU, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State, and West Virginia
More football, more basketball, more markets...
Divisions:
West: BYU, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State
Central: Texas A&M, LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Missouri
South: Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
East: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia
This is more in the form of a national conference as we've now expanded into multiple regions.
Personally, I'd rather go for 16, 20, or 24 so the divisional alignments are even. I think it would be a little sticky to try to figure up a system for a wildcard to enter the conference semis. We could do it, but I think a 4 division system is better.
I'd play 10 conference games. That's 5 home and 5 away. You play your 4 division mates along with 1 permanent rival from the other divisions and 1 rotating rival from each of the other divisions. That way, you play every school at least once every 4 years.
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