Allow me to posit the idea that we could still end up with a Power 5, just a different 5.

Power conferences tend to be made up of flagship institutions and athletic departments that otherwise generate big money.

We talked a little about this on other threads, but I wanted to highlight 2 things...

1) The B1G limits itself academically to certain prospects and if Texahoma ends up in the SEC then the pickings are pretty slim.

2) I now believe the PAC is unlikely to expand due to geography, the quality of prospects, and the inability to create a profitable league network.

So in other words, I think the Big 12 as we know it is going away, but there should be enough leftover parts to build another Power league with reasonably strong money making potential.

What exactly it might be called I don't think matters. I think its construction will be similar to what we saw with the coming together of the Big 8 and the SWC...parts of multiple leagues merging.

Personally, I think the target number for the SEC may end up being 20. The league is poised to pick apart the Big 12 and the easiest way to do that is to take several of them at once.

Maybe this...

SEC adds Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Iowa State

In order to clinch the participation of Texas in this plan, perhaps the ACC is called upon to secure the future of a couple of TX schools as well...

ACC adds Notre Dame in full, Cincinnati, West Virginia, TCU, Houston, and UConn

I subbed Houston for Baylor here because UH probably has more money making potential anyway...especially after the BU scandals. That and ESPN wouldn't have to up their investment. Baylor can be had for cheap in a new Power league. Houston can help increase ratings and exposure for the ACC in another major city(their MO) while the state politicos are probably happy to see the inclusion of another state school.

Both the ACC and SEC are at 20.

Now what?

Our new league is a mishmash of extant leagues.

West: San Diego State, UNLV, BYU, Boise State, Colorado State
Central: Air Force, New Mexico, Kansas State, Tulsa, SMU
South: Baylor, Rice, Memphis, Tulane, Navy
East: Army, Temple, East Carolina, UCF, USF

Of course, I'm spitballing here, but if a league of the best mid major programs from across the country are united then I think it's a plausible Power league for a few reasons.

1) ESPN can store an awful lot of decent content there both in football and basketball.
2) The league would be very flexible on TV as it reaches all timezones and could have games on all day long maximizing its revenue potential.
3) The inclusion of these programs at a bargain price would help allay concerns of too much concentration of money and power into the current Power leagues. That will make both fans and politicians happy.

(07-04-2017 03:01 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  Allow me to posit the idea that we could still end up with a Power 5, just a different 5.

Power conferences tend to be made up of flagship institutions and athletic departments that otherwise generate big money.

We talked a little about this on other threads, but I wanted to highlight 2 things...

1) The B1G limits itself academically to certain prospects and if Texahoma ends up in the SEC then the pickings are pretty slim.

2) I now believe the PAC is unlikely to expand due to geography, the quality of prospects, and the inability to create a profitable league network.

So in other words, I think the Big 12 as we know it is going away, but there should be enough leftover parts to build another Power league with reasonably strong money making potential.

What exactly it might be called I don't think matters. I think its construction will be similar to what we saw with the coming together of the Big 8 and the SWC...parts of multiple leagues merging.

Personally, I think the target number for the SEC may end up being 20. The league is poised to pick apart the Big 12 and the easiest way to do that is to take several of them at once.

Maybe this...

SEC adds Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, and Iowa State

In order to clinch the participation of Texas in this plan, perhaps the ACC is called upon to secure the future of a couple of TX schools as well...

ACC adds Notre Dame in full, Cincinnati, West Virginia, TCU, Houston, and UConn

I subbed Houston for Baylor here because UH probably has more money making potential anyway...especially after the BU scandals. That and ESPN wouldn't have to up their investment. Baylor can be had for cheap in a new Power league. Houston can help increase ratings and exposure for the ACC in another major city(their MO) while the state politicos are probably happy to see the inclusion of another state school.

Both the ACC and SEC are at 20.

Now what?

Our new league is a mishmash of extant leagues.

West: San Diego State, UNLV, BYU, Boise State, Colorado State
Central: Air Force, New Mexico, Kansas State, Tulsa, SMU
South: Baylor, Rice, Memphis, Tulane, Navy
East: Army, Temple, East Carolina, UCF, USF

Of course, I'm spitballing here, but if a league of the best mid major programs from across the country are united then I think it's a plausible Power league for a few reasons.

1) ESPN can store an awful lot of decent content there both in football and basketball.
2) The league would be very flexible on TV as it reaches all timezones and could have games on all day long maximizing its revenue potential.
3) The inclusion of these programs at a bargain price would help allay concerns of too much concentration of money and power into the current Power leagues. That will make both fans and politicians happy.

"In order to clinch the participation of Texas in this plan, perhaps the ACC is called upon to secure the future of a couple of TX schools as well..."

What would the ACC get for their support? With the possible exception of TCU, those are all schools that they could have now or have rejected in the past. ND is already a partial & under contract to join if they join any conference & I don't think that their football inclusion would be worth helping turn the SEC into a mega conference capable of destroying even the B1G.

I could see a P4 setup like this.

SEC adds Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas

West- Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas

Central- A&M, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss State

East- Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, SC, Kentucky, Vanderbilt


ACC adds Texas, ND, TCU, TT

North- ND, Miami, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, BC

South- Texas, FSU, Clemson, TCU, TT, NC State

Central- NC, GT, VT, Duke, Virginia, WF


BIG adds USC, Stanford, Cal, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Arizona

West- USC, Stanford, Cal, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, Arizona

Central- Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue

East- Ohio State, Michigan, Penn St, Michigan State, Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers


New "mishmash" B12/AAC becomes Arizona State, Utah, Washington State, Oregon State, Baylor, Houston, SMU, Kansas State, WV, Iowa State, Cincinnati, Memphis, UCONN, USF, UCF, Boise, BYU, Temple, ECU, UNLV, San Diego State

West- Arizona State, Utah, Washington State, Oregon State, BYU, San Diego State, UNLV

Central- Baylor, WV, SMU, Houston, Iowa State, Boise, Kansas State

East- Cincinnati, Memphis, UCONN, USF, UCF, Temple, ECU

(07-05-2017 09:25 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  "In order to clinch the participation of Texas in this plan, perhaps the ACC is called upon to secure the future of a couple of TX schools as well..."

What would the ACC get for their support? With the possible exception of TCU, those are all schools that they could have now or have rejected in the past. ND is already a partial & under contract to join if they join any conference & I don't think that their football inclusion would be worth helping turn the SEC into a mega conference capable of destroying even the B1G.

The goal wouldn't necessarily be to turn the SEC into a mega-conference. It's really about ESPN rearranging pieces to keep Texas in the fold.

I'm just betting that the ACC wouldn't want Texas Tech due to geography while TCU and Houston are located in cities with major airports and can reduce the cost of travel.

I see the ACC being strengthened by both of those schools whereas UConn and WVU don't bring new territory to the table, but there's really no where else for them to go. ND is still more valuable as a full member than as a partial. If partial membership were better than equal membership then everyone would do it that way.

If Texas would rather go to the ACC, however, then perhaps the SEC is called upon to secure a TX school or two.

Otherwise, the ACC's options are limited because there are few that fit the mold and currently the SEC is paying more.

(07-05-2017 02:09 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(07-05-2017 09:25 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  "In order to clinch the participation of Texas in this plan, perhaps the ACC is called upon to secure the future of a couple of TX schools as well..."

What would the ACC get for their support? With the possible exception of TCU, those are all schools that they could have now or have rejected in the past. ND is already a partial & under contract to join if they join any conference & I don't think that their football inclusion would be worth helping turn the SEC into a mega conference capable of destroying even the B1G.

The goal wouldn't necessarily be to turn the SEC into a mega-conference. It's really about ESPN rearranging pieces to keep Texas in the fold.

I'm just betting that the ACC wouldn't want Texas Tech due to geography while TCU and Houston are located in cities with major airports and can reduce the cost of travel.

I see the ACC being strengthened by both of those schools whereas UConn and WVU don't bring new territory to the table, but there's really no where else for them to go. ND is still more valuable as a full member than as a partial. If partial membership were better than equal membership then everyone would do it that way.

If Texas would rather go to the ACC, however, then perhaps the SEC is called upon to secure a TX school or two.

Otherwise, the ACC's options are limited because there are few that fit the mold and currently the SEC is paying more.

Notre Dame likely won't join without Texas. Doubt Notre Dame ever joins ACC as full member though since they will get a full share from ACC network as a partial member. Only a conference champs only final four would make the Irish join. Anyway...

(07-07-2017 11:34 AM)DukeFan Wrote:  

(07-05-2017 02:09 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(07-05-2017 09:25 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  "In order to clinch the participation of Texas in this plan, perhaps the ACC is called upon to secure the future of a couple of TX schools as well..."

What would the ACC get for their support? With the possible exception of TCU, those are all schools that they could have now or have rejected in the past. ND is already a partial & under contract to join if they join any conference & I don't think that their football inclusion would be worth helping turn the SEC into a mega conference capable of destroying even the B1G.

The goal wouldn't necessarily be to turn the SEC into a mega-conference. It's really about ESPN rearranging pieces to keep Texas in the fold.

I'm just betting that the ACC wouldn't want Texas Tech due to geography while TCU and Houston are located in cities with major airports and can reduce the cost of travel.

I see the ACC being strengthened by both of those schools whereas UConn and WVU don't bring new territory to the table, but there's really no where else for them to go. ND is still more valuable as a full member than as a partial. If partial membership were better than equal membership then everyone would do it that way.

If Texas would rather go to the ACC, however, then perhaps the SEC is called upon to secure a TX school or two.

Otherwise, the ACC's options are limited because there are few that fit the mold and currently the SEC is paying more.

Notre Dame likely won't join without Texas. Doubt Notre Dame ever joins ACC as full member though since they will get a full share from ACC network as a partial member. Only a conference champs only final four would make the Irish join. Anyway...

Even if this happens, Notre Dame will do what they need to do to control scheduling. Maintain an 8-game conference schedule and be in a division of their choosing. Let's say its Notre Dame and Texas for the above arguments sake...

North: Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Miami, Virginia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame, Texas
South: Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina St, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida St