The Hail Mary option
Food for though:
Assume that the B1G gets GT and UMD, so the ACC is down to 12 teams + ND
The ACC allows for unequal revenue sharing, gets ESPN's blessing, and invites Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State.
Given that ESPN and Texas joint own the LHN, there would be no issue with dealing with that, and given that 40% of the Big XII would be leaving, the GOR would be on the verge of being viod. ESPN could then pressure the SEC into taking KU and KSU, which the SEC might do, because they both make serious cash, and they would do wonders for the SEC TV package as a whole. The SEC is already elite in football, and adding KU and KSU would make the SEC elite in basketball, which would give them the power to sell high quality programming all year long (KU v. UK, KSU v. KU, KSU v. UK, KSU v. Arkansas, KU v. Arkansas, MIZZOU v. KU, and MIZZOU v. KSU would make some great TV). That would knock the Big XII down to ISU, TCU, Baylor, and WVU, which is not enough to sustain the conference (GOR is now void). Anyway, there is a legit chance that the B1G and the Pac might expand to 16 as well, which would finish off the Big XII completely. I can see the B1G taking WVU and either ISU, Rutgers, or UL (depending on Iowa politics). I can also see the Pac taking BYU, TCU, Baylor, and BSU.
The ACC could then add Georgetown as a non-football member to balance ND.
The ACC could then break into 4 pods:
SOUTHWEST (SW)
Texas, Texas Tech, OSU, and Oklahoma
SOUTHEAST (SE)
FSU, Miami, Clemson, and WF/NC ST
ATLANTIC (ATL)
WF/NC ST, UNC, Duke, VTech
NORTHEAST (NE)
Pitt, SU, UVA, and BC
*Each school would then play its division, a crossover, and ND once every 3 years
*The ATL and the SE would play a division championship game in the Orange Bowl (giving the SE team an advantage)
*The NE and the SW would play a division championship game in the Cotton Bowl (giving the SW team an advantage)
*The Conference Championship game would be played in Charlotte
*Everyone plays each other once in basketball, and everyone plays a cross-over partner every year for an 18 game schedule.
**ESPN might go along, because it would give them an extra chance to secure more rights to Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State games
**The Big XII schools might go along with this, because it could result in more revenue. In essence, the division playoff games, the conference championship games, MUCH better basketball (lose Kansas but gain Pitt, SU, Duke, and UNC), and a trade of Baylor, TCU, WVU, and ISU for the ACC (plus ND every 3 years - ND would add the games, because they would get more big name teams, and a national schedule) could very well result in more money. Also, not that they would care a HUGE amount, but they would also see an academic benefit.
**Since the Champions Bowl would be kicked, then the SEC and the ACC could negotiate for the Sugar Bowl for the top-rated team, and the ACC and B1G could negotiate the OB to be the second-rated team from each conference. The Rose Bowl would still be the top B1G team and the top Pac-12 team. The Pac-12 would then be stuck picking up an access for its #2 team, and the "at-large" teams could be completely blocked from access to the system, unless they make the "Football Four"
and yes, i know this is crazy, and ends with the college equal to thermonuclear war, but i called the thread the "Hail Mary Option" for a reason.
(This post was last modified: 11-19-2012 01:15 AM by nzmorange.)
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