Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[RustShack]

How is there not one post about TTU allegedly having conversations with the ACC in this thread?

There’s posts about the Big12 talking to Oregon State and Boise State as well.

I also saw a post that Tech(fans) want to form their own P3 conference… with the best of the Big12, ACC, as well Nebraska, Mizzou, and Arkansas(Iowa State was left out) lol.

 

[Al_4_State]

There’s posts about the Big12 talking to Oregon State and Boise State as well.

I also saw a post that Tech(fans) want to form their own P3 conference… with the best of the Big12, ACC, as well Nebraska, Mizzou, and Arkansas(Iowa State was left out) lol.

I guarantee that nothing in this post is going to happen, other than a potential Big 12/ACC merger after the Big 10 and SEC raid the ACC's brands.

 

[BMWallace]

I guarantee that nothing in this post is going to happen, other than a potential Big 12/ACC merger after the Big 10 and SEC raid the ACC's brands.

Correct. None of the current schools in the SEC or B1G will be leaving except to break away into a super league. There is zero reason to willingly remove oneself from the most resourced conferences. In fact only UChicago (dropped FB in '39) has left the B1G while GT and Tulane left the SEC in the '60s.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Correct. None of the current schools in the SEC or B1G will be leaving except to break away into a super league. There is zero reason to willingly remove oneself from the most resourced conferences. In fact only UChicago (dropped FB in '39) has left the B1G while GT and Tulane left the SEC in the '60s.

Not a single person would be sad to see Nebraska leave, that would honestly be so incredible for the conference

 

[Al_4_State]

Correct. None of the current schools in the SEC or B1G will be leaving except to break away into a super league. There is zero reason to willingly remove oneself from the most resourced conferences. In fact only UChicago (dropped FB in '39) has left the B1G while GT and Tulane left the SEC in the '60s.

And the Big 12 isn't adding Oregon State and Boise. If we were, it would have happened in 2023.

I don't want those schools left out, I'm just saying that the opportunity has been there and we didn't take it, and nothing's changed.

 

[RustShack]

And the Big 12 isn't adding Oregon State and Boise. If we were, it would have happened in 2023.

I don't want those schools left out, I'm just saying that the opportunity has been there and we didn't take it, and nothing's changed.

The only thing is the Big12 does have the ability to add 2 more members for full shares. We had four to offer, and only used two when adding the last four. Took a small pay cut using only two of the four full shares when adding four. The plan was saving the other two full shares for expanding east. That could be the only sliver of hope from Oregon state, Washington state, Boise, UNLV, and so on.

But yes, ideally the ACC gets raided and those spots go to the best of what’s left, like we did to the PAC.

But if the ACC survives this, the Big12 can add two schools and not lose any money. Although I believe the clause was P5 schools? So maybe Oregon St and Washington St would still fall under that, or any school in the current Pac? Kind of gray area now.

 

[isucy86]

Not a single person would be sad to see Nebraska leave, that would honestly be so incredible for the conference

With the media money being close, not sure why Nebraska wouldn't consider approaching the SEC. Nebraska had conflicts with Texas, but in the SEC the Huskers could renew rivalries with Mizzou and OU. And if the eventuality is 2 mega conferences with 20-24 schools,, would think the SEC is going to look midwest/southwest/west to counter Big 10's presence.

Plus it would help the Huskers recruit Texas for FB.

 

[Kinch]

Not a single person would be sad to see Nebraska leave, that would honestly be so incredible for the conference

I always thought if the Big 12s media deal was a little better Nebby might be the lowest hanging fruit of any of the P2. not to say that has a chance of happening, but Nebby and the Big 10 has never been a good relationship.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

The only thing is the Big12 does have the ability to add 2 more members for full shares. We had four to offer, and only used two when adding the last four. Took a small pay cut using only two of the four full shares when adding four. The plan was saving the other two full shares for expanding east. That could be the only sliver of hope from Oregon state, Washington state, Boise, UNLV, and so on.

But yes, ideally the ACC gets raided and those spots go to the best of what’s left, like we did to the PAC.

But if the ACC survives this, the Big12 can add two schools and not lose any money. Although I believe the clause was P5 schools? So maybe Oregon St and Washington St would still fall under that, or any school in the current Pac? Kind of gray area now.

Ironically, the Big 12 is in better shape than the ACC because of the fact that there aren't any properties that the P2 are going to want. There's no FSU, Miami, Clemson, Carolina or Virginia no matter what Tech and Utah want anyone to believe.

College sports are always ridiculous but this fact just goes straight to absurd.

 

[trajanJ]

Not a single person would be sad to see Nebraska leave, that would honestly be so incredible for the conference

I would take them back into the Big 12 in a second. Yes their football is down, but currently their basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball and wrestling are better than almost every single Big 10 team.

 

[Al_4_State]

Ironically, the Big 12 is in better shape than the ACC because of the fact that there aren't any properties that the P2 are going to want. There's no FSU, Miami, Clemson, Carolina or Virginia no matter what Tech and Utah want anyone to believe.

College sports are always ridiculous but this fact just goes straight to absurd.

Exactly. Tech and Utah wouldn't be in the Big 12 today if the Big 10 or SEC wanted them. They would have just taken them in '23 (or earlier).

 

[trajanJ]

Exactly. Tech and Utah wouldn't be in the Big 12 today if the Big 10 or SEC wanted them. They would have just taken them in '23 (or earlier).

Conferences seem to just be getting bigger. They've grown for the last 100 years so I wouldn't be surprised if that continues and depending on how big they get Utah could eventually be taken. Tech only fits in the SEC and I would be shocked if they want 3 TX schools.

 

[RustShack]

I would love government intervention to either give the NCAA the power or form a new power. Go back to smaller, regional conferences. Have a fair playoff system. All conferences are under the same media rights umbrella. But hey, that would just make too much sense.

 

[Al_4_State]

Conferences seem to just be getting bigger. They've grown for the last 100 years so I wouldn't be surprised if that continues and depending on how big they get Utah could eventually be taken. Tech only fits in the SEC and I would be shocked if they want 3 TX schools.

They grow when they can make more money for their members. Utah doesn’t do that, apparently.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

I would take them back into the Big 12 in a second. Yes their football is down, but currently their basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball and wrestling are better than almost every single Big 10 team.

No clue about the non rev sports but saying their basketball is better then almost every big ten team is one of the funnier posts I’ve seen on here

 

[trajanJ]

No clue about the non rev sports but saying their basketball is better then almost every big ten team is one of the funnier posts I’ve seen on here

I'll rephrase it. Nebraska tied for 2nd in the Big 10 in Mens Basketball, 3rd in Wrestling, 2nd in Baseball, 1st in Volleyball, 1st in Softball. You make it sound like the Big 10 is above Nebraska. Nebraska was one of only 3 schools to qualify for the post season in all 6 major sports and the only Big 10 team to do it. I'm not a Nebraska fan but I would take them back in the conference.

 

[Kinch]

I'll rephrase it. Nebraska tied for 2nd in the Big 10 in Mens Basketball, 3rd in Wrestling, 2nd in Baseball, 1st in Volleyball, 1st in Softball. You make it sound like the Big 10 is above Nebraska. Nebraska was one of only 3 schools to qualify for the post season in all 6 major sports and the only Big 10 team to do it. I'm not a Nebraska fan but I would take them back in the conference.

The main complaints I hear are from Hok fans.

 

[RustShack]

I'll rephrase it. Nebraska tied for 2nd in the Big 10 in Mens Basketball, 3rd in Wrestling, 2nd in Baseball, 1st in Volleyball, 1st in Softball. You make it sound like the Big 10 is above Nebraska. Nebraska was one of only 3 schools to qualify for the post season in all 6 major sports and the only Big 10 team to do it. I'm not a Nebraska fan but I would take them back in the conference.

I would love Nebraska and Missouri back in the conference.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I always thought if the Big 12s media deal was a little better Nebby might be the lowest hanging fruit of any of the P2. not to say that has a chance of happening, but Nebby and the Big 10 has never been a good relationship.

Nebraska left because they had seen their power start to drop in the league when Texas came in, before it was Nebraska and Oklahoma calling all the shots, they had been replaced by Texas in the power struggle and figured now would be a good time to look for another home. aTm always was looking forward to break away from the shadow of UT, and they believed they were a better fit in the SEC than the B12. Missouri saw that they were going to be on the outside when it looked like four teams from the league were looking to jump from to the Pac 12. Missouri tried to ***** themselves out to the B10, but they were not really interested, that is when talks between the B10 and Nebraska started. Colorado believed it should be in the Pac 12, you notice when the Pac 12 offered the four/six schools they jumped at the chance and left, while the other 3 to 5 schools decided to stay.

 

[isucy86]

They grow when they can make more money for their members. Utah doesn’t do that, apparently.

They didn't make sense in the past, but the future might be a different story. Agree 100percent that adding a school can't be dilutive to the existing conference schools.

But there are a number of drivers that could result in the Big10 or SEC becoming 20-24 school conferences. And that means realignment beyond: Notre Dame, Miami, FSU, UNC, UVA.

Some of those reasons are:

• Streamers/Subscription Platforms should be a big player in the next round of Conference Media Rights deals. Will those platforms be focused on elite games or will they want game inventory to drive subscriptions & limit overall subscriber churn?
• There is not a Big 12 or ACC school that wouldn't join the Big 10 or SEC and take a partial share.
• The CFP is where the money is. The Big10's media rights deal for ALL SPORTS averaged $1.1B annually over the term. ESPN is paying over $!B annually for the 11 playoff games. Projections are that would increase to $1.5B+ with a 24 team playoff. So solid football brands are attractive, but so are schools that have top 25 football programs.
• There are still large population states/media markets the Big 10 and SEC currently don't have a presence (NC-11M, VA- 9M, AZ- 8M, CO- 6M)/ (SF/SJ-6.6M, Miami-6.5M, Atl-6.4M, TV people will pay to have those eyeballs watching the conference they buy into.
• Neither the Big 10 or SEC will sit by and let the other conference become the dominate conference nationally. The SEC can't sit by and be a regional powerhouse in the S/SE and let the Big 10 dominate the rest of the country for CFB fan interest.
• Yormark was the first mention the Big12 Media Rights deal could be more valuable if revenue sports were bid out separately. There's nothing to prevent the Big 10 or SEC to do the same. During the recent Softball & Baseball tournaments ESPN was constantly publicizing their record viewership. The SEC has to see those numbers and realize some streaming platform will pay to have those viewership numbers for 5 weeks in May/June. Bidding out MBB and WBB could increase the value of schools like KU, Duke, UConn
• There are still a few elite football brands in ACC/ND. Is Notre Dame worth $125M to the TV folks to have them in the Big 10 or SEC? If so a Notre Dame could be paired with a lesser value school and still be accretive on a per school basis to the Big 10 or SEC. That's where a Utah or Stanford might come into play if the Big 10 wants stronger West Coast visibility and address travel cost/student wellfare concerns for the 4 former Pac12 schools.

Any one of the above reasons might drive the TV people or Big10/SEC to add schools beyond the obvious 4 or 5. But it could also be the combination of all 7 making a school financially viable to add in 2030 when they weren't viable in 2023.