Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[Gorm]

For one thing, Michigan would be right behind them, and then Penn St and so on.

At which point, new research alliances would form. Likely with most of the same schools, regardless of what conference football is in, plus some new heavyweights like UT.

Maybe. Maybe not.

I can guarantee you that when the academic types catch wind of this move and they learn that there is a possibility that they might lose funding, the state government will get involved. There is no way that a move that could impact millions if not billions of dollars over the long term at a publicly funded insinuation will proceed without the state politicians making inquires and running interference. State governments have gotten involved in many previous conference realignment moves, it would happen again in this scenario.

Unfortunately, we all know that when the politicians are involved, the decision could become politicized.

 

[Gorm]

At which point, new research alliances would form. Likely with most of the same schools, regardless of what conference football is in, plus some new heavyweights like UT.

SEC Academic Alliance? LMAO

To quote the Ohio State President in 2013:

"You tell the SEC when they can learn to read and write, then they can figure out what we're doing."

 

[Kinch]

SEC Academic Alliance? LMAO

To quote the Ohio State President in 2013:

"You tell the SEC when they can learn to read and write, then they can figure out what we're doing."

I think Gene Smith made it clear a few years ago, that when it comes to the direction of athletics, the Athletic Department of Ohio State wears the pants in that family, not the Ohio State President.

 

[cykadelic2]

As long as every FBS school has playoff access, and they do, there isn't a damn thing the feds can do about it. They aren't freezing anybody out from Alabama to Sam Houston State. Everyone has access.

BS, Sam Houston St doesn't have guaranteed access if they win their conference title or even if they are undefeated. FBS CFB is the only NCAA or USA pro sport that I'm aware of with that nonsense.

And Fed intervention won't be triggered by lack of CFP access, it will be triggered by additional manipulation of conferences and TV deals by ESPN/Fox that relegate and financially destroy ADs beyond Oregon St and Wazzu. As JP recently mentioned, Oregon St and Wazzu weren't enough to move the needle but half of the ACC getting potentially relegated and destroyed hopefully will.

 

[cykadelic2]

As pointed out, there wont be a SEC or Big 10. So why would these teams give up making equal money, the prestige of being in those conferences, the recruiting that comes with being in those conferences, the tickets sold when Alabama and Ohio State come to town, ect…

I’m sure Texas, A&M, and Oklahoma are just dying to be in a conference with TCU, Baylor, and SMU.

Sure, not every school will be happy with CST realignment but the majority will be including multiple schools in the SEC and B10 who will be more happy when Bama and Ohio St visit once every two years instead of once every four.

 

[cykadelic2]

Vote in favor of what?

CST rational realignment with higher payouts resulting from open NFL-style bidding of aggregated P4 regular season and CFP inventory.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Not likely either way, but much more likely an SEC team bolts for the Big 10 rather than the other way around.

One I’m constantly keeping my eye on is Texas A&M

 

[Gonzo]

CST rational realignment with higher payouts resulting from open NFL-style bidding of aggregated P4 regular season and CFP inventory.

Good luck with that.

 

[Gonzo]

Not likely either way, but much more likely an SEC team bolts for the Big 10 rather than the other way around.

One I’m constantly keeping my eye on is Texas A&M

Yeah I don't see it happening either way. If there are radical changes on the horizon what looks most realistic is the B1G and SEC breaking off and creating an NFC/AFC type of arrangement. They hold all the cards, and they have to know they stand to make gobs more $$$ working together and maintaining their own brand identities.

 

[Cyhig]

I don't know how else there is to frame this.

WE ALREADY HAVE OUR TWO 'SUPER' LEAGUES.

If there was anything else of great value left, those properties would be in the SEC/Big Ten. If there was some grand conspiracy from TV networks, don't you think that ESPN would have tipped the scales to get FSU/Clemson/Miami/whoever else out of the ACC agreement and into the SEC by now. Instead they locked those properties into a crazy long term deal that they knew was going to be way undermarket, to the network's benefit.

I also believe that your Ohio States, Alabamas, Georgias, etc are more that fine with the bottom of their leagues getting the same money they do because those blue bloods know they have built in advantages over your Mississippi States, South Carolinas and Indianas of the world that those lower tier programs are never going to be able to overcome, especially since NIL is going to remain the wild, wild west even after they're paying players.

This is the final form. Sure there may be some jockeying around the edges in the P2 or some kind of ACC/Big 12 merger in the future (giant mistake IMO) but the networks have the 34 schools they want.

I wouldn’t be so sure this is the final product. Networks simply want viewership. About half the big 10 and sec are teams that don’t move this needle. I can see a scenario where the the heavyweights split off from their respective conferences and create their own conference. FSU, Clemson, Miami would also join.

Every weekend will have huge games like Bama vs Ohio State. Heck, they could have games at 11:00, 2:30, and 7:00 each week with heavyweight matchups. The viewership for those games would all be very high. And if the networks are willing to pay these schools much more $$, I would think there would be serious consideration to have one super conference

Greed is driving these realignments. And since there are always new avenues to maximize money, change is inevitable

 

[HFCS]

Not likely either way, but much more likely an SEC team bolts for the Big 10 rather than the other way around.

One I’m constantly keeping my eye on is Texas A&M

With the current trajectory of this mess it's inevitable that A&M or Texas jumps to the Big Ten, short of a full merger between the two conferences and even then Texas would always be the lead force behind a breakaway.

Texas will look to jump the first minute there's a significant $$$ advantage, they also eat up that "academic peers" bs.

 

[HFCS]

I'd rather they put Mizzou in the Midwest division and us in the Plains. Only having 1 Big 8 opponent would suck. I guess we could use the non-con to schedule KSU, KU, OK State, etc.

My ideal 72 school league would have 8 divisions of 9 schools. Ours would be:
ISU
Nebraska
Kansas
Kansas State
Oklahoma State
Mizzou
Iowa
Oklahoma
Minnesota

A system like what you proposed feeding an actual 8-16 team playoff is how you actually maximize profits while guaranteeing growth for generations. Never mind that it's also the most fun, cost effective and fair, it also just creates the most revenue and economic activity for 100% of the programs in the long run.

The jerkoffs running the Big Ten aren't even helping their own long term profitability if they keep running unchecked. They're willfully on a trajectory to be running a minor league sport.

 

[2speedy1]

Forced by who?

The only ones that can force this is the companies paying the millions to the conferences and schools.

If they want it, they can force the issue.

Will they? Who knows. But I doubt people thought things would look this way 25 years ago, and I doubt any of us have any real idea what they are going to look like 25 years from now.

 

[Cyclonsin]

Folks, haven't we all learned time and time again that engaging with cykadelic isn't worth your time?

 

[cykadelic2]

The only ones that can force this is the companies paying the millions to the conferences and schools.

If they want it, they can force the issue.

Will they? Who knows. But I doubt people thought things would look this way 25 years ago, and I doubt any of us have any real idea what they are going to look like 25 years from now.

Yeah, ESPN/Fox currently control CFB.

And that needs to be flipped where FBS Presidents/ADs tell ESPN/Fox you will bid on conference/CFP inventory in the format we want, not what you want and other networks (namely Apple and Amazon) will be fairly engaged as well.

CFB is the only sport where networks overly control it to their benefit.

 

[CascadeClone]

CST rational realignment with higher payouts resulting from open NFL-style bidding of aggregated P4 regular season and CFP inventory.

Sankey blatantly and very dismissively took a shot at that 70-team superleague just yesterday. Just confirming the fact that there's zero reason the "haves" would ever consent to it. Why give up their advantage? For the good of the sport? Altruism? Get real.

And honestly, I don't even think MORE money would get it done. It's the separation from the "have-nots" that matters most to Sankey (and maybe the B1G). They'd MUCH rather make $100M and B12 makes $40M, than have everyone make $150M. It cements their advantage. It's also more profitable for the guys writing the checks e.g. TV money.

The only super league that might happen, is a 20-ish team one.

Then maybe the CST type agreement could happen for the 50ishleft-behinds. There's already a guy auditioning for commissioner of that job - Yormark.

 

[CascadeClone]

Yeah, ESPN/Fox currently control CFB.

And that needs to be flipped where FBS Presidents/ADs tell ESPN/Fox you will bid on conference/CFP inventory in the format we want, not what you want and other networks (namely Apple and Amazon) will be fairly engaged as well.

CFB is the only sport where networks overly control it to their benefit.

They've divided and conquered very successfully.

Sankey direct quote-
"I don't want to dumb down the SEC to be part of some super league notion with 70 teams... They want to be us, that's on them to figure it out, not on me to bring myself back to earth"

It's the king of "I got mine, go get fked everybody else"

 

[fsanford]

Sankey blatantly and very dismissively took a shot at that 70-team superleague just yesterday. Just confirming the fact that there's zero reason the "haves" would ever consent to it. Why give up their advantage? For the good of the sport? Altruism? Get real.

And honestly, I don't even think MORE money would get it done. It's the separation from the "have-nots" that matters most to Sankey (and maybe the B1G). They'd MUCH rather make $100M and B12 makes $40M, than have everyone make $150M. It cements their advantage. It's also more profitable for the guys writing the checks e.g. TV money.

The only super league that might happen, is a 20-ish team one.

Then maybe the CST type agreement could happen for the 50ishleft-behinds. There's already a guy auditioning for commissioner of that job - Yormark.

Snakey fears for his job. And that wasn't a misspell on his name

 

[cykadelic2]

They've divided and conquered very successfully.

Sankey direct quote-
"I don't want to dumb down the SEC to be part of some super league notion with 70 teams... They want to be us, that's on them to figure it out, not on me to bring myself back to earth"

It's the king of "I got mine, go get fked everybody else"

Sankey is ESPN's puppet. And CST is an obvious threat to ESPN's excessive control of CFB.

And given that Tennessee AD, Danny White, is a CST Ambassador, maybe ESPN will order Sankey to put a hit on White.

 

[CysRage]

With the current trajectory of this mess it's inevitable that A&M or Texas jumps to the Big Ten, short of a full merger between the two conferences and even then Texas would always be the lead force behind a breakaway.

Texas will look to jump the first minute there's a significant $$$ advantage, they also eat up that "academic peers" bs.

Yep. Texas twice now has bolted conferences they were the king of to find more money. Mizzou and Texas A&M left the Big 12 to get away from them. Remember how Mizzou, Texas A&M, and even Arkansas immediately said they would not vote Texas in the SEC? Funny how that quickly got smothered by ESPN and the SEC then those schools were told to shut up and vote them in.

I honestly wouldn't be shocked if Texas is at the forefront of destabilizing the lower SEC teams (and maybe even the lower Big Ten teams) in order to make a new league just so they can make more money.