Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[OnlyCyclones]

H

Hey, I noticed you completely ignored this article where even Yormark doesn't believe Campbell's SBA plan is feasible....

Billionaire booster says conference commissioners blocking change

One of college sports' most powerful boosters lashed out at conferences for blocking necessary change, while those commissioners countered his views.

www.espn.com

I’m more interested in what the ADs and school presidents think than the commissioners, who would be individually far less valuable if media rights were pooled. No one in that article actually explains why they believe pooling media rights wouldn’t work, which is interesting. They might be implying that anti-trust exemption might require the athletes to become employees, which could happen regardless. And would it be such a bad thing? It would allow CFB to finally be able to set and enforce its own rules via contracts with the players.

 

[cykadelic2]

The NFL getting involved is the obvious answer to that.

There is no evidence of that and do you really think the Feds would permit the NFL to schedule Friday and Saturday games after agreeing to amend the SBA to CFB's benefit?

My guess is that Yormark is referencing potential pooling by only the B10 and SEC and essentially separating from the rest of FBS, not all of FBS as proposed by Campbell and his DC allies.

 

[cykadelic2]

He’s the largest donor for what is now the Big12’s best football program id be shocked if the conference denied him access to anything

BS. Yormark knew exactly what Campbell was going to discuss with the media.

 

[OnlyCyclones]

The NFL getting involved is the obvious answer to that.

Not knocking what you’re saying, you might be right. But imo the whole point of “fixing” college football is to protect its cultural product. It wouldn’t make sense to do the Campbell plan without keeping CFB’s protections from the NFL in place. Since anything like this must go through Congress anyway, they could choose to keep the protection.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

BS. Yormark knew exactly what Campbell was going to discuss with the media.

I’m sure he did, and he’s also the largest individual booster in the big 12. As a billionaire alum he is going to get what he asks for from the commissioner as is the case for most billionaires and their pet projects

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Not knocking what you’re saying, you might be right. But imo the whole point of “fixing” college football is to protect its cultural product. It wouldn’t make sense to do the Campbell plan without keeping CFB’s protections from the NFL in place. Since anything like this must go through Congress anyway, they could choose to keep the protection.

I just know how much money and power the NFL has as a unit and as individual owners. If there is extra money to be made, they're going to throw that influence around.

 

[cykadelic2]

I’m more interested in what the ADs and school presidents think than the commissioners, who would be individually far less valuable if media rights were pooled. No one in that article actually explains why they believe pooling media rights wouldn’t work, which is interesting. They might be implying that anti-trust exemption might require the athletes to become employees, which could happen regardless. And would it be such a bad thing? It would allow CFB to finally be able to set and enforce its own rules via contracts with the players.

The proposed SCORE Act would classify athletes as non-employees and also grant a limited antitrust exemption that would enable enforcement of transfer rules, NIL regulations, etc. without getting sued on everything the NCAA attempts to enforce.

SCORE likely doesn't pass in the Senate by itself which is why Campbell is aligning with key Senate Dems on potentially merging SCORE with the STAR Act (proposed by Senate Dems) which includes amending the SBA.

 

[cykadelic2]

I just know how much money and power the NFL has as a unit and as individual owners. If there is extra money to be made, they're going to throw that influence around.

.....and do you really think those owners would desire to financially destroy their free farm system in doing so?

 

[CloneJD]

I read somewhere saying a PE stake in the BIG would make BIG expansion or a super league nearly impossible. Could be significant if the ACC implodes.

 

[cykadelic2]

I’m sure he did, and he’s also the largest individual booster in the big 12. As a billionaire alum he is going to get what he asks for from the commissioner as is the case for most billionaires and their pet projects

Nice try, but that wasn't the case here. If Yormark was diametrically opposed to Campbell's Save College Sports initiative, he would not have allowed Campbell that kind of access despite your silly views on billionaire amorality.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Nice try, but that wasn't the case here. If Yormark was diametrically opposed to Campbell's Save College Sports initiative, he would not have allowed Campbell that kind of access despite your silly views on billionaire amorality.

I wasn’t saying that he is opposed, I’m saying as a billionaire who is heavily invested in one of the leading teams in the conference he would get his way regardless.

 

[Kinch]

Absolutely love that Yormark isn’t above pointing the truth to OU. He must have struck a nerve with the Sooners. It’s awesome how defensive they have become.

 

[cykadelic2]

Good read here on CFB TV rating dynamics.

Also read elsewhere that CBS is paying Fox $350M/yr for its B10 sublicense deal while ESPN paid an incremental $300M/yr to the SEC to pick up the 2:30 CT window that CBS previously had.

So a couple of things here. CBS got fleeced by Fox and should have picked up the B12 instead and got more bang for their buck. And the B12 really needs to engage CBS on the next TV deal and their willingness to spend more on sports under their new ownership. And ESPN got a sweetheart deal with the SEC because of their control of all other SEC rights.

And this is another reason why the Cody Campbell plan needs to be legislated to bust up the ESPN/Fox duopoly and double/triple media revenues for all of FBS.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Good read here on CFB TV rating dynamics.

Also read elsewhere that CBS is paying Fox $350M/yr for its B10 sublicense deal while ESPN paid an incremental $300M/yr to the SEC to pick up the 2:30 CT window that CBS previously had.

So a couple of things here. CBS got fleeced by Fox and should have picked up the B12 instead and got more bang for their buck. And the B12 really needs to engage CBS on the next TV deal and their willingness to spend more on sports under their new ownership. And ESPN got a sweetheart deal with the SEC because of their control of all other SEC rights.

And this is another reason why the Cody Campbell plan needs to be legislated to bust up the ESPN/Fox duopoly and double/triple media revenues for all of FBS.

I’ll just leave your Cody Campbell deal to the side.

But this article nicely lays out my argument weeks ago with @Gonzo that the B10 deprioritized rabid fan bases in their expansion criteria.

And I agree, CBS and NBC are not seeing the ROI in their B10 investment. Going to be a factor when the bubble pops next TV round

 

[Kinch]

I’ll just leave your Cody Campbell deal to the side.

But this article nicely lays out my argument weeks ago with @Gonzo that the B10 deprioritized rabid fan bases in their expansion criteria.

And I agree, CBS and NBC are not seeing the ROI in their B10 investment. Going to be a factor when the bubble pops next TV round.

By taking UCLA and USC, it appears they aren’t getting the ROI from the LA audience. I would say the Big 12 probably got the better end of the deal with the 4 corners. Plus the teams the Big 10 cost them more in the travel than the 4 corners cost the Big 12.

 

[Gonzo]

Good read here on CFB TV rating dynamics.

Also read elsewhere that CBS is paying Fox $350M/yr for its B10 sublicense deal while ESPN paid an incremental $300M/yr to the SEC to pick up the 2:30 CT window that CBS previously had.

So a couple of things here. CBS got fleeced by Fox and should have picked up the B12 instead and got more bang for their buck. And the B12 really needs to engage CBS on the next TV deal and their willingness to spend more on sports under their new ownership. And ESPN got a sweetheart deal with the SEC because of their control of all other SEC rights.

And this is another reason why the Cody Campbell plan needs to be legislated to bust up the ESPN/Fox duopoly and double/triple media revenues for all of FBS.

What were the viewership numbers for 2:30pm Big 12 games on Saturday?

 

[StPaulCyclone]

LOL! Great post here B12!

I think of him as a B12 guy but he’s clearly cover his own @$$. Sark was more complimentary of the B12 and I respect him for it.

 

[2speedy1]

What were the viewership numbers for 2:30pm Big 12 games on Saturday?

Hard to have an apples to apples comparison, when there were no B12 games on over the air networks.

 

[State2015]

What were the viewership numbers for 2:30pm Big 12 games on Saturday?

I see what you're getting at - remember, Iowa's most watched game in 2025 is against a Big 12 school

 

[Kinch]

I see what you're getting at - remember, Iowa's most watched game in 2025 is against a Big 12 school

And it was 5 percent greater than last year with just us as a ranked team. Iowa is definitely not carrying their weight with Ferentz on board.