Debt service is the KEY to many of these discussions. I suspect JP has those within very comfortable margins, whereas, I suspect a good portion of the P2 are over extended, despite their lucrative contracts. Remember, many of them are in more concentrated markets, with substantially higher expense. For example let's see how long it takes Northwestern to get into the black.
Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)
- Thread starter ISUcyclones11
- Start date
It doesn’t seem like you fully understand any of this
There are only 10-20 schools that have enough fans in which those fans boycotting would be effective
This is about the casual viewer. They essentially watch a current M2 school playing top brands at the top level just as much as they’d watch P2 filler
The P2 won’t formally separate at 34. They’ll expand, gutting Big 12 and ACC based on which schools they want in the club, esoteric in nature, rather than based not on incremental valuation.
Again, when do you anticipate a Super League?
But fixed costs are very different than debt service. Fixed costs can typically be unwound under 5 years. TJ's, JR & maybe JP have contacts beyond 5 years.
Is there debt service on Cytown? I would anticipate site prep possibly. But buildings I would anticipate are covered by rent.
Iowa State signed House Agreement, but I believe it expires mid-2030's. And it's based on % of media rights based on P4 schools. If Big10/SEC break away, is ISU's share based on ACC/Big12 average?
Regardless schools might contest House Settlement if Big10/SEC create a Super League.
Nebby has a $600 million stadium renovation. $350 million added to debt service and they are slated to raise $250 million privately. That is a lot of cash to raise and also a lot to bond. Some consultant painted a too rosy picture of “this will pay for itself” in so many years.
Your counter has major issues.
16 basketball games across 4 networks on a Thursday is totally cool, but 8 football games on a Saturday across 3 networks is suddenly a bridge too far?
Fox and ESPN each do triple-headers every week during the regular season. There's no extra lift there.
All of the games listed are on a Friday night or Saturday.
Nobody said anything about playing QF at bowl venues.
It can all easily be accomplished while meeting every asking point of the current proposals.
Here is info from Iowa States most recent financial statements to NCAA (FY 2024/25).
Iowa State Athletic Department Debt = $132.4M
AD 2024/25 Facilities Related Debt Service = $12.1M
AD Debt Held by University = $0.0
Annual Facilities Mtce & Ops = $9.2M
As a person who worked in Finance & Operations over the bulk of my 30 year corporate career I fully understand the ramifications if the Big10 & SEC break away. I'm not saying the road ahead for ISU would be easy. But when problems or disruption in business occurs, then smart people solve problems. I trust Cook & Pollard will bring ISU through the chaos and Iowa State University will still be a great academic institution and our Athletic Department will build great teams and be on a solid financial foundation.
Iowa State Athletic Department Debt = $132.4M
AD 2024/25 Facilities Related Debt Service = $12.1M
AD Debt Held by University = $0.0
Annual Facilities Mtce & Ops = $9.2M
As a person who worked in Finance & Operations over the bulk of my 30 year corporate career I fully understand the ramifications if the Big10 & SEC break away. I'm not saying the road ahead for ISU would be easy. But when problems or disruption in business occurs, then smart people solve problems. I trust Cook & Pollard will bring ISU through the chaos and Iowa State University will still be a great academic institution and our Athletic Department will build great teams and be on a solid financial foundation.
My counter was primarily done to highlight the vast challenges with trying to squeeze in a 24 team playoff so that it completes by January 10th. Your proposed schedule highlights the exact same issues described in Dellenger’s article.
A 16 team playoff can accommodate 2 Friday night and 6 Saturday games the first weekend in December. Take the next weekend off for Army-Navy and move NFL games from 3rd Saturday in December to 2nd Saturday (they won’t mind). Play the QFs the 3rd Weekend at Bowl venues, SFs on NYD and final within the next 8-10 days.
The NFL would love you, man.
They'll gladly take that 2nd weekend and keep every other date that they've invaded.
They'll gladly take that 2nd weekend and keep every other date that they've invaded.
Business fail all the time, when they have smart successful people running them because the field on which they had been competing in has changed. If the B10 and SEC break away, being a great academic institution will have nothing to do with the struggles all the left over teams from the B12 and ACC teams will face. The money just will not be there going forward, so they have to choose, do you move away from football while its your major money makers and have invested 10s of millions to make and keep relative or do you continue to play the losing hand you were dealt and fall further and further behind every school in the SEC and B10.
Army-Navy doesn't deserve an exclusive day. They can have the mid-afternoon exclusive window with CFP games before and after.
They aren’t exactly best buds with the Feds right now and if/when PCSA gets passed, NFL is best served cooperating with CFB if CFB makes more money by doing so. No difference for NFL to move Saturday games from 3rd to 2nd weekend in December and Feds could facilitate that as required.
Not sure what your recommending be done. But people who don't adapt, ignore reality and cling to the past- tend not to set themselves up to succeed in changing times.
If the Big10/SEC create a super league, what can Big 12/ACC do about it?
The Protect Sport legislation doesn't require pooling, it specifically says it would be voluntary. And Big 10 & SEC have strongly indicated they'll continue negotiating their own deals.
And Conference Media Rights deals are the secondary financial issue creating a gulf between Big10/SEC & Big12/ACC.
The primary issue is the CFP. Think about it- the Big10 TV deal for the entire season pays $1.1B. The current 12 team & 11 game CFP, ESPN pays $1.3B. What's a 16 or 24 team playoff worth? $2B, $2.5B. And the Big10/SEC have already wrestled control of CFP away from Big12/ACC/G5.
Under the 4 team playoff payout system, each P5 conference received $80M plus conferences received a bonus for playoff teams. When the 12 team playoff was introduced the Big10/SEC dictated fixed distributions- each of their schools get $22M, ACC schools $13.5M & Big12 schools get $12M. Plus playoff team conferences get a fixed amount which escalates by round plus expenses.
So the TV $ gulf is going to expand, it could double from the current $30M to $60M+ annually per school. So the questions become:
- Are Big12/ACC part of a Super League CFP? I think so.
- If Big12/ACC teams make $60M less in TV money, can Big12/ACC compete on the field.
- If not, would the Big12/ACC plus Pac12,MWC,AAC) break away?
If the B10 and SEC break away and form a super league than the remaining schools have to band together and try to go forward the best they can. You start by refusing to play any teams from those leagues.
It comes down to are the B10 and SEC willing and able to break away, if they are nothing can be done to stop them. I tend to think they are bluffing to keep their power, but if they do, you go on the best you can without them
What other choice does the B12 and ACC have?
A breakaway of just the SEC and B1G feels very LIV Golf-y to me. They would be leaving behind several schools that are capable of competing on a national stage. The casual fan watching Texas Tech-BYU on one screen is going to struggle to understand why they are not in the same structure as Minnesota-Wisconsin. I just don't think it's a viable split long term
None!
And that's why I said I trust smart guys like Pollard & Cook and other Big12/ACC leaders to solve the problem. Even if the solution is hard to accept.
