Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[FriendlySpartan]

I still dont understand the short-sightedness of these super-leagues. Somebody has to lose, and by that I mean half of them. Most of these schools are brands because they win, if Oklahoma or UCLA for example start having losing seasons most years, their fans and viewerships are going to drop and therfor their value. I know they are cashing checks but at what cost?

And this isnt the NFL. They aren't going to get my eyeballs watching if ISU isnt in the same picture. Over the next 5-10 years, the value of all of these schools will go down if they break off and do their own thing. Nobody in the Western half of the country will watch. Am I the one taking crazy pills?

I don’t know if your crazy but I always wonder about the breakdown of games ratings in terms of locations. Most of the top ratings in the regular season are already from those two leagues so I’m guessing the thought is that will continue.

Top three games last year were OSU/Mich, Bama/auburn, and MSU/Mich.

 

[HFCS]

I could see Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Washington. But as pointed out earlier by someone (sorry no attribution) B1G is likely going all-in with the hard sell to ND, and maybe UNC.

That's the top 8 adds (Stanford/Call get benefit of being similar package). Do that and be done with it, stop carving up pie at that point. UNC is great add that flirts with SEC zone without turning into some all out war like Clemson/Ga Tech/FSU would.

If ND won't come now, you add them and a partner (UNC) if/when ACC falls apart exactly like Big 12 and Pac 12 did.

The problem with the Pac schools isn't those 6 programs, it's that those 6 programs are just playing west coast games and that they have a lot of overlap with two programs in each state because mountain time zone population has only really started to explode in the past couple decades.

 

[Trice]

I still dont understand the short-sightedness of these super-leagues. Somebody has to lose, and by that I mean half of them. Most of these schools are brands because they win, if Oklahoma or UCLA for example start having losing seasons most years, their fans and viewerships are going to drop and therfor their value. I know they are cashing checks but at what cost?

And this isnt the NFL. They aren't going to get my eyeballs watching if ISU isnt in the same picture. Over the next 5-10 years, the value of all of these schools will go down if they break off and do their own thing. Nobody in the Western half of the country will watch. Am I the one taking crazy pills?

Yup. And not just eyeballs watching TV or fans buying tickets. You're talking about alumni engagement and donations. The ramifications of an Oklahoma turning into a Nebraska are massive.

 

[laminak]

I’m not sure how much AAU matters but still haven’t added a school without, except for Nebraska that lost it. But yeah ND isn’t in the AAU and they would be in immediately

Didn’t B1G previously have a contiguous rule as well? If so, they ignored it for UCLA and USC.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Didn’t B1G previously have a contiguous rule as well? If so, they ignored it for UCLA and USC.

Hmmm don’t remember that one but you could be right

 

[cyIclSoneU]

NO PLEASE NO ******* ROTATIONS

Rotation is just like playing the schools not in your division now.

 

[HFCS]

View attachment 100275

That's a really fun 16-team conference. If the OR, WA, Stanford and Cal are B1G bound as well.

If it was divisions hopefully it's east/west because you don't want to be in division that doesn't have TX/FLA/AZ. Seems like we'd be in WVU/Cincy division no matter what and probably KU/KSU.

Pods would work too and you'd always get a few games in those 3 recruiting states with pods. A pod of the 4 Big 8 schools would be crazy after all of this.

 

[laminak]

I actually think of Nebraska as permanently lower ceiling than Iowa and Wisconsin now. Even Minnesota could have more upside some day. They are a remote outpost with ridiculous expectations.

Adding UCLA/USC/Wash/Oregon is not going to lift up Nebraska relative to the rest of the conference either.

Doesn’t MN (and Illinois) always have upside one day?

I always thought Wisky as the cemented #4 brand in the B1G after the three blue-bloods. They have their state to themselves, very popular, and more people, and always consistent performance. Nebby would be #5 with locking up their state and Iowa would be 6, then Sparty, followed by however one wants to rank Indy, Minny, and Illinois.

 

[alarson]

Didn’t B1G previously have a contiguous rule as well? If so, they ignored it for UCLA and USC.

All these 'rules' are merely suggestions when the same people making the rules decide on additions.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

If the B1G goes to 20 with Stanford and Cal, my proposal:

Every school gets a paired rival. Every year the league creates two divisions that are each composed of five rival pairs. You play 9 conference games against only your division; division winners meet in the title game. The next year, the divisions are entirely different.

Washington-Oregon
Stanford-Cal
USC-UCLA
Iowa-Nebraska
Minnesota-Wisconsin
Northwestern-Illinois
Indiana-Purdue
Penn State-Michigan State
Maryland-Rutgers
Ohio State-Michigan.

Five pairs in one division, five in the other; change every season.

 

[BCClone]

Didn’t B1G previously have a contiguous rule as well? If so, they ignored it for UCLA and USC.

Yes they did

 

[Klubber]

The writers who are saying the Big 12 should grab the Pac 12 leftovers are the same ones who said the AAC should grab the Big 12 leftovers. So I'm not sure what to believe. Seems like the Pac 12 with Oregon is strong enough to stay viable, and they may try to poach some Big 12 schools.

Yeah, this is not likely.

What would their sales pitch be to the Big XII schools?: Hey, you wanna' come join our league that earns the least of the P-5 and will make even less without UCLA/SC? Who's going to jump at that?

They also have a huge problem with regards to teams they could add. There just aren't any others on the West Coast who move the needle much at all.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Doesn’t MN (and Illinois) always have upside one day?

I always thought Wisky as the cemented #4 brand in the B1G after the three blue-bloods. They have their state to themselves, very popular, and more people, and always consistent performance. Nebby would be #5 with locking up their state and Iowa would be 6, then Sparty, followed by however one wants to rank Indy, Minny, and Illinois.

Damn you have nebby and Iowa over sparty?

Wisconsin is just so against passing the ball they could be great with their line play. Minn has some good seasons every once in awhile, and I have no idea why Illinois never has it together.

 

[2speedy1]

Yeah I don’t get the Colorado love unless you are making an assumption on demographics. Utah is never mentioned either but i would be down with them joining. UNC and ND are just perfect fits, Virginia too for that matter

People mention them just because of AAU status....it is what everyone thinks when they think B1G expansion. So look at the list of AAU Schools and I guarantee someone is mentioning them as possible B1G candidates.

AAU

Duke
Georgia Tech
Stanford
Arizona
Cal
UCLA
Colorado
Kansas
North Carolina
Oregon
Pitt
USC
Utah
Virginia
Washington


Tex a&m
Florida
Missouri
Texas
Vanderbilt

 

[84 grad]

The question is East and West (Blue) or North and South (Red)

View attachment 100277

North/South

 

[Gonzo]

Didn’t B1G previously have a contiguous rule as well? If so, they ignored it for UCLA and USC.

I don't know that it was a hard and fast rule as much as it was a hope.

 

[theshadow]

Other than Jon Wilner (guy who broke the story) Canzano is probably the next most connected Pac 12 guy:

So we're concluding that ESPN is telling the SEC who to grab, and Fox is telling the B1G who to grab?

 

[FriendlySpartan]

If the B1G goes to 20 with Stanford and Cal, my proposal:

Every school gets a paired rival. Every year the league creates two divisions that are each composed of five rival pairs. You play 9 conference games against only your division; division winners meet in the title game. The next year, the divisions are entirely different.

Washington-Oregon
Stanford-Cal
USC-UCLA
Iowa-Nebraska
Minnesota-Wisconsin
Northwestern-Illinois
Indiana-Purdue
Penn State-Michigan State
Maryland-Rutgers
Ohio State-Michigan.

Five pairs in one division, five in the other; change every season.

This is close but 3 protected rivalries are what is being talked about for balance.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

If it was divisions hopefully it's east/west because you don't want to be in division that doesn't have TX/FLA/AZ. Seems like we'd be in WVU/Cincy division no matter what and probably KU/KSU.

Pods would work too and you'd always get a few games in those 3 recruiting states with pods. A pod of the 4 Big 8 schools would be crazy after all of this.

**** Pods too

 

[cyIclSoneU]

This is close but 3 protected rivalries are what is being talked about for balance.

I like how you didn't know jack and even said the opposite of what was happening until it was announced, and then within 10 minutes you become aware of the intricacies of scheduling and the league's targets. All while posting on a Big 12 school message board.