Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[Al_4_State]

KU wants the B10, that would be their preferred league, if the B10 does not want them and the SEC comes calling they would jump it would be crazy not to. Every school is worried about being the next Washington St./Oregon St. and want to avoid that at all costs, the money is just not going to be there for the schools that are not in the power conferences.

NO ****.

I feel like you didn't even read my last post. KU (and ISU) would take the invite in a second. This debate is about whether or not the invite is coming. My belief is that it isn't, because they've been available for nearly decades and multiple rounds of realignment and neither group has been interested.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

True they added Penn State to get there and then even it out when they added Nebraska. But they also went ahead and added in pairs with Rutgers/Maryland, USC/UCLA and finally Oregon/Washington. Having an odd number in the league is doable but not what any league wants long term. If this next expansion is their last, they would be silly to end with a league that has 23 teams instead of 24.

I’m not sure how you got to 23 or 24. If they expand again there are only 2 maybe 3 schools that they would realistically add.

 

[ElephantPie]

Hopefully the Big 12 has a quality Grant of Rights so that if some school gets an invite and wants to leave, there can be some $$$ for a silver lining for those that remain.

 

[Al_4_State]

Schools left that will pay the bills (definitely): Notre Dame, FSU, Clemson, UNC

I see two for the Big 10 and two for the SEC. The SEC isn't tossing on a couple of dilutive adds to hit a magic number.

 

[ClubCy]

Did I miss something. Where did smoke about KU come from?

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Did I miss something. Where did smoke about KU come from?

The guy who is almost always wrong on Twitter yet this board just can’t quit quoting him like he matters

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Schools left that will pay the bills (definitely): Notre Dame, FSU, Clemson, UNC

I see two for the Big 10 and two for the SEC. The SEC isn't tossing on a couple of dilutive adds to hit a magic number.

Honestly Clemson is even iffy. They have had one good stretch with one coach and out on the downturn. Can easily be Nebraska 2.0

 

[ClubCy]

The guy who is almost always wrong on Twitter yet this board just can’t quit quoting him like he matters

So Mhver, Minnesota guy, swaim or Altimore. Got it. I’m now disappointed in myself for reading two pages worth of nothing.

 

[trajanJ]

It's become kind of crazy and I really wish we could throw it in reverse and go back to the Big 8 days but that's impossible. The one thing we can say with certainty is that only a privileged few know what's going to happen. Spartan thought there was zero chance the Big would add PAC schools and they added 4. We have no idea what's going to happen.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

It's become kind of crazy and I really wish we could throw it in reverse and go back to the Big 8 days but that's impossible. The one thing we can say with certainty is that only a privileged few know what's going to happen. Spartan thought there was zero chance the Big would add PAC schools and they added 4. We have no idea what's going to happen.

Yup, the LA schools caught everyone off guard. UW and Oregon were added at such massive discount that it almost doesn’t count. If a school is willing to join for 50% off or more then that changes the math

Edit* it’s still shocking to me that SMU joined the ACC for free, I get shooting your shot but that’s wild

 

[Al_4_State]

It's become kind of crazy and I really wish we could throw it in reverse and go back to the Big 8 days but that's impossible. The one thing we can say with certainty is that only a privileged few know what's going to happen. Spartan thought there was zero chance the Big would add PAC schools and they added 4. We have no idea what's going to happen.

Hell, I don't even know that this is true.

15 years ago it was a certainty that the ACC, Pac, Big 10, and SEC were all going to have 16 teams playing in 4 pods and the winners would be in a 4 team playoff. The Big 12 was going to get picked apart and everyone but ISU or KSU would have a home.

Things go crazy with this ****, and here we are with the Pac 12 completely dead and blown apart. I don't think there's a small cabal that knows the end game. I think this **** has gotten so out of control that no one's really in charge, and the TV networks are just making whatever decision they find to be the most lucrative that day. In 2011 it was all about the size of your media market and forcing cable subscribers in that state to pay for a conference network. 13 years later, that's almost completely irrelevant.

The only constant has been doing what it takes to make more money.

 

[trajanJ]

Yup, the LA schools caught everyone off guard. UW and Oregon were added at such massive discount that it almost doesn’t count. If a school is willing to join for 50% off or more then that changes the math

Edit* it’s still shocking to me that SMU joined the ACC for free, I get shooting your shot but that’s wild

Aren't those short term deals. Don't those schools eventually get an even distribution like Rutgers, Maryland and Nebraska did?

 

[Al_4_State]

Aren't those short term deals. Don't those schools eventually get an even distribution like Rutgers, Maryland and Nebraska did?

By the time they get to that point, there won't be even distributions. There's no doubt in my mind that's one of the next axes to drop.

 

[ISU_Guy]

This is like a never-ending nightmare. As long as there is more money to be made, some DB SEC/BIG leader will want to keep destroying things.

Its laughable to think ISU makes a 48 school cut. Would like to see the logic there, but who knows.
When you add up the Power 4 + ND right now its 64 teams. that doesn't even include Cal, Stanford, Oregon St, Wash St,

So IMO, ISU would be in a battle to make a 64 team league because a lot of these schools like Rutgers, vandy, NW, Indiana, etc will be protected. you can argue there could be a new league formed, but I don't think the Lords of College football will be able to part ways with the SEC and BIG names.

I don't think they will end up going to 48 teams though as there are way to many teams that would be left out. Two 32 team divisions is my guess which would be just like the NFL. That is where I am concerned, especially since there has been so many schools promoted now that could jump ISU if it came down to it. For example, Does BYU or UCF get the nod over a team like ISU? who knows.

My opinion is they could just keep the BIG and SEC (AFC and NFC)
Keep all the teams from the BIG/SEC (34 teams) then find another 30 teams to total 64.

Between ND, ACC/Big12/Old Pac 4, they would basically have to cut 5 teams

My guess (give or take) is those 5 would come from this pool.
BC
Duke
L'ville
NC State
Pitt
Syracuse
WF
BYU
Baylor
TCU
KSU
ISU
Cincy
UCF
Cal
Stanford
WSU
Oregon St

and yes, any of these teams are just as good or better than all the grandfathered in bottom feeder schools in the BIG/SEC.

once this gets done, then we can have some closure and continue to watch College football burn to the ground with some other greed idea.

I will say I am not sure how this woud work as there isn't enough money IMO. I think top schools are going to want more.

IF ISU gets left out and I really hope that doesn't happen, then we will have to transition to a Boise St type football vibe if even possible. and go ALL IN on basketball.

wake me up when this is over.

 

[trajanJ]

By the time they get to that point, there won't be even distributions. There's no doubt in my mind that's one of the next axes to drop.

If that ends up happening then there would be no reason to join a certain conference. You just make what you can make. Maybe that's how it should be. The TV partners just pay you what you earn and there's no conference contracts.

 

[Al_4_State]

If that ends up happening then there would be no reason to join a certain conference. You just make what you can make. Maybe that's how it should be. The TV partners just pay you what you earn and there's no conference contracts.

Well, access could be an issue.

But yes, I agree with the rest of your post. At some point Ohio State is going to get tired of making the same as Purdue. And Purdue's gladly going to accept less to stay in the club.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Aren't those short term deals. Don't those schools eventually get an even distribution like Rutgers, Maryland and Nebraska did?

The prevailing thought is that it would happen during the next media deal but that hasn’t been as spelled out as clearly as it was with Rutgers and Maryland. Those two also got a pretty big loan from the big ten to get their AD’s in order so there was little pushback.

The Washington and Oregon stuff came out of desperation from those schools not from the big ten actually wanting them. But if you can get them half off, especially Oregon, why not.

I do know many of the presidents and even AD’s were very pissed at Warrens handling of the media deal and leaving out some very important information when he presented the deal to be agreed upon.

 

[cykadelic2]

The Washington and Oregon stuff came out of desperation from those schools not from the big ten actually wanting them. But if you can get them half off, especially Oregon, why not.

That's BS. Fox paid them just enough to force closure of the PAC and eliminate two schools from their payroll. Next up will be the ACC when ESPN doesn't pick up their option in 2027 and Fox and ESPN will poach from them to force closure of the ACC as we know it. Helluva deal for ESPN and Fox to have less mouths to feed while they manipulate the process with their two greedy ass puppets.

It was also a helluva deal for Fox and ESPN for Fox to proclaim back in January that they were going all in on bidding for the CFP extension and then mysteriously ESPN is the sole bidder at a below market level. And then we come to find out that the CFP (i.e. SEC and B10) decided to provide ESPN an option that enables ESPN to sublicense part of the package at below market value to Fox. And of course, a sublicensing option like that is unheard of for a premium package like the CFP and their high ratings. Only ESPN and Fox with orchestration by their puppets, Sankey and Petitti, can pull off such BS to the massive detriment of the entire sport.

 

[isucy86]

NO ****.

I feel like you didn't even read my last post. KU (and ISU) would take the invite in a second. This debate is about whether or not the invite is coming. My belief is that it isn't, because they've been available for nearly decades and multiple rounds of realignment and neither group has been interested.

While adding KU or ISU to the SEC doesn't make sense in 2024. If there is a shift to move most live sports to subscription platforms, that could change how the SEC (and Big10) look at potential realignment schools.

I have long thought KU to SEC could eventually make sense as part of SEC westward expansion. KU, Mizzou, Arkansas and OU would be close geographic rivals. At some point does college sport viewing evolve into an us vs. them mentality? The Big10 & SEC will add schools which add brand value, but also avid fanbases that will buy subscriptions to watch a number of the 10-12 Big10/SEC games each weekend.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

That's BS. Fox paid them just enough to force closure of the PAC and eliminate two schools from their payroll. Next up will be the ACC when ESPN doesn't pick up their option in 2027 and Fox and ESPN will poach from them to force closure of the ACC as we know it. Helluva deal for ESPN and Fox to have less mouths to feed while they manipulate the process with their two greedy ass puppets.

It was also a helluva deal for Fox and ESPN for Fox to proclaim back in January that they were going all in on bidding for the CFP extension and then mysteriously ESPN is sole bidder at a below market level. And then we come to find out that the CFP (i.e. SEC and B10) decided to provide ESPN an option that enables ESPN to sublicense part of the package at below market value to Fox. And of course, a sublicensing option like that is unheard of for a premium package like the CFP and their high ratings. Only ESPN and Fox with orchestration by their puppets, Sankey and Petitti, can pull off such BS to the massive detriment of the entire sport.

That’s some real tin foil hat stuff but I know nothing I say can convince you otherwise even though your math is way off. Just adding USC/UCLA at full value is paying more than they “saved” by cutting WSU and OSU. Same for the other schools, they all got pay raises leaving the PAC, but again, I know how the great conspiracy theory on here works.