Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[Cloneon]

Yeah you’re right no one will place any blame on FSU and Clemson. It will never get mentioned.

Should USC get some of the blame? Absolutely. But the Pac would still be together today if George would have just taken the deal we took or found any suitable deal for that matter.

So many dominoes creating so many scenarios.

Oklahoma and Georgia in 1984 taking TV rights away from the NCAA, Oklahoma/Texas ESPN/SEC manipulated departure from the B12, USC sabotaging Angry 8 merger with P12 (probably already knowing their plan to B1G and therefore against a probable GOR should the two have merged), USC/UCLA departure (UCLA added to secure full L.A. market), OR/WA to B1G on discount (likely anticipated as part of the B1G/media master plan).

The obvious wrench in this whole thing was the survivability of the B12 and the utter incompetence and ego of P12 management which caused a 'branch' in the domino plan. Thus creating a whole new domino fallout.

The ACC has a similar opportunity to disrupt the dominoes. And FSU and Clemson could not pick a worse time to stink up the grid iron thus giving the ACC new life.

We'll just have to see where it all ends up.

One thing is for sure: the propagation of financial control will challenge the lower income schools viability and the upper eschalon's ego (knowing that half of the new empire will likely suffer more losses than in the previous paradigm). But just like war and law, win or lose, someone somewhere is still making money.

 

[MugNight]

Remember though, it was Utah that said they were worth like 50MM.

Dumb question, and really anyone can answer: do universities in lower cost of living get more bang for their buck on these media payouts? $50M is $50M, but is there any sort of value scale based on location?

For instance, I’ve got to believe that Iowa’s media payout goes further than say Washington’s.

 

[exCyDing]

SIAP but as some have mentioned, this unequal revenue share for the FSU and Clemson’s in the ACC is just a stop gap. In the end, the minute either of them can move and get an invite to move to the Big Ten or SEC, they will.

Absolutely. Maybe the ACC can placate them enough so they don't actively try to blow up the conference for a couple of years.

Ultimately, it's the same situation we had with Texas. Eventually, there's nothing else to give to keeps them around.

 

[ISU_Guy]

Dumb question, and really anyone can answer: do universities in lower cost of living get more bang for their buck on these media payouts? $50M is $50M, but is there any sort of value scale based on location?

For instance, I’ve got to believe that Iowa’s media payout goes further than say Washington’s.

I think it's just the amount, but who knows? Good question.

somewhat related: I mentioned this about coaching salaries the other day with a friend, ironically.
Mike Gundy getting 8M per year in stillwater, OK is probably going to going to end up being the same as Lincoln Riley's 11M in Southern Cal...lol

 

[1SEIACLONE]

I think it in this case, if and when, the ACC implodes the blame will fall squarely on two institutions.

ESPN being one, who is the other one. Hard to place all the blame on Clemson and FSU for causing this if ESPN pulls the plug on the media contract in 2026. Don't think for a moment that the B10 has not quietly contacted the schools they are interested in and have talked to them, just in case. Much like they did with USC and UCLA.

 

[exCyDing]

I think it's just the amount, but who knows? Good question.

somewhat related: I mentioned this about coaching salaries the other day with a friend, ironically.
Mike Gundy getting 8M per year in stillwater, OK is probably going to going to end up being the same as Lincoln Riley's 11M in Southern Cal...lol

Looks like Gundy would need $13M in LA to have the same lifestyle he has on $8m in Stillwater. When you get up to those kinds of numbers, though, I'd have to think it's more academic. Sure, you could stack up a little more in some places than others, but we're talking generational wealth either way. It's not like there's a whole lot you can't do anywhere on that kind of salary.

I could absolutely see it making a bigger difference for non-revenue sports, or for lower-level assistant coaches. At the same time, if you're an assistant coach with aspirations of moving up, you're going to go where you can best further your career and not worry too much about comparing COL. You're likely to be somewhere else in a few years anyway.

 

[KnappShack]

Looks like Gundy would need $13M in LA to have the same lifestyle he has on $8m in Stillwater. When you get up to those kinds of numbers, though, I'd have to think it's more academic. Sure, you could stack up a little more in some places than others, but we're talking generational wealth either way. It's not like there's a whole lot you can't do anywhere on that kind of salary.

I could absolutely see it making a bigger difference for non-revenue sports, or for lower-level assistant coaches. At the same time, if you're an assistant coach with aspirations of moving up, you're going to go where you can best further your career and not worry too much about comparing COL. You're likely to be somewhere else in a few years anyway.

Not sure you can really compare lifestyles between Stillwater and LA.

 

[ISU_Guy]

Looks like Gundy would need $13M in LA to have the same lifestyle he has on $8m in Stillwater. When you get up to those kinds of numbers, though, I'd have to think it's more academic. Sure, you could stack up a little more in some places than others, but we're talking generational wealth either way. It's not like there's a whole lot you can't do anywhere on that kind of salary.

I could absolutely see it making a bigger difference for non-revenue sports, or for lower-level assistant coaches. At the same time, if you're an assistant coach with aspirations of moving up, you're going to go where you can best further your career and not worry too much about comparing COL. You're likely to be somewhere else in a few years anyway.

Good job running the numbers. I do think the biggest difference is the house typically. Of course, Gundy strikes me as someone who would buy a nice house on a couple hundred acres to shoot guns and fireworks off of. So Stillwater would be right in his wheelhouse.

 

[HouClone]

Absolutely. Maybe the ACC can placate them enough so they don't actively try to blow up the conference for a couple of years.

Ultimately, it's the same situation we had with Texas. Eventually, there's nothing else to give to keeps them around.

This is exactly what the ACC fans are thinking. They believe keeping FSU and Clemson in the fold, even with unequal revenue sharing, will allow them to raid the Big 12 in 2030-2031. Also, they are so hung up on the allure of the ACC Network as the nugget over the Big 12 when distributors are fighting back on paying the in-market conference networks for the whole state. Thus, you have a conference network showing minor sports and lower end teams, and the conferences are expecting big profits out of it.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Good job running the numbers. I do think the biggest difference is the house typically. Of course, Gundy strikes me as someone who would buy a nice house on a couple hundred acres to shoot guns and fireworks off of. So Stillwater would be right in his wheelhouse.

Gundy's home was on Zillow in April, nice place.

Oklahoma State Cowboy Head Football Coach Mike Gundy's Stillwater, OK Home listed for $8,000,000

Oklahoma State Cowboy Head Football Coach Mike Gundy's Stillwater home was listed for $8,000,000 and sits on 80 acres.

zillowgonewild.com

 

[isucy86]

This is exactly what the ACC fans are thinking. They believe keeping FSU and Clemson in the fold, even with unequal revenue sharing, will allow them to raid the Big 12 in 2030-2031. Also, they are so hung up on the allure of the ACC Network as the nugget over the Big 12 when distributors are fighting back on paying the in-market conference networks for the whole state. Thus, you have a conference network showing minor sports and lower end teams, and the conferences are expecting big profits out of it.

I struggle to see the value of the ACCN or SECN in a streaming era. The idea of a single stream linear channel seems archaic when companies like YouTubeTV, Hulu+, ESPN+ all emphasize links to open games.

Using links vs. linear channels also seems a far superior viewership experience when the game before your favorite team goes long and you have to go to an alternative channel to avoid missing half a quarter of game action!

 

[Cyclonsin]

I struggle to see the value of the ACCN or SECN in a streaming era. The idea of a single stream linear channel seems archaic when companies like YouTubeTV, Hulu+, ESPN+ all emphasize links to open games.

Using links vs. linear channels also seems a far superior viewership experience when the game before your favorite team goes long and you have to go to an alternative channel to avoid missing half a quarter of game action!

The benefit is standing any chance of being on in a random bar/restaurant.

Also money. There's still a lot of money in linear channels to cable companies, although that is slowly declining.

Personally, I don't think we'll see a world without linear channels being the home of marquee sporting events in our lifetime, they'll just be delivered via the internet instead of a rabbit ears/cable/dish. Sure, more and more games will wind up on Prime or ESPN+ or whatever, but ESPN/FOX/ABC/CBS aren't going away anytime soon, and they'll need content.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

I struggle to see the value of the ACCN or SECN in a streaming era. The idea of a single stream linear channel seems archaic when companies like YouTubeTV, Hulu+, ESPN+ all emphasize links to open games.

Using links vs. linear channels also seems a far superior viewership experience when the game before your favorite team goes long and you have to go to an alternative channel to avoid missing half a quarter of game action!

Do the ACC or SEC also have an expanded paid network like BTN+? I have no idea how much money it makes (and honestly it costs very little if you try to find a deal) but having an additional revenue stream couldn’t hurt, especially with how much some of those schools value their Olympic sports

 

[Clonehomer]

Do the ACC or SEC also have an expanded paid network like BTN+? I have no idea how much money it makes (and honestly it costs very little if you try to find a deal) but having an additional revenue stream couldn’t hurt, especially with how much some of those schools value their Olympic sports

Both would fall under ESPN+ for overflow beyond the ACCN and SECN.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

Forget backfilling with Houston, BYU or other recent promotions, the PAC could have merged with the Angry 8 when word got out Texas and Oklahoma were leaving the B12. There were talks, but USC reportedly nixed the idea. That alone would have ensured enough schools to survive even with the loss of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington. Additionally, there wouldn't have been a B12 to jump the line and take the media deal the PAC passed on.

By the time the shoe was on the other foot, it didn't make financial sense for the B12 to take in all the remaining PAC schools.

The Pac12 arrogance did them in, the academics types of the P12 never saw the B12 member schools as their equal and figured the conference of champions would win out. Forgetting that few were watching their teams on the field and their attendence was horrible.

 

[CyCrazy]

The Pac12 arrogance did them in, the academics types of the P12 never saw the B12 member schools as their equal and figured the conference of champions would win out. Forgetting that few were watching their teams on the field and their attendence was horrible.

No one on the west coast cares about college sports. Unless its USC fb and to a way smaller extent UO

 

[cykadelic2]

No one on the west coast cares about college sports. Unless its USC fb and to a way smaller extent UO

LOL, nobody on the west coast cared about Washington's run to the CFP title game last season.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

I agree with you, but just like we blame UT and OU for our troubles, I think USC pulled the pin on the grenade. They voted against the PAC expanding while they very likely were jockeying to leave in the background. Had they backfilled with UH, BYU, whatever then that may have saved the PAC, assuming they take the deal from ESPN that the XII took.

I do get upset when the B1G acts like USCLA and UW/UO just fell on their lap. They’re not blameless in this.

They completely f***ed over the other schools a few years ago when the OU/UT news broke. All eight Big 12 schools would've killed for a Pac-12 invite. The league could've taken any four it wanted. Then, USC/UCLA could've still left, with Oregon/Washington following, and the Pac-12 would have survived with 12 or more.

Thank God for USC's arrogance because I'd put the odds under 50% that ISU would've been one of the four Big 12 leftovers added to that Pac-16. Guessing we'd be in the American with Baylor and WVU right now had it gone down that way (or in a reconstituted zombie Big 12 with the best of the AAC and Mtn West, like Wazzu/Oregon State are doing). But I guess we'll never know

 

[simply1]

The PAC didn’t understand it could die, and USC sabotaged them as well.

 

[Clonedogg]

They completely f***ed over the other schools a few years ago when the OU/UT news broke. All eight Big 12 schools would've killed for a Pac-12 invite. The league could've taken any four it wanted. Then, USC/UCLA could've still left, with Oregon/Washington following, and the Pac-12 would have survived with 12 or more.

Thank God for USC's arrogance because I'd put the odds under 50% that ISU would've been one of the four Big 12 leftovers added to that Pac-16. Guessing we'd be in the American with Baylor and WVU right now had it gone down that way (or in a reconstituted zombie Big 12 with the best of the AAC and Mtn West, like Wazzu/Oregon State are doing). But I guess we'll never know

All interesting possible outcomes, not sure OR/Wash would of left with that make up, then Yormark would not of been here to jump them in line and the Pac would of still had a decent deal on the table.

If OR/Wash did eventually bail, maybe at that time the new remaining Pac 12 takes the final 4 Big12 leftovers and that's the 16 school conference ISU lands in. Which would of looked a lot like our current conference Hateful 8, 4 corners, ORST/Wazzu, Cal-Ford.

The other possibility you mentioned, the Zombie Big 12, is slightly interesting to think about. It would of been better than what ORST/Wazzu are doing, IMO. The best of the AAC would of still included Houston, Cincy, and UCF plus BYU. Add to that the best of the MWC: Boise, SDST, Fresno, (CSU and/or UNLV).

What 4 of the Hateful 8 would the Pac of taken? TT, OSU, KU, TCU?