Williams: As the Big 12 turns

Lyddea

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May 9, 2011
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Well, it is obvious you are in the gingerbread house then....

My goodness you apparently are either really young, and haven't ever read about the history of college football, or you are in candyland.

There is not a bigger program in the history of college football than Notre Dame. They have a national following that is probably greater than any other school. They have fans coast to coast and border to border. So YES basic cable would pick up a ND network. It seems that they have a fb contract with one of the four major networks, so there is OBVIOUSLY a demand for their content.

Are you even aware that upon the formation of the BCS they included a SPECIAL provision for ND to be in BCS bowl games?

Dude, at least understand what it is that you are talking about. Google it if you have to. Getting all of your info from an inbred iowa circle jerk site is about as reliable as getting all of your news from fox.

Lol. Continue as you were. National cable carriage is the same as getting a deal to broadcast home-games on NBC. Nevermind that national cable carriage would pay on the order of $60M dollars (assuming capitalization similar to the B1G deal that includes 11(12) teams and 2nd tier rights) and that the NBC deal pays about $9M. :spinny:
 

drednot57

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Apr 26, 2010
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If this is what you believe, if you really think that a Notre Dame network, were it to join the Big 12, a network that would show at most 2-3 non-con ND home games a year plus ND olympic sports, would gain carriage on basic cable across the country, much less in Chicagoland...

OK. We can stop conversing. We are speaking from two different places. One of us from reality, the other from Candyland.
The reality is that the old traditions are being fragmented by the likes of the four letter network and its desire to monetize college football as much as possible. That's the new reality we're dealing with in all this talk of conference realignment. What schools will bring in the best ratings, and how can they be aligned to form mostly cohesive units that can be easily marketed to advertisers for the most money the network(s) can get -- that's reality. This talk about how traditions will trump the billions of dollars in play is "Candyland."
 

Lyddea

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May 9, 2011
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What schools will bring in the best ratings, and how can they be aligned to form mostly cohesive units that can be easily marketed to advertisers for the most money the network(s) can get -- that's reality.

We can agree that Notre Dame in the Big 12 would not be the alignment that would be most cohesive or the most marketable to advertisers, right?
 

mikem

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Jul 27, 2010
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Lol. Continue as you were. National cable carriage is the same as getting a deal to broadcast home-games on NBC. Nevermind that national cable carriage would pay on the order of $60M dollars (assuming capitalization similar to the B1G deal that includes 11(12) teams and 2nd tier rights) and that the NBC deal pays about $9M. :spinny:

It just baffles me that this person doesn't seem to understand the idea that the entire landscape of college football is on the verge of changing.

What is reality today will not be reality soon. I understand that the fox 12 fans think that they are entitled to ND, but the fact of the matter is that when ND starts making BCS games regularly again, they get that 13-15 million dollars, and don't have to split it with anyone.

Now, I have never thought ND to the Big 12 was realistic, and I have never made that argument.

The one argument that is valid is that when the Big 12 finally breaks up, that signals the end of the Big East. UT has no reason to jump anywhere, even though everyone will make a play for them, including the fox 12.

The reason that Dodds is talking about ND, as referenced by CW in his blog, is because they are two of about five schools in the NCAA that can get away with the type of deal that ND has now. It would very much stand to reason that they will join forces, they are the two whales that are going to be available, and establish their own place in the pecking order.

Does this mean that they develop a conference with BYU, and the best of the leftovers (and Tech)? I don't know. But those two together will command a bigger deal than they can alone.

If **** blows up, ND tanks under Kelly, the Big East basketball conference folds, etc. all happens in the next 4-5 years, then it is conceiveable that they join fox. But a lot of things have to go wrong for that to happen.
 

cyman05

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A couple observations on this thread.

1. Nobody said ND to Big 12 is likely to happen, it just seems to make the most logical choice because they've already said no Big 10 money, they're starting a network they could only keep in the Big 12, and they value tradition (which I think W's vs. ISU and KSU would build back up their tattered tradition more than going 4-4 in the Big 10 every year.)

2. Nobody else is mentioning recruiting in Texas. Isn't that a huge issue?
 

Rods79

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Nov 27, 2006
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1. ND is the crown jewel missing from every conference, and the B1G only THINKS it belongs to them. ND can add stability to a conference of their choosing when realignment occurs, and it would make sense for them to choose the business model that benefits them best financially if they MUST join a conference.

2. Big 12 football is nothing to scoff at in the name of tradition. Although admittedly the north doesn't carry a lot of tradition, Iowa State and K-State are on the way up, and Mizzou is solid. Implying that these would not be formidable teams "worthy" to play ND in the future is ignorant and shows a B1G bias. Kansas, on the other hand, is a different story, but that is one of 4. If you want to spin it another way since people think this would be way too easy, it gives them some easy wins that wouldn't be easy to come by in the superconference world.

3. As said before, ND's B1G scheduling tradition is not relevant in the changing environment, as the B1G goes to 9 conference games. If you aren't playing in Michigan vs Ohio State, Alabama vs Auburn, Texas vs Oklahoma, and maybe to a lesser extent Army vs Navy and USC vs Cal (there are probably a few I am missing), then your rivalries don't mean much going forward. ND can still keep the important rivalries they want (Navy, USC) even with joining a conference.

4. The Big 12 controls Texas recruiting.
 
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cygrads

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I doubt ND comes to the Big 12 but they are probably the only school that would solidfy the conference. If ND comes nobody leaves - that is why there should be a full court press to get ND.
 

kingcy

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That's just being dishonest, did they have all those teams on the schedule in the same year? Because in the Big 12 hypothetical they would have Kansas, K State, I State and Mizzou all in the same year.

Go look at ND's schedules over the past decade. That schedule cannot even be approximated were ND to join the Big 12. And the service academies are not interchangeable, ND will always play Navy for historical reasons - if you do not understand that you do not understand Notre Dame football.

Nebraska always played OU also. Texas played Texas A&M. Wake up and realise the landscape of College FB is changing.
 

Sammy11

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Jun 11, 2010
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Give ND choice of divisional alignment (TX schools+BYU or B12north) and allow them to play 5 division games + 1 cross division. Allows for 4 strong noncon (USC, Stanford, Michigan, MSU/Pitt) and 2 lighter ones. (Bodybag & Navy)

Easiest way to land them IMO. Take the 2 highest ranked opponents in noncon as extra league games for close tiebreakers. (USC and Michigan would be this most years)
 

weR138

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Feb 20, 2008
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Nebraska always played OU also. Texas played Texas A&M. Wake up and realise the landscape of College FB is changing.

If ND stops playing Navy then CFB has taken a turn for the worse. The ND/Navy rivalry and it's story is part of the reason CFB is the greatest game on earth.
 

Clonefan94

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Oct 18, 2006
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If ND stops playing Navy then CFB has taken a turn for the worse. The ND/Navy rivalry and it's story is part of the reason CFB is the greatest game on earth.

I'm not saying they won't continue to play Navy, but college football has changed and will continue to do so in the name of the almighty dollar. Traditional rivalries, no matter how historical aren't important anymore. Traditional college football is gone as we knew it.
 

cykadelic2

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Jun 10, 2006
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That's just being dishonest, did they have all those teams on the schedule in the same year? Because in the Big 12 hypothetical they would have Kansas, K State, I State and Mizzou all in the same year.

Go look at ND's schedules over the past decade. That schedule cannot even be approximated were ND to join the Big 12. And the service academies are not interchangeable, ND will always play Navy for historical reasons - if you do not understand that you do not understand Notre Dame football.

I think you are staying up too late and losing your mind:

I am not being dishonest, I just made a list of teams ND has played in the last five years and they are no better than ISU, KU, KSU and Mizzou. This season, ND is playing Wake Forest, South Florida, Maryland, and Boston College which are no better than the 4 B12 North opponents. I already mentioned that playing ISU, KU, KSU, Mizzou each season is not highly desirable by ND but that is a tradeoff for conference membership.

Not sure why you bring Navy up, I previously posted there was sufficient flexibility with ND's non-conference schedule to play them each year in addition to Air Force.

The Big East and Big 12 will likely not survive in a 4 team superconfernece model, the ACC will instead so ND's Big East affiliation will be toast for all of its sports except football.

That leaves ND with three future options:

1) Stay indy with future loss of scheduling flexibility as more conferences go to 9 game conference schedules and also run the risk of losing BCS access in case superconferences form. 1st Tier Network provider (currently NBC) only retain rights to home games. ND has no network control of entire road inventory.

2) The Big 12 - would provide sufficient scheduling flexibility to play the "must-haves" in USC, AFA, Navy and either Mich St or Purdue. Would provide at least one annual game in TX for recruiting purposes. Would have annual guaranteed game against UT or OU. Would provide potential/likely B12 championship game exposure at Cowboys Stadium (one more game in TX). Would provide ND with full 3rd Tier network flexibility. 1st Tier provider (likely ESPN/ABC starting in 2016) would have rights to all of ND's home inventory AND almost all of its road inventory which significantly enhances ND brand and $$$$ potential. B12 would permit current NBC contract to operate as-is for ND's home inventory through 2015. B12 membership by ND would insure the B12 surviving with only 12 teams.

3) ND does not join B12 - Big East and Big 12 both fold. ND loses BCS access staying as indy so forced into joining B10. ND loses scheduling flexibility with potential 9 game conference schedule. B10 would provide NO 3rd Tier network flexibility for ND. ND loses annual access to TX recruiting turf.

Looks to me the decision is clear for ND. Join the B12 now or run the real risk of being stuck with Option #3.
 
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Cyhart

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Aug 15, 2009
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A couple observations on this thread.

1. Nobody said ND to Big 12 is likely to happen, it just seems to make the most logical choice because they've already said no Big 10 money, they're starting a network they could only keep in the Big 12, and they value tradition (which I think W's vs. ISU and KSU would build back up their tattered tradition more than going 4-4 in the Big 10 every year.)

2. Nobody else is mentioning recruiting in Texas. Isn't that a huge issue?

Whoa, I'm not understanding exactly what you are trying to say here. Please clarify.