Writing a column, would love some input

[thatguy]

There wouldn't be a Big 12 anymore if Texas left. All the other schools would have to find there own place. The schools that would be left wouldn't have a strong enough footholds i.e. have enough TV screens to make it marketable as a "Power Conference" and 0 schools from other conferences would join the mess that is the Big 12. From the north MU and NU would probably find there way into a major conference because of tradition and boosters (MU being the only major school in the state with two big media markets in it..) and KU because of basketball would most likely get picked up by a conference. The rest of the lower schools, would have to fend for ourselves and we haven't been successful enough to warrant consideration in a major conference. This would be a death blow for ISU athletics. Our athletic budget is already that of mid major schools and this would be proof to the "major" conferences that we are more of a mid major school. Sucks but it is the truth...

 

[Frak]

My first call no matter what would be to BYU. They have a national (Morman) following, is decent in sports, good academically and can guarantee the SLC market. I still say beat those conferences to the punch and offer BYU and Arkansas. Yeah, Arkansas is in the SEC, but they don't fit in all that well there. And the Big XII could offer a sizeable payout...damn near SEC levels...if they approached the networks with that lineup. Gotta do it before they get poached though.

Honestly, I'd go right now and offer BYU, Arkansas, Louisville and LA Tech. All new markets, all big TV footprints. Go to 16 and then meet with the networks ready to rumble.

 

[Tornado man]

Let's say UT/aTm/MU bolted for the Big Ten. That still leaves OU,NU,KU as a pretty good core of schools along with ISU,KSU,TT,OSU,BU,CU. Those schools are still quite a bit more pretigious than the MAC, so a jump to that group from a BCS-6 conference would not be nearly as drastic as a jump from a BCS-6 conference to the MAC (i.e. ISU to MAC).

So OU (and to a lesser extent NU) would stay with that collection of schools? So they can share their football TV and bowl revenue with all of them? I doubt it.
If the two Texas biggies leave, OU is out the door too.

 

[Tornado man]

There wouldn't be a Big 12 anymore if Texas left. All the other schools would have to find there own place. The schools that would be left wouldn't have a strong enough footholds i.e. have enough TV screens to make it marketable as a "Power Conference" and 0 schools from other conferences would join the mess that is the Big 12. From the north MU and NU would probably find there way into a major conference because of tradition and boosters (MU being the only major school in the state with two big media markets in it..) and KU because of basketball would most likely get picked up by a conference. The rest of the lower schools, would have to fend for ourselves and we haven't been successful enough to warrant consideration in a major conference. This would be a death blow for ISU athletics. Our athletic budget is already that of mid major schools and this would be proof to the "major" conferences that we are more of a mid major school. Sucks but it is the truth...

Very well said. I have to believe Geoffrey is heating up the phone lines with his close presidential buddies in the Big Ten (and he has a few, like Spanier at Penn State) asking to keep their hands off.

 

[Al_4_State]

A Texas-less Big 12 is still a better conference than the ACC, Big East, and Pac-10 as long as OU and NU are good.

We'd lose TV revenue, but adding a Utah team and another Colorado school (AF or CSU) or another Texas school (SMU, TCU, or Houston) would make for a legit BCS conference.

 

[Tornado man]

A Texas-less Big 12 is still a better conference than the ACC, Big East, and Pac-10 as long as OU and NU are good.

We'd lose TV revenue, but adding a Utah team and another Colorado school (AF or CSU) or another Texas school (SMU, TCU, or Houston) would make for a legit BCS conference.

No way OU and NU would stay without wanting to keep a bigger share (if not all) of their revenue. There's no way, without Texas around, they are going to prop up the rest of the Big 12.

 

[westcyedclone]

There wouldn't be a Big 12 anymore if Texas left. All the other schools would have to find there own place. The schools that would be left wouldn't have a strong enough footholds i.e. have enough TV screens to make it marketable as a "Power Conference" and 0 schools from other conferences would join the mess that is the Big 12. From the north MU and NU would probably find there way into a major conference because of tradition and boosters (MU being the only major school in the state with two big media markets in it..) and KU because of basketball would most likely get picked up by a conference. The rest of the lower schools, would have to fend for ourselves and we haven't been successful enough to warrant consideration in a major conference. This would be a death blow for ISU athletics. Our athletic budget is already that of mid major schools and this would be proof to the "major" conferences that we are more of a mid major school. Sucks but it is the truth...

Which would lead to a new Big 8 conference unfortunately made up of Iowa State, Minnesota State, Missouri State, SDSU, South Dakota, NDSU, North Dakota, UNO .
Sad but makes sense.

 

[RhoadsRage]

Which would lead to a new Big 8 conference unfortunately made up of Iowa State, Minnesota State, Missouri State, SDSU, South Dakota, NDSU, North Dakota, UNO .
Sad but makes sense.

Aren't most of these FBS(div II or whatever the hell they're called now) schools in football??

 

[erikbj]

I agree that it is a long shot but Texas has no loyalty to the Big 12. They wanted to join the PAC 10 before joining up with the Big 8. With the money that the Big Ten can toss their way (like they really need any more right), I wouldn't be shocked to see them go.

You think that Mack Brown wants to take his "southern boys" to Columbus or Iowa City or Madison in November? Texas is all about national championships, they are not leaving their cozy situation they have now.

 

[justcynn]

If 3 of the major market teams were to leave the big 12, the TV's lost for football could not be replaced and from a revenue standpoint the new big 12 would be severely weakened. With this in mind, I would suggest taking the ACC approach - focus on Basketball. Add Kentucky, Memphis and Louisville. Put the money you do have in basketball and let the football fall where it will.

 

[jbhtexas]

No way OU and NU would stay without wanting to keep a bigger share (if not all) of their revenue. There's no way, without Texas around, they are going to prop up the rest of the Big 12.

Gotta have a place to go before you can go... OU is probably tied to OSU. Where do they go? Maybe two to the SEC, unless SEC decides to go to 16, in which case they could take OU, OSU, NU and KU...

 

[Tre4ISU]

You think that Mack Brown wants to take his "southern boys" to Columbus or Iowa City or Madison in November? Texas is all about national championships, they are not leaving their cozy situation they have now.

Ya, no way Texas is going. They don't want anything to do with OSU, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State or Michigan in the late fall.

 

[CycloneErik]

If 3 of the major market teams were to leave the big 12, the TV's lost for football could not be replaced and from a revenue standpoint the new big 12 would be severely weakened. With this in mind, I would suggest taking the ACC approach - focus on Basketball. Add Kentucky, Memphis and Louisville. Put the money you do have in basketball and let the football fall where it will.

I don't think Kentucky would go anywhere, but those other two might be interesting. Would they want to be in conference play with Kansas?

 

[justcynn]

I don't think Kentucky would go anywhere, but those other two might be interesting. Would they want to be in conference play with Kansas?

You are most likely correct about Kentucky - but they do fit the mold of a new conference focussed primarily on basketball with little history in football, Louisville and Memphis would be intriguing. the problem with expanding the conference with football as the primary driver in mind is that if TV is not going to be a primary lucrative source of revenue, some how you have to get the fans in the stands and some of your fans in your oppositions stands, that will be even more difficult if we are aligned with West Coast schools or second and third tier Texas Schools.

I suspect Pollard and every other AD in his (potential) position will look at this through a how do we keep the Football Revenue up stand point as they probably should, maybe as they review the whole situation they will find a more creative solution to it? Little guys are screwed in the current state of the NCAA - I don't see anyway around that fact.

 

[mt85]

If the Big XII wants to survive they have to get aggressive about a TV network. The Big XII needs to expand beyond it's current boundaries to have the clout to start it's own TV network.

If the Big XII needs teams I think they need to raid the Big East before everyone else does. They should step on the foot print that the Big X occupies. I would look hard at the following Big East teams. Cincinnati (12 million), Pittsburgh (12 million), Syracuse (19 million), and South Florida (18 million). The population of thoses schools states are in parentheses.

If I were running the Big XII, I would look very hard at expanding to 16 teams before others get the jump on them.

I would add the above four teams (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and South Florida) and start a TV network. That footprint would give the conference the ability to start it's own network and have some serious leverage in negotiating TV contracts. The Big XII would probably have the biggest population base of any conference with that group.

 

[cdekovic]

Arkansas, LSU (or MS State) and Mississippi. You gain some SEC strength in FB and even the playing field in Basketball.

 

[CycloneTJS]

If the Big XII wants to survive they have to get aggressive about a TV network. The Big XII needs to expand beyond it's current boundaries to have the clout to start it's own TV network.

If the Big XII needs teams I think they need to raid the Big East before everyone else does. They should step on the foot print that the Big X occupies. I would look hard at the following Big East teams. Cincinnati (12 million), Pittsburgh (12 million), Syracuse (19 million), and South Florida (18 million). The population of thoses schools states are in parentheses.

If I were running the Big XII, I would look very hard at expanding to 16 teams before others get the jump on them.

I would add the above four teams (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and South Florida) and start a TV network. That footprint would give the conference the ability to start it's own network and have some serious leverage in negotiating TV contracts. The Big XII would probably have the biggest population base of any conference with that group.

I think this is on track, but pointing the wrong direction - I would like to see the Big 12 look west, and merge with the PAC 10, but also add 2 teams (one of BYU, TCU, NM, Boise State) to create a true Super Conference, with 24 teams, in 3 or 4 divisions. This would create a conference 2nd to none, and create some very interesting conference playoff options. We have seen our confernce gor from 6 to 7 to 8 to 12 members. I say we beat others to the punch, and try something extreme.

 

[mt85]

I think this is on track, but pointing the wrong direction - I would like to see the Big 12 look west, and merge with the PAC 10, but also add 2 teams (one of BYU, TCU, NM, Boise State) to create a true Super Conference, with 24 teams, in 3 or 4 divisions. This would create a conference 2nd to none, and create some very interesting conference playoff options. We have seen our confernce gor from 6 to 7 to 8 to 12 members. I say we beat others to the punch, and try something extreme.

I thought of that as well. The biggest obstacle to a western expansion is two time zones. If you go east you're only dealing with one time zone.

California is the biggest state, so I wouldn't be against such an idea. The Big XII if they were to look west could add San Diego State, San Jose State and/or Fresno State. They could establish a presence without the need to merger with the Pac 10.

I would, however, caution against adding teams that are the flavor of the week. Boise State is hot right now, but they are in a small population state, and are possibly a coaching change away from mediocrity.

 

[EveryYardForISU]

I don't see any big change that would favorably impact ISU. Let's hope this conference realignment bologna ends with the Big Ten picking up Pitt or Cincinnati and no major shake-ups take place. I think the power 6 are about as balanced as they could realistically be. Any of these speculated changes will only hurt college athletics as a whole IMO. Only individual schools would really benefit.

 

[garn91]

I posted the following on the Husker board that I call home last week.

Let’s say that both CU and Missouri bolt for respectively the Pac 10 and Big 10 conferences. Were does the Big 12 go for looking for replacements?

Arkansas seems like a natural fit, already in the Big 12 footprint and have had rivalries in the past with both Texas & Texas A&M. Would Arkansas leave behind the money they get from the SEC Network? Arkansas is also the furthest west school in the SEC and I’m sure their travel budget is quite huge and in this day and age of slashing state spending, traveling closer to home would be a big draw.

TCU & Houston. What is the fascination with these 2 schools? TCU has long been mentioned and today was the first time I saw Houston mentioned. Neither would bring much to the league in additional viewers and both play in horrendously small stadiums (TCU roughly 42,000 and Houston’s stadium is less than 40,000) and TCU’s enrollment is even smaller than Baylor.

BYU would bring a lot of football tradition and history, and what I think is a national following. Other than baseball scheduling, BYU’s no play on Sunday policy shouldn’t be an issue. But as been mentioned, would BYU come without Utah?

I realize that Arkansas is in a small state (roughly 3 million), but unlike Kansas and Iowa who are similar in size, Arkansas is the only major program in the state and all eyes would be focused on the Hogs. In addition, even if Missouri leaves the Conference, I believe that KC will very much remain a Big 12 market with Kansas and Kansas St right in their backyard not to mention the large Husker following that’s in the market. IIRC, the Salt Lake TV market is about the size of Kansas City.

Conference alignment, football scheduling, and other issues. This could get tricky as Arkansas is so far in NW Arkansas that they could easily be added to the North Division, but could also be classified a “south school”. I don’t know what would be the best way of going about this. Also, I think it would be time to add a designated rival to the football schedule. This works in the Big 10 and SEC, so I don’t know why it can’t work in the new Big 12. Heck in the Big 10, you have to designate 2 schools that you play every year regardless of schedule rotation and in Iowa’s case, it’s Minnesota and Wisconsin. TV Network – get one done, either as a partnership with the PAC 10 or if necessary, go at it alone or something similar to what the SEC has done with ESPN in terms of coverage and money. That would make the new Big 12 appealing for Arkansas.