Official Conference Expansion Discussion Thread

[SacFalcFan]

Hey instead of creating a bunch of threads on each move let's put it all in here if you guys don't mind. Is that cool guys?

WVU going to SEC is now the rumor and it's coming from WVU guys.

Texas to the Pac-12 - Sources say Texas to the Pac-12 is going to happen which means okie state, ou, and texas tech will join as well.

Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC.

Being reported that Baylor, ISU, KU, KSU, and Mizzou to the Big East now

[Reeves]

would we stay at 14 teams with the ACC (possibly) and the PAC-12 going to 16 teams?

seems like it'd be silly to stay at 14 if we can go to 16 and be one of the 'super-conferences'

[jgator21]

Have heard rumors that the ACC would love to add UConn and Kansas to the mix to have the basketball super conference.

[SacFalcFan]

Have heard rumors that the ACC would love to add UConn and Kansas to the mix to have the basketball super conference.

the acc commish did a great job leveraging their basketball to get a bigger deal than many expected and it's clear they are going to use that as their way to dominance in at least one sport because they won't be doing it in football.

[mookie3127]

the acc commish did a great job leveraging their basketball to get a bigger deal than many expected and it's clear they are going to use that as their way to dominance in at least one sport because they won't be doing it in football.

not with adding Pitt and Syracuse. i would have much preferred WVU and then either Pitt/USF

[SacFalcFan]

per cincy site the sec turned down wvu's application.

[ATLBrave]

per cincy site the sec turned down wvu's application.

I mean, who else besides WVU, Louisville, and maybe Mizzou fit what the SEC is looking for?

[Cable Guy]

per cincy site the sec turned down wvu's application.

If true, I wonder why. They must have some one else they think is a better fit.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Cable Guy

[Cable Guy]

I read that the PAC 12 said Texas could keep the LHN.

[ATLBrave]

I read that the PAC 12 said Texas could keep the LHN.

I guess Texas is going to have their cake and eat it, too.

[hoose76]

All this talk of "Super" Conferences makes me dizzy. There is an awesome cartoon that wil be appreciated by all on this.Funny but oh so true.

http://www.collegefootballfreaks.com/?p=971

Edited September 20, 2011 by hoose76

[Cable Guy]

I guess Texas is going to have their cake and eat it, too.

I can see the PAC 12 giving Texas less payout money and distributing that to the other schools. It would be the same amount Texas recieves for the LHN. That way every school gets the same amount.

[SacFalcFan]

Mountain West and Conference USA talking merger in football.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/nationworld/sns-ap-fbc-conference-realignment-left-out,0,5308818.story

[mookie3127]

Yahoo says Notre Dame should jump to the ACC....

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news;_ylt=AtlpDSWqNb3kmO8GhSl2eAM5nYcB?slug=dw-wetzel_notre_dame_should_jump_to_acc_091911

[WTA]

I hate all of this.

[SacFalcFan]

wvu was turned down and it seems missouri had an sec offer and the sec is willing to wait for the big 12 to implode.

[SacFalcFan]

also it seems the sec only wants 14 teams.

[SacFalcFan]

Sources: Unless Texas goes indy or ACC (both unlikely), going to have to come down off this LHN thing. That's bottom Line - per trav haney.

[SacFalcFan]

report says #WVU was rejected because of projected academic standing and its reputation as a university.

[Billy Ocean]

report says #WVU was rejected because of projected academic standing and its reputation as a university.

[root down]

ouch..for WVU. I'm fine with only 14 teams. SEC already plays the best football so we don't NEED to hit some mystical number.

[Billy Ocean]

Why TAMU is SEC-Bound: Part 1 of 2

Eyeballs and expansion

This post from Nate Silver which explores the size of the fan bases for every D-1 college football program is fascinating. For example, have a look at his list of the top ten television markets for the sport:

… New York, because of its very large population, is still the largest market in the country for college football. But only barely: Atlanta has nearly as many college football fans, for instance, based on an extrapolation from the Google data, while Dallas (and even Birmingham) aren’t far behind.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Billy Ocean

[Billy Ocean]

Why TAMU is SEC-Bound: Part 2 of 2

The Atlanta number is impressive, but the Birmingham number is insane.

Second list to note:

That’s right – upon admission to the SEC, Texas A&M will have the largest fan base of any school in the conference.

As you follow the conference realignment follies, keep this bit of wisdom in mind:

… The S.E.C.’s interest in Texas A&M becomes easier to understand once you recognize that the Aggies have among the largest fan bases in the country. The fact that Notre Dame’s fans are dispersed throughout the country explains why they’ve been loathe to join a conference. And that the West Coast is less enthusiastic about football than other parts of the country, making the Pacific-12 a harder sale to the television networks, explains why the conference is going to great lengths to expand into football-crazy states like Texas.

Silver’s last point is a good one. If the Big Ten and SEC seem to be approaching expansion more conservatively than their peers are, it’s because they can afford to.

… Of course, the question that an analysis cannot address is whether through expansion a conference can become more than the sum of its parts — or if it instead risks becoming less.

The only two conferences that can feel completely secure right now are the Big Ten and the S.E.C..

They’re the two that have taken the most conservative attitude toward expansion over the past decade or two, waiting for programs of the caliber of Penn State, Nebraska and Texas A&M to become interested before increasing their ranks. They’ve been rewarded with extreme loyalty among their fan bases. In a sport where rooting interests are so highly localized, that goes a long way toward explaining their success.

It should go without saying, but you need to read the whole thing.

http://blutarsky.wor...-and-expansion/

[Billy Ocean]

Holy ****, B'ham!

[SacFalcFan]

That was a horrible write up and horrible data and conclusions by the writer of the new york times article. That was torn apart on a number of boards already. His numbers for instance with georgia tech fans and uga fans are pretty terrible.