The Conference Realignment Vigil- Update: Terps to Big10?

[A-Tex Devil]

The Big XII is, and will remain, one DeLoss Dodds-Larry Scott handshake away from ceasing to exist. Hard to criticize any team for trying to leave that.

I agree that this is true and probably the main impetus for A&M and Mizzou leaving. They may be stuck in a conference where they have little hope of succeeding in the gridiron on a consistent basis, but they can at least know that they have a guaranteed chair when the music stops.

I am certain A&M would have been fine anyway, not so certain of Mizzou.

[Stray Gator]

...

The idea, for instance, that the SEC, "the most bestest, most powerful conference in the world," is a level playing field (which is what I heard from A&M all through August) is absolutely laughable, considering Alabama and Florida make 8 figures per year in third tier revenue and Mississippi St. made.... NADA. Florida's contract with Sun Sports is so remarkably similar to UT's with ESPN, it's shocking. The main difference is that Sun Sports isn't a dedicated branded network. It does play other sports, and ***Gasp*** high school games which have Florida recruits. That's OK though, apparently. If the Longhorn Network changed its name to the Lone Star Network and showed a bunch of minor league baseball and MLS games, could it then also show high school games?

...

Just for the record, the Sun Sports Network has programming that covers all of Florida's college and professional teams, including broadcasts of Rays and Lightning games. Check it out for yourself--here's a link to the TV schedule:

http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/page...ate=1317873600

Note that on Sundays, the network shows full replays and coaches' highlight shows for both UF and FSU. Would the LHN show TAMU games and coaches' highlight shows?

[A-Tex Devil]

Just for the record, the Sun Sports Network has programming that covers all of Florida's college and professional teams, including broadcasts of Rays and Lightning games. Check it out for yourself--here's a link to the TV schedule:

http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/page...ate=1317873600

Note that on Sundays, the network shows full replays and coaches' highlight shows for both UF and FSU. Would the LHN show TAMU games and coaches' highlight shows?

Well, UT tried that and A&M turned UT down. Granted, at the time, UT didn't know it would make as much money as it did, but it forged ahead anyways.

UTSA this year (which will be in the WAC next year), and other UT system schools in future years will have live games and coaches shows, etc.

But Florida does control its Tier 3 rights, correct? Meaning all rights beyond those granted to the conference and sold to ESPN/CBS are allowed to be developed into revenue streams by the university.

[Stray Gator]

Well, UT tried that and A&M turned UT down. Granted, at the time, UT didn't know it would make as much money as it did, but it forged ahead anyways.

UTSA this year (which will be in the WAC next year), and other UT system schools in future years will have live games and coaches shows, etc.

But Florida does control its Tier 3 rights, correct? Meaning all rights beyond those granted to the conference and sold to ESPN/CBS are allowed to be developed into revenue streams by the university.

I don't know the answer to your question about UF's income from Tier 3 rights. I merely wanted to dispel any misconceptions that other readers might have formed based on your prior post regarding the extent to which Sun Sports covers teams other than the University of Florida, including rival college teams within the state.

[Son of Jarhead]

I watched the Duke-UVa women's soccer game last week, and I'd love to see more Kelly Cobb, preferably in HD.

Having been in the stands for that game, I can safely say that Miss Cobb & her teammates are great in person, too... but I like the HD idea as well.

I read somewhere that the ACC is going to announce a new network this week.

I've been wondering why they hadn't done this yet... I'm hoping your recollection is correct. I'd love to get to see more of the other sports on TV.

[Indoor66]

I don't know the answer to your question about UF's income from Tier 3 rights. I merely wanted to dispel any misconceptions that other readers might have formed based on your prior post regarding the extent to which Sun Sports covers teams other than the University of Florida, including rival college teams within the state.

They also carry some Duke basketball games not available other places here in sunny south Florida.

[ForkFondler]

Having been in the stands for that game, I can safely say that Miss Cobb & her teammates are great in person, too... but I like the HD idea as well.



I've been wondering why they hadn't done this yet... I'm hoping your recollection is correct. I'd love to get to see more of the other sports on TV.

Ok, I googled up the article here, but I think the original source was sports business daily:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextr...1_Equalr807124

[Son of Jarhead]

Ok, I googled up the article here, but I think the original source was sports business daily:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextr...1_Equalr807124

Thanks for the link. Interesting that TulsaWorld out in Big 12 country mentions it on the 10/2 & no news organization around here in ACC land has mentioned it yet, at least that I've seen. I hope Sports Business Daily got it right and it gets going soon.

[snowdenscold]

This is all true. And that senator, I forget his name, Murtha? He hooked them up to I-99, which is generally reviled among road geeks as the worst violation of the numbering system in the interstates.

Well, it lies between 79 and 81, so automatically you have issues. The next available numbers in either direction were 67 or 99. Perhaps they should have made it x70, x76, or x80.

I think the most egregious use of interstate numbering might be I-97 in Maryland, which lies entirely within one county, and connects I-695 to US-50 (so neither endpoint is another double-digit interstate). Or perhaps I-73 / I-74 in N.C., but at least those have future plans I think.

[Class of '94]

CBSsports.com is reporting that TCU has been offered an invitation into the Big 12 and has accepted; and will join the Big 12 for the 2012-13 season. So much for being a Big East member. Here is the link: http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssport...32522/32536916

Also, CBSsports.com is reporting that Missouri does not have enough votes by SEC members to be accepted into the SEC at this point although the writer thinks it's just a matter of time before it happens. See http://eye-on-collegefootball.blogs...56338/32536267

[A-Tex Devil]

CBSsports.com is reporting that TCU has been offered an invitation into the Big 12 and has accepted; and will join the Big 12 for the 2012-13 season. So much for being a Big East member. Here is the link: http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssport...32522/32536916

Also, CBSsports.com is reporting that Missouri does not have enough votes by SEC members to be accepted into the SEC at this point although the writer thinks it's just a matter of time before it happens. See http://eye-on-collegefootball.blogs...56338/32536267

I like it, if only because I grew up a fan of the 'Frogs. "Demographic Footprint" and "New Market" types in the Big XII won't like it, and I'm not advocating inviting SMU, UH and Rice, now, but I think it was the second or third strongest candidate out there (the others being BYU and Louisville).

Dave Sittler at the Tulsa World says (via twitter) two announcements today by Big XII. Will be curious to see what the second one, if any, is. He subsequently said the second one wouldn't be about adding another school.

[loran16]

I like it, if only because I grew up a fan of the 'Frogs. "Demographic Footprint" and "New Market" types in the Big XII won't like it, and I'm not advocating inviting SMU, UH and Rice, now, but I think it was the second or third strongest candidate out there (the others being BYU and Louisville).

Dave Sittler at the Tulsa World says (via twitter) two announcements today by Big XII. Will be curious to see what the second one, if any, is. He subsequently said the second one wouldn't be about adding another school.

Meanwhile the rumor is that if Mizzou was to get an invite to the SEC, Louisville would be invited to the B12. Bye Bye Big East if that happens.

[ForkFondler]

Meanwhile the rumor is that if Mizzou was to get an invite to the SEC, Louisville would be invited to the B12. Bye Bye Big East if that happens.

If the the SEC doesn't take Mizzou, they will probably take WVU instead. So, the BE is very likely to lose at least one more team.

The BE does not need to disappear, but they do need to give up on the BCS charade. [The BCS charade needs to be replaced by a 1A playoff too, but that's another story].

What also needs to go bye bye is the Big East football-basketball hybrid. The football and all [other] sports conferences need to be dissociated. That way BE basketball can concentrate on being a basketball league, while the other teams form a football-only conference where all the teams play the rest of their sports somewhere else. For example, there is talk of the BE inviting Temple for all sports, which would open up an A10 spot for ECU, who would then join the BE teams for football. With a separately adminstered footnal organization, those schools can negotiate their own contract and not be tied down by what ND and the basketball schools want. South and Central Florida could then travel north for football, and play their other sports in the South

With any luck, that makes too much sense to happen, and the ACC gets ND.

[A-Tex Devil]

I read that the issue with Mizzou to the SEC may be rivalries. If they add Mizzou, Auburn must move to the East, and be the "rivalry game" for Alabama. This kills the annual 'Bama-Tennessee game which would be a big deal.

There are other ways to break up the conference, and maybe "zipper divisions" would work, but the SEC doesn't pair off as nicely as the Pac 12 (or 14) does.

But the SEC seemed prepared to go at it with 13 teams next year. They may want to wait to pick up an eastern team if they think they still can, even if that means waiting a year or two.

[jafarr1]

I've also read that they might try to put Missouri into the SEC East to stop that from being an issue until they can poach FSU and add WVU along with it. After they add the two new teams, they would shift Missouri back to the west and everything would be good again.

Of course, that counts on FSU wanting to make the move.

[ForkFondler]

I read that the issue with Mizzou to the SEC may be rivalries. If they add Mizzou, Auburn must move to the East, and be the "rivalry game" for Alabama. This kills the annual 'Bama-Tennessee game which would be a big deal.

There are other ways to break up the conference, and maybe "zipper divisions" would work, but the SEC doesn't pair off as nicely as the Pac 12 (or 14) does.

But the SEC seemed prepared to go at it with 13 teams next year. They may want to wait to pick up an eastern team if they think they still can, even if that means waiting a year or two.

Not an especially reliable source by any means, but I am inclined to believe this assertion:

Here's the latest:

SEC AD Vote tallies (these are UNCONFIRMED numbers:
Florida State: 11-1 for acceptance.
Mizzou: 8-4 for acceptance.
West Virginia: 10-2 for acceptance.

The Mizzou vote has been confrmed by other sources.

From which, it may be concluded that a) the SEC is running hard at FSU, and b) the SEC will take WVU if Mizzou doesn't pan out.

[uh_no]

Not an especially reliable source by any means, but I am inclined to believe this assertion:

Here's the latest:

SEC AD Vote tallies (these are UNCONFIRMED numbers:
Florida State: 11-1 for acceptance.
Mizzou: 8-4 for acceptance.
West Virginia: 10-2 for acceptance.

The Mizzou vote has been confrmed by other sources.

From which, it may be concluded that a) the SEC is running hard at FSU, and b) the SEC will take WVU if Mizzou doesn't pan out.

So when this happens, does the ACC pick up one to go back to 14, or aim for 3?

[ForkFondler]

So when this happens, does the ACC pick up one to go back to 14, or aim for 3?

Of course they have many football fans who think otherwise, but FSU would be crazy to leave. I's guess the ACC has gotten 14 ADs to unanimously agree to inviting ND for all sports. MD to the B1G makes more sense to me. But, if someone leaves, we pick up UConn or whomever and then get back to working on ND and maybe PSU. Of course, the B1G would take MD in order to keep PSU, so it's all very complicated. Maybe PSU is worth more [TV contract money] to us than they are to the B1G, soooo, they give up on the east and replace PSU with Kansas.

I'm sure ESPN et al have a lot to say about who ends up in what conference.

[formerdukeathlete]

Not an especially reliable source by any means, but I am inclined to believe this assertion:

Here's the latest:

SEC AD Vote tallies (these are UNCONFIRMED numbers:
Florida State: 11-1 for acceptance.
Mizzou: 8-4 for acceptance.
West Virginia: 10-2 for acceptance.

The Mizzou vote has been confrmed by other sources.

From which, it may be concluded that a) the SEC is running hard at FSU, and b) the SEC will take WVU if Mizzou doesn't pan out.

This is a thinly viewed blog. He is wrong on the ACC exit fee. He is wrong on several assertions. Do you think the ACC would actually invite South Florida, which is not remotely compatible academically?

FSU may leave, but this guy has next to zero credibility, based on what I can ascertain.

[ACCBBallFan]

Not an especially reliable source by any means, but I am inclined to believe this assertion:

Here's the latest:

SEC AD Vote tallies (these are UNCONFIRMED numbers:
Florida State: 11-1 for acceptance.
Mizzou: 8-4 for acceptance.
West Virginia: 10-2 for acceptance.

The Mizzou vote has been confrmed by other sources.

From which, it may be concluded that a) the SEC is running hard at FSU, and b) the SEC will take WVU if Mizzou doesn't pan out.

On the indent above and in the link iinside the link, http://gridironhistory.com/forums/index.php?topic=353.0

this site which you readily acknowledge is not the most reliable makes some incredible assertions.

It's hard to believe that Georgia, So Carolina, and Kentucky would break their alliance with Florida to not allow teams from same SEC states any time soon in that purported 11-1 vote for FSU. May happen some day.

Even harder to believe the conspiracy theory that FSU will be grandfathered into the old exit fee rather than the new $20 Million buyout.

It gets worse thinkiing USF would replace FSU for ACC to retain a 2 Florida teams presence. USF is #181 in US News & World Reports University rankings versus ACC current low being FSU 101 who presumably is then gone and NC State also 101.

Before settling on another conference, the author also conjectured some other poor academics school to ACC, think it was Cincy #143 but could have been Louisville #160, probably not West VA who seems to be ultimately bound for SEC whether before or after Missouri.

Goes on to claim the 4 ultimate B1G adds would be Notre Dame, with no other conference in competition, plus Navy, Ohio U and Iowa State. Though the site questioned Iowa State academics that is the least of their problems. They are the only one of the 4 that is an Assoc of American Univerisities (AAU) member that B1G requires, though I am sure B1G would make an exception for #19 Notre Dame if they got that far with Irish.

Site does not guess who would replace Iowas State in B1G or why not Kansas #101 and AAU if not tied to #143 K-State.

Navy vis a vis AAU might be okay but why non-AAU Ohio U #124 from MAC to B1G who is not going to be competitive anyway before Maimi (OH) #90 or Dayton #101, but div-1AA if it is only for geography in a redundant Ohio St market. None of those other Ohio schools are AAU. Rutgers is #68 and an AAU member in a new NY/NJ market albeiit a hike away. UCONN is #58 but again not AAU.

I would think B1G would go after Pitt or MD or UVA, all AAU schools, from ACC, however unlikely that may be after $20 million exit fee.

Until ND decides between B1G and ACC, forget about ACC adding all three of USF, Rutgers and UCONN and forgoing any hope, remote as it may be of ND or PSU.

If and when FSU or any other ACC schools went to SEC, I could see adding UCONN as a replacement to get back to 14, but not going to ACC 15-16 until all hope of anybody better is gone. Diltuion of football for all 3 and basketball for 2 and academics for 1 just to get to 16 makes no sense, especially when they do not make equally ridiculous fill in the blanks for P12.