(12-10-2014 08:11 PM)JRsec Wrote:  I'm of the opinion today, that the likelihood of ESPN permitting anything to happen to the ACC as long as Notre Dame's full commitment is a possibility is nil. Therefore the SEC should use its natural advantages to end the realignment era as the dominant conference by doing the following. We should encourage ESPN's profit from the SEC network by getting them to assist the conference in landing Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and West Virginia all at once.

We need a second Texas school and if we land the Longhorns we won't need any other. Oklahoma brings history and content galore and delivers another 3.8 million viewers. Kansas delivers hoops and another state. West Virginia gains us a Northeastern corner for our footprint. By going for and gaining this quartet the SEC locks the Big 10 out of Southern expansion to the west and east. If the ACC takes Connecticut to move to 16. Then what the Big 10 has today is what they end up with. The markets aren't as good as they are in North Carolina and Virginia but the content would be through the roof and that is something that only benefits the SECN, the ESPN regular contract, and CBS.

Since this is a network war as much as a conference cash grab such a move would lock down everything that ESPN could want in order to start a rivalry between the ACC and SEC that would redefine college football and strengthen the entire regions basketball appeal. It's a win win.

Here is what Texas and Oklahoma gain. They get primary access to Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana for recruiting purposes. They get games that their fans can easily reach in the Western Division and reunions with old desired rivals. And they get a huge boost in appealing tickets and access to a tremendous amount of national exposure and more revenue, which they will help to generate. They will be assured of having bowl revenue and playoff money every year, and they essentially keep their old conference in their new division.

SEC:
Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M
Alabama, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, West Virginia

Even though this would make the "ultimate" football conference, I have several concerns with the scenario:

First, I was under the impression that OSU and OU were a couple and that the OK state legislature mandates the situation - so, if you want OU you have to take OSU.

Second, the LHN - how would you incorporate that into the SEC network? I find it hard to believe UT would just give it up.

Third, it's easier for UT and OU to win the Big12 than the SEC, thereby providing an easier path to the Final Four.

Last, I don't think there's enough money to lure UT and OU away. They're also the power brokers of the Big12 - I don't see them giving that up.