There's been a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking about who won and lost as a result of realignment. One topic that I have not seen analyzed is who were the most valuable additions in realignment. Here's my crack at a list, trying to use objective criteria wherever possible.

1. Texas A&M. The second most popular program in the football crazy second largest state in the U.S. gives the SEC a firm foothold in that state, another national brand, a reopening of the SEC's deal with ESPN, and inventory to launch a SEC Network.

2. Nebraska. The B1G had the choice of basically anyone on he table, and chose Nebraska. Nebraska brings the strongest football brand of any schools that are relocating, and its addition allows the B1G to host a CCG.

3. Syracuse. The addition of Syracuse and Pitt allowed the ACC to increase the value of its TV contact to existing members by $48 million in addition to the $17 million each that they were to earn. That puts their individual TV value at $30-40 million per year. Syracuse is rumored to have been the ACC's first choice and agreed to host a Friday football game, another aspect of the ESPN initial increase, so they edge their running mate, Pitt.

4. Pittsburgh. See the discussion of Syracuse above. Also, the Big 12 was rumored interested in Pitt ahead of the expansion candidates that they settled on.

5. Notre Dame. ND's agreement to play hoops and a limited football schedule was enough to increase the ACC TV deal by another $14-28 million excluding ND's cut.

6. Missouri. Texas A&M's running mate brings another good sized state to the SEC footprint, plus a solid hoops program to a league that needs more of that

7. Maryland. Maryland gives the B1G a foothold in the populous DC-Baltimore area.

8. Louisville, 9. West Virginia, 10.TCU. Louisville gets the first nod among these 3 because of its incredible 2012-13 season and the strength of its athletic revenues. WVU was otherwise even with but edged out Louisville to the B12 because it was willing to sue the BE to leave immediately. TCU got the first call from the B12 due to geography and their immediate availability, however they duplicate existing B12 territory.

11. Colorado. The P12's first choice gives them the most popular team in the largest western state with no representative already in the league, contributes to the addition of a CCG, and provides inventory for the launch of the P12 Network.

12. Rutgers. Gives the B1G presence in the NYC market and inventory for the BTN.

13. Utah. Gives the P12 another state flagship, contributes to the addition of a CCG and provides inventory for the creation of the P12 Network.

14. Boise State. First team to leave the WAC for the MWC back in 2010, before leaving to the Big East and then returning. Gives the MWC a national brand and top 20 contender.

15. UCF, 15a. Houston. These schools are rising programs with new stadiums in large markets that are solid recruiting grounds. They both have promise in basketball as well.

Nebraska and Texas A&M.

If you want to get back further then Penn State and Miami.

You Cuse fans are hilarious. Go stand in the back with BC.

(07-08-2013 10:49 PM)TRest3 Wrote:  You Cuse fans are hilarious. Go stand in the back with BC.

I know, right?

1. Texas A&M: Large attendance, large market, travels well, desire to win

2. Penn State: Big 10 expansion East would not have been possible without them. Large attendance, large market, travels well, tradition of winning.

3. Florida State: Where would ACC football have gone without them?

4. Arkansas: Large attendance, travels well, good in all sports, and without the foresight to select Arkansas the SEC would likely never have gotten into Texas. They were our SWC bridge. They are still a gateway to Oklahoma if that move should ever be made.

5. Rutgers: I hear the groans but the Scarlet Knights will gain speed in the Big 10 and will likely compete in the mid-range early on with forays into larger bowls. Large State, and a bridge to further expansion East.

6. Louisville: They bring vitality in all sports into the ACC and like West Virginia to the Big 12 offer an opportunity to expand into a new region away from the coast if they develop it. They also cross an academic barrier that may now allow the ACC more flexibility if there are future additions.

7. Missouri: Markets and they cover the SEC needs in tremendous fashion. Basketball, academics, and potential mid tier football with forays to large bowls with a great fan base.

8. West Virginia: I would have placed the Mountaineers higher had the Big 12 taken advantage of everything they bring and developed their region. They bring competitiveness on the field, a desire to win, and a loyal fan base that travels well. They are also competitive in other sports.

9. Maryland: Markets and solidifies a claim the Big 10 is trying make upon the area.

10. Virginia Tech: The Hokies may not have added any new markets but they brought football chops to enhance the ACC and together with Florida State and Clemson have helped to anchor Florida State into position.

While very happy with South Carolina I didn't rate them because they have not yet been a bridge into North Carolina. But they have certainly fulfilled SEC expectations in every way. It is seldom mentioned but their fans fit the SEC culture very very well and are great folks to party with.

I didn't rate Syracuse, Pittsburgh, or Notre Dame because they are not yet a known commodity within the ACC. However, if I did this again next year all three might well appear in the top 10 selections or close to it.

I'm not sold on Nebraska's move or their ultimate value to the Big 10. If the Big 10 acquires Oklahoma that will be a totally different story in the future.

Utah and Colorado gave the PAC a championship game and when the central time zone is finally acquired their value as a bridge will be tremendous.

I'm just not sold on Miami period. I don't hate them but see their slide continuing. I'm also not sold on B.C.. The crowds are poor and Flutie hasn't been there in quite some time.

1) Texas A&M to SEC
2) Nebraska to B1G Ten

(07-08-2013 11:42 PM)JRsec Wrote:  1. Texas A&M: Large attendance, large market, travels well, desire to win

2. Penn State: Big 10 expansion East would not have been possible without them. Large attendance, large market, travels well, tradition of winning.

3. Florida State: Where would ACC football have gone without them?

If you go back that far, then this list is these three, and then a gap of a few light years between #3 and whomever you want at #4.

I'd make it PSU-FSU-TAMU 1-2-3, because FSU is more essential to the ACC than TAMU is to the SEC, and PSU gets the top slot because everything would be a lot different if the Big Ten had done nothing at that time and left PSU out there until the ACC realized it needed to make major acquisitions. An ACC anchored by PSU and FSU would have been a powerful football league. The Big Ten permanently changed the balance of power by taking PSU off the table.

(07-09-2013 12:12 AM)Wedge Wrote:  

(07-08-2013 11:42 PM)JRsec Wrote:  1. Texas A&M: Large attendance, large market, travels well, desire to win

2. Penn State: Big 10 expansion East would not have been possible without them. Large attendance, large market, travels well, tradition of winning.

3. Florida State: Where would ACC football have gone without them?

If you go back that far, then this list is these three, and then a gap of a few light years between #3 and whomever you want at #4.

I'd make it PSU-FSU-TAMU 1-2-3, because FSU is more essential to the ACC than TAMU is to the SEC, and PSU gets the top slot because everything would be a lot different if the Big Ten had done nothing at that time and left PSU out there until the ACC realized it needed to make major acquisitions. An ACC anchored by PSU and FSU would have been a powerful football league. The Big Ten permanently changed the balance of power by taking PSU off the table.

^^^ This ^^^
Excellent comment, Wedge.

I'm a Hokie fan but I do understand the value of those 3 teams.

Penn State.
Penn State's move is the "mother" of all expansion/realignment since they joined the B1G.

1 - Penn State
2 - Florida State
3 - Texas A&M
4 - Miami
5 - Nebraska
6 - Virginia Tech
7 - Arkansas
8-19 - any order - Missouri, South Carolina, Pitt, Cuse, 5/8ths of ND, TCU, WVU, Colorado, Utah, Louisville, BC, Boise State.

I think Houston / SMU are valuable as a package to the AAC, and could possibly be to another league looking for Texas roots.

Memphis is the best basketball program that was tapped that was previously under-valued.

Jury is still out on Nebraska imo. There seems to be a growing rift between "east coast type" schools in the BIG (Maryland, Penn St. Rutgers) that dont fit in with the middle america feel (Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa) type... Does anyone else see that at all?

Utah / Colorado were the best programs the PAC could get, so I don't see that as a fail. If the PAC expands again, I think they are going to look for quality academic institutions with good athletic programs... right now, there isnt an easy pick-up for them. But in 5 years, the story could be different.

Big12 needs to add schools, but again, I dont see many options for them. TCU has reached its potential and wont be much more than it is now (see Baylor). The WVU add was a huge mistake IMO. This prevents the league from western growth. It looks like they are almost forced to go East. This will force them to pick up schools the SEC / BIG / ACC have passed up... which isnt good. I dont see a way to bridge the gap to WVU...

ACC adding Louisville didnt help or hurt. Maybe helped a little actually, but it isnt as celebrated as they would have liked. If the ACC were to expand, I am sure it would be between Cincinati or UConn, which are good options honestly.

East Carolina is getting harder and harder to ignore... I think if they find success in the AAC, they may look desirable for expansion.

MWC and the AAC are the feeder conferences to the P5. If a school can find lasting success in these leagues, they are sure to have opportunities as expansion re-ignites. Schools to watch: Central Florida / South Florida - big schools, good market. SMU / UH - history, good market, big cities. Memphis / Cincinati - basketball, history, cities. ECU - faithful following. BYU for obvious reasons. Utah St / Colorado St. have potential as well.

2010 & later additions:

1. Nebraska
2. Houston

That's the end of the list.

Everybody else filled a hole (TCU/WVU/UL), was meh (Utah/Colorado/most AACK! additions), never really left (Boise/SDSU) or was a mistake. All the conferences going to 14 will eventually regret it.

Most valuable additions were the CUSA schools that were willing to board a sinking Big East ship and kept it afloat with a different name. UCONN, UC, USF, and Temple only option would have been rowing to the MAC if the CUSA schools had stayed anchored in their former conference. Therefore, the CUSA schools literally kept them from drowning by saving a conference (with a new name). I guess the same thing could be said for the schools that joined CUSA and the SBC.

this is a tough one.....

but its gotta be MD,RU to the b10. those additions will bring in some massive research $

but in terms of sports......

its gotta be notre dame/louisville to the acc.

-gave the acc tv contract an extra 3 mill per school boost that makes its payout equal to the b12

-appeased the northern schools, the football schools & the basketball schools with these additions

-blocked b10 recruitment of notre dame & killed b12 eastward expansion

those moves silenced more realignment rumors/acc destruction

(07-09-2013 10:24 AM)Underdog Wrote:  Most valuable additions were the CUSA schools that were willing to board a sinking Big East ship and kept it afloat with a different name.

But when those schools committed to join, they didn't know it would have a different name. At the time they signed up, they thought they would be stenciling the Big East logo on their fields and courts and putting Big East patches on their teams' uniforms.

If they had known at the time that the Big East name and the BE no-FB hoops teams would be gone, would they still have joined? Or would they have gone in another direction?

(07-09-2013 10:24 AM)Underdog Wrote:  I guess the same thing could be said for the schools that joined CUSA and the SBC.

CUSA added too many new members. They could have kept the league going with 10 or 12 schools. They didn't need 14.

(07-09-2013 07:25 AM)XLance Wrote:  Penn State.
Penn State's move is the "mother" of all expansion/realignment since they joined the B1G.

The northeast scene was both defined and killed with this one move. How it came to be, why it had to be, and what's happened thereafter...it all stems from this.

I'll toss in Marquette for the Big East. Haven't missed a tournament since joining it...Louisville can't even say that. The ACC took the wrong non-football school from the midwest, imo.

(07-09-2013 01:23 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(07-09-2013 10:24 AM)Underdog Wrote:  Most valuable additions were the CUSA schools that were willing to board a sinking Big East ship and kept it afloat with a different name.

But when those schools committed to join, they didn't know it would have a different name. At the time they signed up, they thought they would be stenciling the Big East logo on their fields and courts and putting Big East patches on their teams' uniforms.

If they had known at the time that the Big East name and the BE no-FB hoops teams would be gone, would they still have joined? Or would they have gone in another direction?

(07-09-2013 10:24 AM)Underdog Wrote:  I guess the same thing could be said for the schools that joined CUSA and the SBC.

CUSA added too many new members. They could have kept the league going with 10 or 12 schools. They didn't need 14.

The CUSA schools probably would have been welcomed back to their former conference—like Boise St was. However, they were willing to still set sail on an unnamed ship headed to an unknown destination. That epitomized commitment and determination; especially after the C7 abandoned ship and took the “Big East” name with them.

Regarding CUSA, it was hedging itself for the possibility of additional realignment occurring. Consequently, it overreacted. Nevertheless, I think that the SBC and CUSA should have merged; thus eliminating the FCS additions.

Yeah, it seems like the last of the C-USA adds, which I know is WKU in 2014 and MTSU, I believe, was the last invite for the class of 2013, were defensive moves. They likely know that Rice will be moving along sooner than later, and adding the largest school in Tennessee and a very fast growing school in WKU totally locks up the mid-South for C-USA (throwing in UAB). Other than the totally new FBS schools that were brought on for high reward potential (UTSA, UNC-Charlotte, ODU), the Sun Belt move ups all make sense.

A&M, Nebraska, Penn State & Miami. I believe over time Mizzou will be in the top 5 more because of the impact they will have on SEC hoops than football.

Also expect Lville to be in the top 5-6 as well if they can continue their hoops & football success

(07-08-2013 11:42 PM)JRsec Wrote:  It is seldom mentioned but South Carolina fans fit the SEC culture very very well and are great folks to party with.