I posted something similar to this in a realignment thread which is already lost in the crowd...

So I'd like to hear the opinion of fans from the most cohesive conference in college football.

If the P5 were to add either the AAC OR a collection of G5 teams who draw massive fan interest vs regional opponents (ECU vs NCstate, UNC, etc) (USF/UCF VS FSU) and lump them in to one pot, then divide the pot geographically, would fan interest increase?

In the SEC fans typically root for other SEC teams OOC for several reasons (Pride, what's best for SEC is best for an SEC team, etc). I feel like distinct regional conferences would adopt this trait no matter which conference it was. Massive interest would occur for OOC games and playoff games (wanting to see the eastern team beat the western, SE beat NE... whatever the regions are).

Aside from interest in OOC/Playoff, in conference game interest would increase. If UCF/SF were in the ACC I feel that there would be more interest in that game than an ACC match between FSU and Cuse.

What teams are included?
Up to you.. whichever can make the most $ for the region. Geographical boundaries?
I wouldn't get too crazy with them, wouldn't want any overlapping.
Could it actually make more money?
In OOC and Playoffs, yes.
Getting people from other conferences to care about your conference game?
Probably not... but it probably isn't so different from now.
Will it get people within your region to care a lot more?
Maybe.

These are all just my opinions. Will it ever happen? probably not. Is it an interesting concept? Sure.

As long as academic associations are the same as athletic associations what you suggest is not possible. If these so called bright boy college presidents ever realize that academic conferences can be formed independent of athletic conferences then what you suggest makes sense.

Until then no ACC or SEC commissioner is going to push for teams with little research dollars and low academic ratings to be in their conference.

No better case for this disaster exists than in the Big 10. If there were a Big 10 Academic conference names something like Great Lakes Research Association then whether or not a great athletic program in the are was a member of AAU or not wouldn't matter when it came to putting together a better Big 10 athletic conference. In fact much of their realignment endeavors can only claim market victories because their academic limitation prevent them from really adding compelling match ups for Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State and Nebraska. If Connecticut or West Virginia didn't have to be part of their academic association which would remain based upon AAU affiliation with similar research universities then they could easily add value to the basketball and football cache of the Big 10.

In the case of the SEC if Florida, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Missouri could partner with Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech and North Carolina, as well as Tulane and Rice wouldn't that make for greater security for all involved, especially if their sports associations could remain in an appropriate mix for competition?

No. Until sports conferences are separated from academic associations regionalism as you suggest is not possible.

(09-12-2013 05:15 PM)JRsec Wrote:  As long as academic associations are the same as athletic associations what you suggest is not possible. If these so called bright boy college presidents ever realize that academic conferences can be formed independent of athletic conferences then what you suggest makes sense.

Until then no ACC or SEC commissioner is going to push for teams with little research dollars and low academic ratings to be in their conference.

No better case for this disaster exists than in the Big 10. If there were a Big 10 Academic conference names something like Great Lakes Research Association then whether or not a great athletic program in the are was a member of AAU or not wouldn't matter when it came to putting together a better Big 10 athletic conference. In fact much of their realignment endeavors can only claim market victories because their academic limitation prevent them from really adding compelling match ups for Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State and Nebraska. If Connecticut or West Virginia didn't have to be part of their academic association which would remain based upon AAU affiliation with similar research universities then they could easily add value to the basketball and football cache of the Big 10.

In the case of the SEC if Florida, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Missouri could partner with Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech and North Carolina, as well as Tulane and Rice wouldn't that make for greater security for all involved, especially if their sports associations could remain in an appropriate mix for competition?

No. Until sports conferences are separated from academic associations regionalism as you suggest is not possible.

While there are already academic associations which don't have anything to do with athletics, it would make more sense to separate them completely.

Elite academic schools with FBS football could create academic associations with like minded schools in order to maximize research dollars & efforts. At the same time these schools can allow their sports to compete in a top notch athletic conference.

It would also allow lower ranked institutions to bring big time athletic teams in to a top athletic conference. - which may also help the university in academics by creating interest from bright students who enjoy sports (in theory).

Or the B1G could just unclench their sphincters and realize that a reshuffling could benefit everyone in the long run in athletics and education via regional competition.


Valid points JR. I could never see the B1G or P5 vote to do that in the first place. The only way I could see anyone on top wanting to do that is if they are the group that thinks it would be a boost to overall athletics and education.