(06-14-2014 09:27 PM)CougarRed Wrote: (06-14-2014 08:59 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote: Unfortunately for Houston, when it comes to the SEC, they don't offer anything new and nothing TAMU doesn't already.
The thing is, if you think about that, it means something a little different to the Big12.
Precisely.
Random SEC games not involving A&M are getting much better ratings in Houston now than random Big 12 games not involving Texas.
The big CBS game always did well there before A&M joined. Claiming that as some shift is highly suspect. Other than that they haven't done any better.
Average regular season ratings without A&M, UT, or LSU (who also did well historically in Houston) on networks other than CBS's game of the week:
SEC
1.11
(Drops to 1.07 without Bama)
Big 12:
1.23
(Take out OU as well and you get 1.13)
The teams that would realistically draw interest in Houston (not ISU, KU, or WVU) do well. Without the weak 3 or Big 2: 1.52
Quote:And Texas A&M games are dwarfing Texas games in Houston.
Not really. Yes the monster rating that LSU helps vault them to or the anticipated Bama matchup do a lot but not nearly as much as one would expect. Outside of those 2 matchups they aren't really killing it compared to UT the last 2 years.
Last 2 regular season averages against teams other than LSU, Bama, Oklahoma:
Texas- 4.1
A&M- 4.784
That is with A&M peaking and UT struggling to the point they fired their coach.
UT in 2009 for a comparison with A&M (not including UT-A&M or UT-OU or the Nebraska title game: 8.62
UT 2011 with same restrictions: 6.975
A&M the last 2 years was 6.55 with LSU & Bama spiking the average.
Quote:The one thing we can offer the Big 12 right now is more telecasts that Houstonians care about and will watch. But I doubt that's enough, by itself, to warrant a Big 12 invite.
The TV ratings phenomenon has not spilled over into recruiting. SEC teams have not made a lot of headway in Houston area recruiting.
If that starts to happen, and Big 12 teams are losing Houston area recruits to SEC teams, then UH becomes more attractive. The Big 12 schools would want to make trips to play games down here on a more frequent basis to help their recruiting.
Until that happens I don't see any real benefit vs another UH-like team in a new market like Florida, Ohio, or others. Nothing against UH but from a "what does the league need most?" perspective I struggle to see otherwise.