CSNbbs

http://articles.courant.com/2003-06-12/f...nsion-plan

Skim to the last paragraph ya'll...

Quote:"It's kind of reminiscent of the 16-team WAC. There was a presumption that there would be two of everything. ...The answer came back: No, you have one.''

Thompson said combining leagues would not guarantee a financial windfall, and scheduling could be difficult.

"From a historical perspective, it was really difficult [in the WAC],'' Thompson said. "Colorado State and Wyoming had played each other for 110 years. Now, they weren't playing each other, and they're 67 miles apart. You get into those issues with a 12-team league, let alone 16.''

Yup. Things like those could apply to any 16-team league, including the current Big East, and to the Big Ten if they decide to add five more schools.

you could have had an affiliation like the old afl nfl days. each conference has its own champion that plays in a superbowl like championship. the winner gets the best bcs bowl bid. it would also help the winner getting into the bcs championship because you are in effect winning both conferences instead of just one. in the current set up if you have three undefeated teams do you think the big east or ACC is going to get in the bcs championship game over the SEC or Big 12 champ? The undefeated winner of an ACC/Big East championship would have had a much better chance getting to the big game or a one loss winner over a one loss big ten or big 12 team. actually you could do that now with the Big 10. You get the big money championship game without changing either conference. Have some inter league play agreements durring the regular season for football and basketball. That also puts the big ten in the eastern markets for their BTN coverage and increased cable rights.

Wait... If Texas would've lost to Nebraska Cincinnati would've been in the national title game. If WVU would've beat Pitt a few years ago, WVU would've been in. Big East teams can make it to the title game. Hell if FSU or Miami gets their act together they'll get a fair shot. Pitt has games @ Utah and Notre Dame and a home game against Miami. Right now thats a resume to get into the title game. Hell USC and Oklahoma got into the title game ahead of Auburn a few years ago. It can be done. You just gotta have the resume to do so.

Yep!, we all know that a 16 team conference won't work, a 12 team conference barely works. Why does anyone think that a 14 team Big Ten will work.

i didnt say BE teams couldnt make it. i was saying an undefeated texas would get in over an undefeated cincinatti or a one loss alabama over a one loss clemson. but a one loss oklahoma that beat missou in the championship game wouldnt be such a lock over a one loss BE champ WVU that beat the ACC champ. This was assuming a partnership between the be and acc instead the raid that happened.

the big 10 wouldnt go for it but a similar arrangement could take place. you could greatly increase interleague play in all sports and provide those games to the BTN with the BE getting a cut. That allows the BTN to claim at least affiliate members in the BE markets and gives them the ability to negotiate for increased cable fees from those states. Not as much as rates in full member states but more than they currently get. that would give them increased rates in NY, MA, NJ, and FL. Even if ist just a couple of cents extra per customer thats a ton of money. Big Ten gets the lion share but the BE makes more money than they could hope on their own and they remain the premier basketball league and dont lose any members.

(05-28-2010 08:41 PM)XLance Wrote: [ -> ]Yep!, we all know that a 16 team conference won't work, a 12 team conference barely works. Why does anyone think that a 14 team Big Ten will work.

a 12 team conference works very well with the SEC.

(05-28-2010 08:58 PM)draak ijveraar Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-28-2010 08:41 PM)XLance Wrote: [ -> ]Yep!, we all know that a 16 team conference won't work, a 12 team conference barely works. Why does anyone think that a 14 team Big Ten will work.

a 12 team conference works very well with the SEC.

I liked the SEC back when every team had a set schedule and played an identical schedule year after year.
Alabama played Tenn. on a certain weekend every year, Georgia played Auburn the same weekend every year. That is really hard to maintain with a 12 team conference when you don't play the same teams every year.

It could still happen this time...take a 12 team acc, 8 catholic hoop school's...than add 4 big east football school's to the pot and you got two 12 team all sports leagues with a shared 16 team football league.

(05-29-2010 08:56 AM)XLance Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-28-2010 08:58 PM)draak ijveraar Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-28-2010 08:41 PM)XLance Wrote: [ -> ]Yep!, we all know that a 16 team conference won't work, a 12 team conference barely works. Why does anyone think that a 14 team Big Ten will work.

a 12 team conference works very well with the SEC.

I liked the SEC back when every team had a set schedule and played an identical schedule year after year.
Alabama played Tenn. on a certain weekend every year, Georgia played Auburn the same weekend every year. That is really hard to maintain with a 12 team conference when you don't play the same teams every year.

I live in birmingham and all you hear on sports radio 365 days a year is SEC football. No one ever says they want to go back. winning your division is a big deal. playing you rival the last game of the regular season with a trip to the conference championship for the winner on the line makes it even more meaningful.

(05-29-2010 08:31 PM)draak ijveraar Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-29-2010 08:56 AM)XLance Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-28-2010 08:58 PM)draak ijveraar Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-28-2010 08:41 PM)XLance Wrote: [ -> ]Yep!, we all know that a 16 team conference won't work, a 12 team conference barely works. Why does anyone think that a 14 team Big Ten will work.

a 12 team conference works very well with the SEC.

I liked the SEC back when every team had a set schedule and played an identical schedule year after year.
Alabama played Tenn. on a certain weekend every year, Georgia played Auburn the same weekend every year. That is really hard to maintain with a 12 team conference when you don't play the same teams every year.

I live in birmingham and all you hear on sports radio 365 days a year is SEC football. No one ever says they want to go back. winning your division is a big deal. playing you rival the last game of the regular season with a trip to the conference championship for the winner on the line makes it even more meaningful.

Any time that you can play ALL of the teams in a conference every year is far superior to playing some of the teams in a conference each season.
Ask any SEC/ACC fan that knew those conferences well before they went to twelve. They will tell you that a round-robin format in schedules is the best. After all, schools join conferences to compete against one another. Playing every three or 4 years against a school in the "other" division is the pits.
This year Carolina will play Florida State for the first time in four years.
If you were raised on the twelve team conference, I'm sure you would think it was great. If you were a little older, you would know better.
NCAA rules require each team in a division to play every year. The more teams in a conference means the frequency of the times to play teams in the "other" division diminishes.

The SEC championship is the second biggest game in college football. No need to turn back the clock. SEC teams didn't play all other teams in the conference prior to going to 12 either.