I think for the ACC (full members) it would be FSU, UNC, and then VT-UVa tied.

Cheers,
Neil

For AAC, my guess would be UCF, Cinci, Memphis, UConn.

Just one is no fun. My picks are in no definitive order in each conference and are based on the idea of "how much money, prestige and athletic success do you bring to the conference, and how big of a blow would it be to lose you and what you bring to the conference"

ACC

Florida State
Duke
UNC
Louisville

(The ACC has several other big names like VT, Miami, Clemson, Syracuse etc that just have to step up and win big to be right back in the Top 4 for value)

B1G

Ohio State
Michigan
Wisconsin
Penn State

B12

Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
West Virginia

PAC

Oregon
Stanford
UCLA
Southern Cal

SEC

Alabama
Florida
Kentucky
LSU

(And obviously the SEC has many other teams in it that would absolutely be a huge blow to the conference to lose but those are my Top 4)

AAC ..... (as of now):

FB:

UCF
Cincinnati
Memphis
ECU

BB:

UConn
Cincinnati
Memphis
SMU*

* Historically, Temple > SMU. This is as of 2015.

(07-12-2015 12:04 PM)uconnwhaler Wrote:  For AAC, my guess would be UCF, Cinci, Memphis, UConn.

Cincy, UCONN, ECU, & UCF (in that order)... am i biased?...yes, but I think not only the football pedigree in conjunction with the strong fan base is extremely valuable but ECU's overall commitment to the totality of the athletic program merits inclusion.

Nothing against Memphis but 1 good year in football doesn't cut it particularly considering the fact that they traditionally don't have good attendance numbers. I'd say that basketball is about 1/2 as important as football in determining value & then the rest of the sports programs combined are about 1/5 as valuable as basketball.

ECU's probably the AAC's most valuable program, because they'll probably be the one in the league the longest.

CUSA

Rice
USM
UTEP
UTSA

(07-12-2015 01:14 PM)SApuro Wrote:  CUSA

Rice
USM
UTEP
UTSA

LOL! Are you on crack?

(07-12-2015 12:26 PM)B easy Wrote:  

(07-12-2015 12:04 PM)uconnwhaler Wrote:  For AAC, my guess would be UCF, Cinci, Memphis, UConn.

Cincy, UCONN, ECU, & UCF (in that order)... am i biased?...yes, but I think not only the football pedigree in conjunction with the strong fan base is extremely valuable but ECU's overall commitment to the totality of the athletic program merits inclusion.

Nothing against Memphis but 1 good year in football doesn't cut it particularly considering the fact that they traditionally don't have good attendance numbers. I'd say that basketball is about 1/2 as important as football in determining value & then the rest of the sports programs combined are about 1/5 as valuable as basketball.

That is fair; I appreciate ECU's value to the conference and their strong fan support.

Break out the tape measures. This is going to end well!

The issue is not "the best" programs, but "the most valuable" programs.

So: (in order)
AAC
Cincinnati
UConn
Navy
Memphis

ACC
North Carolina
Duke
Florida State
Virginia Tech

Big Ten
Ohio State
Michigan
Penn State
Nebraska

Big 12
Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
WVU

Big East
Georgetown
Villanova
Marquette
Butler

CUSA
Rice
Marshall
(Sorry, no other programs move the needle more than others)

Mountain West
Boise State
...BIG gap...
Fresno State
(several other programs tied for 3/4)

PAC 12
USC
UCLA
Stanford
Oregon

SEC
Alabama
Kentucky
Florida
Texas A&M

I would have to say that historically the 4 top brands of the BIG are as follows:

tOSU
Penn State
Michigan
Nebraska

I think Michigan State and Wisconsin are top 6 and may intermingle with the top 4 during current times.

(07-12-2015 01:58 PM)Sparty84 Wrote:  I would have to say that historically the 4 top brands of the BIG are as follows:

tOSU
Penn State
Michigan
Nebraska

I think Michigan State and Wisconsin are top 6 and may intermingle with the top 4 during current times.

Agree with you.

Big 12
Texas
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Oklahoma St.

SEC
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Georgia

PAC
USC
Oregon
UCLA
Washington

ACC
UNC (if they leave the conference falls apart)
Florida State
Notre Dame
Duke


AMERICAN
Cincinnati
Connecticut
Houston
East Carolina / Memphis
(UCF and South Florida are both important but each one is kind of a safety net for the conference if the other one leaves)

BIG XII
Texas
Oklahoma
Kansas
West Virginia

BIG TEN
Ohio State
Michigan
Penn State
Nebraska

C-USA
Rice
Southern Miss
Marshall
UTEP

MAC
Ohio
Northern Illinois
Buffalo
Miami (OH)

MWC
Boise State
San Diego State
Fresno State
UNLV

PAC-12
UCLA
USC
Oregon
Stanford

SEC
Florida
Alabama
LSU
Kentucky

SUN BELT
Louisiana
Georgia Southern
Arkansas State
Appalachian State

^Pretty much agree with all of yours Carolina Low, except for Kentucky in the SEC. The SEC I'd have t puts too little value on basketball. I'd have to put Georgia or Tennessee there, even though Tennessee is down now. Actually Texas A&M probably should be there, since their dissatisfaction directly lead to the SEC getting into the states of Texas and Missouri, and the acquistion of A&M is what made the SEC Network a go

I agree with every other one you said.

(07-12-2015 11:56 AM)omniorange Wrote:  I think for the ACC (full members) it would be FSU, UNC, and then VT-UVa tied.

Cheers,
Neil

North Carolina, Duke, Syracuse, Florida State

Big Ten

Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, (Michigan State, Wisconsin)

Big XII

Texas, Oklahoma, (Kansas)

SEC (may be the deepest conference)

Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee

Pac 12

Southern Cal, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State

MAC:
Ohio
NIU
Buffalo
Toledo

That's as of 7/12/15. If you were to ask the same question in a few years (or ask for the four most important programs, I'd put Miami there instead of Toledo. Miami has underachieved for about ten years now in revenue sports due to bad admin, but that's changed and football is on the way up. We have certain institutional resources that allowed us to be towards the top of the MAC for years, and they'll help us get back there in the not too distant future.

1. Alabama for brand and history.
2. Florida for academics and a key state.
3. Texas A&M for academics and the state that delivered the SECN.
4. L.S.U. for the glue that holds the two halves together and for New Orleans, our only true destination city.

Honorable Mention:
Vanderbilt for Academics and a second destination city.
Auburn & Georgia for earning potential and the conferences longest standing rivalry.
Tennessee for history, attendance, and income.
Arkansas for owning indoor and outdoor track & field and because without them A&M would never have come and neither would have Missouri.