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(07-26-2021 08:44 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  I think people underestimate Kansas basketball’s value in the streaming world. That is a top five basketball brand. All it takes is to hide a few games behind a paywall service you have a whole bunch of subscribers.

I think we to start thinking in terms of fam bases and fan base potential. I think the Big Ten and Kansas are a great fit. Colorado or Iowa State would make sense too.

This is the statement that worries me the most in all of this. I've read A LOT of national articles in the past 4-5 days, and the one disturbing theme I've noticed is that UC is not 1 or 2 or sometimes 3 on most people's list of expansion candidates. Primarily it's been Houston, Memphis, UCF and BYU. (and a few of the Big12 leftovers automatically jump in front of us). The one common theme to all of them, is the market/fanbase potential. On field success is secondary.

I'm starting to think that a Big 12 implosion and the AAC gobbling up their leftovers, may be the best option for UC at this point.

The logistics of the PAC are why I think the B1G will go big if they raid it. At a minimum: USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington. Possibly: some combo of Cal, Stanford and Colorado. 3 scheduling pods with the Championship game between the two highest rated teams.

(07-26-2021 08:59 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 08:44 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  I think people underestimate Kansas basketball’s value in the streaming world. That is a top five basketball brand. All it takes is to hide a few games behind a paywall service you have a whole bunch of subscribers.

I think we to start thinking in terms of fam bases and fan base potential. I think the Big Ten and Kansas are a great fit. Colorado or Iowa State would make sense too.

This is the statement that worries me the most in all of this. I've read A LOT of national articles in the past 4-5 days, and the one disturbing theme I've noticed is that UC is not 1 or 2 or sometimes 3 on most people's list of expansion candidates. Primarily it's been Houston, Memphis, UCF and BYU. (and a few of the Big12 leftovers automatically jump in front of us). The one common theme to all of them, is the market/fanbase potential. On field success is secondary.

I'm starting to think that a Big 12 implosion and the AAC gobbling up their leftovers, may be the best option for UC at this point.

Most articles I've read have Cincy as one of the top Big 12 candidates for expansion. I wouldn't worry about it, our program is peaking at the right time and we have as much or more to offer than any other program in the conversation. BYU is the only program that I view as a clear cut better addition solely in terms of viewership but they also have a ton of headaches as well.

We are going to improve our conference membership and TV money no matter what, IMO. We are in such a better spot than we were last time around.

Texas and OU have made it official- they gone.

(07-26-2021 09:17 AM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  We are going to improve our conference membership and TV money no matter what, IMO. We are in such a better spot than we were last time around.

Agree strongly with your second point.

Hopeful...and trying to be more hopeful...on your first point.

Worried about where we end up in the "30,000' view" of the tectonic shift that this looks like it might be.

(07-26-2021 09:31 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  Texas and OU have made it official- they gone.

Yep.

Just the 1st piece in the legal dance to get whatever it is they want. Turns up the pressure but it doesn’t give notice of them leaving.

Watch what the B12 offers them both now.

I’f they were dumb enough to send emails, would love to see a FOIA get the correspondence between OK and TX coordinating this kabuki theater together.

(07-26-2021 10:00 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Just the 1st piece in the legal dance to get whatever it is they want. Turns up the pressure but it doesn’t give notice of them leaving.

Watch what the B12 offers them both now.

That's the big thing...everyone is saying this means they're leaving. All this means is that they are not signing on the current agreement, and are going to try to get much more. Could easily see them staying and getting double shares or something, especially if the rumor that 50% of the FOX deal was made due to Texas/Oklahoma in the first place.

(07-23-2021 06:15 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:00 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Apparently finebaum saying on his show the big 10 is looking at Cincinnati. Realignment speculation is never ending content.

Yeeeeaaaaahhhh...

I don't know who he's talking to, but I just dont see that happening.

There's a poll on the main forum about who the Big 10 should add. They include 16 teams as possibilities, but UC is not on the list:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-925640.html

(07-26-2021 09:12 AM)UCbball21 Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 08:59 AM)Cat-Man Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 08:44 AM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  I think people underestimate Kansas basketball’s value in the streaming world. That is a top five basketball brand. All it takes is to hide a few games behind a paywall service you have a whole bunch of subscribers.

I think we to start thinking in terms of fam bases and fan base potential. I think the Big Ten and Kansas are a great fit. Colorado or Iowa State would make sense too.

This is the statement that worries me the most in all of this. I've read A LOT of national articles in the past 4-5 days, and the one disturbing theme I've noticed is that UC is not 1 or 2 or sometimes 3 on most people's list of expansion candidates. Primarily it's been Houston, Memphis, UCF and BYU. (and a few of the Big12 leftovers automatically jump in front of us). The one common theme to all of them, is the market/fanbase potential. On field success is secondary.

I'm starting to think that a Big 12 implosion and the AAC gobbling up their leftovers, may be the best option for UC at this point.

Most articles I've read have Cincy as one of the top Big 12 candidates for expansion. I wouldn't worry about it, our program is peaking at the right time and we have as much or more to offer than any other program in the conversation. BYU is the only program that I view as a clear cut better addition solely in terms of viewership but they also have a ton of headaches as well.

Bolded, I still believe this to be the case too. Sportswriters, and certainly fans of every program, are myopic and believe they know the criteria for expansion.

I still believe the institutional profile matters in this process. Having said that, I think Louisville was the exception in that regard but winning an NCAA championship and New Year's Day bowl in short succession and building new athletic facilities faster than Amazon puts up warehouses, enabled U of L to catch an express train during a realignment crisis.

With no disrespect to these institutions, serious questions have to be asked about places such as Boise and Memphis (historically, Houston too) in terms of academic and research reputations. Cincinnati checks a lot of boxes and Fickell's ascent is timely. BYU may check a few more boxes in terms of holding a somewhat unique national following. Again, no replacing TX and OK but Cincy and BYU would both be respected additions.

The good news? TX/OK appears to be a done deal now and this may become yet another express train before this week passes.

(07-26-2021 10:11 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:15 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:00 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Apparently finebaum saying on his show the big 10 is looking at Cincinnati. Realignment speculation is never ending content.

Yeeeeaaaaahhhh...

I don't know who he's talking to, but I just dont see that happening.

There's a poll on the main forum about who the Big 10 should add. They include 16 teams as possibilities, but UC is not on the list:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-925640.html

It's on a Realignment Thread, and it was a poll started by a single person.

(07-26-2021 10:11 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:15 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:00 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Apparently finebaum saying on his show the big 10 is looking at Cincinnati. Realignment speculation is never ending content.

Yeeeeaaaaahhhh...

I don't know who he's talking to, but I just dont see that happening.

There's a poll on the main forum about who the Big 10 should add. They include 16 teams as possibilities, but UC is not on the list:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-925640.html

That's because we all understand that would be absolute lunacy.

(07-26-2021 10:00 AM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Just the 1st piece in the legal dance to get whatever it is they want. Turns up the pressure but it doesn’t give notice of them leaving.

Watch what the B12 offers them both now.

Yeah, the Big 12/FOX will offer the world to keep them but part of me wonders if they could ever match what ESPN will offer them to leave for the SEC. Keep in mind, ESPN currently has a terrible, backloaded contract with the LHN and a new ESPN+ streaming service to think about now. Getting UT and OU gives ESPN two of the most valuable college football properties almost exclusively on ESPN/ABC and pushes their less valuable content i.e. mid/low-level SEC/ACC content and AAC content to their streaming service while dealing a major blow to their top competitor FOX.

(07-24-2021 10:01 AM)Bearcat 1985 Wrote:  

(07-24-2021 09:31 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-24-2021 06:36 AM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  I mean… Rutgers did get into the Big 10 so there are such things as miracles.

I still don't get the Rutgers add. Even Maryland is a bit underwhelming. Nebraska? Yes. Solid brand. In hindsight, you wonder if Jimbob Delaney made the right moves. Not so much in the short term but long term it looks poor when Texas and Oklahoma are allegedly heading to the best football conference in all of college sports.

At the time expansion was driven by cable boxes. Adding the NYC and DC metro areas for the BTN with two solid AAU schools was a no-brainer. I agree that the methodology has changed, and I'm not sure they'd get added today.

The Big 10 added Rutgers/Maryland to keep Penn State in the fold.

This was mentioned numerous times by Big 10 insiders, but the public just ignored it. The Big 10 thought that Penn State was a long-term flight risk if the Big 10 didn't give Penn State some Eastern playmates.

(07-26-2021 10:16 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(07-24-2021 10:01 AM)Bearcat 1985 Wrote:  

(07-24-2021 09:31 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(07-24-2021 06:36 AM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  I mean… Rutgers did get into the Big 10 so there are such things as miracles.

I still don't get the Rutgers add. Even Maryland is a bit underwhelming. Nebraska? Yes. Solid brand. In hindsight, you wonder if Jimbob Delaney made the right moves. Not so much in the short term but long term it looks poor when Texas and Oklahoma are allegedly heading to the best football conference in all of college sports.

At the time expansion was driven by cable boxes. Adding the NYC and DC metro areas for the BTN with two solid AAU schools was a no-brainer. I agree that the methodology has changed, and I'm not sure they'd get added today.

The Big 10 added Rutgers/Maryland to keep Penn State in the fold.

This was mentioned numerous times by Big 10 insiders, but the public just ignored it. The Big 10 thought that Penn State was a long-term flight risk if the Big 10 didn't give Penn State some Eastern playmates.

Yep...hell many of those insiders are even bringing up Penn State as a potential ACC candidate now.

This is Machiavellian level contract diplomacy.

They release a statement that says they are not going to sign off on a renewal of the entire world instead hears “We are leaving.”

Right now the B12, B10, SEC and PAC are all typing up incentive laden proposals for them and they have not even had to do anything but say they are not going to sign a renewal in 4 years.

Brilliant.

(07-26-2021 10:14 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 10:11 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:15 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:00 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Apparently finebaum saying on his show the big 10 is looking at Cincinnati. Realignment speculation is never ending content.

Yeeeeaaaaahhhh...

I don't know who he's talking to, but I just dont see that happening.

There's a poll on the main forum about who the Big 10 should add. They include 16 teams as possibilities, but UC is not on the list:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-925640.html

That's because we all understand that would be absolute lunacy.

Agreed, Cincy to the B1G is a non-starter. Absolutely zero percent chance.

The SEC pundits have always thought more highly of Cincy than the B1G pundits. I think Finebaum and co. see the value of having another major program in Ohio but OSU and the other B1G schools that recruit in Ohio would never allow it to happen.

(07-26-2021 10:18 AM)UCbball21 Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 10:14 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(07-26-2021 10:11 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:15 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(07-23-2021 06:00 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Apparently finebaum saying on his show the big 10 is looking at Cincinnati. Realignment speculation is never ending content.

Yeeeeaaaaahhhh...

I don't know who he's talking to, but I just dont see that happening.

There's a poll on the main forum about who the Big 10 should add. They include 16 teams as possibilities, but UC is not on the list:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-925640.html

That's because we all understand that would be absolute lunacy.

Agreed, Cincy to the B1G is a non-starter. Absolutely zero percent chance.

The SEC pundits have always thought more highly of Cincy than the B1G pundits. I think Finebaum and co. see the value of having another major program in Ohio but OSU and the other B1G schools that recruit in Ohio would never allow it to happen.

That's because the SEC, by and large, has two programs per state and see it as a benefit, not a negative. The Big 10 is the exact opposite, the only states with multiple state schools are Michigan and Indiana, and even that is due to historical attachment early on (because Purdue would absolutely not be a Big Ten type school now)...hell, if not for a businessman donating land for a nice tax credit, it would've been Indiana and Indiana State, and Purdue wouldn't even be a thing. We should all be blaming the University of Chicago honestly...if they were still in the league, I would venture a guess that Pitt and Cincinnati would've had a MUCH higher likelihood of being a part of it all.