(01-11-2021 01:56 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The realignment moves from 1989-1991 brought about the end of the Era of the Big Time Independents.

In our current climate, 3 of the 5 major conferences have some major disparity between the top value programs and the rest. For those high dollar programs to keep up financially with the SEC they are going to have to come up with something creative. It’s not just as easy as joining up with the SEC. Geography can be a factor. Some of these programs—Texas, Oklahoma, USC also have a history of calling all the shots and being the ones in control of their leagues.

Would say, ESPN, be interested in making deals with these schools directly as independents as opposed to negotiating with a whole conference? Is there a remote possibility that we end up with a handful of elite independents again with a loose scheduling alliance facilitated by the Mouse?