(06-05-2014 01:34 PM)BewareThePhog Wrote:  

(06-05-2014 12:44 AM)jhawkmvp Wrote:  

(06-04-2014 04:04 PM)XLance Wrote:  jhawkmvp,
As a Kansas fan, where would you like to end up assuming that the Big 12 does die?
I don't think that Texas, Oklahoma or Kansas will have trouble finding a soft spot to land if it becomes necessary.

Honestly, it would depend on where Texas and OU end up. I really love being partners with them in the B12. I think they would all like to stay together, but have little brothers to take care of that might not make that possible (more OU and UT than KU because Kansas is too small and the KSU brand too weak to piggyback to another conference with KU). The PAC, SEC, and B1G all have former Big 8/12 schools that we have strong ties too. Our greatest rival, Missouri, is in the SEC now and unless we end up in the same conference with them down the road that is a dead rivalry unless things change dramatically (primarily due to it being in our best interest to keep their exposure in Kansas City to a minimum IMO).

I can talk pretty openly about all the conferences because I could see KU in all of them depending on how things play out and they all have some good to great points. I think KU is in a second tier of schools that would be a valued asset to any conference, but will have to wait on schools like Texas, UVA, OU, and UNC, that have better markets and/or FB helmet programs, to pass on or accept invites to certain conferences to get our landing spot, most likely. Which schools end up where could change things dramatically financially and competitively in sports, so a conference that is behind now, could vault to the top, or close to the top, with the right schools/markets/brands.

My quick thoughts off the top of my head on the conferences from my perspective as a KU fan (Phog and other KU fans might add to these):

ACC
Pros: Huge footprint. Academically strong. Lot of KU/UNC ties. Basketball season would be insanely entertaining. KU/UNC, KU/Duke, KU/Syracuse, KU/Louisville, etc. That would be basketball nirvana. Football would be easier and less competitive than the B12 so KU would see better results on the gridiron I think. GA/FL FB recruiting opens up. If it happens, most likely the ACC added at least Texas, and more likely, 4 or more other B12 schools.
Cons:Swofford currently runs it. I worry about fit there as some ACC fans can be extremely condescending to schools and fan bases from rural states. Maybe that is just an internet thing. Maybe not. Travel would be a hassle due to distance.

B1G
Pros: Best fit culturally and academically. Academically stellar. Almost exclusively AAU, with the CIC bonus. NU is already there. Financially it is the most powerful conference and will probably remain there for the foreseeable future. Basketball would be great. Match ups with Indiana, MSU, Michigan and others would be great. KU BB recruiting would get great exposure in NY, Chicago, D.C. and other hoops hotbeds. If the B1G goes past 16, then there is a good shot OU and Texas are there as well. Football should be competitive and improve as the current B1G is not as strong in FB as the B12 and IMO is the weakest currently. Shortest travel of the four.
Cons: Football recruiting in Texas would dry to a trickle (though to be honest KU did well under Mason in the 90s recruiting a lot of B1G states) unless UT and OU come as well. Worst FB recruiting grounds of the major conferences (which is showing on the field lately). Colder weather than the B12.

PAC
Pros:Better academically than the B12 by quite a bit. Warmer weather for fall and spring sports. California recruiting for everything. CU is there. KU basketball would probably have the best chance to have the same success as it has in the B12, while still getting UCLA and Arizona on the schedule each year. Would probably be 4-8 other B12 schools as well.
Cons:Worst time zone for games (PST). Travel would be a major hassle due to distance and time zone issues. Fans can be apathetic. Least exposure of all the conferences again related to time zone.

SEC
Pros:Best overall sports conference going IMO. Basketball would square off mostly with Kentucky, and sometimes Florida, for supremacy. KU BB should win similarly to the B12. Gains SE football recruiting to go with Texas. Missouri our greatest rival is there and the rivalry would be reignited. Texas A&M is there and we have some history from the B12 with them. Warm weather for spring and fall sports. Rabid fans. Probably means the SEC is going big and there would be additional B12 schools added as well. Football schedule would see some big name programs every year in Lawrence.
Cons:Not a step up academically from the B12, unless Texas or other AAU type schools are added as well. KU football would eternally struggle to be competitive, most likely, even if they were better just because of all the great schools at the top. Perceived cutthroat recruiting/eligibility issues (real or not).

If conferences only went to 16, and I had a gun against my head, I would probably pick the B1G primarily due to fit/travel and KU FB being more competitive there. But, I would be fine with any of them if the B12 falls apart and all have there good points.

I largely agree with this post. I was about to make what I thought was a new point until I realized that I'd skimmed too quickly over the opening paragraph, which is the tenuous nature of the Missouri rivalry. I agree that unless we find ourselves in the same conference, or KU and KSU land together and therefore remain conference rivals, there's little to no chance for this series to be resumed. Present circumstances and attitudes aside, if we're out of conference to both MU and KSU, I have no doubt that we'd expend our effort (either voluntarily or via legislative fiat) maintaining the ties to Kansas State, particularly in football where there are so few out-of-conference games possible.

In any scenario, KU's value to a new conference would be maximized by being partnered with a strong football school. So adding us to the B1G or SEC with OU, or to the ACC with UT would make us much more attractive to the new home. Both the ACC and B1G would lead to fantastic schedules in basketball, and we'd add to the SEC or PAC in that area.

As for choosing my overall preference, the B1G would be first - as noted, it's the best cultural, geographic, and academic fit. My 2nd choice would likely be the ACC, largely due to the great basketball matchups that would ensue, although with either that or the PAC we'd probably want to have several neighbors join with us to give us some grounding in the Midwest. The SEC is in many ways a poor cultural fit (more so for KU than it would be for KSU), and we'd be at the far NW corner of the conference geographically, but at least we would be direct neighbors to at least one if not two member states. I share jhawkmvp's reticence about the PAC due to the time zone issue.

I think you are pretty much spot on here. I would add this... if Kansas ever joins the SEC, they will certainly be a positive addition academically. Instead of joining a conference with a bunch of over-achieving academic schools, Kansas can help build something new in the SEC, together with A&M and Missouri. Sooner or later, the other SEC schools will feel the push for improvement.