(02-06-2019 12:03 PM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 11:59 AM)panama Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 09:49 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 09:38 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 09:11 AM)TrueBlueDrew Wrote:  You think Mizzou got into the SEC and Louisville got into the ACC because of their academic reputations? Lol...

Media market, athletic budget, and brand value still trump all even in the P5. Academics is still very much a secondary factor.

1) Missouri is in the AAU, so yes, they did improve the SEC’s profile.

2) Louisville, point taken. Although, that move was unique because it was a replacement, not an expansion. The ACC would have never expanded with Louisville – they weren’t even on the radar when the conference invited Syracuse and Pitt, both strong academic schools.

3) P5 expansion definitely involves academics. All one has to do is look at the finalists for the Big XII and see the list is littered with strong academic universities. Media market is not as important as it was a few years ago. I believe the Big Ten wishes they invited Kansas instead of Rutgers. With KU they get a strong academic reputation, a similar football program, but a blueblood in basketball with a rabid fan base. The football team has done well with the right coach. Personally, I wish they would have invited KU or Mizzou instead of UMd, but alas...

I'm not saying P5's don't take academics into account, just that it's not the determining factor like Panama was implying.

Media markets only just started losing their weight recently. The last major round of realignment was heavily influenced by tv contracts and conferences looking to expand into certain markets.

The next round of realignment could involve completely difference factors as conference chase the money into the next medium of entertainment, but barring some major ideological shift in college sports, a school's academics won't be primary factor in where they end up.

If that were the case, Harvard and Yale would be in the Big 10, and schools like Arizona State and Florida State would be hanging around with the G5 schools.

You mean the last round of P5 realignment which was determined by market and academics and not athletic prowess?


The Yale and Havard analogy is silly. Yale was founded in 1701 and has an endowment of $29B. Harvard was founded in 1636 and has an endowment of $39B. They produce presidents of multiple countries. They do not need athletics.

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Then why aren't the SEC and the Big 12 fighting over who gets to add Rice? Is it because athletic success and brand name/flagship status means more than academics? Yes. Yes it does.

Academics do matter in expansion especially if you’re the Big Ten and Pac-12. The SEC upgraded its academic profile by adding A&M and Mizzou. The ACC compromised its academic reputation by adding Louisville but the future of the conference was at stake so it was a good move compared to adding UConn. The Big XII dismissed Memphis but not Rice and Tulane when they look at expansion in 2016. Rice and Tulane. Let that sink in.

These decisions are made by presidents and chancellors not athletic directors and coaches. They want to be associated with other peers. It’s the reason why Boise State is not in the Pac-12 and the Big Ten said Texas had a “Tech” problem.