(10-10-2021 04:19 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  But what about the revenue gap? USC subsidizes the rest of the PAC 12 in media dollars, which puts the Trojans behind the other blue bloods

You're always going to get paid more as a member of a conference than an Independent.

The key component of football independence that everyone over looks when it comes to "Team value" thrown out by those reporting on TV contracts:

In a conference, you are paid for all your conference games, home and road, and home non-conference games
As an independent, you are paid for all ONLY your home games, and not for your road games


Notre Dame is probably leaving money on the table as an independent, they just don't care because independence is part of their identity and they don't want to give that up.

BYU was leaving money on the table being an independent, they did not care because they have plenty of money and were using sports on BYU-TV as part of their evangelical efforts; and that's more important to them than schedule stability the MWC could provide.

Army is leaving money on the table being an independent, they just don't care because they're funded by the Pentagon and taking their team around the country near military bases is more important to them than scheduling stability that the American could provide.


UMass is leaving FOOTBALL money on the table by not joining the MAC, but it's a calculated gamble for BASKETBALL MONEY. If they make the NCAA Tournament in basketball, the A-10's revenue sharing structure of "Keep 74% of what you earn, get 2% of A-10 units you don't earn" tilts the money in their favor, and they think full MAC membership would hurt basketball. They WOULD have left the A-10 for the AAC to replace UConn had they gotten that invite; but the MAC isn't worth it.

UConn is leaving FOOTBALL money on the table by leaving the American, but their BASKETBALL MONEY offsets it because they have the Big East deal, and a T2 TV deal with SNY for secondary football and WOMEN'S BASKETBALL. The AAC contract with ESPN eliminated T2 rights and that's why they left.

New Mexico State would join a conference if they could, they have no where to go. But the plan is that in 8 years, the WAC will sponsor FBS and they'll have a home.
Liberty would join a conference if they could, they have no where to go. But the plan is that in 8 years, the A-Sun will sponsor FBS and they'll have a home.