Well, here is something new for all of us...

Being bored, and needing something to create for a class of mine, I conducted a formula, using all SEC teams, the sports we play, and the statistics to create a "stock market" price for each school.

Each sport and statistic has been weighted in regard to the popularity and importance of the sport in the minds of SEC fans. If a team does not field an SEC event, they receive 0 for that sport. All teams receive some credit aka "stock value" for fielding a team. Academics, facilities, and fan morale also are intangibles that are counted. For example, football gets the most weight of any sport, women's hoops gets more weight then women's swimming, etc. This also takes conference and division titles into account, so teams who win, especially in the spring sports coming up, will watch their stock skyrocket. Teams near the bottom (Ole Miss, S. Carolina) should expect a big jump come baseball season. Also, this formula is only good for SEC teams. For example, ACC would weigh basketball as an equal, or higher, than football. Other conferences play different sports than the SEC (water polo, wrestling, etc.). Therefore, only compare this with other SEC teams, as it is useless for teams in other schools.

As of this day (Feb. 7th, 05) here are the opening market prices of the SEC athletic programs.

Auburn - 32.04
Tennessee - 26.88
Florida - 25.13
LSU - 22.77
Arkansas - 22.57
Georgia - 22.19
Alabama - 16.52
Kentucky - 13.14
S. Carolina - 11.18
Ole Miss - 10.34
Vanderbilt - 8.18
Miss. State - 7.83

Market closes this week at 218.76

The advantages/disadvantages

Auburn's 13-0 football season is the key reason their stock is so high. The Tigers fared well in swimming as well. Their baseball team started before anyone else, so they've had an early jump on baseball that other teams will catch up on next week, so expect Auburn's margin of difference to thin out big time by the end of the month.

Tennessee is winning with the women. If it was just men's sports in the market price, the Vols would be 6th in the conference. Their women's program, with strong showings in soccer, volleyball, and women's basketball, has jumped them up to second. Expect other teams to catch up to Tennesee though as the Vols have no gymnastics team, which will hurt them later on.

Vandy plays so little sports in the SEC, they'll always stay at the bottom. However, a good women's hoops team, and good tennis teams, still put the 'Dores ahead of Miss. State, who is relying almost completely on men's basketball.

These will change week to week.. just something to look at and think about... already I'm thinking about ways to get UA's program up much higher.. other schools should look at it and think about ways as well.

WPS

Interesting stuff, cth.

Thanks GDawgs

UGA actually should really get up to the top soon. Tennessee looks a bit maxed out; the sports they excel in have mostly already passed. Cross country is the only reason UA is where it is right now, despite cross country being the lowest weighted men's sport. UGA has the top ranked golf team and top 10 tennis and baseball teams that should raise your totals by at least 8 points, maybe even 10, on those 3 sports alone. I expect UGA, Ole Miss, S. Carolina, UA, and LSU to have the biggest lifts this spring.

It looks like our men's basketball team is really hurtin' us. Hopefully your Hogs will go easy on us at the Bud Walton Arena this week. :frown:

I'm just glad we actually won a game on Saturday. If we lost that, my Saturdays would be at Oaklawn Park betting on the horses.

Your b-ball team is hurting ya a bit, but so is ours. The good thing about this market though is that it greatly rewards conference and top 5/10/25 national performance regardless of the sport, and national championships really send it up high. Your golf team is ranked #1 in the nation, and naturally, it's stock is a good bit higher than any of the other schools. If you win the conference title, it'll jump significantly. If it wins the national title, it would move you near the top, possibly to the top of the list depending on other schools.

Where UGA is hurting the most is their women's sports. UGA would be in 3rd if I just used men's athletics. Women's hoops and gymnastics are weighted nicely and UGA is doing well in both. However, Florida and Tennessee have great women's programs and are moving to the front with them. The UT women make around 18 of their 26 points if that says something.

WPS