In 1894, a chemistry professor at Vanderbilt helped found an organization called the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. That forerunner of the modern conference began with seven member institutions — Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Sewanee, and Vandy. A year later, Clemson, Cumberland, Kentucky, LSU, Mercer, Mississippi State (then known as Mississippi A&M), Ole Miss, the University of Nashville, Rhodes College (then known as Southwestern Presbyterian), Tennessee, Texas, and Tulane joined in on the fun.

By 1921, the SIAA had grown into a 30-school monstrosity. So 14 of those SIAA schools met in Atlanta on February 21st of that year to discuss setting up a new, smaller conference. Part of the reason — schools wanted to play their conference rivals more often, which was impossible in a 30-team league. Also, the SIAA’s presidents couldn’t agree on freshman eligibility or whether or not athletes should be allowed to make money playing summer baseball.

Looks like things started out as Super Conferences. Some interesting historical background and other insights

LINK

I don't think anyone is really serious about 20. At that point it's really 2 conferences operating under one super structure.

(04-17-2014 08:24 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  I don't think anyone is really serious about 20. At that point it's really 2 conferences operating under one super structure.

There is only 1 reason for anyone to go to 20 teams in a conference. When we all get a bump for going to 9 or 10 conference games and there is no trick pony to ride to get a bump in pay from the networks, the conference network becomes the vehicle for gaining more revenue. New markets equals more revenue.

If the model doesn't change appreciably in the next few years this will become the sole reason that 20 or even 24 team conferences could emerge. If they do it will be cyclical.

I think the road map for a pay bump in the near future will be this:
1. Add a 9th conference game.
2. Add two schools.
3. Expand internal playoffs for the conference championship to 2 semi-finals and a final the winners of which will automatically qualify for the NCAA playoff.
4. Add either a 10th conference game or an OOC game against another P4 conference.
5. Play only P4(5) games.
6. Expand the markets by growing the conference past 16.

I believe everything (and then some) will be done in the first five steps listed before we look to jump to conferences with more than 16 schools.

I do still believe we will eventually move to 4 power conferences by consolidation among the P5 and that eventually a champions model only will emerge for the National 4 team playoff. But at some point in the distant future when all other contingencies have been exhausted expansion for network markets will be the only variable left to get a bump and then it could happen if something hasn't already torpedoed the market based model.