(10-09-2016 05:18 PM)JRsec Wrote: (10-09-2016 05:02 PM)CyclonePower Wrote: personally I think OU goes SEC or Pac. I don't see Big Ten. Even though NU isn't AAU i think it still is a big deal to the Big Ten schools. AAU said it isn't expanding its membership list either so they won't be in for a while. Plus OU doesn't really fit their culture which i think actually matters unlike what other fans think.
In '91-92 the SEC was quietly in discussions with Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and A&M. To the East we were seeking Clemson and Florida State. OU's interest was simply contingent upon what Texas and A&M did. Texas wanted to explore options and the politics weren't right for A&M so OU was out. Bowden, encouraged by a soon to be active network in the process of realignment, headed to the ACC. Clemson was only ever tepid about the prospect and may have been their to spy on the negotiations with F.S.U..
Arkansas said yes. South Carolina found out about our interest in Clemson and applied.
Since that time ESPN's refusal to pay us for additions out of the ACC has steered our interest West.
I say this because the additions of Missouri in lieu of Florida State and the substitution of South Carolina for Clemson has essentially left the original plan intact.
Now if OU did agree to the SEC and ESPN did cajole Texas into the same the plans that the SEC put into motion in '91 under Roy Kramer would come to fruition.
If 16 is the goal for the Big 10 too, then why not Kansas and Iowa State. It fits and balances what they have already done.
After all without the ACC to pick apart neither the SEC nor Big 10 really have that many options.
If I'm the B1G though, I'm not interested in Iowa State. Kansas would be an ok addition from their perspective, but I would really want a bigger fish or an equivalent sized fish to go along with them. ISU would be duplicating a small market for them. I just don't see it.
Assuming there's no great compromise between the networks then I think the SEC should go to 20 in order to hoard content.
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State, Colorado State, and BYU
The additions of UT, OU, and KU are self-explanatory. ISU is a solid brand in a new state and it happens to be an AAU school. More than that, you need a 4th if you're going to bother taking Kansas and I think ESPN will certainly want to keep them in the fold some way somehow. CSU is kind of a small time brand right now, but it's a good school in a growing market...a market that doesn't really have a dominant brand although Colorado is the more established entity. CSU is building a new stadium so they've committed to being a solid athletic brand if they get the opportunity.
But why bother going that direction at all? In order to build a bridge to BYU. BYU is another ESPN property and they would multiply the content value of most games they're in. They have a very solid fan base in the growing state of Utah, but they have a national one as well. The problem with BYU is that they don't fit anywhere else so getting the SEC to take them is actually the most logical action from ESPN's perspective. They'd make a lot more off a BYU in a major conference than an independent BYU.
It looks like the ACC has been established as the conference of the East Coast so WVU goes that direction along with a fully joined Notre Dame.
I know that's an odd alignment for us, but there comes the question of what to do with the LHN. I know we talked a little about adding a 2nd network, but I don't see ESPN going for that. I imagine they'll simply change the format for the LHN and use it to show a broader scope of content.
ESPN has already weakened their ESPNU lineup with the addition of an ACCN and losing some of the rights to the B1G. They have to think about their entire platform and unlike the ACC needing a new channel, the SEC doesn't need that 2nd network to remain viable.
So why are we worried about moving that far west? To make up for lost earning potential of the LHN...
The broader the reach and higher sub fees we get from the SECN, the more we make everyone happy. I don't think we can get the LHN as a 2nd SECN so here's another way to generate revenue.
