(02-05-2021 06:28 AM)schmolik Wrote:  ACC/Big 10 and SEC/Big 12! There's your 2 conferences. Well the Pac 12 will be on an island.

I see it a little differently. For a P2 to be viable there needs to be a strong west coast presence IMO.


(additions in bold)

B1G :

Oregon, Stanford, Washington, Southern Cal, UCLA and California
Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern and Minnesota
Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois and Rutgers
Notre Dame, Penn State, North Carolina, Duke, Virginia and Maryland

SEC:

Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas
Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Arkansas
Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Vanderbilt
Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Miami, Georgia Tech and NC State

I think for a Big 2 to emerge the SEC and Big 10 would need to be in a position to where they had their own streaming platforms and went straight to the consumer with their content for all but their T1 rights. This model would necessitate having a large inventory and would make it advantageous to add as many as 10-12 additional members.

That requires breaking up the ACC and the GOR. I'd suggest breaking up the Pac 12 between the Big Ten/ACC and SEC/Big 12 but if you go geographically we (the Big Ten/ACC) would get screwed with the Pacific Northwest.

How about the Big Ten/ACC takes UCLA, Cal, and Colorado to get to 32 and the SEC/Big 12 gets USC, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State to get to 31 and then adds Cincinnati to get to 32? We get LA, San Fran, and Denver (and all the publics) and the SEC still gets LA and San Fran but gets stuck with everything else.

Big Ten/ACC:

UCLA, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern (I'm not putting Illinois in the western division!)
Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Louisville
Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech
North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, West Virginia
Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati (take it or leave it!)

Even the pros figured out that having a team from Arizona in the NFC East and a team from Atlanta in the National League West were bad ideas and waited for the next opportunity to fix them. In college sports it's even more essential to have some geographic integrity, even if not strictly regional. No way would LSU accept being in the same division as Iowa State and Kansas. They're too important of a program to be isolated like that. You might better get away with isolating the Mississippi schools. So throw them in with the newbies, put LSU with Texas and A&M, finally shift Texas Tech to the Western division.

Not great but much better than what you have for them.

(02-05-2021 01:45 PM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  Even the pros figured out that having a team from Arizona in the NFC East and a team from Atlanta in the National League West were bad ideas

They have it all figured out, huh? So why is one pro team from Arlington, Texas in the NFC East with three east coast teams, while another pro team from Arlington, Texas is in the AL West with three west coast teams?

(02-05-2021 02:11 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 01:45 PM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  Even the pros figured out that having a team from Arizona in the NFC East and a team from Atlanta in the National League West were bad ideas

They have it all figured out, huh? So why is one pro team from Arlington, Texas in the NFC East with three east coast teams, while another pro team from Arlington, Texas is in the AL West with three west coast teams?

Because the team in the NFC East like playing at New Jersey and Maryland?

(02-05-2021 12:01 PM)schmolik Wrote:  That requires breaking up the ACC and the GOR. I'd suggest breaking up the Pac 12 between the Big Ten/ACC and SEC/Big 12 but if you go geographically we (the Big Ten/ACC) would get screwed with the Pacific Northwest.

How about the Big Ten/ACC takes UCLA, Cal, and Colorado to get to 32 and the SEC/Big 12 gets USC, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State to get to 31 and then adds Cincinnati to get to 32? We get LA, San Fran, and Denver (and all the publics) and the SEC still gets LA and San Fran but gets stuck with everything else.

Big Ten/ACC:

UCLA, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern (I'm not putting Illinois in the western division!)
Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Louisville
Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech
North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, West Virginia
Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati (take it or leave it!)

The more natural divisions would be the Big 10 / old Big 8 / PAC schools vs the SEC / ACC / old SWC schools:

Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers

Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Utah

California, California Los Angeles, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern Cal, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

*******************************************************************

Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

Duke, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

Arkansas, Baylor, Louisiana State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Texas Tech

*Wake Forest as a partial.

(02-05-2021 01:45 PM)Transic_nyc Wrote:  Even the pros figured out that having a team from Arizona in the NFC East and a team from Atlanta in the National League West were bad ideas and waited for the next opportunity to fix them. In college sports it's even more essential to have some geographic integrity, even if not strictly regional. No way would LSU accept being in the same division as Iowa State and Kansas. They're too important of a program to be isolated like that. You might better get away with isolating the Mississippi schools. So throw them in with the newbies, put LSU with Texas and A&M, finally shift Texas Tech to the Western division.

Not great but much better than what you have for them.

Is this what you are suggesting?

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, LSU
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, Mississippi, Mississippi State, West Virginia, Cincinnati
Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Texas Tech

Obviously Texas Tech will be PO'ed. I'm not sure how Texas will feel about one less Texas team in their "division" but then LSU would be a welcome addition.

(02-05-2021 02:29 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 12:01 PM)schmolik Wrote:  That requires breaking up the ACC and the GOR. I'd suggest breaking up the Pac 12 between the Big Ten/ACC and SEC/Big 12 but if you go geographically we (the Big Ten/ACC) would get screwed with the Pacific Northwest.

How about the Big Ten/ACC takes UCLA, Cal, and Colorado to get to 32 and the SEC/Big 12 gets USC, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State to get to 31 and then adds Cincinnati to get to 32? We get LA, San Fran, and Denver (and all the publics) and the SEC still gets LA and San Fran but gets stuck with everything else.

Big Ten/ACC:

UCLA, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern (I'm not putting Illinois in the western division!)
Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Louisville
Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech
North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, West Virginia
Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati (take it or leave it!)

The more natural divisions would be the Big 10 / old Big 8 / PAC schools vs the SEC / ACC / old SWC schools:

Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers

Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Utah

California, California Los Angeles, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern Cal, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

*******************************************************************

Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

Duke, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

Arkansas, Baylor, Louisiana State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Texas Tech

*Wake Forest as a partial.

Sure that's what you want. The Big Ten gets stuck with all the Western crap and the bad travel. You don't have to go any further west than Texas. If you want some ACC teams I'd be willing to trade but you're not sticking us with the entire Pathetic 12.

(02-05-2021 02:29 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 12:01 PM)schmolik Wrote:  That requires breaking up the ACC and the GOR. I'd suggest breaking up the Pac 12 between the Big Ten/ACC and SEC/Big 12 but if you go geographically we (the Big Ten/ACC) would get screwed with the Pacific Northwest.

How about the Big Ten/ACC takes UCLA, Cal, and Colorado to get to 32 and the SEC/Big 12 gets USC, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State to get to 31 and then adds Cincinnati to get to 32? We get LA, San Fran, and Denver (and all the publics) and the SEC still gets LA and San Fran but gets stuck with everything else.

Big Ten/ACC:

UCLA, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern (I'm not putting Illinois in the western division!)
Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Louisville
Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech
North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, West Virginia
Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati (take it or leave it!)

The more natural divisions would be the Big 10 / old Big 8 / PAC schools vs the SEC / ACC / old SWC schools:

Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers

Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Utah

California, California Los Angeles, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern Cal, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

*******************************************************************

Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

Duke, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

Arkansas, Baylor, Louisiana State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Texas Tech

*Wake Forest as a partial.

Some have been beating that drum for years.

(02-07-2021 01:27 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 02:29 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(02-05-2021 12:01 PM)schmolik Wrote:  That requires breaking up the ACC and the GOR. I'd suggest breaking up the Pac 12 between the Big Ten/ACC and SEC/Big 12 but if you go geographically we (the Big Ten/ACC) would get screwed with the Pacific Northwest.

How about the Big Ten/ACC takes UCLA, Cal, and Colorado to get to 32 and the SEC/Big 12 gets USC, Stanford, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State to get to 31 and then adds Cincinnati to get to 32? We get LA, San Fran, and Denver (and all the publics) and the SEC still gets LA and San Fran but gets stuck with everything else.

Big Ten/ACC:

UCLA, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern (I'm not putting Illinois in the western division!)
Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Louisville
Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech
North Carolina, NC State, Duke, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami

South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas
Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, West Virginia
Washington, Oregon, Utah, Stanford, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati (take it or leave it!)

The more natural divisions would be the Big 10 / old Big 8 / PAC schools vs the SEC / ACC / old SWC schools:

Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers

Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Utah

California, California Los Angeles, Oregon, Oregon State, Southern Cal, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

*******************************************************************

Boston College, Kentucky, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

Duke, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

Arkansas, Baylor, Louisiana State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Texas Tech

*Wake Forest as a partial.

Some have been beating that drum for years.

Well it's pretty much where ESPN is headed. And yes It was the alignment for 2 leagues I presented 6 or 7 years ago and you've been pushing the same thing various ways as well. It is simply the most compatible grouping geographically, culturally, and with regard to rights holders.

The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

Covered in another thread, but with one move between leagues (ESPN team swaps Missouri for West Virginia) every thing else falls into place. Then it's just a matter of dividing into divisions, which requires minimal movement.

I like the 15/17 splits as opposed to 16/16 (scheduling is easier).

Placing West Virginia in the ACC (15) and the four remaining SWC schools into the SEC gives you this:

Boston College, Syracuse, Pitt, West Virginia, VT, UVa, Carolina, Duke, NCSU, Wake Forest, Clemson GT, Florida State, Miami, Louisville
(Notre Dame remains a partial and tied to the ACC until 2037)

Texas, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, A&M, LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss
Miss State, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

B1G
Rutgers, PSU, Maryland, Ohio State, Mich., Mich. State, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, NW, Minn. Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Iowa State

PAC
Washington, WSU, Oregon, OSU, Cal, Stanford, USC, UCLA
Arizona, ASU, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, OSU, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

(02-07-2021 04:04 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

Willingly for $25 Million.....I doubt it.
If, however, Duke and Wake Forest came to Carolina and UVa and expressed a desire to "drop down" and compete with some other private peers (Boston College, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, Syracuse, Army, Navy, Tulane, SMU, Rice to name a few), I then think Carolina and UVa would listen to an offer from the B1G.

(02-07-2021 04:04 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

Academically, they’d definitely be considered peers but athletically they aren’t programs that bring the football pedigree needed to keep on pace with the SEC’s empire.

If I’m the Big Ten, I’m not interested in any expansion that doesn’t involve Oklahoma or Notre Dame.

(02-07-2021 06:58 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 04:04 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

Academically, they’d definitely be considered peers but athletically they aren’t programs that bring the football pedigree needed to keep on pace with the SEC’s empire.

If I’m the Big Ten, I’m not interested in any expansion that doesn’t involve Oklahoma or Notre Dame.

My plan did include Notre Dame.

(02-07-2021 06:58 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 04:04 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

Academically, they’d definitely be considered peers but athletically they aren’t programs that bring the football pedigree needed to keep on pace with the SEC’s empire.

If I’m the Big Ten, I’m not interested in any expansion that doesn’t involve Oklahoma or Notre Dame.

Athletically, the B1G isn't keeping pace with the SEC now. But financially they're doing fine. Are you saying that if OU and UT were to move to the SEC that the B1G would stay at 14 for the foreseeable future? If keeping pace athletically with the SEC were the B1G's #1 priority, they never would have added Maryland and Rutgers.

I also suspect that, when it comes to athletics, the B1G places more value on sports other than football than the SEC does. And UNC and UVa would improve the B1G in those sports. But my question wasn't whether the B1G would invite them. It was whether they would accept if they did. Many fans believe UNC would never leave Duke, but I'm not so sure.

(02-07-2021 08:03 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 06:58 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 04:04 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

Academically, they’d definitely be considered peers but athletically they aren’t programs that bring the football pedigree needed to keep on pace with the SEC’s empire.

If I’m the Big Ten, I’m not interested in any expansion that doesn’t involve Oklahoma or Notre Dame.

Athletically, the B1G isn't keeping pace with the SEC now. But financially they're doing fine. Are you saying that if OU and UT were to move to the SEC that the B1G would stay at 14 for the foreseeable future? If keeping pace athletically with the SEC were the B1G's #1 priority, they never would have added Maryland and Rutgers.

I also suspect that, when it comes to athletics, the B1G places more value on sports other than football than the SEC does. And UNC and UVa would improve the B1G in those sports. But my question wasn't whether the B1G would invite them. It was whether they would accept if they did. Many fans believe UNC would never leave Duke, but I'm not so sure.

The SEC doesn't place emphasis on other sports is another canard. Softball titles? Check. Baseball titles? Check Women's basketball titles? Check Women's bowling title? Check Track and Field (indoor and outdoor)? Check Swimming and Diving? Check Women's Gymnastics? Check Men's Basketball? Check, but still improving.

Lacrosse? No. Wrestling? Title IX victim in the SEC in the 70's.

Ken the SEC quietly excels in a lot of sports, and does quite well in Tennis and Golf too. And Equestrian is a running string of SEC titles.

I have no doubt but what the Big 10 would love to have Virginia and North Carolina, but I have to wonder if the SEC did acquire Texas and Oklahoma do you think that perhaps North Carolina might consider taking a look at the SEC if there was room for Duke?

I think that's the issue for the Big 10 when it comes to Oklahoma and through the Sooners, Texas. Those 2 schools will be a lure if further acquisitions are wanted. The question is would those acquisitions add to, or subtract from, the bottom line, especially if Texas and Oklahoma are already in at one of those two conferences.

In fact for the sake of argument let's say Oklahoma and Notre Dame joined the Big 10 and Texas and Kansas joined the SEC, would either of those conferences be able to justify the inclusion of Virginia and North Carolina when their revenues were mid to low 70 million in total? The only way the math is there is if a network guarantees it.

(02-07-2021 07:10 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 06:58 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 04:04 PM)ken d Wrote:  

(02-07-2021 02:26 PM)schmolik Wrote:  The Northern ACC schools are definitely more Big Ten like than SEC like and are a real poor fit with the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia were rumored to be headed to the Big Ten before they signed the GOR. The ACC isn't just another SEC or isn't any more since they expanded north.

North Carolina and Virginia would fit the B1G like a glove. The only question is whether they would ever leave the ACC willingly. Would a $25 million revenue difference be enough?

Academically, they’d definitely be considered peers but athletically they aren’t programs that bring the football pedigree needed to keep on pace with the SEC’s empire.

If I’m the Big Ten, I’m not interested in any expansion that doesn’t involve Oklahoma or Notre Dame.

My plan did include Notre Dame.

I see that now. As a Big Ten fan ACC schools don’t really do anything for me.

Louisville, VT, Clemson, NC St , WF, and FSU are all schools we’d never go for.

I could stomach Pitt, Cuse, or BC as a companion to ND even though they are all faded powers. (I have a soft spot for Pitt—I think they made a grave mistake when they joined the Big East in 1982; had they stayed in the A-10 I think they might have gotten to tag along with Penn St to the Big Ten but they burned a serious bridge there). I really think that Big Ten membership would invigorate the football fanbases at both Pitt and Cuse if you replaced their ACC opponents with the likes of Penn St, Ohio St, Michigan, and Michigan St.

Miami is a school I’d be very interested in but I think they’d have to become AAU first to be considered.

When schools like GT, UVA, UNC, and Duke get tossed around my initial thoughts are they’d fit academically but what value are they going to bring athletically? UVA and GT are the #2 sports schools in their states and NC is an overcrowded state when it comes to P5 programs that no one sticks out as excellent in football, the revenue sport that drives the decision making. I don’t see any of these programs flourishing in the Big 10 and I don’t think Big 10 membership is suddenly going to energize those states’ populations into becoming rabid consumers of Big 10 athletics. The academic eliteness of these schools, and their tendency to recruit students from outside their home states, creates somewhat of a distrust and dislike among the less educated general population when it comes to fandom. Why support the snooty school when you you can back the state land grant who fields teams that win?