(05-27-2023 03:10 PM)DavidSt Wrote: (05-27-2023 11:23 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote: (08-25-2022 12:42 PM)bullet Wrote: I'm not sold that ESPN and Fox really want consolidation. All the ADs talk about consolidation, not the networks. The ADs know that the fewer sellers, the more power they have. ESPN and Fox would not prefer only one or two conferences with all the power. When the NCAA monopoly on TV ended, TV rights fees went down. There were suddenly a lot of sellers and only so many buyers. The end of the CFA helped a few (like Notre Dame) and hurt many others.
Fox and ESPN fought hard against the Pac 16 deal. Sure, they enabled the ACC destruction of the Big East and the Big 10 raid of the Pac 12, but they didn't initiate those. Magnus repeatedly states in that interview that they don't initiate anything. He claims they don't talk until the deal is made by the conferences. I find it hard to believe there not being some informal discussions (there certainly were in 2016 with the Big 12 proposed expansion), but I still think the conferences drive it. Otherwise, some of these moves don't make much sense!
Eh. ESPN saw an opportunity to create an incredibly cheap and long-term property in the BE/AAC while also giving a slight bump (by also moving lots of cost to ACC schools for ACC Network) by organizing the destruction of the BE (and school officials are on record saying that).
FOX saw an opportunity to elevate their B1G property of getting USC and UCLA (and it won't stop there). Still not entirely convinced that FOX still doesn't get a portion of the PAC deal, but if they get several other schools, it will be moot (and FOX still saves $$$ with market values by having top brands just joining the B1G).
In the end, networks will not hesitate to save money by highlighting what values television contracts have with certain brands associated with them. In this regard, they have a strong say with how realignment and expansion occurs.
Networks should not be involved period in expansions period. You have a lot of hit and misses in realignment, and it actually hurt the conferences more with the ratings being bad. Big 10 with Rutgers and Maryland. The ACC across the board. PAC 12 and Colorado. But, SEC did not overreach outside of their footprint. Big 12's have a West Virginia problem.
When it comes to Maryland being a miss, I assume you are referring only about football. Adding it all up by the Big Ten web site proves differently.
Big Ten conference titles (reg. season won outright, shared, and conference tournament titles) since July 2014 when Maryland and Rutgers were added:
1st. Michigan-79
2nd. Ohio st-59
3rd. Maryland-48(playing for a 49th tomorrow)
4th. Penn st-33
5th. Minnesota-28
6th-tied. Iowa-22(playing for a 23rd tomorrow)
6th-tied. Wisconsin-22
8th. Illinois-18
9th. Indiana-17
10th. Michigan st-16
11th. Northwestern-14
12th. Nebraska-10
13th. Purdue-5
14th. John Hopkins-4
15th-tied. Rutgers-3
15th-tied. Notre Dame-3
and considering total Big Ten sports sponsored:
1st-tied. Michigan-28 sports
1st-tied. Ohio st-28 sports
3rd. Penn st-27 sports
4th. Rutgers-24 sports
5th-tied. Michigan st-23 sports
5th-tied. Indiana-23 sports
7th. Wisconsin-22 sports
8th-tied. Purdue-21 sports
8th-tied. Illinois-21 sports
8th-tied. Iowa-21 sports
8th-tied. Nebraska-21 sports
8th-tied. Minnesota-21 sports
13th. Maryland-20 sports
14th. Northwestern-18 sports
15th. John Hopkins-2 sports
16th. Notre Dame-1 sport
I know I'm biased but 3rd in Big Ten championships since joining while being second to last in sports played by full members, I'd say Maryland wasn't a miss, unless the convo is only about football. My own fandom aside, I would love to go back in time and have the old ACC and Big East among others, but it is what it is and the networks will always have a say in expansion. I'm done with my way off topic post lol.