My Greatest Fear for UK Football

[maysvilleky]

If/When the Big 10 and SEC decides to create their own governing body for Football and hand picks who is included in the new alliance, will UK be included?

I think if it’s 64 teams (ex: 4 divisions of 16 teams), UK makes that cut. But if the decision is to only have 48 teams, I don’t think UK is included. It’s absolutely why UK CANNOT stink it up again next year!

Up until this year I thought UK would be safe even at 48. But this past year was a disaster. UK has to right the ship quickly. IMO.

I hope I’m totally wrong but it’s all about TV revenue and you have to put a good product on the field.

 

[Lost In FL]

If/When the Big 10 and SEC decides to create their own governing body for Football and hand picks who is included in the new alliance, will UK be included?

I think if it’s 64 teams (ex: 4 divisions of 16 teams), UK makes that cut. But if the decision is to only have 48 teams, I don’t think UK is included. It’s absolutely why UK CANNOT stink it up again next year!

Up until this year I thought UK would be safe even at 48. But this past year was a disaster. UK has to right the ship quickly. IMO.

I hope I’m totally wrong but it’s all about TV revenue and you have to put a good product on the field.

Depends if they consider hoops. If so, UK will be in IMO.

 

[gamecockcat]

Honestly, I don't think I'd care that much being left out. If all we have to look forward to in football is 3-5 wins and not being competitive with the big boys, I'd just as soon create a different conference with IU, UofL, Cincy, WVa, Vandy, et al and play 2nd tier football. Being cannon fodder in 'the best conference in football' is not very fun, imo. I don't look forward to the season like I used to, for sure. Having our teeth kicked in week after week by the best is not interesting to me. I'd like to be winning more. I have no confidence UK football will ever be better than mediocre over any stretch of time. Constantly hoping and praying for 6-6 is not energizing anymore.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I think you are looking at a much smaller number. I believe the top level will only be 10-15 schools who have the big money boosters to outbid everyone else. Teams like Texas, ATM, SMU, Oregon, OSU, ND, MICH and 3-4 more teams that feel like they can compete financially. The other P5 will form a new organization with some rules including a salary cap. It can't continue the way things are now. And one of the rules would be you can't play the big money schools.

 

[catben]

UK is one of the most profitable schools in the country. NO WAY we would be omitted from ANY top tier league. The name of the game is MONEY and UK has the backing and fan support to help the bottom line. The league will need teams with fans that support their program through thick and thin, that's what UK brings and that's what the TV networks/Apps want.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

Honestly, I don't think I'd care that much being left out. If all we have to look forward to in football is 3-5 wins and not being competitive with the big boys, I'd just as soon create a different conference with IU, UofL, Cincy, WVa, Vandy, et al and play 2nd tier football. Being cannon fodder in 'the best conference in football' is not very fun, imo. I don't look forward to the season like I used to, for sure. Having our teeth kicked in week after week by the best is not interesting to me. I'd like to be winning more. I have no confidence UK football will ever be better than mediocre over any stretch of time. Constantly hoping and praying for 6-6 is not energizing anymore.

We will never consistently compete with the best. Never ever.

 

[maysvilleky]

Honestly, I don't think I'd care that much being left out. If all we have to look forward to in football is 3-5 wins and not being competitive with the big boys, I'd just as soon create a different conference with IU, UofL, Cincy, WVa, Vandy, et al and play 2nd tier football. Being cannon fodder in 'the best conference in football' is not very fun, imo. I don't look forward to the season like I used to, for sure. Having our teeth kicked in week after week by the best is not interesting to me. I'd like to be winning more. I have no confidence UK football will ever be better than mediocre over any stretch of time. Constantly hoping and praying for 6-6 is not energizing anymore.

I just don’t know if the money would be feasible to play at a 2nd tier level. I see football being dropped completely or going to a D3 level with no athletic scholarships.

 

[catzfanjim]

I just don’t know if the money would be feasible to play at a 2nd tier level. I see football being dropped completely or going to a D3 level with no athletic scholarships.

We might suck in football but I doubt we’ll ever go to division 3 or drop football.

 

[3632]

If football only I don’t know that we get in with 64. But I would assume that basketball would get UK in.

 

[bthaunert]

There is no way Kentucky will be left out if the BIG and SEC decide to create a super league. None.

 

[maysvilleky]

I think you are looking at a much smaller number. I believe the top level will only be 10-15 schools who have the big money boosters to outbid everyone else. Teams like Texas, ATM, SMU, Oregon, OSU, ND, MICH and 3-4 more teams that feel like they can compete financially. The other P5 will form a new organization with some rules including a salary cap. It can't continue the way things are now. And one of the rules would be you can't play the big money schools.

So would there be multiple National Champs?

 

[gamecockcat]

I just don’t know if the money would be feasible to play at a 2nd tier level. I see football being dropped completely or going to a D3 level with no athletic scholarships.

I don't know. I mean the G5 conferences don't spend the ridiculous amounts of money the big boys do and, for the most part, they play 2nd tier football. I don't know the numbers but I would guess that there are a lot more alumni in the schools who'd opt out of the NIL arms race than the ones who want the Wild West. Thus, there would be a lot of potential for reasonably lucrative TV contracts - not elite level, but they wouldn't need to receive $55M every year to compete (and we're not competitive right now even with all that revenue).

I think a conference that picks up regional teams in the ACC, SEC and B10 who don't want to participate in the ridiculous spending could form a tier between FCS and elites, have their own playoff system, etc. Wouldn't draw the audience, for sure, but there would be a ton of alumni who would attend games, give to the university, watch games on TV, etc. and it would be good, but not elite, football. A better version of football than FCS but not as good as the upper tier. If the powers that be don't rein in this system, I think this will become a viable option for UK, Vandy, UC, UofL, WVA, IL, IU, Purdue, Northwestern, maybe Wake Forest, Duke, UVa, Va Tech, etc. A 12-team league where most of the teams are within reasonable driving distance. The same type of conference could be formed in Midwest, Southwest and West and structure schedules and playoffs along the lines of the NFL. I think it could work and the fans would be just as happy being more competitive at FCS+ level than being dog crap at the elite level.

 

[CGblue]

I just don’t know if the money would be feasible to play at a 2nd tier level. I see football being dropped completely or going to a D3 level with no athletic scholarships.

Did somebody hack your account??

 

[gamalielkid]

If/When the Big 10 and SEC decides to create their own governing body for Football and hand picks who is included in the new alliance, will UK be included?

I think if it’s 64 teams (ex: 4 divisions of 16 teams), UK makes that cut. But if the decision is to only have 48 teams, I don’t think UK is included. It’s absolutely why UK CANNOT stink it up again next year!

Up until this year I thought UK would be safe even at 48. But this past year was a disaster. UK has to right the ship quickly. IMO.

I hope I’m totally wrong but it’s all about TV revenue and you have to put a good product on the field.

If/When the Big 10 and SEC decides to create their own governing body for Football and hand picks who is included in the new alliance, will UK be included?

I think if it’s 64 teams (ex: 4 divisions of 16 teams), UK makes that cut. But if the decision is to only have 48 teams, I don’t think UK is included. It’s absolutely why UK CANNOT stink it up again next year!

Up until this year I thought UK would be safe even at 48. But this past year was a disaster. UK has to right the ship quickly. IMO.

I hope I’m totally wrong but it’s all about TV revenue and you have to put a good product on the field.

The answer is simple. All teams join the National Organization - NCAA or whatever it becomes. All revenues generated from all sources other than a schools individual ticket sales, game concessions, merchandise sold at events and parking fees goes to that organization. All players of all teams will be compensated from the gross pool - evenly- from the association. Each school would submit its roster to the organization. The players would receive 50% of the players pool earnings during the year - the final 50% would be paid after the end of the last game that team plays in for that season, be it regular season, bowl game or playoff. If a player opts out of the last game - he forfeits his remaining compensation. If a school cheats - it is banned from playing for one year and players may be granted immediate transferability. Players may only transfer once. No more NIL individual deals period. All marketing revenue also goes to the national organization.

After all players have been compensated - then individual schools will share in the revenue left from media revenues, marketing income, etc. This revenue would be split based on conference affilations and each conference would divide that money according to how each conference decided to divide it. However, the money could not go to player compensation - other than tuition, supplies, health care, room and board for the athlete.

This effectively takes us back to where the game was 5 years ago - as to players choosing which team they want to play for. Players can go professional at the end of any season after they finish their high school eligibility - but once they elect to turn professional - they lose all remaining collegiate eligibility. A plan like this treats all scholarship players equally and all are paid. Individual tuition, supply stipend and room and board would be provided by the school as it was previously. Whether a player chooses to play for Alabama, Western Kentucky or any FBS program his compensation from the National organization would be the same. The National organization would decide its requirements for eligibility for membership from a institution. Scholarship limits would remain the same as they are now.

This needs to be done for the integrity and future of the game in my opinion. No matter what a school charges for tickets and no matter how many tickets a school sells would not change the compensation of any players. They are getting an education and then will be being paid. The top players will still end in the professional ranks and their futures are not in jeopardy as they can elect to quit playing and go pro at any point in their career. I like the 3 year rule previously required - but to be fair to everyone - this change keeps teams more stable and doesn't punish the superstars from going pro and making money sooner rather than later.


Go Big Blue1

 

[LordEggForgotHisPassword]

Some dire takes in this thread

 

[_ukcat]

There is no way Kentucky will be left out if the BIG and SEC decide to create a super league. None.

Agree. Teams in the Super Conference still need " homecoming" type teams to play to get an easy win and rest players for the grind of the Season and UK be that team.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

If/When the Big 10 and SEC decides to create their own governing body for Football and hand picks who is included in the new alliance, will UK be included?

I think if it’s 64 teams (ex: 4 divisions of 16 teams), UK makes that cut. But if the decision is to only have 48 teams, I don’t think UK is included. It’s absolutely why UK CANNOT stink it up again next year!

Up until this year I thought UK would be safe even at 48. But this past year was a disaster. UK has to right the ship quickly. IMO.
I hope I’m totally wrong but it’s all about TV revenue and you have to put a good product on the field.

This mess all falls on the AD. The board of trust needs to clean house and hire a younger aggressive AD to raise money find sponsors and go get a coach. You can rebuild in 2 years now with NIL.

 

[Thecycle27]

It makes zero sense to completely overhaul the system other than pure arrogance and greed. The SEC and Big 10 will have the same teams playing for the title if they stay in the current environment or if they break away. Even with a salary cap NIL will come in play. Boosters willing to spend will continue to throw money via NIL which can’t be capped.

To me it is silly the TV folks are willing to lose a portion of their audience for the same on field results. They break away the 1st round games will have blow outs. The teams with the highest payroll will play for the title.

Then you have to deal with all the other sports. No way the NCAA basketball tournament stays the same. Why would the ACC and Big 12 and all the other conferences agree to SEC and Big 12 playing in the tournament? Go have your own basketball league too.

IMO SEC and Big 10 aren’t breaking away there are too many moving parts. The breaking away is a negotiation point to get more AQ’s in the expanded playoff.

What UK and Louisville have to is money ball in football at a level that makes them competitive where there is always hope. Then throw championship level money at building rosters in the other sports. Football will generate enough money just by being in the SEC. UK goes on a UCONN type of run who hell cares about football.

 

[bradyjames]

My biggest fear has arrived. We have a AD who put us in a terrible contract with a FB coach who doesn’t really want to coach UK anymore.

We are back to 2000. We’re on probation and the joke of the conference.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

If/When the Big 10 and SEC decides to create their own governing body for Football and hand picks who is included in the new alliance, will UK be included?

I think if it’s 64 teams (ex: 4 divisions of 16 teams), UK makes that cut. But if the decision is to only have 48 teams, I don’t think UK is included. It’s absolutely why UK CANNOT stink it up again next year!

Up until this year I thought UK would be safe even at 48. But this past year was a disaster. UK has to right the ship quickly. IMO.

I hope I’m totally wrong but it’s all about TV revenue and you have to put a good product on the field.

UK is one of the top 10 "most watched". On-field performance won't get them excluded if they still bring large numbers of consumers into the equation. Make sure to encourage others to buy season tickets if you're still that worried about it though.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Some dire takes in this thread

UK needs to partner with an anxiety medication.

 

[truebluewildcat]

If B10 SEC merge to create some sort of new league separate from college but not quite pro, it will most likely be football only.

This new professional structure would most likely want to get away from having to pay bills for all the other sports, basketball included.

I would say basketball could maybe do something but there are not enough brand teams that make enough money or can get national ratings and attract casual fans.

As for the question of who’s in, I think most P2 programs are plus a handful from the other conferences.

I do think there would be an option for some to pass and remain in whatever structure forms post P2 split. It would probably merge with FCS.

Many have referenced the Euro Soccer structure. There’s the elite and then multiple tiers below. They do mingle a little bit, and there is relegation. If a tier two club balls out they can bump up, if a tier one team poops they go down a notch.

 

[FirewithFire]

UK is one of the top 10 "most watched". On-field performance won't get them excluded if they still bring large numbers of consumers into the equation. Make sure to encourage others to buy season tickets if you're still that worried about it though.

The BBN can only carry this program so far. Most of that viewership comes from us playing other big named schools like Florida, Bama, and Georgia. Take that away and our number become much more pedestrian.

I have no idea what is going to happen with college athletics. TV money has completely burned down the entire landscape. NIL was like throwing jet fuel on the bonfire. If the conferences do form a pseudo NFC / AFC then there will be a limit to the amount of teams allowed in; 16 per maybe, so 32 total.

UK is a founding member of the SEC, and are in the middle of the pack profit wise.

The Kentucky athletic department is valued at $775 million, which ranks No. 19 nationally and ninth in the SEC. Football makes twice the money basketball does. Mitch Barnhart's athletic department generated approximately $174 million in revenue last year.

UK should just eke into one of the two conferences unless another school out bids them.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

We will never consistently compete with the best. Never ever.

You're speaking in absolutes

 

[B.B.H.]

You're speaking in absolutes

Because it is absolutely true. You can’t be more happy than you are grateful and I do think as football fans we have forgotten how to be grateful. We will never be able to hang with Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma or Tennessee on a regular basis because the built-in culture, history, resources and brand power are light years ahead of us…and that’s only the teams within our own conference. I haven’t even mentioned Ohio State, Clemson, USC, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, Nebraska, or Oregon. These are all programs who, even if we went all in on football for decades, would still be behind in the pecking order on a regular basis as they all have an insane host of advantages over us. I think being grateful would be helpful us…strong fan support and job stability can be a unique draw for us when it is time to seek the next coach as we don’t have much else to uniquely offer compared to other SEC schools.

 

[CatPatrick13]

Honestly, I don't think I'd care that much being left out. If all we have to look forward to in football is 3-5 wins and not being competitive with the big boys, I'd just as soon create a different conference with IU, UofL, Cincy, WVa, Vandy, et al and play 2nd tier football. Being cannon fodder in 'the best conference in football' is not very fun, imo. I don't look forward to the season like I used to, for sure. Having our teeth kicked in week after week by the best is not interesting to me. I'd like to be winning more. I have no confidence UK football will ever be better than mediocre over any stretch of time. Constantly hoping and praying for 6-6 is not energizing anymore.

Money brother. Of course you wanna be included in the big league of the largest revenue sport. You wanna turn down all that money?

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

Because it is absolutely true. You can’t be more happy than you are grateful and I do think as football fans we have forgotten how to be grateful. We will never be able to hang with Auburn, LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma or Tennessee on a regular basis because the built-in culture, history, resources and brand power are light years ahead of us…and that’s only the teams within our own conference. I haven’t even mentioned Ohio State, Clemson, USC, Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, Nebraska, or Oregon. These are all programs who, even if we went all in on football for decades, would still be behind in the pecking order on a regular basis as they all have an insane host of advantages over us. I think being grateful would be helpful us…strong fan support and job stability can be a unique draw for us when it is time to seek the next coach as we don’t have much else to uniquely offer compared to other SEC schools.

So you create a scenario where we go "all in" on football for decades, and we still fail. That's total speculation.

Also begs the question --why aren't we going all in for football now?

 

[B.B.H.]

So you create a scenario where we go "all in" on football for decades, and we still fail. That's total speculation.

Also begs the question --why aren't we going all in for football now?

Because we have other sports that the state cares as much about. We still go in heavy on football but not the way other “football” schools do. There are levels to this thing. Hold on and I’ll show you a chart you may find interest in

 

[Rockfly78]

Your biggest fear for UK football should be that stoops can’t make us competitive again.

All this other stuff about alignment is nonsense. Stop clutching your pearls over something that will never happen.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

Because we have other sports that the state cares as much about. We still go in heavy on football but not the way other “football” schools do. There are levels to this thing. Hold on and I’ll show you a chi art

You sound like a basketball first/only fan that tells us we should be grateful for table scraps while basketball rests on the glory of dominating basically a "rec league" for decades.

 

[B.B.H.]

You sound like a basketball first/only fan that tells us we should be grateful for table scraps while basketball rests on the glory of dominating basically a "rec league" for decades.

If by basketball first, you mean a realist, yes. No one outside of our bubble thinks Kentucky has a realistic chance to match the schools I mentioned and a lot of that has to do with things outside of our control. I will elaborate but right now I’m finding you that chart.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

If by basketball first, you mean a realist, yes. No one outside of our bubble thinks Kentucky has a realistic chance to match the schools I mentioned and a lot of that has to do with things outside of our control. I will elaborate but right now I’m finding you that chart.

It's all speculation. If you supposedly know the future, then inform Mitch and have us drop football

 

[B.B.H.]

It's all speculation.

I can’t find a way to upload a photo from my library because I’m an idiot but here are the school NIL spendings in college football last year:

1. Oregon 23M
2. Texas 22.2M
3. Ohio State 20.2M
4. LSU 20.1M
5. Georgia 18.3M
6. Texas A&M 17.2M
7. Michigan 16.3M
8. Alabama 16M
9. Florida 15.8M
10. Clemson 15.2M
11. Oklahoma 14.8M
12. Penn State 13.7M

As of December 2024, the median salary for full-time workers in Kentucky is $51,911, while the average salary is $68,199.

We are, to put it bluntly, a poor state, without the history to have total buy in like other states in football such as Alabama or Oklahoma. If we were a rich fanbase maybe we could match those type of NIL numbers, but that just isn’t reality.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

For openers, we're one of the few schools with a basketball recruiting budget that exceeds the football recruiting budget. That should never be the case based on scale.

 

[B.B.H.]

For openers, we're one of the few schools with a basketball recruiting budget that exceeds the football recruiting budget. That should never be the case based on scale.

That’s a great sidebar convo to have but really doesn’t get to the point. Even combining our efforts from basketball and football we aren’t sniffing close to the 20M range. NIL is a whole different beast in football. We don’t have the resources to just pull that out of our fans. Other than being a fan, and saying we are in the SEC (as are 15 other schools), what outside of speculation or homerism would lead you to believe Kentucky deserves to be a perennial top eight SEC school?

 

[aikenite4uk]

Going off on another tangent, with NIL, it's hard to fathom a university that has the financial firepower to be a contender in both football and basketball. Most of our $$ will be focused on basketball....that's what the big donors want to see. Just the opposite I'd assume at a school like UGA, A&M, Notre Dame, etc. Funding both at a high level seems improbable.

 

[B.B.H.]

Going off on another tangent, with NIL, it's hard to fathom a university that has the financial firepower to be a contender in both football and basketball. Most of our $$ will be focused on basketball....that's what the big donors want to see. Just the opposite I'd assume at a school like UGA, A&M, Notre Dame, etc. Funding both at a high level seems improbable.

Rumor: North Carolina fans already chirping about Bill Belicheck drawing too much attention away NIL wise starting to cause them basketball NiL issues. I’ll grab the link if you haven’t heard the rumor. Unfortunately, you have to have fans with very deep pockets to compete at football on a regular basis. 11.5 million dollars spent on NIL last year would have gotten you ninth best in the SEC and not even in the top 16 teams in the country.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

So would there be multiple National Champs?

We have multiple national champs now, have for years, DI. DII. DIII, NAIA. What's one more division. I know UGA can't compete for players swimming in oil money or Nike money, can UK? Let them have their own division. Not trying to be a horse's rear. But do you have a solution, I am just grasping for something to get this under control.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

You're speaking in absolutes

It’s absolutely true. Will never happen. We may catch lightning in a bottle one or two times every 10-15 years and make a playoff (in a 16 team playoff). I doubt it though. But never consistently compete. I guess I’ll eat crow one day if it ever happens. But if it does, we will probably be dead.

 

[gamecockcat]

Money brother. Of course you wanna be included in the big league of the largest revenue sport. You wanna turn down all that money?

You're absolutely correct - it's all about revenue. As a fan, would I rather the university receive 10s of millions of dollars to spend on the athletic programs while being a joke in football OR have much less revenue but consistently win 60+% of our games in a 2nd tier league? I'll take winning over money any day - as a fan.