SEC Mega Conference: Clemson, Ohio St, Michigan, and Florida St too?
- Thread starter WildcatDJ
- Start date
Disgusting. I can live with the other two, but An OSU-Columbus is unacceptable as is Michigan. Incredibly gross.
Yeah basically it's destroying the concept of conferences entirely. We're kind of doing that anyway though.
Maybe they can finally stfu about “SEC BIAS” when they get their asses handed to them every week.
No school from the Big Ten is going anywhere. Their media payout is the biggest of any conference. Any report about Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, etc. going anywhere can be ignored. There is zero chance of that happening.
The ACC is the big question mark. Is there a way out of the Grant of Rights agreement? Their TV agreement is terrible compared to the SEC and Big Ten and that is only going to get worse because it is locked in for at least the next decade. Are schools like UNC, Clemson, Florida St, etc. going to be OK watching those other schools make double or more off of their media rights?
The PAC12 is also in trouble. They are basically irrelevant when it comes to the National Title hunt, and the PAC12 network is not going to be renewed when it expires because it is a major flop and a money suck. There are still some valuable programs there that might be looking for a lifeline from a conference that looks like it is heading the way of the Big 12.
The ACC is the big question mark. Is there a way out of the Grant of Rights agreement? Their TV agreement is terrible compared to the SEC and Big Ten and that is only going to get worse because it is locked in for at least the next decade. Are schools like UNC, Clemson, Florida St, etc. going to be OK watching those other schools make double or more off of their media rights?
The PAC12 is also in trouble. They are basically irrelevant when it comes to the National Title hunt, and the PAC12 network is not going to be renewed when it expires because it is a major flop and a money suck. There are still some valuable programs there that might be looking for a lifeline from a conference that looks like it is heading the way of the Big 12.
Breaking the ACC GOR isn't feasible. I think the only way that happens is if the schools collectively disband the conference. I'm not sure Duke would approve as they would just become a private ivy. The NC legislature would tie us to NC State. The VA legislature would likely do the same with VA and VaTech. I don't really see any of that happening.
You also have to realize that each additional member has to bring enough money to the table for it to make sense financially for the remaining members. I think 16 is probably the optimal number.
ND will eventually be pressured into joining a conference in football. If that happens before 2036, they're obligated to join the ACC, and the TV agreement would probably be renegotiated.
I think a lot of this is media hype being floated by Texas and Oklahoma to help facilitate the BIG12 schools each going their separate ways which would render the remainder of their GOR a moot point and save them about $150 million.
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Why would ND have to join a conference now? With a 12 team playoff, they are practically guaranteed of getting in every year now. They have their own TV contract and can basically set their own schedule.
No!
There was a tweet about this but it was from a guy who is a non comedian from Barstool
OSU and UM aren’t leaving the little 10 and FSU lends nothing to the conference
I didn't say now. I said eventually. SEC expansion, or conference expansion in general, would definitely put some pressure on them. There's only six at large seats at the table under the current 12 team proposal, while the highest ranking conference champions are guaranteed a spot. And if it happens any time within the next 15 years, they're obligated to join the ACC. We're the best fit for them anyways. Unfortunately.
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Seriously doubt it. Florida State had the opportunity to join the SEC 30 years ago during the first expansion. Bobby Bowden quashed that idea, which is one reason head coaches should never be given that much say-so. Regardless, FSU brings almost nothing to the table for the league with respect to TV market share, a footprint in the state for recruiting or other purposes, no academic excellence to burnish the league's image.
If the SEC is looking ot beomce a "mega conference" with, say, 20 teams, perhaps .... but trying to lure North Carolina and Virginia make much more sense. Even Va Tech has some benefitq that FSU doesn't bring to the table. Clemson would be at least as smart an option,. While I've learned to never say never, I would be highly surprised if this came to pass.
One thing that is important to remember here is that TV money and how it is generated is changing. The old TV model is dead, but it isn’t buried yet. The future however is about how can a conference make the most money from streaming. Does this mean an ESPN or Fox Sports, does it mean an Amazon or Netflix, or does it mean creating your own streaming service. These are the questions that are going to drive any additional expansion and if they do expand, who gets an invite. If Florida State, UNC, UVA or whomever check enough boxes then they will get the golden ticket. If they don’t then the world will pass them by just like it did with the SWC, the Big East, and very soon, the Big 12.
Why join a conference? ND has a home for it's Olympic Sports teams through 2037. Plus the ACC provides ND with 5 opponents each year. Since 2017 ND has lose to only 1 ACC opponent (Miami) in the regular season. Two loses to Clemson in the post season. Also, two wins over LSU in the post season. If Clemson and FSU moves to the SEC, ND wouldn't join a dying conference. I think a lot more teams should go independent in the future.
I think what will happen is the NCAA's role will diminish and governance will be under one or more individual associations.
One of the downsides to expansion, whether it be from Boston to Miami, or Gainsville to College Station is that you have to send all the non-revenue teams on those trips to play in front of almost no fans, and bring in almost no money. It's expensive and a huge waste of time when those sports could be regional.
So, I could see football and basketball in a different arrangement at some point. But I think that'll take a number of years to develop.
GOR deal will buy the ACC some time, but there is still a lot of fat that can be cut in that conference and they don't have any real attractive expansion potential.
Never thought the 4 16-team conference thing was going to be a reality, no real reason for the SEC to stop now if some other attractive option presents itself. Eventually I think the Big 10 and SEC carve the ACC up and end up with around 20 teams each.
It may take another 10 years but with the Big 12 now out of the picture it is inevitable that the ACC is next, looking at the athletic department financials it just doesnt stack up and has no real way of improving. That is going to ultimately be what breaks the conference up with about half if their teams being left out in the cold.
Never thought the 4 16-team conference thing was going to be a reality, no real reason for the SEC to stop now if some other attractive option presents itself. Eventually I think the Big 10 and SEC carve the ACC up and end up with around 20 teams each.
It may take another 10 years but with the Big 12 now out of the picture it is inevitable that the ACC is next, looking at the athletic department financials it just doesnt stack up and has no real way of improving. That is going to ultimately be what breaks the conference up with about half if their teams being left out in the cold.
B1G has to be steaming that ND can't join with all this talk of conference expansion. Not that they would anyways.
Honestly, in this situation, the University of Central Florida makes more sense than Florida State. Largest student enrollment of any school in America, large and growing alumni & fan base, located in a growing metro area currently ranked about #20 in US population.
Something like that would be my guess, I do think it would have to be a coordinated effort between the 2 conferences so that any legislative hurdles in VA/NC would be softened.
NC St and Va Tech to the SEC would increase the footprint by around 20 million people so that would be worth it.
UNC, Duke, and Virgina would do the same for the Big 10 and allow them to keep their to still think they are better than everyone else on the academic side. I would also think Clemson would end up in the Big 10.
BC and Gtech are meh names in big markets so I could see the Big 10 being interested, Miami is similar position but with a little more name recognition. Maybe they all make it, maybe only one or two don't - who really knows.
FSU seems like an SEC team to me, but I guess we would see if Florida would be able to block it.
UofL, Wake, Pitt, and Syracuse really bring nothing to the table and would be let lose. And at that point maye NDs hand would be forced and they would have to join the Big 10, who knows.
No one is leaving the ACC either. That doesn't stop people from talking about it.
Seen that rumor elsewhere. Also that Michigan had put out feelers as well. Who knows how much is clickbait.
I'm telling you this all started when TX and OU skipped that conference call to create a bunch of headlines, and cause mass hysteria within the BIG12, so they can get off the hook for just over $150 million. It's a lot of sensationalism. I actually think it's pretty funny.
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Like everyone else I am speculating. But I think we are eventually looking at 40-50 teams to form a super division or elite division of college football. If OSU and Michigan are listening to the SEC's pitch it's about to happen. Will be quite a few P5 teams getting left behind with this. Of course this will be football only.
If UT-Austin and OU-Norman stay in the Big 12, that’s fine by me.
I do enjoy old fashioned SEC butt whippings.
Beating down on Big 12 is not really fun anymore, but for instance, when a 4-5 Ole Miss team beats the 2nd best team in the “Big” Ten. Gold.
I do enjoy old fashioned SEC butt whippings.
Beating down on Big 12 is not really fun anymore, but for instance, when a 4-5 Ole Miss team beats the 2nd best team in the “Big” Ten. Gold.
No, I think there's a decent chance they leave the BIG12. But it's a lot more beneficial to them if the other schools find a new home at the same time because they wouldn't owe the conference any money. All of these expansion rumors help facilitate that process.
The longer it takes, Texam A&M has more time to work politics behind the scenes, BIG12 has a better chance of finding replacements, etc. None of that is good for TX or OU. So it's fan the flames and hope everyone panics and goes their separate ways.
Ohio State joining the SEC would really hurt recruiting. I know we aren't relying on Ohio as much for recruiting, these days, but it would hurt. Being the northeasternmost SEC school does help recruiting for us.
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Why...we don't hardly win any UK- OSU recruiting battles for kids in Ohio ...save the few last minute OSU offers at the midnight hour.
I'd argue UK would be stronger in Ohio and Michigan if we can still sell to northern kids come to UK and why bother with Michigan St, Wisky, Penn St, etc...
I've heard Stoops and Marrow say a million times being in the SEC and that close to home helped recruiting in Ohio and Michigan. Just going by what the coaches say. You could always argue that with them.
They are correct, but K-time’s point is well taken: most of our recruiting victories have come against MSU, Penn State, Wisconsin and Nebraska. If those schools are left out of the Super-Conference, our argument might gain greater strength, at least for those without an offer from OSU and Michigan.
Would any conference seriously consider so many teams to add to their conference in this short amount of time?
I don't see anything extra happening until the SEC gets to see what they have in a 16 team and how they divide up the divisions.
But on the recruiting end, this is going to hurt us getting to the top of the conference.
I don't see anything extra happening until the SEC gets to see what they have in a 16 team and how they divide up the divisions.
But on the recruiting end, this is going to hurt us getting to the top of the conference.
Another thought: Why would SEC want a 2nd SC school in Klempsin when it's a relatively small population state? Seems they'd dilute TV revenue.
One consideration could be that Clemson is such a national brand that it might draw attention in other places. As for the state, South Carolina ranks 23rd in US population, placing it ahead of Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Arkansas within the SEC footprint.
