This is how I felt (and I feel about the AFC South) when TAMU was looking to leave. I didn't even want the SEC at the time (that came about a year later). My 1st choice was to go to the Pac 12 along with the other rumored schools (OU, OSU, UT, OK, Tech?) and join what would then be a balanced conference. Strong academically, with a wide reach and great at basketball too. The checks and balances among teams are also stronger there (unlike the Big 12). It felt progressive and cool and was bigger than just football. Then it all went to hell. I didn't even consider the late night games. That would be badass. So many exciting matchups across all sports. TAMU playing at UCLA in basketball, 11pm on a Saturday!!
During the last round of expansion, OU and TX wanted to stay together. There's no reason the Pac12 would take a Utah over an OU if they were willing to go on their own. There were just a lot of political issues with both OSU and TX, which may or may not still exist.
I wouldn't sell Utah so short but I hear what you're saying. Utah is a decent school academically, brought a brand new Top 40 t.v. market, and made geographical sense from an expansion standpoint. Utah made a lot of sense without the strings attached.
"Fan base" data points for Big 12 candidates. Looks like average attendance only went up to 2014. Interesting none the less. Spoilered for size. Spoiler <html><head><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, minimum-scale=0.1"><title>CcC_6NJXIAAlUWA.png:large (2048×490)</title></head><body style="margin: 0px;"><img style="-webkit-user-select: none; cursor: zoom-out;" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcC_6NJXIAAlUWA.png:large" width="2048" height="490"></body></html>
Pretty much sums up what we've been thinking. BYU is great for the conference and every other program is snooze city. They should try to get Colorado or Nebraska back.
Ya I wasn't sure why either but * explains that they chose 2009 since overall CFB attendance has been on the decline since then (not sure what that really matters though).
They should use linkedin.com/alumni for some metrics on alumni numbers. For example: SDSU - 155K BYU - 154K UCF - 144K USF - 145K UH - 137K CSU - 129K UC - 118K UConn - 100K Memphis - 59K Utah State - 56K Boise - 46K
All users on linkedin who list School X as their current or former school. Not sure if it includes people who attended but did not receive a degree (I imagine it does). But regardless, other than skewing heavily towards the younger generations, it's a far more dependable metric than going by random publications or snippets from google searches.
This likely understates UH's alumni base, as many UH alumni likely do not have the means to purchase a computer and access linkedin.
I was going to make a joke about finding an internet service provider in Boise Idaho but then I hurdurdurdurdur
Ehh, the pac 12 can keep Colorado. I'd like to get Nebraska back but I don't know why they would want to come back. I don't understand why Missouri and Kansas can't get their rivalry going again. It was the oldest in college football before Missou left. I get it's a little harder for Big 12 teams to keep non-confererence annual games since they only have 3 non-conf games a year. That info graphic is interesting but it's so dated. Click the Spoiler for 2015 average attendance. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...ps-for-fifth-straight-year-but-at-slower-rate Spoiler
Easy to see why BYU is being considered despite all of it's downfalls (IMO), they would instantly be the 3rd highest average in the Big 12 and average 20K+ plus more than the next candidate. Still don't like it for the scheduling and geographical reasons but the data trends in their favor so far.
The real reason is because Kansas is historically awful in football right now and Mizzou is almost equally bad in basketball (I'm a diehard Mizzou guy, FWIW). Kansas is so bad that MU has nothing to gain and everything to lose. If you win, it actually hurts your SOS, and if you lose, it's devastatingly awful. Same applies from Kansas' scheduling standpoint in basketball. But no one wants to publicly come out and say that, so everyone defaults to their earlier statements about the political fallout of Mizzou leaving. Once KU becomes respectable in football and/or MU does in basketball, I think the rivalry will reignite fairly quickly. Too much $$$ to be made. Right now is just bad timing in both sports.
There are no new developments here. Just really emphasizes the energy Cincy is putting into joining the big 12. It would be a massive disappointment if it didn't work out. They also talk a little more about BYU. ESPN threw out Florida St last week in a hypothetical discussion because of their supposed discontent in the ACC. The Longhorn network would have to go away for that to happen and it remains to be seen if these new conference rules granting TV rights to the conferences will let any team from the P5 leave. The big 12 should just really wait until all the TV contracts are winding down in 9-10 years. I'm positive the Pac 12, SEC and Big 10 will. I could see the ACC grabbing a Houston before then. If the playoffs are expanded to 8 teams then the entire debate about needing 12 teams to make the playoffs is moot but I don't know if that is even possible. A conference championship game might make it hard to pass up the champion with a 4 team playoff. Eh whatever. http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...-12-ties-to-analyze-chances-of-joining-big-12
Big 12 expansion marches onward. http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/col...ics-deciding-title-game-conference-tv-network
Good article on the BIG 10's massive new tv deal with Fox and what it means for the Big 12. Seems like all this discussion about UH, Cincinnati, UConn, etc...could be moot. If we're talking about maximizing earning potential, this new tv deal basically takes expansion off the table. It would almost be expanding just to expand at this point. http://www.barkingcarnival.com/2016...d-em-and-the-big-12-doesn-t-have-enough-chips
