With Big 12 and SEC fighting for the Houston market, don't you wish ACC had the desire to throw their hat in?
The SEC or the ACC taking UH would be such a huge blow to the Big 12, for that reason alone I feel like the Big 12 should let UH join. At the same time, I could see conferences like the SEC and ACC not wanting to completely destroy the Big 12 so to keep it at 5 power conferences and not water down the entire landscape. Keeping the status quo.
Ooooohhhhhh, so we're going BACK in TIME 30+ years now? What are you, an AGGY? Let the past go. Even Blackberry was invited to the SEC 10 years ago.
There is a natural feeling that we are inevitably heading towards 4-16 team conferences. If that is the case, the question is whether these conferences fill up with the UH's, BYU's, Cincinnati's, and whoever is available right now or wait it out for the chance at UT and OU. Or maybe the need for SEC/ACC/PAC/BIG expansion just isn't there. All of the expansion candidates have been ripe for the taking that last few years and it seemingly looks like the other P4 are sitting this one out. Of course everything can change at the drop of a hat.
Here are some more ratings and numbers http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/201...n-uconn-nhra-fs1-world-cup-hockey-viewership/ The Cougars delivered another Thursday night increase on ESPN, though not as much as last time. In other news, the NHRA had another decline on Fox Sports 1 last weekend, and the World Cup of Hockey final put up small numbers on ESPN and ESPN2. Slight Bump For UConn/Houston on ESPN Thursday’s Connecticut/Houston college football game had a 0.9 final rating and 1.3 million viewers on ESPN, up 5% in viewership from Miami/Cincinnati last year, ratings for which were not available (1.3M) but down 18% and 23%, respectively, from Texas Tech/Oklahoma State in 2014 (1.1, 1.8M). Both of Houston’s Thursday night games this season have increased over last year. On Fox Sports 1, Kansas/Texas Tech had a 0.3 and 513,000 — down 50% in ratings and 42% in viewership from UCLA/Arizona State in ’14 (0.6, 883K). There was no comparable window last year.
Baylor being their most competitive team in the Big 12 is problematic. There's a growing problem with perception of competitiveness that's only going to get worse if they chose not to expand.
Pretty sure this is all old news but... Big 12 expansion losing momentum: No grant of rights extension, ranking candidates The Big 12 is not expected to extend its grant of rights -- the contract that essentially keeps the conference together -- no matter the outcome of expansion talks, CBS Sports has learned. Multiple sources through the expansion process have mentioned that, for Texas andOklahoma alone, it is difficult to find support to extend the grant of rights past its expiration in 2025. "Those grant of rights aren't going to be extended," an official at one of those schools told CBS Sports. __________________ There is still no tangible momentum for Big 12 expansion at the moment, several sources said. CBS Sports reported last week there is a 50-50 chance the league won't expand after an elaborate process that started in earnest in July. __________________ Now let's take a look at those Big 12 expansion prospects: 1. Houston 2. Cincinnati 3. BYU 4. UCF 5. South Florida 6. Air Force 7. Connecticut 8. Colorado State 9. Tulane 10. SMU 11. Rice
Like expected, the conference isn't going away until 2025. The Big 12 owns the tv rights to football and basketball games until then so a school leaving for another conference beforehand makes no sense. The Big 12 can expand when it wants.. the decision doesn't necessarily have to come down to this meeting. Missing out on Louisville stings. All I see is how the Big 12 is on life support. 9 years is a long while away..
Yup. A lot of folks have been saying expansion is more about playing keep away with Houston, which is understandable. But without the GOR extension, you have to wonder if the rest of the P4 will just until 2025 to get their pick(s) of the Big 12. So if we're heading to four 16 team conferences, that leaves 9-10 openings: SEC - 2 Openings BIG - 2 Openings ACC - 1 Opening (including ND as a member) PAC - 4 Openings Does the ACC fill up with Houston now or wait for a possible shot at Texas? Things get even trickier if OU and OkSt. are forced to pair together and Texas with Tech or Baylor. Ostensibly, you may need 2 openings to get OU or Texas. Then you have Kansas who is a take for basketball alone. In other words, lot of things going on but making a move now either limits your or eliminates you from the bigger sweepstakes if and when it comes.
OU/OKST seem to be tied together 95%. UT/OU seem to be tied together 75%. I don't think UT really holds hands with any teams in Texas. From what we've seen with other conferences, basketball (Kansas) doesn't matter, no matter how good the program is.
Ya didn't mention UT/OU but don't think it would be forced as much as an in-state pairing. Have to disagree about Kansas though. They are the 2nd winningest program in the history of college basketball and have a national brand as good as any. I know football is the driver in expansion, but this is like saying Duke, North Carolina, or Kentucky wouldn't matter in realignment. Just curious, what have you seen with other conferences that makes you think this?
I think UT&OU are tied together %100 and this goes beyond the ADs who don't really make decisions. Their job is to create the 5,10 year plans, present them and execute. They deal with all the day to day BS. UT-OU have only been in the same conference relatively recently however college football has changed a lot. I don't think they'll want to worry about non-conference scheduling this game. You effectively lose a non-conference game since you know this one is going to be on the schedule no matter what. It's better to have it take up a conference game. The game does a ton for the schools financially and in terms of the brand value. However, the current deal with the cotton bowl expires in 2025 which is the same year as when the big 12 tv rights expire. I also think Texas Tech rides with Texas where ever they go. Their annual game goes back 65 years and it's an in state road game every other year. They have 61,000 rabid fans while all the other Texas schools outside A&M draw 45,000. These 4 schools are an easy "pod" that you can add to any conference. The big 10 seems like the best place to be. The pac 12's network is a money pit and pacific timezone games would suck. I thought I had a pretty good hold of the big 12 and conference situation but this recent expansion bid turned that on its head so who knows. Seemed like a quick money grab from the ESPN and Fox contracts. It would be nice to just end this discussion but the big 12 is not going to get a team into the playoffs unless Baylor runs the table and UH loses which is possible. Hopefully the fact the conference is adding the +1 game next year helps.
If OU/Texas and Texas/Tech are tied together, that leaves the PAC as the only conference with enough room. Could work since they have 4 spots and OkSt would make 4. Obviously we're still a decade away but like you said, the PAC is not in a good position right now and that 2:00 a.m. finish against Cal was absolutely brutal. I maybe in the minority but just don't see Texas/OU being tied together, especially if Texas really likes one conference over the others.
That may be the earliest that massive realignment will happen. It is inevitable though, I just hope it's...err..sooner but it's up to the TV/money people. Long story short: it doesn't matter what P5 Houston joins, all they are doing is setting themselves up for the long term, as long as they can keep themselves relevant.
