http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/0...landing_big12.html?blockID=551220&feedID=3799 Irish, Big 12 would be perfect TV partner$ Notre Dame joining the Big Ten has always seemed like a natural fit. But there's another suit that could be tailored for an even better fit: The Big 12. Yes, that Big 12. The one that nearly fell apart last summer and is still experiencing tremors a year later. The addition of Notre Dame would shift the Big 12 from a conference with weak links to one of the strongest in the BCS. Instead of being a potential target for other conferences, the Big 12 with Notre Dame would be a major player in whatever superconference future awaits. What does Notre Dame get out of this? Something the Big Ten can't offer: the opportunity for Notre Dame to have its own network. In a sense, Notre Dame already has that with its NBC deal. NBC is even called "The Notre Dame Network." That's been a major stumbling block with the Big Ten and other conferences because television revenue is shared. If you're a member of the Big Ten, you're a full partner in the league's television contracts, including the Big Ten Network. By allowing Texas to create the Longhorn Network, the Big 12 has taken a different path. Texas is still part of the Big 12's primary television package, but with its own network it probably won't be a full participant in any proposed Big 12 Network. If the Big 12 can live with Texas having its own network, surely it can accept Notre Dame having its own TV deal. The Irish control the broadcast rights of their home games. If just Notre Dame's conference road games fell under the Big 12 umbrella, even that would be a boon to the league. Notre Dame would make more money by joining the Big 12 straight-up. Notre Dame currently receives $9 million a year from NBC for its football and another $2 million for being a participant in Big East basketball. The Big 12 projects $18 million to $20 million in annual revenue for heavy hitters like Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Everyone else is projected to get $14 million to $17 million, still more than Notre Dame receives annually. Notre Dame could make even more money if its deal with NBC, which runs through 2015, were expanded into a full-fledged Notre Dame Network for cable and satellite subscribers. The recent merger of NBC and cable provider Comcast would clear distribution hurdles that the Longhorn Network is currently experiencing. And if Texas can draw enough viewers to warrant its own network, Notre Dame surely can with its nationwide network of "Subway Alumni." BYU, another potential Big 12 expansion target, has its own faith-based network, BYUtv, that also shows Cougar games. A similarly-planned network built around Catholic programming and Notre Dame sports would have broad appeal. Of course, Notre Dame could start its own network and maintain its independent status. Being a college football independent is part of the fabric of Notre Dame. However, if college football is indeed heading toward a handful of superconferences controlling the major bowl and TV revenue, there may not be room for an independent in that structure. The BCS currently makes accommodations for Notre Dame, but that may not always be true in the future. There may be pressure on Notre Dame to go "all in" like the rest of the major powers. The beauty of joining the Big 12 is that Notre Dame could reap the benefits of conference membership and maintain the aura of independence with its own Notre Dame Network. That aura of being separate from the rest is what makes Notre Dame fans proud, and it's also what makes Texas A&M nervous about the Longhorn Network. In fact, Notre Dame joining the Big 12 could act as a counter-balance to fears of the University of Texas dominating the conference. If the Aggies and others think Texas throws its weight around the Big 12, wait until Notre Dame gets in there. Membership in the Big 12 would also consistently expose Notre Dame football to the treasured Texas recruiting grounds. That's something else the Big Ten can't offer, since Notre Dame is already a prominent fixture in the Upper Midwest. While the Big 12 is not the Big East in basketball, it's no slouch. It's more than just Kansas. Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have also made Final Four appearances under the Big 12 brand. Branding is the biggest issue with Notre Dame, otherwise it would have joined the geographically and financially advantageous Big Ten long ago. It's a long shot that Notre Dame will join any conference, but with an uncertain future for major college football, the Big 12 and its individual network policy is worth exploring for the Irish. It's definitely worth exploring from the Big 12's standpoint. There's more gold in Notre Dame than just the football helmets.
UT calls the shots, OU sits pretty, it doesn't say or do anything. OSU is tied to OU. UT runs the conference. UT is the conference. No single team is bigger than the conference in the SEC.
Conference revenue? OU is doing just fine. Revenue outside of the conference? OU is welcome to start its own network. My understanding is that will happen.
it will be awesome if A&M wins another ladies' basketball championship and the fans break out in SEC chants. #cannotwait!!!
that's an SEC shot...not an Aggie shot. hell, ladies basketball is the only sport my university wins national titles in. i don't think there's much dorkier (love that word) than chanting your conference name after your university gets over the hump and wins a title.
As I said earlier, A&M has voted along side UT when it came down to big 12 politics for the past 15 years, and was never on Nebraska/Colorado's side or ever cared that UT "called the shots" before the longhorn network. They agreed to the revenue deal a year ago that kept the big 12 together with just 10 teams, but now they have decided that they want to be in a more "competitive" football conference? This is all about money. I don't blame A&M for wanting more $, just like I don't blame Texas for wanting a bigger share and having the Longhorn network. Texas doesn't need A&M. If A&M thinks they can get more $$$ with the SEC, then go already, (if you even get an official invite).
Major props to Nebraska and Colorado for leaving. Shame on the Big 12 for sitting pat. Yup. Besides, that deal hinged on promises, nothing tangible. TAMU hasn't liked what its seen. They kept their options open. Agreed. They don't. Its the rest of the Big 12 that needs Texas... don't spout off the "official invite" stuff you just sound ignorant. If you don't think the SEC wants to add the best fans, stadium and gameday atmosphere of any football school in Texas you're crazy.
Don't forget about Tennis and guys like Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner and Darold Williamson I think this is an exciting time for college sports. The emergence of super conferences seems likely and hopefully we'll get the playoff system that we've longed for. Like I've mentioned, I would like for A&M to stay but letting them go is in the best interest of the conference. They can move on and aggressively look to add quality schools. Ziggy says he's not like other Aggies. Well I know a lot of them and he's exactly like them..saying stuff like the conference is whack..which programs can they court? UH, SMU, blah blah blah..Basically, biting the hand that has fed them for over a decade.
If Nebraska was in it, or the Big 12 had been proactive in expanding as opposed to getting poached I'd be all for it. But this mindless allegiance to the Big 12 by you guys is baffling. Like I said, right now the Big 12 has 3 major players. Soon to be 2. The SEC and Big Ten have at least 6 powerhouse brand name programs. And how can we be biting the hand that's fed us? The Big 12 needs TAMU more than TAMU needs the Big 12 - simple as that.
I don't like OU, but they don't need Texas. Why does the SEC need Aggieland? They are the best football conference already, A&M isn't a national powerhouse that is bringing national championships to make their conference stronger. To recruit players from Texas? The current SEC schools get tons of players from Texas already, LSU sure doesn't want to add Texas A&M. The SEC doesn't need to increase its TV exposure in Texas either. Go look at the tv ratings in Texas for college games in 2010, the Texas-Nebraska game was #1, with Texas-Texas A&M #2 and Florida-Alabama slightly below it at #3. Regards to your "best fans, best stadium, best atmopshere" statement, I will admit that aggies are a dedicated bunch and if you have never been to a college game there its worth going at least once....but that's it and it's still college station.
of course they're the best fans...what other school acts like they won the national championship when they get an invite to the cotton bowl?
Houston media market is extremely attractive to them.... as is more inroads to recruiting in Texas. A&M will get an invite unless they're scared off by litigation.
Idk about this brand name nonsense but Oklahoma State, Tech, and Missouri have had more successful years than the Ags in recent years. I get your point but everybody already watches SEC football.
There's a ton of reasons the SEC would want A&M. Good academics (best in the conference lulz), Houston market, Texas pipeline, largest student body/alumni base, extremely competitive nationally in all sports (football excluded double lulz) The only reason the SEC would not want A&M is if it would muck up their 14 team plans, i.e. if adding A&M would basically cause so much turmoil in deciding who to bring in for the 14th member that the conference imploded or something.
http://blog.chron.com/sportsmedia/2010/06/some-college-football-ratings-to-ponder/ I am not saying that the SEC doesn't want to expand more into the Texas market, and that A&M won't be getting an invite, but it's not like they NEED A&M either.
