Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[JP4CY]

Kirk Schulz says WSU has three options in conference hunt

'Apple discussed putting $100 million in the first year into marketing this'

247sports.com

Some of the inside story coming out from his perspective anyways.

I didn't know about the UCLA $50 mil thing.

 

[2speedy1]

That's UCF to you. Didn't you get the memo? NEVER call them Central Florida, they are UCF!

I think they are pretty sensitive to being thought of as a directional school . . . .

If they are that sensitive, why dont they just change the name...Florida Tech or something.

 

[Clonehomer]

That's UCF to you. Didn't you get the memo? NEVER call them Central Florida, they are UCF!

I think they are pretty sensitive to being thought of as a directional school . . . .

Is that like TCU not wanting their sports teams to be called Texas Christian University?

 

[LonelyCyKC]

Man, it’s just mind blowing to me that the market is so inflated that FSU wouldn’t be a value-add for the SEC. The same FSU that went to 36 straight bowls, won multiple NCs, has multiple Heisman winners, etc.
!
Everything is built on a house of cards it seems.

I'd take Florida State and Miami ten times to Sunday. Sign them up!!!! And if Clemson needs a home, make room in the garage for their Ferrari. The Big 10 can have N Carolina, N Carolina St, and Syracuse.

 

[LonelyCyKC]

I'd take Florida State and Miami ten times to Sunday. Sign them up!!!! And if Clemson needs a home, make room in the garage for their Ferrari. The Big 10 can have N Carolina, N Carolina St, and Syracuse.

Is that the low rumbling of a jet exhaust heading toward Florida I hear? Yormark's jet?

 

[Jeremy]

Man, it’s just mind blowing to me that the market is so inflated that FSU wouldn’t be a value-add for the SEC. The same FSU that went to 36 straight bowls, won multiple NCs, has multiple Heisman winners, etc.

Everything is built on a house of cards it seems.

I don't think it's a matter of what they're "worth" in comparison to some others as they're clearly valuable. I think reality has simply set in that the networks are maxed out. There's a point of diminishing returns and I can't imagine both ESPN and FOX aren't close to or past that mark already.

1 - It's possible, if not likely, that viewership will only decline from here - depends on what study you subscribe to.

2 - Content discovery sucks. As streaming fragmentation continues, many streaming-only games are going to have smaller audiences.

3 - Conference realignment has diminished some of what casual fans enjoyed, which could again lead to less engagement.

4 - There are rumors of Verizon and/or Apple possibly partnering with ESPN and the less turmoil during those discussions, the better for all.

5 - Outside of the ACC, I think there's little remaining appetite for realignment for quite a while. Not until unequal revenue sharing and/or media shakeups will we see mass realignment again.

 

[FerShizzle]

Sorry if this was already discussed, but part of the apple deal was an infusion of cash for the conference to pay off a 70 million dollar shortage in funds.

Who is on the hook for that when the conference dissolves. Any remaining PAC school? This seems to be a giant hurdle in absorbing the MWC and keeping the PAC name.

 

[Jeremy]

Sorry if this already discussed, but part of the apple deal was an infusion of cash for conference to pay off a 70 million dollar shortage in funds.

Who is on the hook for that when the conference dissolves. Any remaining PAC school? This seems to be a giant hurdle in absorbing the MWC and keeping the PAC name.

I honestly can't remember if that was decided on. I assume it's either 1) all the teams that were in the league at the time of the shortage, 2) those left at the deadline, or 3) "the conference". My guess is since the shortage was for prior years, the collective of teams would be on the hook or the conference itself. If it's the conference itself, it takes the burden away from the teams in some regards as it could be redistributed across the mass of the 10-12 teams that make up the "new" Pac 12.

I would think the brand of Pac 12 would be worth maintaining if at all possible in comparison to the Mountain West or something like that.

 

[FerShizzle]

I honestly can't remember if that was decided on. I assume it's either 1) all the teams that were in the league at the time of the shortage, 2) those left at the deadline, or 3) "the conference". My guess is since the shortage was for prior years, the collective of teams would be on the hook or the conference itself. If it's the conference itself, it takes the burden away from the teams in some regards as it could be redistributed across the mass of the 10-12 teams that make up the "new" Pac 12.

I would think the brand of Pac 12 would be worth maintaining if at all possible in comparison to the Mountain West or something like that.

Sounds like a pending lawsuit to me.

 

[SCNCY]

Sorry if this was already discussed, but part of the apple deal was an infusion of cash for the conference to pay off a 70 million dollar shortage in funds.

Who is on the hook for that when the conference dissolves. Any remaining PAC school? This seems to be a giant hurdle in absorbing the MWC and keeping the PAC name.

The Apple deal is not executed. The PAC still doesn’t have a media deal for next year. So that $70 million never transaction never happened.

 

[06_CY]

Larry Scott should be on the hook for the $70 million.

 

[FerShizzle]

The Apple deal is not executed. The PAC still doesn’t have a media deal for next year. So that $70 million never transaction never happened.

Part of the apple deal was to give the pac money to pay this money the conference owes. It still owes the money. It owed the money prior to the apple deal.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

I'd take Florida State and Miami ten times to Sunday. Sign them up!!!! And if Clemson needs a home, make room in the garage for their Ferrari. The Big 10 can have N Carolina, N Carolina St, and Syracuse.

Yeah we don’t want Syracuse or NCST, give me that UNC action all day though

 

[Cloneon]

A few googles and here is what it appears regarding the P12 debt. Conferences are structured as non-profits and incorporated as such. Technically, that says its members can not be held liable for that debt. That explains the ease of departures. If it files for bankruptcy, the court would first seize its assets. In this scenario, I would think the name and affiliation with the CFP would be it's primary value because the P12 Network doesn't, imo, have much asset value. As those are intrinsic, the courts would do everything to 'restructure' the debt. If the P12 does NOT retain its CFP value, that'd be a debt very difficult to latch on to by other conferences or teams. What may be very challenging for the exiting members are the immense profits seen elsewhere by conferences. It may establish precedence for the other side of that coin (ie debt) and allow the courts to penalize the 'members'. The most logical sequence of events would be bankruptcy, dissolution of the conference, and guessing the courts find members liable. SO, as a previous poster said "law suits": be it interstate, Universities, even people (is Larry Scott, GK, etc.). That's a cluster f%^k.

 

[Pope]

A few googles and here is what it appears regarding the P12 debt. Conferences are structured as non-profits and incorporated as such. Technically, that says its members can not be held liable for that debt. That explains the ease of departures. If it files for bankruptcy, the court would first seize its assets. In this scenario, I would think the name and affiliation with the CFP would be it's primary value because the P12 Network doesn't, imo, have much asset value. As those are intrinsic, the courts would do everything to 'restructure' the debt. If the P12 does NOT retain its CFP value, that'd be a debt very difficult to latch on to by other conferences or teams. What may be very challenging for the exiting members are the immense profits seen elsewhere by conferences. It may establish precedence for the other side of that coin (ie debt) and allow the courts to penalize the 'members'. The most logical sequence of events would be bankruptcy, dissolution of the conference, and guessing the courts find members liable. SO, as a previous poster said "law suits": be it interstate, Universities, even people (is Larry Scott, GK, etc.). That's a cluster f%^k.

A friendly piece of advice. If you want people to read what you've posted, you should organize your thoughts into paragraphs. Makes it much easier for the reader.

 

[KidSilverhair]

Man, it’s just mind blowing to me that the market is so inflated that FSU wouldn’t be a value-add for the SEC. The same FSU that went to 36 straight bowls, won multiple NCs, has multiple Heisman winners, etc.

Everything is built on a house of cards it seems.

It doesn’t matter what FSU is worth to the SEC. It only matters what FSU is worth to ESPN.

ESPN already has FSU’s rights at a discount. FSU going to the SEC just means 1) ESPN would be expected to pay more to the SEC and 2) the cheap ACC deal gets blown up, which could mean ESPN paying more for the B1G/ACC perhaps.

ESPN has a vested financial interest in FSU and Clemson staying right where they are. It doesn’t matter whether or not the SEC would like to have them. Not for 10-12 years, anyway.

 

[MugNight]

It doesn’t matter what FSU is worth to the SEC. It only matters what FSU is worth to ESPN.

ESPN already has FSU’s rights at a discount. FSU going to the SEC just means 1) ESPN would be expected to pay more to the SEC and 2) the cheap ACC deal gets blown up, which could mean ESPN paying more for the B1G/ACC perhaps.

ESPN has a vested financial interest in FSU and Clemson staying right where they are. It doesn’t matter whether or not the SEC would like to have them. Not for 10-12 years, anyway.

This makes sense. It feels like we are in a “Cold War” of sorts with ESPN and Fox.

Do you see FSU jumping to either SEC or B1G for a partial share that ramps up over time, similar to UO/UW? Of course an offer has to be on the table.

 

[Gunnerclone]

It doesn’t matter what FSU is worth to the SEC. It only matters what FSU is worth to ESPN.

ESPN already has FSU’s rights at a discount. FSU going to the SEC just means 1) ESPN would be expected to pay more to the SEC and 2) the cheap ACC deal gets blown up, which could mean ESPN paying more for the B1G/ACC perhaps.

ESPN has a vested financial interest in FSU and Clemson staying right where they are. It doesn’t matter whether or not the SEC would like to have them. Not for 10-12 years, anyway.

This is why the “they don’t add value!” people are Braindead. They don’t add value according to who? Oh, the people that would have to pay for it? SHOCKER. Why would they say such a thing?

 

[CydeofFries]

It doesn’t matter what FSU is worth to the SEC. It only matters what FSU is worth to ESPN.

ESPN already has FSU’s rights at a discount. FSU going to the SEC just means 1) ESPN would be expected to pay more to the SEC and 2) the cheap ACC deal gets blown up, which could mean ESPN paying more for the B1G/ACC perhaps.

ESPN has a vested financial interest in FSU and Clemson staying right where they are. It doesn’t matter whether or not the SEC would like to have them. Not for 10-12 years, anyway.

It is possible that the SEC or even the B1G decide that they don't need any additional money from ESPN to add Florida State (or other schools), and just split the pot 15/16 way instead of 14, like the Big12 did for ASU and Utah. I don't see the conferences willingly doing that though.

I do think there is a path where FSU bullies their way out of the GOR/ACC somehow but then doesn't have a landing spot lined up (just assuming everyone would want them) and having to go independent or to the Big12 (pro rata from ESPN would be the same they are paying for FSU now)

 

[keepngoal]

I didn't know about the UCLA $50 mil thing.

Yet this still happened: “Oregon's interim president nixed that idea, saying Oregon would not be in a conference where UCLA made more revenue with Oregon.”