COLUMN: What happens to Iowa State if the Big 12 implodes?

[FeedBreece]

I'm only halfway through this thread and I already can't keep my mouth shut.

Iowa would ABSOLUTELY fight ISU to the B1G. Some of you are probably too young to remember but this has come up multiple times in the past, all the way back to the 70s. Iowa has all but come out publicly and said they would NEVER allow it to happen. Ever.

To you people who say we'd be fine dropping to a lesser conference, you are not being logical. We DEFINITELY lose Campbell if this happens. No way ISU could afford even his current salary as a member of a lesser conference.

If the B1G actually cared about academics like they claim, ISU would already be a member. They don't. (See Nebraska.)

The B1G wasn’t exactly going to take 8 teams over back at that time. There will only so many teams they were going to add.

 

[Catclone]

The goal is one college football superleague, under the direction of the SEC and ESPN. If that is the endgame, the Big 10 stands the same chance of losing teams (OSU, MI, PSU) that the Big 12 does, right?

I'm not sure what about the current circumstance demands the Big 10 add more teams.

Why is it necessary that a superleague fall underneath the SEC umbrella? Why wouldn't the Big 10 keep pace to be a natural partner (think division) when the superleague stuff comes about?

 

[HawkFanISUalum]

That's still collectively. It's not stating how much of that was spent collaboratively. The University of Chicago could have spent 2 billion and Iowa could have spent 1 billion; independent of each other.

Yeah, in my exhaustive 8-minute search, I couldn't find anything about how it's distributed across schools. Oddly enough, their most recent annual report was 2018, and really contained no detailed financial data. Maybe someone else will have more luck finding out the real data.

Edit -- Found this breakdown: https://btaa-sitefinity.azurewebsit...with-2020-rankings-btaa.pdf?sfvrsn=393cfc1b_2 Iowa definitely spends the least. We have about 4.4% of the total faculty, and spend about 4.2% of the research dollars.

 

[20eyes]

Sorry, I meant who makes that call on the vote for the U of I.

Ahh, gotcha. I presume ultimately it'd be the prez...?

 

[AuH2O]

Yeah, if we go down to like $10,000,000 per year in revenue, ISU sports as we know it is over.

And really, the whole university and city of Ames will decline as a result.

The city to some small extent as sports traffic declines, but people drastically overstate athletics impact on a university’s revenue. Last year athletics made up about 7% of ISUs revenue.

I am not sure how much conference affiliation and research dollars matter. I’d suspect very little. But if there is some consideration at all about research dollars, ISUs external research dollars have nearly 3x athletics revenue FWIW.

Obviously a big hit to athletics hurts, but in the big picture of most of these universities, including ISU, athletics are in the public eye, but simply not the financial driver sports fans think they are.

 

[knowlesjam]

I'm only halfway through this thread and I already can't keep my mouth shut.

Iowa would ABSOLUTELY fight ISU to the B1G. Some of you are probably too young to remember but this has come up multiple times in the past, all the way back to the 70s. Iowa has all but come out publicly and said they would NEVER allow it to happen. Ever.

To you people who say we'd be fine dropping to a lesser conference, you are not being logical. We DEFINITELY lose Campbell if this happens. No way ISU could afford even his current salary as a member of a lesser conference.

If the B1G actually cared about academics like they claim, ISU would already be a member. They don't. (See Nebraska.)

All members of the Mountain West and American conferences make less than $10M per year...most are in the $5M-$6M range. Compare that to the $40M per year in the Big 12. Yeah, our FB and BB coaches would empty that pot...leaving us Schlitz for anything else. Campbell gets poached and who knows what we can get in at a $1M or so per year. Best bet if you don't get the BIG or PAC is to pull in 2-8 additional teams to fill out the conference...maybe you can survive at $20M per year?

 

[t-noah]

They absolutely would. They imagine themselves and their conference on a whole different level from Iowa State and will do anything to protect that self-image. They think they are in the same sentence as Ohio State and Michigan as the blue bloods of the league and academically superior in every way. They’re wrong on every level, but narcissistic to death about it.

Yes probably true, but what do you think the chance of ISU getting BIG invite should OU and TX leave? Better chance to PAC? Other?

Look I know that ISU to the Big 10 is a longshot but...

It was leaked long ago that in 2010, that exact thing DID happen. The University of Iowa president was told to do everything in their power to get ISU an invite to the Big 10. Why would this go around be any different?

The University of Iowa president still gets their marching orders from the Regents. Its in the Regents best interest to have Iowa State maintain a good long term athletics program in a power conference.

Help me understand why the regents would want Iowa to derail that. That would basically be a dog trying to bite its own tail off.

Also remember, these are educators making decisions, not sports ADs.

And yes, I know that politicians can't directly influence the decisions of a large media company (Big 10). But why would the Iowa politicians have to? They control 1 voice out of a 14 member panel who will ultimately make the decisions. They have all the access they need to succeed in their goal. That is an advantage others schools left in the Big 12 do not have.

This article suggested BIG consider adding ISU and WV. Ohio State Football: Which schools should Big Ten pursue for expansion? (scarletandgame.com)
Would the BIG rather have a foothold in TX by considering TCU (vs. ISU) do you think (academics aside)? What would be another choice other than WV?

Because that addition included OU, NEB. & even Texas A&M. ISU was a regional filler. It was a brilliant move by Pollard to try and be apart of that group but unfortunately didn't work. KU was a part of the group also but they were a filler also. I'm also sure the hope was to get Texas to come afterwards because Texas would think there were no other solutions.

The B1G has to add brands with recruiting grounds. Compare the number of recruits in the B1G footprint to the SEC they are dwarfed! They are to the ACC also but have the better brand value than the ACC. its not about getting to 16 or just adding numbers its about brands that add to tv and secondarily adding recruiting ground footprints for football.

If the SEC gets this done the B1G is left with two options USC, UCLA, Stanford, CAL, Or & UW to entice ND. ND would have all of its old rivals USC,USC,UM, MSU, Purdue as in conference games. The second option is to attack the SEC's grip on the SE with Va, NC, Ga. Tech, FSU and eventually ND(what other choice would they have). This puts the B1G in those heavy football recruits states but they are planted there as the secondary brand to the SEC schools except in NC & Ga.

Interesting theory but wouldn't this blow up 1 or 2 of the other 'viable' P4 conferences (PAC & ACC)? It also assumes BIG can cherry pick whoever they want. NOT.

The arrogates the EIU fans and fans of the big 10 never stops amazing me. They truly believe that just by asking UV, UNC they will leave a conference they founded just like Maryland did. Hint Maryland was broke, losing 10s of million each year and needed the money, the ACC schools you mentioned are not. They also have committed themselves to the ACC and their new network that is backed by ESPN. So those schools along with ND or going no where for the next 10 to 15 years.

Poach the Pac 12 schools, ok better money, but what school is going to want to fly 2 and 3 time zones away unless the money just blows them away or they are forced to like the Big 12 soon might be? Somehow I just can't imagine USC, UCLA and Stanford thinking we are just going to blow up the league they are in for the greener grass in the Big 10.
No school is going to be leaving the SEC either, because if this deal goes through they will all be swimming in money from their new TV deal.

Will the Big 10 love taking KU and ISU, nope, but they will also be smart enough to realize those are only schools left with the academics willing to move. By doing nothing they fall further behind the SEC.

The BIG adding KU and ISU (or ISU and WV) would work well for us. Could you give me 2-3 other teams they might consider also? Or maybe they'd consider going to 18 teams. Crazy isn't it?

I HOPE this blows up

Agree! Even if it does I will see TX and OU in a different light, always looking for something better, only thinking of themselves. That will be hard to forget.

 

[Beyerball]

All members of the Mountain West and American conferences make less than $10M per year...most are in the $5M-$6M range. Compare that to the $40M per year in the Big 12. Yeah, our FB and BB coaches would empty that pot...leaving us Schlitz for anything else. Campbell gets poached and who knows what we can get in at a $1M or so per year. Best bet if you don't get the BIG or PAC is to pull in 2-8 additional teams to fill out the conference...maybe you can survive at $20M per year?

IF the NCAA folds then ISU in the scenrio would drop all sports outside fball and men's bball. Bc there would be no NCAA requirement on minimum # of athletic programs.

 

[Die4Cy]

Why is it necessary that a superleague fall underneath the SEC umbrella? Why wouldn't the Big 10 keep pace to be a natural partner (think division) when the superleague stuff comes about?

It isn't , but if one superleague is adding OU and Bevo, and the other is adding ISU and Kansas...you're already losing the football arms race. You aren't getting equal value, and declining prestige overall.

 

[Die4Cy]

IF the NCAA folds then ISU in the scenrio would drop all sports outside fball and men's bball. Bc there would be no NCAA requirement on minimum # of athletic programs.

Hypothetically, maybe. Practically, no.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

IF the NCAA folds then ISU in the scenrio would drop all sports outside fball and men's bball. Bc there would be no NCAA requirement on minimum # of athletic programs.

With everyone gone but FB and men's BB.......who then get's the Schlitz?

 

[1UNI2ISU]

The goal is one college football superleague, under the direction of the SEC and ESPN. If that is the endgame, the Big 10 stands the same chance of losing teams (OSU, MI, PSU) that the Big 12 does, right?

I'm not sure what about the current circumstance demands the Big 10 add more teams.

Think of it as ESPN (SEC) vs FOX (Big Ten) and it makes a lot more sense.

Gun to my head, North Carolina and Virginia are #s 15 and 16 for the Big Ten.

 

[Die4Cy]

Agree! Even if it does I will see TX and OU in a different light, always looking for something better, only thinking of themselves. That will be hard to forget.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

IF the NCAA folds then ISU in the scenrio would drop all sports outside fball and men's bball. Bc there would be no NCAA requirement on minimum # of athletic programs.

The networks are still going to have 5 other months of programming to fill. There's a place for baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer.

 

[Thorongil Clone]

I'm well aware.

Marv Pomerantz is probably looking up from Hell with glee.

 

[Catclone]

It isn't , but if one superleague is adding OU and Bevo, and the other is adding ISU and Kansas...you're already losing the football arms race. You aren't getting equal value, and declining prestige overall.

You're right, but you're also losing less than by doing nothing at all...you only lose prestige if the teams you bring in would be in the bottom half. Guess we'll agree to disagree.

 

[t-noah]

So true. Unfortunately it is not.

 

[Al_4_State]

The thing is, with Texas, OU, Bama, LSU, Florida, and Georgia in one league, the Big 10 can't do ANYTHING to catch up in terms of compiling blue bloods.

Even adding Notre Dame won't match that.

 

[cyclones500]

I vote for Big12 to scoop up Tulsa and East Carolina, stay at 10 teams, and call it a day.

I'll show myself out.

Edit: Just in cases it's needed

 

[Dr.bannedman]

I vote for Big12 to scoop up Tulsa and East Carolina, stay at 10 teams, and call it a day.

I'll show myself out.

back to 1995 for isu