Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[ZRF]

I am starting to wonder if Big10 would prefer Washington and Stanford as next adds. Strong academics and Big10 presence in Seattle and Bay Area.

Could be Oregon is getting that same vibe and are open to Big12 talk. Getting UA, ASU, OR and CU would be very solid.

There is no such thing as "presence" and it's a myth that has (thankfully) started dying over the last few years. There are two to three things that matter: brands (teams that have a greater ability to draw in a casual fan), quality of teams (all fans are more likely to watch good matchups), and quality/size of a fan base. Who gives a flying **** if you have Cal or Stanford when people in the Bay Area don't watch or care about those teams?

The Big 10 got Rutgers to get "into the NYC market" but what has that got them? The (dying) cable companies don't care because they realize there were already more Michigan fans in NYC that gave a **** than Rutgers fans. Rutgers still stinks at the sports that care and any matchup with their teams does nothing to move the needle on TV. The Big 10 fans don't care about Rutgers and the casual fan certainly doesn't care. Quite frankly I don't understand why the Big 10 added UCLA over Oregon or Washington. The latter don't have the history but they are better brands and provide better matchups for TV.

 

[NWICY]

Is there a more perfect marriage than Coach Prime and Brett Yormark?

Hope Deion sticks around for a few years.

I'm a long ways away from being in love with Deion but he knows how to stay in the headlines, I'm guessing he'll bolt as soon as he can get in the SEC.

 

[KidSilverhair]

While I agree with the chart in general, the problem with this chart is it doesn't take into account the absence of a credible media deal. The attitude is "Presidents' Plan" or "1 more loss" is what's likely, but the fact that GK refuses to reveal any details about the media deal other than "it's gonna be better than the Big 12's - just give me time" makes "multiple losses" or "nuclear option" the much more likely scenario.

And the adds Altimore is talking about - SMU? Tulane? Colorado State? - even SDSU, none of them are bringing in positive numbers to any media contract. At best it’s maintaining inventory of games. At best.

And once you get to the level of seriously talking about Rice, your argument (and your Power conference) is already lost.

 

[MugNight]

Is there a more perfect marriage than Coach Prime and Brett Yormark?

Hope Deion sticks around for a few years.

I’ll be rooting for them to beat the tar out of every other PAC team this season.

 

[t-noah]

[
Have you played chutes and ladders lately? That **** is hard with declining eye sight.

I was thinking the PAC commish was more a big Candyland expert.

 

[MisterO]

I'm a long ways away from being in love with Deion but he knows how to stay in the headlines, I'm guessing he'll bolt as soon as he can get in the SEC.

He’s going to have to win in the B12 first before he starts thinking about that next job…

 

[alarson]

Media partners would not be onboard; thus this would dilute each schools media income, 16 teams is tops for increased revenue. So no SMU, and hopefully no uConn. Think if oregon and Washington don't come, we stop at 14 and await further developments

Yep. Even if we want ASU\Utah at some point, they'll likely always be an available option as whatever watered down PAC\MWC hybrid they end up in will be vastly inferior to what the big 12 will have. So there's no reason to not be patient.

 

[PickSix]

Louisville SUCKS. Why do so many here have a hard on for them? They are a crooked city school. They should be G5.

Well obviously basketball is historically great with a rabid following. Football program has had some really good runs the past couple decades too.

Louisville is a largish city with no pro teams, so as the only show in town, that stadium gets raucous when the program is rolling.

With the proximity to Cincinnati, I think that has potential to be a fantastic natural rivalry. They might not be my first pick from the ACC, but I would be 100% on board if it ever happens.

 

[HFCS]

Well obviously basketball is historically great with a rabid following. Football program has had some really good runs the past couple decades too.

Louisville is a largish city with no pro teams, so as the only show in town, that stadium gets raucous when the program is rolling.

With the proximity to Cincinnati, I think that has potential to be a fantastic natural rivalry. They might not be my first pick from the ACC, but I would be 100% on board if it ever happens.

Isn’t Memphis the Louisville comp in many ways?

I was surprised on business trip to Memphis how active their fans are in city.

 

[ZRF]

I think they’ve got a solid basketball tradition and had some momentum in football when Charlie Strong was there…it’s not like adding a Duke or a UNC, but more solid schools to shore up some regional rivals would make the conference better.

Not just this but I believe Yormark's big move, and by that I mean his biggest move, will be challenging the CBB structure having CBB programs/conferences get the pay they deserve for the tourney. It's ludicrous football was able to "break away" while basketball is still shackled to the NCAA. Once that happens, certain teams/conferences will be worth more and the value of TV/streaming deals will increase comensurately.

I think Yormark knows the Big 12 is getting hosed with it's basketball product. I think that's his bigger endgame and an "upsell" to potential teams (and why some like UConn and Louisville are viable). Not only is the Pac 12 on Shakey ground, it's been a horrendous bball conference, one that would lose relative to it's peers on that change.

 

[clone37]

Well obviously basketball is historically great with a rabid following. Football program has had some really good runs the past couple decades too.

Louisville is a largish city with no pro teams, so as the only show in town, that stadium gets raucous when the program is rolling.

With the proximity to Cincinnati, I think that has potential to be a fantastic natural rivalry. They might not be my first pick from the ACC, but I would be 100% on board if it ever happens.

Was just in Louisville for the first time last week. I was actually pleasantly surprised. It's no Austin or Boulder, but not bad.

 

[KidSilverhair]

I just took another look at Altimore’s chart. He’s seriously saying SDSU, SMU, Tulane, and UNLV are acceptable replacements for USC, UCLA, Colorado, and Arizona - and he’s saying the on-field performance of Tulane and UNLV is better (and I’m assuming he means long-term, because nobody makes conference survival decisions based on last years win-loss record)than Colorado and Arizona.

If we concede that on-field performance is all that matters … which isn’t true, but okay … this is still delusional. Once we start talking about how much media partners will pay for that product, it’s downright insanity.

 

[clone37]

I just took another look at Altimore’s chart. He’s seriously saying SDSU, SMU, Tulane, and UNLV are acceptable replacements for USC, UCLA, Colorado, and Arizona - and he’s saying the on-field performance of Tulane and UNLV is better (and I’m assuming he means long-term, because nobody makes conference survival decisions based on last years win-loss record)than Colorado and Arizona.

If we concede that on-field performance is all that matters … which isn’t true, but okay … this is still delusional. Once we start talking about how much media partners will pay for that product, it’s downright insanity.

Just crazy how smug so many of these west coasters are. When I travel west typically the nicest people I meet are all Midwest transplants. Reminds me of the South Park episode where I think they were in San Fran?.....every time someone farted they bent down to sniff it. This realignment stuff has really started to confirm the smug stereotype.

 

[t-noah]

I'm a long ways away from being in love with Deion but he knows how to stay in the headlines, I'm guessing he'll bolt as soon as he can get in the SEC.

He’s going to have to win in the B12 first before he starts thinking about that next job…

He certainly is making things interesting. Let's hope he can win his health issues (blood clots in legs) first.

 

[PickSix]

Isn’t Memphis the Louisville comp in many ways?

I was surprised on business trip to Memphis how active their fans are in city.

Facilities I would think are better significantly better at Louisville, but I could see how the overall feel is similar.

 

[JM4CY]

Anyone got any good podcasts to listen to regarding realignment?

 

[FerShizzle]

Nothing really new, but confirming what most thought about last night's P9 meeting.

Does GK even want the job any more? It obvious he isn’t cut out for it.

 

[Cmonwhatarewedoinghereman]

Facilities I would think are better significantly better at Louisville, but I could see how the overall feel is similar.

We’ll see how they do without all the Papa John money flowing in.

 

[Cardinal and Gold]

If I were better at video editing, the Joker tryouts scene seems very applicable to this scenario. Joker with the Big 12 logo and the tryout contestants with UofA, Washington, and Oregon logos. There's room for aggressive expansion.

 

[PickSix]

Anyone got any good podcasts to listen to regarding realignment?

If you're looking for actual level headed info, it's hard to beat the 365 sports podcast.

If you're looking for entertaining Big 12 homerism, the Heartland Sports podcast is solid.

If you want to hear the PAC get constantly trashed for an hour straight with rants and questionable reporting, go with The Monty Show

Those are my go to podcasts depending on mood.