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It's the offseason, right?.......Would you be OK with this conference realignment?

EvilMonkeyInTheCloset

EvilMonkeyInTheCloset

Heisman
Feb 25, 2008
30,917
29,070
113
Am I right or am I right........or am I right?

SEC-
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Florida
Florida State
Miami
Alabama
Auburn
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Tennessee
Kentucky
LSU

ACC-
Virginia
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Duke
Wake Forest
Louisville
Vanderbilt
Clemson
South Carolina

Big East-
Boston College
Connecticut
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Maryland
Rutgers
Cincinnati
Central Florida
South Florida

Big Ten-
Penn State
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Indiana
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa

Big 8-
Nebraska
Iowa State
Missouri
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Kansas
Kansas State

SWC-
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Baylor
Houston
SMU
New Mexico
Arizona
Arizona State

Pac 12-
Boise State
Washington
Washington State
Oregon
Oregon State
California
Stanford
UCLA
USC
BYU
Utah
Colorado
--------------------

MWC-
(West)
Hawaii
Fresno State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Sacramento State
Nevada
UNLV

(Mountain)
Wyoming
Air Force
Colorado State
North Dakota State
Utah State
New Mexico State
UTEP

Gateway Conference-
Northern Illinois
Missouri State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee State
Memphis
Tulsa
Tulane
Louisiana Tech
Southern Mississippi

MAC-
Akron
Bowling Green
Ball State
Ohio
Miami, OH
Kent State
Toledo
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan

Sun Belt-
(West)
Arkansas State
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
Texas State
Sam Houston State

(East)
Louisiana-Monroe
Louisiana-Lafayette
Jacksonville State
UAB
South Alabama
Troy

CUSA-
Marshall
East Carolina
Charlotte
Appalachian State
Coastal Carolina
Kennesaw State
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

AAC-
Massachusetts
Buffalo
Army
Navy
Temple
Delaware
James Madison
Old Dominion
Liberty
Report •••
 
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hawkeyemark18

Senior
Aug 16, 2019
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Conference realignment seems inevitable down the road no matter how it takes shape and I do like your layout. We have all lived through the short term thinking and focus on $$$ with major conference expansion, now NCAA tournament expansion, college football playoffs set to expand, etc. Reality will soon intervene with air travel now getting considerably more expensive as well as other costs continuing to go up.

Regional groupings make so much more sense and I think will engage fans more as well. Change may happen slowly or maybe all at once hard to say. I think the West Coast schools in the Big Ten will want out sooner rather than later. We live in a very changing world and college football I think will change right along with it.
 
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Upstream123

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Oct 10, 2023
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If there is sweeping conference realignment, I would prefer that all conferences have the same number of members and play the same number of conference games. Edit: realignment
 
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EvilMonkeyInTheCloset

EvilMonkeyInTheCloset

Heisman
Feb 25, 2008
30,917
29,070
113
Upstream123 said:
If there is sweeping conference realignment, I would prefer that all conferences have the same number of members and play the same number of conference games. Edit: realignment
Click to expand...
In an ideal world, absolutely. And I've posted different ideas how that could work.

It's a bit tougher on the mid-major side, but there's enough teams to balance them out both in equal numbers and more importantly, geographically.
 
83Hawk

83Hawk

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Jan 1, 2023
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Until the ncaa stops coddling them and giving them special treatment, Notre Dame will never fully join a conference in football.
 
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The_Joker13_rivals

The_Joker13_rivals

All-Conference
Oct 9, 2013
607
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92
EvilMonkeyInTheCloset said:
Am I right or am I right........or am I right?

SEC-
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Florida
Florida State
Miami
Alabama
Auburn
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Tennessee
Kentucky
LSU

ACC-
Virginia
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Duke
Wake Forest
Louisville
Vanderbilt
Clemson
South Carolina

Big East-
Boston College
Connecticut
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Maryland
Rutgers
Cincinnati
Central Florida
South Florida

Big Ten-
Penn State
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Indiana
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa

Big 8-
Nebraska
Iowa State
Missouri
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Kansas
Kansas State

SWC-
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Baylor
Houston
SMU
New Mexico
Arizona
Arizona State

Pac 12-
Boise State
Washington
Washington State
Oregon
Oregon State
California
Stanford
UCLA
USC
BYU
Utah
Colorado
--------------------

MWC-
(West)
Hawaii
Fresno State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Sacramento State
Nevada
UNLV

(Mountain)
Wyoming
Air Force
Colorado State
North Dakota State
Utah State
New Mexico State
UTEP

Gateway Conference-
Northern Illinois
Missouri State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee State
Memphis
Tulsa
Tulane
Louisiana Tech
Southern Mississippi

MAC-
Akron
Bowling Green
Ball State
Ohio
Miami, OH
Kent State
Toledo
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan

Sun Belt-
(West)
Arkansas State
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
Texas State
Sam Houston State

(East)
Louisiana-Monroe
Louisiana-Lafayette
Jacksonville State
UAB
South Alabama
Troy

CUSA-
Marshall
East Carolina
Charlotte
Appalachian State
Coastal Carolina
Kennesaw State
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

AAC-
Massachusetts
Buffalo
Army
Navy
Temple
Delaware
James Madison
Old Dominion
Liberty

Report •••
Click to expand...
So, let me get this straight, you think the ACC, Big East, and big 8 should exist in the new college football landscape? I hope I’m misunderstanding.
 
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Ripcord

Junior
Aug 30, 2016
218
283
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hawkeyemark18 said:
Conference realignment seems inevitable down the road no matter how it takes shape and I do like your layout. We have all lived through the short term thinking and focus on $$$ with major conference expansion, now NCAA tournament expansion, college football playoffs set to expand, etc. Reality will soon intervene with air travel now getting considerably more expensive as well as other costs continuing to go up.

Regional groupings make so much more sense and I think will engage fans more as well. Change may happen slowly or maybe all at once hard to say. I think the West Coast teams in the Big Ten will want out sooner rather than later. We live in a very changing world and college football I think will change right along with it.
Click to expand...
I can only hope and pray that you are right, sir.
 
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Ripcord

Junior
Aug 30, 2016
218
283
63
rchawk said:
It is interesting to look at, speculate about, but no way Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers say goodbye to Big Ten TV money. No way because they aren't stupid.
Click to expand...
affirmative. you hit the nail on the head.

Sooner or later it all comes down to money, andI think we all know that.
 
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rchawk

rchawk

All-American
Oct 27, 2001
74,078
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113
The_Joker13_rivals said:
Based on what data?
Click to expand...
I believe it was in 1982 or 1983 the Universities of Georgia and Oklahoma won a lawsuit against the NCAA that schools could make their own TV contracts. It was decided by the Supreme Court. Conferences collectively negotiated their own deals, except for Notre Dame. That is where it all started and that's why we are here.

Edit: Not a response to you Joker, but that's how super conferences CAN afford to last.
 
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nu2u

nu2u

All-Conference
Aug 10, 2006
10,276
2,370
113
83Hawk said:
Until the ncaa stops coddling them and giving them special treatment, Notre Dame will never fully join a conference in football.
Click to expand...
Notre Dame would be celebrating 100 years as a Big Ten member if the league had not rejected their membership application (for a second time) in 1926.

Back then, there was a fair amount of anti-Catholic sentiment amongst a few member institutions - most notably Michigan who lobbied hard against them. Notre Dame vowed to then go there own way and the rest is history

Former Commissioner Delaney made a full court press to persuade Notre Dame to join in 1999 but failed. The Domers have long memories.
 
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rchawk

rchawk

All-American
Oct 27, 2001
74,078
8,456
113
nu2u said:
Notre Dame would be celebrating 100 years as a Big Ten member if the league had not rejected their membership application (for a second time) in 1926.

Back then, there was a fair amount of anti-Catholic sentiment amongst a few member institutions - most notably Michigan who lobbied hard against them. Notre Dame vowed to then go there own way and the rest is history

Former Commissioner Delaney made a full court press to persuade Notre Dame to join in 1999 but failed. The Domers have long memories.
Click to expand...
I seem to remember reading that Iowa's hiring of Eddie Anderson was questioned by some because he had played at Notre Dame.
 
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hawkeyemark18

Senior
Aug 16, 2019
281
487
63
EvilMonkeyInTheCloset said:
Again.....won't matter.

Also......who's to say that SEC TV money stays "big"? ;) ;) ;)
Click to expand...
Yes and who is to say Big Ten money stays "big" as well? Just not sure how many people realize the world as we know it will look very different in the near future. That applies to the college sports world as well.

As Bob Dylan sang in my youth "The times they are a changin".
 
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HawkinAZ

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2008
63
102
33
I do not see the West Coast teams leaving the Big 10 and Texas, Texas AM and Oklahoma are not leaving the SEC. USC left the Pac 12 because they got no TV revenue and their income was similar to Purdue’s.

The Pac 12 you propose has 1 team in the top 20 for viewership over the last 10 years, Oregon at #16. Michigan, OSU and PSU are all top 10. You add Boise St #72 in 2025, WSU #62, OSU #65, California #56. These 4 teams have total viewership of 1.7 million Iowa was #28 at 1.62 million. There is a reason these teams left the Pac 12, they need revenue to fund their football and other sports teams.

Texas and Oklahoma left the Big 12 due to revenue when they left either Texas or Oklahoma was involved in 32 of the 35 most viewed games in the Big 12 over the last few years.

The Big teams got $79.9 million in 2025 while the SEC $72.4 the Big 12 is projected to be at $50 million. The ACC was paid $45 million in 2024 and are going to a 60-40 revenue split in 2025 so the top teams get more money.

Why would Nebraska leave the Big to earn $30 million less? Rutgers and Maryland going to the Big East they are likely to lose well over $40 million with that disaster of a conference, they would have to be kicked out to do that.
 
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uihawk82

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2021
2,428
3,676
113
EvilMonkeyInTheCloset said:
Am I right or am I right........or am I right?

SEC-
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Florida
Florida State
Miami
Alabama
Auburn
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Tennessee
Kentucky
LSU

ACC-
Virginia
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Duke
Wake Forest
Louisville
Vanderbilt
Clemson
South Carolina

Big East-
Boston College
Connecticut
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Maryland
Rutgers
Cincinnati
Central Florida
South Florida

Big Ten-
Penn State
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Indiana
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa

Big 8-
Nebraska
Iowa State
Missouri
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Kansas
Kansas State

SWC-
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Baylor
Houston
SMU
New Mexico
Arizona
Arizona State

Pac 12-
Boise State
Washington
Washington State
Oregon
Oregon State
California
Stanford
UCLA
USC
BYU
Utah
Colorado
--------------------

MWC-
(West)
Hawaii
Fresno State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Sacramento State
Nevada
UNLV

(Mountain)
Wyoming
Air Force
Colorado State
North Dakota State
Utah State
New Mexico State
UTEP

Gateway Conference-
Northern Illinois
Missouri State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee State
Memphis
Tulsa
Tulane
Louisiana Tech
Southern Mississippi

MAC-
Akron
Bowling Green
Ball State
Ohio
Miami, OH
Kent State
Toledo
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan

Sun Belt-
(West)
Arkansas State
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
Texas State
Sam Houston State

(East)
Louisiana-Monroe
Louisiana-Lafayette
Jacksonville State
UAB
South Alabama
Troy

CUSA-
Marshall
East Carolina
Charlotte
Appalachian State
Coastal Carolina
Kennesaw State
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

AAC-
Massachusetts
Buffalo
Army
Navy
Temple
Delaware
James Madison
Old Dominion
Liberty

Report •••
Click to expand...
That was a waste of time I think as I think we are going to only 4 main 16 to 24 team leagues and the B team conferences
 
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hawkeyemark18

Senior
Aug 16, 2019
281
487
63
I spent some time doing some research on the financial state of college athletics and the Big 10 in particular. While the Big 10 is a revenue machine with the media deals over half of Big 10 universities operate at a loss. They have a structural financial crisis due to revenue sharing, travel costs, coaching salaries, etc. UCLA and Rutgers both have eye popping operating losses in their athletic departments since joining the Big 10.

When you measure expenses against revenues things become alot more clear. An economist describing the Big 12 situation said defecits become a real problem with no projected increase in income. I don't see any way forward without a geographical rebalancing to reduce expenses. With a potentially bleaker economic outlook ahead these big media deals likely won't last and things will get interesting.
 
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Hawktech

Hawktech

Senior
Dec 18, 2022
521
671
93
EvilMonkeyInTheCloset said:
Am I right or am I right........or am I right?

SEC-
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Florida
Florida State
Miami
Alabama
Auburn
Mississippi
Mississippi State
Tennessee
Kentucky
LSU

ACC-
Virginia
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
North Carolina State
Duke
Wake Forest
Louisville
Vanderbilt
Clemson
South Carolina

Big East-
Boston College
Connecticut
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
West Virginia
Maryland
Rutgers
Cincinnati
Central Florida
South Florida

Big Ten-
Penn State
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Indiana
Purdue
Michigan
Michigan State
Illinois
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa

Big 8-
Nebraska
Iowa State
Missouri
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Kansas
Kansas State

SWC-
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
TCU
Baylor
Houston
SMU
New Mexico
Arizona
Arizona State

Pac 12-
Boise State
Washington
Washington State
Oregon
Oregon State
California
Stanford
UCLA
USC
BYU
Utah
Colorado
--------------------

MWC-
(West)
Hawaii
Fresno State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Sacramento State
Nevada
UNLV

(Mountain)
Wyoming
Air Force
Colorado State
North Dakota State
Utah State
New Mexico State
UTEP

Gateway Conference-
Northern Illinois
Missouri State
Western Kentucky
Middle Tennessee State
Memphis
Tulsa
Tulane
Louisiana Tech
Southern Mississippi

MAC-
Akron
Bowling Green
Ball State
Ohio
Miami, OH
Kent State
Toledo
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Western Michigan

Sun Belt-
(West)
Arkansas State
North Texas
Rice
UTSA
Texas State
Sam Houston State

(East)
Louisiana-Monroe
Louisiana-Lafayette
Jacksonville State
UAB
South Alabama
Troy

CUSA-
Marshall
East Carolina
Charlotte
Appalachian State
Coastal Carolina
Kennesaw State
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
Florida Atlantic
Florida International

AAC-
Massachusetts
Buffalo
Army
Navy
Temple
Delaware
James Madison
Old Dominion
Liberty

Report •••
Click to expand...
F Norte Lame
 
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paednoch23

paednoch23

Senior
Oct 23, 2009
396
938
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No we need 2 major conferences. 20 teams each. Everyone else drops down a division in football. This is what is going to happen anyway. Let’s just get it over with. And no, clown U won’t be one of the teams. .
 
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HawkinAZ

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2008
63
102
33
hawkeyemark18 said:
I spent some time doing some research on the financial state of college athletics and the Big 10 in particular. While the Big 10 is a revenue machine with the media deals over half of Big 10 universities operate at a loss. They have a structural financial crisis due to revenue sharing, travel costs, coaching salaries, etc. UCLA and Rutgers both have eye popping operating losses in their athletic departments since joining the Big 10.

When you measure expenses against revenues things become alot more clear. An economist describing the Big 12 situation said defecits become a real problem with no projected increase in income. I don't see any way forward without a geographical rebalancing to reduce expenses. With a potentially bleaker economic outlook ahead these big media deals likely won't last and things will get interesting.
Click to expand...
There is an easy way for both UCLA and Rutgers to fix their finances drop some sports. UCLA has 21 sports and Rutgers 22. Iowa has 20 and ISU has 16. The PAC 12 had built in travel distance challenges, go from Phoenix or LA to Seattle both over 1100 miles.

Travel cost for D1 teams average between 10-12% of cost. UCLA travel cost went from $9.5 to $14.5 million or approximately $5 million higher when they joined the Big. UCLA got $37 million from Pac 12 vs $79 million from Big. Of course UCLA had looked at the travel cost before they joined the Big and new exactly what they were doing. That $42 million increase sure covers travel cost.

UCLA fired their Football coach costing them $6.5 million this could be part of their problem.
 
D

doughuddl2_rivals

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2009
920
1,306
93
paednoch23 said:
No we need 2 major conferences. 20 teams each. Everyone else drops down a division in football. This is what is going to happen anyway. Let’s just get it over with. And no, clown U won’t be one of the teams. .
Click to expand...
Revenue sharing cap is expected to reach $39 million in ten years. $40 million rev share plus $25+ million in NIL? I don't see Iowa in that league.

Cable and streaming rates are going to explode 🤯.
 
rchawk

rchawk

All-American
Oct 27, 2001
74,078
8,456
113
uihawk82 said:
That was a waste of time I think as I think we are going to only 4 main 16 to 24 team leagues and the B team conferences
Click to expand...
I suspect that is what you want to happen instead of the likelihood of what will happen.
 
2D

2D

All-American
Oct 8, 2013
2,618
5,431
113
Whatever gives us a better chance at a championship. Tired of going decades without one.
 
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hawkeyemark18

Senior
Aug 16, 2019
281
487
63
HawkinAZ said:
There is an easy way for both UCLA and Rutgers to fix their finances drop some sports. UCLA has 21 sports and Rutgers 22. Iowa has 20 and ISU has 16. The PAC 12 had built in travel distance challenges, go from Phoenix or LA to Seattle both over 1100 miles.

Travel cost for D1 teams average between 10-12% of cost. UCLA travel cost went from $9.5 to $14.5 million or approximately $5 million higher when they joined the Big. UCLA got $37 million from Pac 12 vs $79 million from Big. Of course UCLA had looked at the travel cost before they joined the Big and new exactly what they were doing. That $42 million increase sure covers travel cost.

UCLA fired their Football coach costing them $6.5 million this could be part of their problem.
Click to expand...
We obviously look at this from two different perspectives. Let me share the figures I just looked up. UCLA has a debt of $219 million in 2026 going six years in a row in the red obviously including the time since they joined the Big Ten. Rutgers has a debt of $516.9 million after joining 12 years ago. Distance between Los Angeles and New Jersey 2782 miles a far cry from Pac 12 distances.

Costs will just keep rising particularly air travel. The current alignment in college athletics looks unsustainable any way you look at it. If you factor in a future stagflationary economy and the effect on expenses and revenues the case for conference realignment becomes even stronger.
 
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