Conference Realignment - May 1

[DoubleJayAlum]

If you don't have football or you're not in a major media market, be prepared to be on the outside looking in. Just look a a school like UNC-Charlotte. They are the 25th biggest TV market, won't even play an FCS game until 2013, and have already announced they are moving to the FBS. Eyeballs, football, and money. Nothing else matters.

The lack of football didn't stop Butler and VCU from moving up to a better conference.

[havoc]

If you don't have football or you're not in a major media market, be prepared to be on the outside looking in. Just look a a school like UNC-Charlotte. They are the 25th biggest TV market, won't even play an FCS game until 2013, and have already announced they are moving to the FBS. Eyeballs, football, and money. Nothing else matters.

The lack of football didn't stop Butler and VCU from moving up to a better conference.

No, but I would guess having basketball programs with recent Final Four appearances could have helped them out a little. Also, they changed from mid-major to slightly above mid-major. The schools making moves to BCS conferences are all football schools.

[unipanther99]

The A-10 was a great move for Butler, but it's definitely their ceiling without football.

[Ali]

When does this all end? Is it going to take formation of 16 team superconferences to finally stop?

[Khan4Cats]

When does this all end? Is it going to take formation of 16 team superconferences to finally stop?

The ACC voted to add Louisville but hold off on UConn or Cincy right now. I think the ball is in the court of the Pac-12 or SEC now. Do they move to add anyone? Almost certainly the SEC would pluck from the ACC, which would in turn pluck a few more from the Big East. The Pac-12 would almost certainly pluck from the Big-12 if they want to expand, but it could have done that last year and didn't.

The Big East is certainly taking on water and not looking good right now. Tulane and ECU aren't going to prop them up for long if UConn or Cincy move.

[MoValley John]

The media will stop all of this silliness. Once Fox, ABC and ESPN stop the bidding wars, which they eventually will, it all comes to a crashing halt. I do think that basketball only schools will end up in a better place after this, we may see a basketball only super conference or two. As ESPN is now learning from the Longhorn Network, you can't simply strap your name to big football and make money, everyone will learn that simply affixing your network to a conference doesn't automatically cash flow, either. I think we are getting to the end of the megacontracts and much more fill ins like ECU, Tulane and others will be cause for networks to balk at the current deals. When this occurs, look for the sports networks to use some of that money for bigtime basketball.

[unipanther99]

When does this all end? Is it going to take formation of 16 team superconferences to finally stop?

The ACC voted to add Louisville but hold off on UConn or Cincy right now. I think the ball is in the court of the Pac-12 or SEC now. Do they move to add anyone? Almost certainly the SEC would pluck from the ACC, which would in turn pluck a few more from the Big East. The Pac-12 would almost certainly pluck from the Big-12 if they want to expand, but it could have done that last year and didn't.

The Big East is certainly taking on water and not looking good right now. Tulane and ECU aren't going to prop them up for long if UConn or Cincy move.

I think the Big 12 is likely to make the next move (FSU, Clemson). Now that the Big East if functionally dead as a power conference, there are five left, and Bowlsby realizes it's between the Big 12 and ACC to make the cut to be in the top 4.

[MoValley John]

And if you I'm nuts, the football megacontract spurring basketball contracts is exactly how TV works. The networks want to s h I t on each other, so they pay Ted Danson a fortune, and much more than he's worth, to keep Cheers going. They do the same with the cast of Seinfeld, Friends and others. Meanwhile, there is this little reality show that is doing pretty well. After a few decades, the networks have ratings winners, but aren't cash flowing because the cost to make a sitcom has gotten out of hand. The networks cut their investments in sitcoms and began giving us trash like Dancing With the Stars, America's Got Talent and The Amazing Race.

This is how it works, always has, always will. And we Americans will watch whatever is put in front of us, the Osbourne's were a hit! The Kardashian's? Give me a break!

[TheAsianSensation]

Believe it or not, the Longhorn Network is the one thing keeping us from 4x16 conferences.

I don't see how the Pac 12 gets to 16 without the Texhoma package (UT, TTU, OU, OSU) and without that, everyone will stay short of 16.

The Big 12 can't break the ACC anymore. They can wound them with FSU/Clemson, but they can't break them anymore. Big 12 is outflanked for Louisville now. And no one can break the Big 12 while the Longhorn Network is still there.

In theory, we can get to a 5x14 setup if the Pac-12 makes sacrifices, but that's as close as we get.

[MoValley John]

Believe it or not, the Longhorn Network is the one thing keeping us from 4x16 conferences.

I don't see how the Pac 12 gets to 16 without the Texhoma package (UT, TTU, OU, OSU) and without that, everyone will stay short of 16.

The Big 12 can't break the ACC anymore. They can wound them with FSU/Clemson, but they can't break them anymore. Big 12 is outflanked for Louisville now. And no one can break the Big 12 while the Longhorn Network is still there.

In theory, we can get to a 5x14 setup if the Pac-12 makes sacrifices, but that's as close as we get.

The Longhorn Network is a money pit. Yes, it did lock Texas in, not because they can't move, but because no other conference will have them with all that baggage. The LHN didn't lock in Mizzou or a&m, in fact, it caused them to bolt. It is possible, not probable, that the PAC could look at TT, OU, OSU or even Kansas for future expansion, all they need for that to happen is enough cash. It is very unlikely that the PAC would look in that direction, but if there is enough money involved, it is possible. And should the PAC poach four from the Big XII, the conference dies.