Big 12 Expansion

[GT1992]

Smart as we are, yall should know it's about money, which is eyeballs that watch, which means the Florida option will be considered, and no others.

Not Texas schools or East Tennessee schools nor Tulane nor others.

Tampa + Orlando equals the #5 TV market in a State that loves Football.

Recruiting hot bed is a plus. If you live in Iowa, where do you want a weekend? Memphis & Houston? Or Tampa & Orlando.

16 teams will not be considered. Have to give up too much money to BYU & Boise with no eyeball revenue.

Is our pipeline to Florida over?

I agree with taking one Florida team, but two would be dumb. If you picked up UCF, you get Tampa too. BYU has a huge fan base outside of Utah, think entire Mormon church. That would make the most sense where the added revenue expands the pie. However, their commissioner also mentioned letting them have a championship game with less than 12 members and that Swofford was behind that.

They were done in by themselves. Crappy out of conference scheduling combined with refusing to name a champion gave the committee an excuse to screw them.

 

[goldbybirth]

SMU and BYU if BYU would be willing to commit to a conference. If not, Boise St. I would only take SMU because they seem like they could be on the rise, they're in Texas, and they're probably gettable. That would be a gamble though because they've been awful and I don't know if Chad Morris can change that.

SMU went to bowls (finally) from 2009 to 2012. That is a long way from my freshman homecoming at SMU when our homecoming ceremony was part of a soccer game.

 

[goldbybirth]

That should have happened already. I believe there is no chance now. Get Ok and Ok st. They are solid. Let texas be the PAC problem child.

F Texas. They are the reason the Big12 doesn't have a championship game and at least 12 teams.

 

[GT1992]

SMU went to bowls (finally) from 2009 to 2012. That is a long way from my freshman homecoming at SMU when our homecoming ceremony was part of a soccer game.

SMU makes zero sense from a revenue standpoint. They've already got every cable system in Texas paying the LHN premium.

 

[JJacket]

Smart as we are, yall should know it's about money, which is eyeballs that watch, which means the Florida option will be considered, and no others.

Not Texas schools or East Tennessee schools nor Tulane nor others.

Tampa + Orlando equals the #5 TV market in a State that loves Football.

Recruiting hot bed is a plus. If you live in Iowa, where do you want a weekend? Memphis & Houston? Or Tampa & Orlando.

16 teams will not be considered. Have to give up too much money to BYU & Boise with no eyeball revenue.

Is our pipeline to Florida over?

What in the hell are you talking about?

 

[goldbybirth]

SMU makes zero sense from a revenue standpoint. They've already got every cable system in Texas paying the LHN premium.

I don't disagree. I was more arguing that SMU has made strides since the death penalty. Jones just refused to recruit after the first couple of years and left it all to his assistants. Then he quite the team early in the season. Hence 1-11 or 12 or whatever.

 

[GT flunkout]

Can we just stop already with the UCF/USF are sleeping giant routines? They are big directional public schools in a talent rich state, that has LOTS of competition. Saying they bring the Orlando/Tampa market is laughable. They are successful in their little niche from time to time, but their ceiling is low and they have reached as high as they will ever go.

All the rationale given to add USF or UCF could be applied to Georgia State.

Colorado State gets you Denver and the entire Front Range. As down as CU has been they could be an instant player in that market that the Big 12 used to own but has conceded.

 

[GT1992]

Can we just stop already with the UCF/USF are sleeping giant routines? They are big directional public schools in a talent rich state, that has LOTS of competition. Saying they bring the Orlando/Tampa market is laughable. They are successful in their little niche from time to time, but their ceiling is low and they have reached as high as they will ever go.

All the rationale given to add USF or UCF could be applied to Georgia State.

Colorado State gets you Denver and the entire Front Range. As down as CU has been they could be an instant player in that market that the Big 12 used to own but has conceded.

UCF is over 50,000 students an regularly sells out. While I agree they've hit their ceiling on the field, they have a huge alumni and fan base in Central Florida. The Colorado market is much smaller and CSU doesn't even register. They don't want another Iowa State. Geography is not the driver or they wouldn't have taken WVU.

 

[TechinItEasy]

UCF is over 50,000 students an regularly sells out. While I agree they've hit their ceiling on the field, they have a huge alumni and fan base in Central Florida. The Colorado market is much smaller and CSU doesn't even register. They don't want another Iowa State. Geography is not the driver or they wouldn't have taken WVU.

Avg attendance is under 40k for several years. They only sell out when another big FL team is in town.

Agree they are a better pick than CSU tho.

 

[GT flunkout]

Big 12 playing third fiddle would be great for the perception of their league...not. Better to have average fish in average ponds than average fish in huge ponds with much bigger fish.

Ideal scenario: since the ACC already gave up the academic charade when they invited Louisville, when Notre Dame finally becomes a member in 5 years we also take WVU.

Big 12 gets CSU, BYU, and Boise St.

 

[smokey_wasp]

I'd probably go for BYU and Boise State first. Colorado State would be logical, too. How about Northern Illinois? If you want to get crazy with it...Marshall.

 

[Legal Jacket]

Going conference by conference, I'd expect the most likely target to be the AAC. Geography clearly doesn't matter that much, but I'd expect them to try to keep schools within their current footprint (Texas to WV) with some exceptions.

Based on that, the most logical candidates are Memphis and Cincy. Both offer great basketball and are good enough in football. Big cities with untapped TV markets.

Tulane would also be a good choice. New stadium, big city, historical program, and new state.

Schools like SMU and Houston make sense, but there is already a lot of saturation there. I wouldn't expect them to get offers unless they are the last team needed to make an even numbered (12 or 14) conference.

I think schools like UCF, USF, ECU, Temple, and UConn are enough outside of the "footprint" that they probably wouldn't get serious consideration. Tulsa is probably a no.

Conference USA could also be a target, but not much is there. Marshall would be a good complement to WVU, but I see them about like SMU (just a team to add to get to the right number). Same thing with Rice and North Texas, etc., who would probably be behind even SMU and Houston. Maybe La Tech has some interest. Same thing is probably true with all of hte MAC schools - there just isn't a lot in the way of TV markets. Maybe Bowling Green or UMass? Probably not though. Same thing with the Sun Belt.

Mountain West has some interesting teams. The issue is schools like Boise are so far away, which is compounded since the better TV markets are to the east, not the west. Schools like Colorado State or UNLV may fit into either plan and at least offer reasonable cities.

Ultimately I'd say if they go to 12 the big targets would be Memphis and Cincy. If they go to 14 I'd expect something like Tulane and BYU, maybe something like Western Kentucky, Colorado State, or Northern Illinois that adds a new state. I don't see enough TV revenue going out west for them to pursue that option other than BYU. Maybe add SMU over some of those last few schools.

 

[MatatoGT]

1) They're not going after anymore Texas schools. No value.

This. Conference expansion is about a lot more than who are the good football teams. It's mostly about expanding your geographic market reach, so you'll be looking to get into states you aren't in, that make semi-sense geographically (though that part is clearly secondary, as WVU is in the Big12 and the ACC is all spread out). So clearly more Texas schools would add nothing to the conference financially. BYU would for sure. Colorado State may, too.