Big 10 Report: Conference Realignment

[Mr. Laz]

A source in St. Louis familiar with the situation told NewsCenter 16 Thursday afternoon that Missouri will leave the Big XII and soon join the Big 10. Other schools expected to follow the Tigers are Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers and Nebraska.

Many have speculated that such an expansion would include Notre Dame but ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick told me today that the Irish prefer to stay independent in football and in the Big East for other sports. Swarbrick said maintaining football Independence is such a part of what Notre Dame is.

He went on to say the Big East is a great partner for the University in other sports.

"We do have to monitor what is going on," Swarbrick said. "There will be significant shifts. "Hopefully we can navigate them by keeping our football independent and keeping our Big East affiliation because that is what we care about."

The move of Syracuse, Pitt and Rutgers to the Big Ten from the Big East could categorically change the landscape of the Big East itself. Thus, what Swarbrick is referring to when stating the University must continue to monitor what is going on.

The interview with Swarbrick was done before the late afternoon announcement.

http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/92447574.html

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

I highlighted the only pertinent point of the discussion. "IF". IF all that happens, then yes, Missouri is in a good place. All I'm saying is that there has been no concrete message from either conference they want to expand. You assume the networks will say the St. Louis market is worth it. Fans throw around terms like "X metropolis" market like its some big bloc that will all automatically go where MU football goes.

When TV execs look at the numbers, they actually dissect it a bit more than that. They'll look at what percentage of St. Louis fans actually watch college football, what percentage of fans actually watch MU football (don't act like there's no Illini fans there). What percentage of fans watch SEC football anyway.

IF superconferences are the wave of the future, then yes, your situation is much brighter. But IF said conferences don't think it is advantageous to expand right now, they aren't going to expand just to expand.

And this, by the way, goes right into another of these myths about superconferences: "The good thing is that when we have four superconferences we're finally going to have a playoff system."

Yeah, right. The BCS, the organization that wants to preserve the bowls, is going to gather their teams together so they can get rid of the bowls. That's fan logic for you at its finest!

Super Conferences are going to happen...no real if to it. My mistake in the post was putting it that way.

If you believe they aren't , please feel free to sit in your dream world.

[Titty Meat]

Big Ten's next move will be east Maryland/Rutgers trying to get more of the untapped east coast market.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

I guess by reading all of the post you missed the point I was trying to make. The Big 10 is confident...almost cocky about it, that they can have MU anytime they wish.

Sure, if you could forward that link to me, I would like to read it. Of course the B!G is confident they could take you anytime they want. But what time is that?

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

I'm sure that there are. You guys are so blind sometimes you completely miss the point. Don't tell me "Mizzou can deliver the St. Louis market". That's obvious. Instead tell me what that actual TV share is. If its a significant number, then maybe Mizzou is a 17 million/year institution. Do you know what that actual number is and how much revenue that actually translates to for marketers?

You're the one putting the value needed at $17 million....any particular reason you put it at that?

[patteeu]

Wouldn't it be funny if Texas found it's way into the SEC? I'm not saying that there's any chance that it will happen, I just think it would be funny if Texas A&M tried to flee from Texas' shadow only to find themselves right back in it.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

Super Conferences are going to happen...no real if to it. My mistake in the post was putting it that way.

If you believe they aren't , please feel free to sit in your dream world.

Well, I guess its hard to argue with sound facts like that, you win.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

You're the one putting the value needed at $17 million....any particular reason you put it at that?

Isn't that what the SEC pays each team from its deal?

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

I guess by reading all of the post you missed the point I was trying to make. The Big 10 is confident...almost cocky about it, that they can have MU anytime they wish.

I'm sure they can. What puzzles me is the Big 10 took Nebraska and not MU. I thought it was all about TV sets.

I don't think these realignments are about TV sets at all.. except for the huge TV markets. It's about brand.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Wouldn't it be funny if Texas found it's way into the SEC? I'm not saying that there's any chance that it will happen, I just think it would be funny if Texas A&M tried to flee from Texas' shadow only to find themselves right back in it.

You know I kicked that around in my mind too. Then, I thought there is no way UT would follow aTm. They probably wouldn't want to give aTm that kind of satisfaction.

Also, because I don't think the SEC would allow that LHN revenue to go unshared.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Stewie

I'm sure they can. What puzzles me is the Big 10 took Nebraska and not MU. I thought it was all about TV sets.

I don't think these realignments are about TV sets at all.. except for the huge TV markets. It's about brand.

Would be interesting to see the type of audience Nebraska pulls in on nationally televised games compared to Mizzou.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

I don't either. But that's the point. When fans say "such and such market", they speak in hype, not real numbers. I agree that the MU portion in Missouri markets represents the largest potential market share that may be a "free agent". But, if that real projected revenue is not more than what each school in a particular conference currently takes in, these conferences will not expand just to expand.

The PAC is going aggressively forward because they can answer that question with a bold affirmation. In fact, they think so much of the Texas-OU market, they don't really care what two schools they add on to them.

Missouri has to show they are worth their take. If they can, Missouri may indeed have choices. If they can't, they may be the most valuable "stray" on the market.

The problem is that you're believing that once Texas and OU disappear then nothing else will happen. Once Texas and OU make their moves, then the SEC and Big 10 will get antsy (and greedy).

My argument is that once OU and Texas go, then MU becomes the next most attractive pick along with OSU. If you don't think that the SEC and Big 10 won't start negotiations with those 2 schools with the possibility of the PAC 10 accepting OU/OSU and Texas/TT, then you're hiding in the sand.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by Stewie

This is my point. Who cares about TVs in St. Louis? The point is, what does MU bring to the national TV audience? That's the question.

It's only a question in a KU fans mind.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

The problem is that you're believing that once Texas and OU disappear then nothing else will happen. Once Texas and OU make their moves, then the SEC and Big 10 will get antsy (and greedy).

My argument is that once OU and Texas go, then MU becomes the next most attractive pick along with OSU. If you don't think that the SEC and Big 10 won't start negotiations with those 2 schools with the possibility of the PAC 10 accepting OU/OSU and Texas/TT, then you're hiding in the sand.

No, I am completely taking that into account. Your misconception is that you believe just because there are teams "available" that it means conferences will automatically expand without seeing if it adds value to their current contract. I'm thinking from a business angle, you're thinking from a sports fan perspective.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Stewie

I'm sure they can. What puzzles me is the Big 10 took Nebraska and not MU. I thought it was all about TV sets.

I don't think these realignments are about TV sets at all.. except for the huge TV markets. It's about brand.

Could be about brand. But I don't think the PAC took CU because of brand. They took them because they can get the TV's in Denver and surrounding metro areas.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

The problem is that you're believing that once Texas and OU disappear then nothing else will happen. Once Texas and OU make their moves, then the SEC and Big 10 will get antsy (and greedy).

My argument is that once OU and Texas go, then MU becomes the next most attractive pick along with OSU. If you don't think that the SEC and Big 10 won't start negotiations with those 2 schools with the possibility of the PAC 10 accepting OU/OSU and Texas/TT, then you're hiding in the sand.

As I posted earlier, no one cares about the MU or OSU or TT brand. They don't bring eyes or interest to the national TV viewer.