Which one of those did Tulane did the last time around?
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Tulane didn't have to do any of those considering there academics, market and history with most of the AAC.
Plus, I really don't see the AAC as that much of a move up as it stands currently and if an opportunity arose to become member going forward it would probably be an even weaker conference than now.
I have to agree with you that it is a long shot and that no program in Belch or CUSA is even close us included.
That said, thank you for the apology and I am not a ULL fan.
My only point was that any benefit gained from joining the AAC or MWC (money aside) could be gained by consistently winning tough OOC games.
And again you are correct in that it is ridiculous to think that any team in Belch or CUSA (Marshall included) could join the B12 next year and be competitive in conference. I just don't want us left in a dying conference playing multiple teams in multiple time zones (which might happen if we play musical conferences).
Texas and OU agreeing to allowing ECU, UCF, USF, or Houston to join their conference is simply funny.
Very true. Let me explain.
You are right on the money in regards to the Big Ten being the next domino. But I would not rule out the ACC as the piece that is taken from. The Big Ten wants Georgia Tech and Georgia Tech wants to go to the Big Ten. They were offered a spot last go round but Georgia Tech was searching for an AD at the time and had no chance of making that move. GOR looks like it turns things into a deal breaker but I just keep hearing about how the Big Ten is not worried about this. My source could be wrong but I would trust them over anyone else.Quote:
By June 2016, the Big 10 is expected to add 2 more schools. Brett McMurphy of ESPN has talked about this a couple of times in the past 18 months. Each Big 10 school loses millions each year with the league at 14 rather than 16. It costs Fox (formerly NewsCorp) more than $100 million each year in lost revenue from the Big 10 Network with the league not being at 16, as Fox is co-owner of the network. McMurphy believes the two additions will be Missouri and UConn. This is the invitation Missouri officials privately covet because of the money the Big 10 brings to the table on the academic side. Grants of TV Rights in the ACC and Big 12 prevent any additions from those leagues.
If the Big Ten is not scared of the ACC GOR then the SEC sure as hell isn't. North Carolina and Virginia are the only schools that make sense.Quote:
The SEC would need a replacement. East Carolina? It has to be someone that isn't already in the ACC or Big 12.
If the everything works out as I predicted, I see no reason why a merger of the top teams from the ACC and Big 12 does not occur. Florida State, Texas, Oklahoma, OK State, Clemson would make a formidable base to a conference. Some schools won't cut it and they will be looking for a new home. Or the Pac 12 may try to poach some more schools to get to 16.Quote:
The ACC is in the same boat. It launches its stand-alone network in August, 2015. It will immediately cost itself millions per school by being at 14 rather than 16. Temple is sitting in a Top 5 media market and could be added with another AAC school. If Cincy could guarantee carriage of the ACC Network on basic cable in the majority of cable systems in Ohio, I am certain that would get them an invitation.
As for the Big 12, if they are left out of the CFP and feel they have to add schools to go back to having a championship game, they only have to add two in the short term. It would surprise me if Houston isn't one of those schools. As was said previously in this thread, they have moved heaven and earth to be next man up. I believe they will be rewarded for that.
In the longterm, Texas' Longhorn Network will eventually become the Big 12 Network. It's no secret the Longhorn Network has been a financial disaster for ESPN. They have basically given it away. Gordon Gee's comments in the speech that got him ousted at Ohio State a couple of years ago confirmed this. Over the past year, the Big 12 schools have been looking for a way to make this conversion, where each school would get the same type of money Texas is getting. The problem is schools like Oklahoma and Kansas just entered into their own deals for third tier TV rights that can't easily be bought out for several more years.
The Big 12 will also eventually get to 16, but it will take another 5-7 years, maybe longer, and the conversion of the Longhorn Network. When Colorado left the league, the Big 12 Presidents vowed to never expand the conference into the Mountain time zone again. They eventually invited West Virginia. So that takes the MWC schools and BYU off the table.
So if Houston has already been added to the Big 12, and UConn, Temple, Cincy, and East Carolina are in other leagues, to whom does the Big 12 turn if it's going to expand to the east? Which 5 schools eventually receive invitations? Remember, back in 2011 the Big 12 had conversations with Tulane.
The Cajun fans may be delusional, but there will be openings in the Big 12. There just not going to be filled by a Sun Belt school. And that's why it's important for Tech to keep moving forward, as Dawg06 says. Even if Tech isn't a part of an expanded Big 12, the AAC might eventually become what is largely CUSA today. No school will want to be left behind if that happens.
And the rollercoaster rides on!
Furthermore 5 power conferences never made sense in a 4 team playoff scenario. It is too natural and clean for the power conferences to decide that their conference championship games should become the defacto quarterfinals. One will cease to exist in the same capacity as we know it.
In football this is the history...there was no Sun Belt football when Tech was a member.
1948-1970--Gulf States Conference
NCAA Small College in the later years
1971-1986--Southland Conference
NCAA Small College 1971-1972
Division II 1973-1974
Division I 1975-1977
Division I FBS 1978-1981
Division I FCS 1982-1986
1987-1988--Division I FCS Independent
1989-1992--Division I FBS Independent
1993-1995--Big West Conference
1996-2000--Division I FBS Independent
2001-2012--Western Athletic Conference
2013-present--Conference USA
They are not touching the size of the playoffs anytime soon. This current set up took too much pulling of teeth. None of the commissioners want to pull the trigger on that. Maybe when a few more retire you might see this addressed. But the current playoff was created for 12 years for a reason...because when that expires, it will now be someone else problem. Plus the reality is they don't care about G5. They kept a spot in the New Years Bowls to appease them. But G5 has no respect and no chance for getting a real and legit seat at the table unless they get lucky with schedule and enough power teams to lose.
Saying it won't change inside of 12 years is saying the Big10 will be complacent with never getting a bid. Let the SEC sit home one year (could happen in year 1) and see how quick they go to 8. Let Notre Dame getting a spot keep two of the P5 conferences out (could happen in year 1). I give it 4 years max before they go to 8.
Will be at 8 by 2020 at the latest - I'm thinking 2018 or 2019