O.T. Conference Shuffle ( OU and Texas inquire about joining SEC)

[brianstl]

The current structure of the NCAA basketball tournament is the last thing institutions involved in conference restructuring are worried about.  The possible increased payout from a new basketball tournament structure isn't worth the downside risk of possible loss of revenue under a new structure and the possible antitrust cases it would bring.  

[HoosierPal]

The Power 5 conference's combined revenue increased by less than $11 million after seeing a rise in annual increases of nearly $252 million over the previous six years.

Here are the numbers from the 2020 fiscal year:

Total Revenue

Big Ten: $768.9 million

SEC: $728.9 million

Pac-12: $533.8 million

ACC: $496.7 million

Big 12: $409.2 million

School Payouts

Big Ten: $54.3 million

SEC: $45.5 million

Big 12: $37 to $40.5 million

Pac-12: $33.6 million

ACC: $30.9 to $37 million

[Compton]

The SEC might be making more than 2X the Big 12 come 2026. 

Anyone know what the A10 payouts are? 

[TheA_Bomb]

Best video I've seen so far, Aggie tears are so sweet.

https://streamable.com/dbjm7a

 

As for SLU, I think the NCAA goes away in 5 years after the mega conferences centered around football form and break off.  There's too much $ in the NCAA tournament for that to simply cease to exist.  It is my belief that a new NCAA like tournament will emerge.  In that scenario we will probably see what many have suspected, set bids for the big schools megaconferences and limited for the non-power conferences.   So if you think that's already happening then don't worry it'll just be a tournament with a different name.  There's value in the Cinderella story, the basketball school (KU makes 3rd most in B12) so there's going to be something to fill that demand.  Once upon a time the NIT was THE tournament then it wasn't but basketball survived.  This is another change.

So what does SLU need to do?  They need to be proactive.  They need to do what they can within the rules to help players get NIL deals.  They need to spend $ on Athletics these next few years.  They need to win.  They need to be a brand whatever that means.....it's not really about TV markets anymore because of streaming this isn't cable providers in key markets this is anywhere.  Yes geography does help but is Spokane WA bigger than STL?  It's a brand and winning helps.   A key run, some good marketing "Sister Jean", "PhiSlammaJamma", "Speed Kills" could go a long way to setting up SLU for whatever realignment may take place.

[Taj79]

My fear, probably more just musings than fear, is that once the big boys get their football powerhouse conferences, what's to stop an alignment and tournament like is current in football between the FBS schools and the FCS schools?  Sure, there would be some tweaks to work out ..... Gonzaga, Villanova, Wichita State, Creighton, Xavier, etc..... don't play football so how do they get in?  They are much more deserving on the basketball court as opposed to a Nebraska, Missouri, Penn State and the like.  And if you take them, do you cheapen the FCS equivalent of a national tournament with the remaining basketball schools?  Do you have a limited system where the 64 teams in the mega conferences play their league tournaments and four teams from each move on to a sixteen team playoff?  Does losing in that tournament preclude you from the larger, FCS tournament if you keep it at 64/68 teams?  Maybe those 16 teams left from the megaconferences are then combined with the 16 left from the FCS run and reseeded into a 32 team, single-elimination run?  

As the talking heads have said all along, the Texas and Oklahoma moves are money grabs and nothing more.  But the same holds true for the basketball side of all this ---- the folks with the gold are going to want to keep that cash cow alive and well and pumping millions into local economies at game sites, school coffers, and TV rights.  I live in an area where there are a lot of FCS schools playing football .... Villanova, James Madison, Towson, Richmond, Delaware .... there fervor over being in such a playoff i snot that great but that's understandable given these are not schools living for the glory of being a national champion.  I mean, it's nice, but the feeling passes relatively quickly.

Just some thoughts .....

[TheA_Bomb]

Texas & OU to SEC will be more money but it's not solely a money grab.  B12 made an offer to both schools for a 1.5 share of revenue approximately $56/yr, up $18mil from recent.   That's about what SEC will dole out.  B12 has been reactionary and does not have the name recognition of the SEC brand.   So it's lead, follow or get out of the way time.  The top 12 of 13 most watched B12 games last season involved Texas and/or OU the other schools ratings were on AAC level. 

 

B12 Commissioner, Bob Bowlsby just said during media days, "the motivations for realignment no longer exist."  A few days later this all started.  He's clueless.

 

This is the right move for Texas and OU it's proactive but it does likely impact the entirety of College Sports.  Now everyone else gets to figure it out for themselves.   Texas is no longer responsible for propping up TTU, Baylor, TCU etc.  They have to sink or swim on their own. 

 

Does SLU and the A10 have the right leadership to navigate this change?

[billiken_roy]

1 hour ago, TheA_Bomb said:

  yada yada yada .............   They need to win.  ........yada yada yada

 

[Cowboy]

55 minutes ago, TheA_Bomb said:

Texas & OU to SEC will be more money but it's not solely a money grab.  B12 made an offer to both schools for a 1.5 share of revenue approximately $56/yr, up $18mil from recent.   That's about what SEC will dole out.  B12 has been reactionary and does not have the name recognition of the SEC brand.   So it's lead, follow or get out of the way time.  The top 12 of 13 most watched B12 games last season involved Texas and/or OU the other schools ratings were on AAC level. 

 

B12 Commissioner, Bob Bowlsby just said during media days, "the motivations for realignment no longer exist."  A few days later this all started.  He's clueless.

 

This is the right move for Texas and OU it's proactive but it does likely impact the entirety of College Sports.  Now everyone else gets to figure it out for themselves.   Texas is no longer responsible for propping up TTU, Baylor, TCU etc.  They have to sink or swim on their own. 

 

Does SLU and the A10 have the right leadership to navigate this change?

-do you know what has been the reaction to this 1.5 share offer in Ames, Lawrence, Lubbock, etc? are they just supposed to feel lucky to be in a league with OU and Tex?

-Does SLU and the A10 have the right leadership to navigate this change? - I sure hope so

 

[TheA_Bomb]

1 hour ago, Cowboy said:

-do you know what has been the reaction to this 1.5 share offer in Ames, Lawrence, Lubbock, etc? are they just supposed to feel lucky to be in a league with OU and Tex?

-Does SLU and the A10 have the right leadership to navigate this change? - I sure hope so

 

1. Your first question is moot because it's not happening. ISU AD said he hoped UT stayed.  If you're TCU/Baylor and you're in a P5 conference right now making $37mil/yr and you need to give up $5mil to stay or move to a Group of 5 (AAC or MWC) you begrudgingly do it.   It's especially bitter because TCU had Texas # on the field.   SPUMAC, CU, aTm,  all the other B12 schools they hate Texas.   Texas is the evil empire but they needed Texas for the legitimacy.  That's without Texas being that good. 

 

2. I'm not sure, I've been underwhelmed with Pestello and make no mistake this is at the President, Board level, AD, plus our 1 big booster.   I'll say this I'm a huge SLU fan and no one has ever asked me to join the Billiken Club.  The AD has never emailed, called, mailed and asked for $ or for me to get season tickets.   I went to the reception at Houston,  got there a few minutes late.  No pitch nothing.   So that's 1 thing.   Gotta find your angle and work it, maybe it's Catholic/Religious institutions that are basketball only,  find a solution that works for you.  Build consensus (with those schools) for that solution.  Market that solution to your local and to the national media.  Lead by trying to influence how college basketball will work in the future.   Maybe you form a basketball only super conference that will engage the football super conference for nonconference games and the New Tournament.   Lots of goodness in that basketball only super conference, like institutions (for the most part) old regional rivals, big city centric mostly which helps with recruiting and NIL.

[AnkielBreakers]

I keep hearing that the big 12 is dead, but if they act quickly and bring in a bunch of AAC schools (also BYU maybe), I don’t think they would die. Also, to bolster this, I would say that Cincinnati has the potential to be a powerhouse. They should have been in a major conference 15 year ago. 

[TheA_Bomb]

I'm just going to put this right here in case any of you didn't know just how horrible aTm is....TRIGGER WARNING cringes ahead 

 

 

 

[gabriel]

I'm hoping for absolute chaos in hopes that it somehow amounts to SLU going to the big east. 

[BLIKNS]

Heard that...

Can see Pac 12 possibly adding BYU, Boise State, San Diego State, and maybe a Texas school( TCU, TT or Baylor)

[TheA_Bomb]

Just now, BLIKNS said:

Heard that...

Can see Pac 12 possibly adding BYU, Boise State, San Diego State, and maybe a Texas school( TCU, TT or Baylor)

Probably  not going to be TCU and Baylor to P12 unless they change conference by laws.  There's some by laws that won't jive with religious institutions.

[Quality Is Job 1]

23 minutes ago, TheA_Bomb said:

Probably  not going to be TCU and Baylor to P12 unless they change conference by laws.  There's some by laws that won't jive with religious institutions.

In that case, wouldn't BYU be in the same boat?

[Brighton]

McGlade and crew need to call Lawrence, KS. I'm serious.

[HoosierPal]

This is pretty good.
 

Longhorns' first official SEC meeting

Watch "Longhorns' first official SEC meeting" on Streamable.

streamable.com

 

[AnkielBreakers]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31907406/big-12-alleges-espn-trying-destabilize-league-network-says-claims-no-merit
 

It is funny, I had recently been wondering whether ESPN was behind any of this. They pay out the dollars to the conferences. They have an incentive to get rid of extra payments to extra conferences, and cut out the low performing teams. They also have an incentive to lock up teams in long term deals right now (ie. avoid an internet streaming apocalypse). Interesting.

Edit: Fox had the Big 12, so maybe ESPN was trying to cut a competitor, to the extent Fox is a competitor.

[brianstl]

12 hours ago, AnkielBreakers said:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/31907406/big-12-alleges-espn-trying-destabilize-league-network-says-claims-no-merit
 

It is funny, I had recently been wondering whether ESPN was behind any of this. They pay out the dollars to the conferences. They have an incentive to get rid of extra payments to extra conferences, and cut out the low performing teams. They also have an incentive to lock up teams in long term deals right now (ie. avoid an internet streaming apocalypse). Interesting.

Edit: Fox had the Big 12, so maybe ESPN was trying to cut a competitor, to the extent Fox is a competitor.

KU is the program that supposedly went to Bowlsby with the information.  They are supposedly offended that ESPN wants to push them into the American.  They view themselves above the American.  I am sure they would have said nothing if Fox was working to get them into the Big 10.

[AnkielBreakers]

23 minutes ago, brianstl said:

KU is the program that supposedly went to Bowlsby with the information.  They are supposedly offended that ESPN wants to push them into the American.  They view themselves above the American.  I am sure they would have said nothing if Fox was working to get them into the Big 10.

I am glad they did. Kansas University’s fans deserve to know. Especially, the next time they get an urge to turn on SportsCenter. If I were them, I would boycott.

[TheA_Bomb]

Not confirmed but the speculation is that ESPN has a lot to gain by demise of B12.  LHN has been a loser due to Texas football struggles and changing cable landscape just as deal was inked.  They still owe Texas $100mil thru 2031.  ESPN owns SEC rights for years to come without the inclusion of Texas, OU.  So it is to their benefit to get rid of LHN, have those schools in SEC under current contract before renegotiation.

It is speculated that ESPN would pay the $80mil buy out to B12 for Texas to be done with LHN.

Also don't overlook that this could all be posturing by B12 to get ESPN to help them pull teams to expand and remain viable.  Why else would you go public against your own TV partner?  

Chip Brown of Horns247 who has been in on the realignment for 11 years, stated that 64 teams as is current conventional wisdom is not the preferred # of TV partners.  TV partners think 64 teams is too unwieldy and they want less.  Think NFL they are collective bargaining for 32, half that #. So that is probably good news for SLU and future of competitive college basketball tournament. More teams left out means more that will push for a big all inclusive basketball tournament, in my opinion. 

[brianstl]

It now appears that ESPN wants the AAC to swallow up every program left in the Big 12.  This is a direct attack on Fox when it comes to having having sports programming inventory and an attempt to get Texas and OU out of their grant of rights obligation.  Also, if ESPN gets enough programs it controls the exclusive rights to, it can have those programs leave the NCAA and start their own post-season basketball tournament they would control the rights to present and not worry about CBS's deal that doesn't expire until 2032.

This is all about Disney having inventory to sell ESPN+ subscriptions at an ever increasing price as the the money from linear carrier charges evaporate with people cutting the cord.  It is actually a brilliant strategy.  

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-12-believes-american-is-attempting-to-grab-eight-remaining-members-with-texas-oklahoma-leaving-for-sec/

[BilliesBy40]

25 minutes ago, brianstl said:

It now appears that ESPN wants the AAC to swallow up every program left in the Big 12.  This is a direct attack on Fox when it comes to having having sports programming inventory and an attempt to get Texas and OU out of their grant of rights obligation.  Also, if ESPN gets enough programs it controls the exclusive rights to, it can have those programs leave the NCAA and start their own post-season basketball tournament they would control the rights to present and not worry about CBS's deal that doesn't expire until 2032.

This is all about Disney having inventory to sell ESPN+ subscriptions at an ever increasing price as the the money from linear carrier charges evaporate with people cutting the cord.  It is actually a brilliant strategy.  

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-12-believes-american-is-attempting-to-grab-eight-remaining-members-with-texas-oklahoma-leaving-for-sec/

I guess I don't understand how that strategy would definitely benefit ESPN beyond the current contract period. Creating a separate post-season basketball tournament to compete with the NCAA tournament would damage excluded teams and conferences, some of whom ESPN relies upon for programming. Maybe I am missing something, but I don't expect the upcoming changes to be nearly as huge as others are speculating.

[TheA_Bomb]

25 minutes ago, brianstl said:

This is all about Disney having inventory to sell ESPN+ subscriptions at an ever increasing price as the the money from linear carrier charges evaporate with people cutting the cord.  It is actually a brilliant strategy. 

Exactly old school thinking with Cable was concerned about regional markets because those companies were regional.   That still matters to a degree but streaming is the future and you need brands whether it's Star Wars or the evil empire of Texas Athletics.  ESPN is getting in front of Amazon Prime,  Apple TV, Peacock and Hulu (maybe they own Hulu not sure).  Also you're right they could steal March Madness judo style from CBS.  Live Sports is the only reason I've kept cable. 

[AnkielBreakers]

Nm