Conference realignment "Rumors" "tweets" "etc"

[TallyBull]

1 minute ago, BurghBulltoo said:

ESPN can easily break the Big 12... just like the Big East

I can see the ESPN spin machine now... reporting on back room deals, the "weakness" of the Big XII, the fact that a UT and/or OU departure is imminent, the "dilutive" effect of any new school (including UH), etc. The Big XII would collapse within a few years.  That's ESPN's MO.

[Raetus]

5 minutes ago, TallyBull said:

I can see the ESPN spin machine now... reporting on back room deals, the "weakness" of the Big XII, the fact that a UT and/or OU departure is imminent, the "dilutive" effect of any new school (including UH), etc. The Big XII would collapse within a few years.  That's ESPN's MO.

Yep. In some ways, it would be even easier than the Big East dismantling. UT and OU are programs that any Power 5 conference would love to secure. The rumor mill sell on those two is way easier than team from the former Big East. And without those two, the Big 12 "Power" status starts to fall apart.

That's why I'm not Big12 or Bust. Would I like to join the Big 12 over AAC? Definitely. Do I think we need to do EVERYTHING in our power to do so? If there is ever a chance for us to join the ACC, that's a more solid future, for sure. I can still see a time 5 years down the line where 4 mega-conferences destroy the Big 12.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Raetus

[T-Man]

Like it or not we are tied with ucf...  Why would the Big 12 just take 1 when there are two ripe for the taking..  I can see Charlie Strong right now talking to his AD and president, "Give me the Florida market for recruiting and I will return Texas to greatness... ucf/ USF gives teams in the divison to visit once a year to Florida for recruits..  The more I hear and read the more I think... Cincy and Houston make it in because that will appease Big 12 teams now.. ucf/ USF make it in for what can happen in the future...

[Apis Bull]

I'm no lawyer, but I would think ESPN would have to be careful if they do that.  They might be heading into anti-trust issues.

[Raetus]

3 minutes ago, Apis Bull said:

I'm no lawyer, but I would think ESPN would have to be careful if they do that.  They might be heading into anti-trust issues.

I don't think any antitrust claim would have legs. While their actions are certainly anti-competitive, it would be trumped by the lowered ESPN subscription numbers and growing options on the sports fronts with NBC and FOX increasing their sports offerings. 

It'd be a hard sell, imo.

[Edit] I mean, even Qatar is getting into the game with beIN SPORTS... lots of options coming -- especially on the digital front.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Raetus

[T-Man]

3 minutes ago, Apis Bull said:

I'm no lawyer, but I would think ESPN would have to be careful if they do that.  They might be heading into anti-trust issues.

Agree, I say ESPN let's the expansion to 14 to happen... Look at what happens for 5 years and then decide whether or not to dismantle the conference.

[BDYZR]

11 minutes ago, Raetus said:

I mean, even Qatar is getting into the game with beIN SPORTS... lots of options coming -- especially on the digital front.

Bingo!

Why would/should the Big 12 take the chance that in NINE YEARS the contract with ESPN will be worth the paper it's written on? Extreme, I know. But I think that by then every game will be on a pay-per-view basis and the billion dollar contracts will be over.

[Orlando Bull]

9 minutes ago, T-Man said:

Like it or not we are tied with ucf...  Why would the Big 12 just take 1 when there are two ripe for the taking..  I can see Charlie Strong right now talking to his AD and president, "Give me the Florida market for recruiting and I will return Texas to greatness... ucf/ USF gives teams in the divison to visit once a year to Florida for recruits..  The more I hear and read the more I think... Cincy and Houston make it in because that will appease Big 12 teams now.. ucf/ USF make it in for what can happen in the future...

I don't think Strong is going to be begging to recruit florida. I know he has ties here, and, likely would snag some players, but... the Texas AD and fan base fully expect him to build a powerhouse with Texas kids. There are plenty of recruits there for him to make Texas great.

Kansas, KState, OkSt, WVU, Iowa St... are the ones that should really be pushing expansion into FL. They are having to try and get recruits out of Texas with 84 other in-state schools to compete against. If they could split between Texas and FL to get their recruits with greater exposure down here, that would be huge for them.

 

[ToroDeFuego]

1 hour ago, Apis Bull said:

I'm no lawyer, but I would think ESPN would have to be careful if they do that.  They might be heading into anti-trust issues.

They already do some very questionable, I think unethical, things. This weekend OTL did a story about schools trying to get into P5 conferences (hmmm, sounds familiar) being financially reckless and abusing student funds. It's been widely reported that ESPN does not want the Big 12 to expand. This was a not very veiled advertisement for their position.

[NAM37]

4 minutes ago, Orlando Bull said:

I don't think Strong is going to be begging to recruit florida. I know he has ties here, and, likely would snag some players, but... the Texas AD and fan base fully expect him to build a powerhouse with Texas kids. There are plenty of recruits there for him to make Texas great.

Kansas, KState, OkSt, WVU, Iowa St... are the ones that should really be pushing expansion into FL. They are having to try and get recruits out of Texas with 84 other in-state schools to compete against. If they could split between Texas and FL to get their recruits with greater exposure down here, that would be huge for them.

 

This. We need to hope that the non-Texas schools tell UT: "You can have Houston, but we want the Florida schools."