Lots Of Pac 10 Expansion Chatter

[PhillyBuff]

You could argue that UT's schedule in the Big 12 already is OU, A&M and a long list of nobodys, so I don't see much dropoff if they left.

Not saying it's going to happen, but I really thing they might be one of the only schools that could pull it off. Their access to cash, and recruits is almost limitless, so I don't see them going back to suckitude anytime soon or staying there long if they do.
If they could create a network that generated even 1/5 of the revenue the Big 10 network does they'd be twice as paid as any Big 10 team.

Texas has even more built-in advantages than ND IMO (facilities, location, recruiting base, rich generous alumni) and they win...A LOT. Plus this is just the sort of thing that would feed the ego of horn fans if they pulled it off.

and what happens to the rest of UT sports? You think they would just get the hoops teams in a conference?

 

[CarolinaBuff]

I think the most logical targets for the SEC, if they expand to 16 teams to match the Big Televen, would be Miami, FSU, Texass and aTm. They could completely lock down Florida, and add all the schools that matter in Texas. The Oklahoma schools would basically be stand-ins in case they couldn't get the Florida schools, IMO.... :huh:

One article suggested that Texas would prefer the Pac-10 since it would be easier to win there, although I'm not buying that because I think they'd go where the money is higher, which would obviously be the SEC. I didn't give this article much credibility because it had us left out of the Pac-10 talk in favor of UNM, TT and Nebraska, and also had OU/OSU being broken up. But one interesting piece in this article that I hadn't heard before was the possibility of the Big 10 going after Kentucky.

As for the SEC expanding, if UT/A&M don't end up in the mix for whatever reason then I see FSU, Miami, GT, and Clemson as the most likely targets. There was some previous mention in this thread about UVA and VT but I don't see any reason why the SEC would be interested in those 2.

http://www.tidefans.com/forums/tide...hanging-landscape-sec-has-mountain-climb.html

 

[UrbanaBuff]

I'm curious as to why you substituted GT in for the others. They have great academics, but I doubt the SEC cares about that stuff. To me, GT has always seemed like a "little brother" commuter school with a weak fan following. I'd put more weight behind West Virginia, UVA and Virginia Tech. I doubt UVA would leave the ACC though, since they are a natural fit with schools like UNC and Maryland.

One article suggested that Texas would prefer the Pac-10 since it would be easier to win there, although I'm not buying that because I think they'd go where the money is higher, which would obviously be the SEC. I didn't give this article much credibility because it had us left out of the Pac-10 talk in favor of UNM, TT and Nebraska, and also had OU/OSU being broken up. But one interesting piece in this article that I hadn't heard before was the possibility of the Big 10 going after Kentucky.

As for the SEC expanding, if UT/A&M don't end up in the mix for whatever reason then I see FSU, Miami, GT, and Clemson as the most likely targets. There was some previous mention in this thread about UVA and VT but I don't see any reason why the SEC would be interested in those 2.

http://www.tidefans.com/forums/tide...hanging-landscape-sec-has-mountain-climb.html

 

[SINKRATZ]

and what happens to the rest of UT sports? You think they would just get the hoops teams in a conference?

Doesn't really matter, they could stay in what's left of the Big 12. Conference affiliation is drastically less important in hoops. The NCAA hoops tourney really helps level the playing field for smaller school since all you need to do is get in.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

I'm curious as to why you substituted GT in for the others. They have great academics, but I doubt the SEC cares about that stuff. To me, GT has always seemed like a "little brother" commuter school with a weak fan following. I'd put more weight behind West Virginia, UVA and Virginia Tech. I doubt UVA would leave the ACC though, since they are a natural fit with schools like UNC and Maryland.

Georgia Tech a commuter school? I have no doubt they're the little brother in Georgia, but many states have a more flagship school and then a little brother school, but in most cases that little brother school is also a BCS school, and that's also the case with Georgia/Georgia Tech. And they are a state school so I'm sure the pressure would be there to bring in GT should the SEC look to expand.

 

[OKCBuff]

Why wouldn't the SEC go for Miami and FSU. And possibly Clemson and/or VT and UVA? Is the ACC untouchable? I would think that this would be more of a probability for the SEC than the Texas/TAMU talk. Not that the Texas and OK schools would be a bad way to expand, I just think the SEC would go the other way.

Perhaps, but the conference already has an in-roads in Florida and I think that state watches SEC football already at a pretty good clip because of Florida and proximity. ACC football is largely unwatchable so I'm sure Miami and FSU fans catch plenty of SEC games when theirs are done.

The reason to grab UT and A&M is the access to the 24 million sets of eyeballs in The Republic. Right now, the SEC is an afterthought there. But bring in those two (and OSU and OU to boot - another 3.5 million people and ties Arkansas in with rivals it knows for a change) and the SEC would penetrate into big markets it really had no presence in before.

I just think that the SEC going east (while a definite possibility) is kind of pointless. They already have a giant presence in Florida, South Carolina and going to Virginia doesn't seem like a big deal compared to the population they could gain in Texas.

A friend of mine down here who is an OSU fan says that she had a conversation with a member of the OSU AD and they said if the Big 12 starts to collapse OSU and OU would be in the SEC.

 

[Mick Ronson]

i tend to agree with OKCBuff. i know from my step-dad's family in Tulsa, Arkansas is already covered there. OU, OSU, UT, and ATM are all schools/programs that are a solid fit in the SEC with regard the so-called spring sports: baseball, golf, that stuff. we don't have baseball, obviously, but in the south/southeast that stuff is considered pretty important. people go to the games. not a revenue sport mostly, but they care. UT, OSU, and OU i know have been national champs and are generally top 25 type teams.....ATM is usually pretty good.

OSU coming out of a collapsing Big XII into the SEC would be a real boon for them. cause for a variety of reasons, they got no place else to go. OU has the football tradition so they won't be a loser despite OKC/Tulsa not being a real media market player....OSU, well, they don't offer anyone much. Stillwater is population nowhere.

 

[superdeluxe]

Larry Scott has said that the Pac-10 has been severly under-valued in terms of television contracts. The blame here falls on Tom Hansen, and in effect its presidents.

With all of the aggressive manueavering that Scott has made (All the different moves in regards to staff), Scott is trying to get maximum $$$, and it is already paying off dividends. Many schools are getting multiple national television games this year. UW for example is getting 6 tv units from ESPN (ESPN national= 1 unit/ ABC national =2 units). Arizona is getting 3-4 national games, and Harbaugh mentioned that stanford's first 5 games are all national games.

Plus Scott has hired CAA (The giant hollywood entertainment and media firm) to explore expansion possibilities.

 

[ScottyBuff]

Larry Scott has said that the Pac-10 has been severly under-valued in terms of television contracts. The blame here falls on Tom Hansen, and in effect its presidents.

With all of the aggressive manueavering that Scott has made (All the different moves in regards to staff), Scott is trying to get maximum $$$, and it is already paying off dividends. Many schools are getting multiple national television games this year. UW for example is getting 6 tv units from ESPN (ESPN national= 1 unit/ ABC national =2 units). Arizona is getting 3-4 national games, and Harbaugh mentioned that stanford's first 5 games are all national games.

Plus Scott has hired CAA (The giant hollywood entertainment and media firm) to explore expansion possibilities.

To be clear, CAA Media Ventures are NOT going to "explore expansion possibilities", they are going to negotiate the media rights for the conference with broadcast companies and determine the value of forming a Pac-10 network. Chris Bevilaqua, the CEO, founded CSTV and pioneered the "college conference" framework that led to the .Mtn and Big Ten Networks forming.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Larry Scott has said that the Pac-10 has been severly under-valued in terms of television contracts. The blame here falls on Tom Hansen, and in effect its presidents.

With all of the aggressive manueavering that Scott has made (All the different moves in regards to staff), Scott is trying to get maximum $$$, and it is already paying off dividends. Many schools are getting multiple national television games this year. UW for example is getting 6 tv units from ESPN (ESPN national= 1 unit/ ABC national =2 units). Arizona is getting 3-4 national games, and Harbaugh mentioned that stanford's first 5 games are all national games.

Plus Scott has hired CAA (The giant hollywood entertainment and media firm) to explore expansion possibilities.

The fact that Washington and Stanford hired hot young coaches and are no longer Pac 10 doormats may also have something to do with them being more televised. Scott will help, but let's not pretend he's the golden goose.