I mentioned it in another thread, but here is how I can see this going.....Sure some is completely unlikely, but life seems to move in circles. We have gotten away from geographic (logical) conferences but if the networks give this some thought and force the hands of the conferences it could happen. If there is one thing I have learned, it is to follow the MONEY!!!
1. Either the Big 10 or SEC jumps at the behest of the networks to swallow the other P4 conferences (ACC and Big 12) to make a big conference, conduct their own hoops tourney and only play Bowl games against their large contingent of conference schools. The remaining conference will be forced to join the bigger group or lose revenue. The same goes for Notre Dame!
2. The networks will now essentially run the NCAA tourney (without the NCAA) and Bowl games which means more money for the networks as they don't have to worry about the NCAA raking in the money. By virtue of having more money to themselves, they can pay each school more than they are currently making.
3. The networks can demand which schools make the Big 60 and will do so in a fashion that guarantees the right number of games (programming, content) in each time zone to maximize viewership, ad revenue and total revenue.
4. The big conference grows to 60 schools which will be split up into geographical divisions as the networks and the conference will stress the importance of the student athlete and wanting to cut down on travel.
5. The conference will operate much like professional sports (AL/NL, AFC/NFC etc.....) including crossovers, network generated "game of the week" and a playoff system.
I did my best with geography, but it isn't quite perfectly fair to everyone. Of course life isn't fair so that's the way it goes. For poops and giggles........
Mideast
1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Michigan State
4. Illinois
5. Indiana
6. Minnesota
7. Louisville
8. Notre Dame
9. Wisconsin
10. Purdue
West Coast
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Oregon
4. Washington
5. Stanford
6. Cal
7. Arizona
8. Arizona State
9. Utah
10. BYU
East
1. Penn State
2. Maryland
3. West Virginia
4. Pitt
5. Va Tech
6. Syracuse
7. Boston College
8. North Carolina
9. North Carolina State
10. Duke
Midwest
1. Kansas
2. Colorado
3. Kansas State
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa
6. Iowa State
7. Oklahoma
8. Oklahoma State
9. Arkansas
10. Missouri
Southeast
1. Clemson
2. Florida State
3. Ga Tech
4. Miami
5. Virginia
6. Florida
7. Georgia
8. Tennessee
9. Kentucky
10. South Carolina
South
1. Texas
2. TCU
3. Texas Tech
4. Baylor
5. LSU
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Texas A&M
9. Mississippi
10. Mississippi State
Vandy, Northwestern, UCF, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Houston and Cincinnati don't make the cut from the current P4 schools. Oregon State and Washington State remain on the outs as well.
I didn't double check my work so if I am missing a school, my bad!!
1. Either the Big 10 or SEC jumps at the behest of the networks to swallow the other P4 conferences (ACC and Big 12) to make a big conference, conduct their own hoops tourney and only play Bowl games against their large contingent of conference schools. The remaining conference will be forced to join the bigger group or lose revenue. The same goes for Notre Dame!
2. The networks will now essentially run the NCAA tourney (without the NCAA) and Bowl games which means more money for the networks as they don't have to worry about the NCAA raking in the money. By virtue of having more money to themselves, they can pay each school more than they are currently making.
3. The networks can demand which schools make the Big 60 and will do so in a fashion that guarantees the right number of games (programming, content) in each time zone to maximize viewership, ad revenue and total revenue.
4. The big conference grows to 60 schools which will be split up into geographical divisions as the networks and the conference will stress the importance of the student athlete and wanting to cut down on travel.
5. The conference will operate much like professional sports (AL/NL, AFC/NFC etc.....) including crossovers, network generated "game of the week" and a playoff system.
I did my best with geography, but it isn't quite perfectly fair to everyone. Of course life isn't fair so that's the way it goes. For poops and giggles........
Mideast
1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Michigan State
4. Illinois
5. Indiana
6. Minnesota
7. Louisville
8. Notre Dame
9. Wisconsin
10. Purdue
West Coast
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Oregon
4. Washington
5. Stanford
6. Cal
7. Arizona
8. Arizona State
9. Utah
10. BYU
East
1. Penn State
2. Maryland
3. West Virginia
4. Pitt
5. Va Tech
6. Syracuse
7. Boston College
8. North Carolina
9. North Carolina State
10. Duke
Midwest
1. Kansas
2. Colorado
3. Kansas State
4. Nebraska
5. Iowa
6. Iowa State
7. Oklahoma
8. Oklahoma State
9. Arkansas
10. Missouri
Southeast
1. Clemson
2. Florida State
3. Ga Tech
4. Miami
5. Virginia
6. Florida
7. Georgia
8. Tennessee
9. Kentucky
10. South Carolina
South
1. Texas
2. TCU
3. Texas Tech
4. Baylor
5. LSU
6. Auburn
7. Alabama
8. Texas A&M
9. Mississippi
10. Mississippi State
Vandy, Northwestern, UCF, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Houston and Cincinnati don't make the cut from the current P4 schools. Oregon State and Washington State remain on the outs as well.
I didn't double check my work so if I am missing a school, my bad!!
