The SEC sure is being quiet on expansion
Okay, I tried to stay away. I tried to be a good boy and take time off and ignore the computer. But the expansion story is just too good. Some quick observations today. You already know most this stuff but I just want a chance to weigh in and get your thoughts.
1. The SEC is being awfully quiet in all this. Various media reports say Nebraska to the Big Ten is done and will be announced on Friday. There are also reports out there that very quietly, Mike Slive and his folks at the SEC could still invite Texas and Texas A&M if the Big 12 breaks up. Would Oklahoma and Oklahoma State come along? Yes, I know about the Pac-10 offer to the six Big 12 teams (Texas, A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Colorado). But as one official put it to me yesterday: Do you think DeLoss Dodds (the Texas athletics director) would rather send his women’s softball team to Pullman, Washington (home of Pac-10 member Washington State) or Tuscaloosa, Ala? I know all about the academic arguments in favor of the Pac-10. I’ll believe it when I see it.
People keep telling me that the SEC should do nothing. But if the Pac-10 and the Big Ten both go to 16 teams, can the SEC stay with a pat hand?
There is absolutely nothing coming out of the SEC on this. This is as locked down as I’ve ever seen them. That should make some people nervous because Slive is one of those “speak softly and carry a big stick” kind of guys.
2. Can Texas, Texas A&M save the Big 12? Various media reports have officials from the two schools meeting today. Understand that Dodds and A&M athletics director Bill Byrne have the juice to hold the league together even if Nebraska and Colorado (to the Pac-10) both leave. The Big 12 can pick up TCU, which further strengthens the Dallas market. I would also pick up SMU. Great academics and a football program on the rise with June Jones as coach. If the Big 12 doesn’t fall apart, then this process could be relatively calm. But Texas could decide that staying in the Big 12 is simply delaying the inevitable breakup.
3. But does the Big Ten stop at 12 teams? In the short term it could happen. Commissioner Jim Delany recently put it out there that expansion for his league could come in stages. Because Delany’s grand plan could put two conferences (Big East, Big 12) out of business, perhaps he decides to go on the installment plan.
4. Forget Notre Dame. With Nebraska set to accept the Big Ten’s offer on Friday, I think it closes the door on Notre Dame becoming a member of that conference. I could see Notre Dame becoming the 12th member of the Big Ten. I can’t see the Irish being the 13th or 14th or 16th member. Now all of that could change if the Big East falls apart. The Notre Dame would have to find another home for men’s basketball and its non-revenue sports.
5. The Pac-10 will expand. Even if the grand plan (inviting six teams from the Big 12) does not come to pass, that conference will still add at least two teams (Colorado and perhaps Utah). The league is getting ready to negotiate its next TV contract in football and it has to bring someting new to the market place. Here is another factor: The Pac-10’s marquee program, The University of Southern California, is about to get hammered by the NCAA. The Pac-10 has gotta do something.
Stayed tuned. The next 24 hours could be really interesting.
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748 comments Add your comment
Scotty in TX
June 10th, 2010
2:37 pm
Scott in TX,
My dad’s friend’s brother is Mack Brown and he said you’re lying. Please stop it.
Joe is an A$$clown
June 10th, 2010
2:37 pm
Step up to the plate Joe. Who do you root for? A small man makes comments about UG (UGA) G-Tech (Georgia Tech) and being an ignorant fan base.
Weak Joe. Pathetic and pretty weak.
I would consider ACC schools as well from the basketball standpoint, but really who gives a damn as long as we get good football!
makes no sense
June 10th, 2010
2:38 pm
SECFANinMS : “SEC East: Miami, Fla, FSU, KY, SC, Clemson, Vandy, & UT
West: GA, GA Tech, Ole Miss, MSU, Bama, Auburn, LSU, ARK ”
So UGA goes to the west division where it has 2 rivals and vacates the East where it has 3 rivals? And Tech and UGA are both east geographically of UT, Vandy, and FSU…
BRIAN
June 10th, 2010
2:38 pm
SEC COULDN’T DO BETTER THAN TO GET TX AND TX A&M, THAT WOULD OPEN UP A NEW MARKET. AS FAR AS ACC, VA TECH SEEMS TO BE A MATCH, BUT MARKET SIZE IS SMALL. I SAY GRAB THE 2 TX TEAMS AND STICK AT 14.
LoGruvz
June 10th, 2010
2:38 pm
Remember it’s all about the money. Whatever makes sense for the SEC (and other divisions) revenue wise is the direction they will go. It’s not about who would be the best teams to make it look good or who would be the best rivalries, etc…
I agree, Joe is an A$$clown
June 10th, 2010
2:39 pm
Joe has herpes. Just let him be.
TexasAlum00
June 10th, 2010
2:42 pm
Do we have a quote from Deloss Dodds stating that the SEC is not in the conversation? Has Mike Slive stated as such?
This situation is VERY fluid, and anything could happen. The folks who favor a Texas move to Pac 10 are VERY arrogant in their beliefs. Unfortunately they have no counter to some simple points one can make in favor of Texas to SEC.
1) Longhorn Network possible with SEC, not PAC or Big 10.
2) TV eyes. The PAC 10 is desperate to add tv viewers. Without Texas, they remain a conference that only the west coast cares about. Most of the people in this country live east of the mississippi. More tv eyes (and therefore advertisers/subscribers) are in the east, not the west.
3) History. Former SEC chair Schiller went on record stating Dodds and Texas wanted the SEC…but the hitch was they had to take ATM. According to Dr Schiller the SEC was not interested in ATM at the time. Dodds never denied this.
Nothing is a done deal for UT and A&M yet. If it was, then you would be seeing it on espn.
I like video games
June 10th, 2010
2:43 pm
Will the ability to create powerconferences be on NCAA 2011????
makes no sense
June 10th, 2010
2:44 pm
Heres is what I hope happens :
1. SEC doesn’t nothing
2. Big-10 stops @ Nebraska
3. Big XII adds Utah and someone else and hunkers down
4. PAC-10 stops @ Colorado, with Utah going to Big XII this might happen
5. MWC pics up Boise so that PAC-10 doesn’t think about it
I’m keeping my fingers crossed. PAC-11 changes names and has to pay me for the domain names I bought.
makes no sense
June 10th, 2010
2:44 pm
yeah pac-12, pac-14, and pac-15 were taken.
fbfan
June 10th, 2010
2:45 pm
Scott in TX – Your comments clearly explain why Aggies would like to be free of Hookems. I, for one, hope the two schools go their separate ways. The SEC would love to have the high quality Aggies join the best conference in the land, as long as they don’t bring Hookems along with ‘em.
76-Dawg
June 10th, 2010
2:48 pm
The biggest complaint against a conference that didn’t have 12 members is that they don’t have to play a conference championship or one more quality game and can still get into the national championship game, which is not fair to the BIG-12 , the SEC or the ACC. If the big 12 will add one more quality team to get back to 12 teams and the PAC-10 will add one more and the BIG -10 will add one more quality team to get to 12 teams and thus a championship game then I don’t think any further changes need to be made. The national championship game will be decided out of a match -up of the winners of the major conferences championship games. The only kink in this would be Notre Dame. If they get back to a championship caliper team. As long as they will play 6 hard teams every year it probably would be acceptable.
john
June 10th, 2010
2:48 pm
A shake up has already happened in Division III. DePauw announced yesterday it is leaving the SCAC (Rhodes, Sewanee, Centre, Millsaps…) for the NCAC (Kenyon, Wabash…). Its not DI-A but whatever.
Abiaka
June 10th, 2010
2:49 pm
Someone asked what the Seminoles and Hurricanes ‘bring to the table.’
Florida State and Miami draw big TV audiences nationwide. Miami has fans all over the country (if not so many in their stadium on a given Saturday), including a number of fans in the Northeast. Between them the Seminoles and Hurricanes have earned at least 7 national titles and played for at least a dozen in the past 25 years.
That’s not campaigning for SEC bids; it’s fact. Personally, I want to see both universities remain in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC is situated very well for the long term academically, geographically and financially. Unless the conference finds itself truly jeopardized by a Big Ten+ raid, neither Florida State nor Miami trades up by joining the Bubba League.
Cap
June 10th, 2010
2:50 pm
The Texas schools need to be realistic. Texas for the Pac-10 is a lock because even though it is a football juggernaut Austin is to urbane, liberal, and filled with California expatriates to ever sit at the table with the SEC. Lubbock (whic contains Texas Tech ) is also very “Route 66″ and much more western that southern. However Texas A&M or Baylor should consider the SEC. Texas A&M would be an excellent fit because it is much more southern than western. And why does Texas A&M follow around Texas? No conference wants second sisters like Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and Iowa State because they bring nothing to the table so those schools at least try to emulate or follow the flagship universities. Texas A&M could make a name for itself by joining the SEC and stop being the perpetual whipping post of Texas. Besides, its not as if Texas and Texas A&M would have to stop playing one another just because they are in separate conferences.
shut up dude
June 10th, 2010
2:50 pm
makes no sense,
Nobody cares what you want. Thanks.
kt
June 10th, 2010
2:50 pm
Nebraska will own the big 10
Ol' Miss and Mississippi State
June 10th, 2010
2:52 pm
The the Texas and Oklahoma schools come to the SEC, we’re leaving.
Ric Flair
June 10th, 2010
2:53 pm
Abiaka – you make a good point. Both FSU and the U draw huge TV audiences. That’s why the U gets invited to big time bowl games when they’re good.
Ross
June 10th, 2010
2:56 pm
Screw everything Texas! But I would like to see the SEC pick up Missouri (they have a star on the battle flag) and Ga. Tech. Texas created the issues with the Big 8 that is now leading to their demise. Everything from Texas is poison.
Peter
June 10th, 2010
2:57 pm
With Colorado and Nebraska gone, I think Texas & A&M will realize that saving the Big 12 is a pointless venture and jump ship.
THWG!!
June 10th, 2010
2:57 pm
All of you UGA homer’s reasoning for tech not to being a good fit in the SEC is moronic!!! “Beating Tech is our birthright”- you are the biggest moron of them all!! You are making up championships for UGA!! why don’t you actually do some research and not what Herschel Walker’s other personality told you!! I know it is all football in your bloodshot eyes but there are other factors also!! Tech left the SEC to become an independent with the likes of Notre Dame! We were one of the big boys right up with Alabama back then! I seriously doubt you were alive when it went down so why don’t take your made up championships and theory and shove them up your A$$!!!
makes no sense
June 10th, 2010
2:59 pm
Peter,
I don’t know that it would be a pointless venture. Nebraska is a big loss but not really colorado. They could just sit at 10 and have an easier path to the Nat championship every year while still raking in the dough.
Fierce Fighting Chickens
June 10th, 2010
3:00 pm
I hear South Carolina may be switching to the Southern Conference.
gtfan
June 10th, 2010
3:00 pm
Half of Tech grads leave the state, half of tech grads come from out of state, 90% of UGA is Georgia residents, 90% of Georgia grads stay in state. If you didn’t go to either school, by default, 90% of the time you’re a UGA fan. So lets not argue the fan base numbers. I graduated from Tech, my Dad from UGA.
However, with the history of Tech in the SEC, and the old rivalries they would be a good fit. If you wanted to lose control of the Atlanta market, just have the Big 10 pick up Tech and then all these damn transplants will be watching more Tech games.
I’d rather stay in the ACC b/c I follow many more sports than just baseball and Tech is better all around than most SEC schools. But I’d rather be in the SEC than the Big 10, if we were to explore those options.
John
June 10th, 2010
3:00 pm
TMZ is reporting that Okie State to Pac-10 is a done deal. Looks like Texas, TAMU, OU, TTU are also heading to Pac-10
Navigator
June 10th, 2010
3:01 pm
Notre Dame, I hope they wind up with no following, no games, no network, and no bowl. Their attitude of being above all others may put them where they belong, at the bottom, plus, what conference wants them to come in a make demands on why they should be treated differently. Right now, the Big East only has three teams with any value, so those teams need to move quickly to join a conference with a future. I think the SEC should stay pat, make no changes, as they are so superior they don’t need any of these second class teams. Four straight BCS National Champions, I mean they win every year don’t they. Haven’t they won every National Championship every year for the last 30, oh wait a minute, my wife just said 4 outright and one contested by Southern Cal. Oh yeah during that 30 year period, FSU has 2, Miami has 3, Clemson 1, and a contested between GTech and Colorado. Wait a minute that’s 7, and Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and Southern Cal have championships to, so maybe the SEC isn’t above getting their hands dirty too.
Cap
June 10th, 2010
3:05 pm
The Pac-10 has already made a pre-emptive strike by taking Colorado meaning Baylor has no shot. The Pac-137,000 is not going to take Baylor over Oklahoma State. Baylor and Texas A&M will have to duel to see who goes with Texas and Texas Tech to the Pac-3,484,236. If I were Texas A&M I would lobby my way into the SEC. The SEC might want to take a look at Baylor too. Texas A&M, Baylor, and maybe West Virginia and Louisville would not be bad pick ups for the SEC. Nobody mentions the importance of West Virginia University. The suburbs of Washington DC actually extend into West Virginia and Morgantown is part of the Pittsburgh TV market. Adding Louisville won’t do much for football but the state of Kentucky will now become the beacon of SEC basketball relevance.
And I will repeat it again. Miami is a large TV market-and one that will not watch the SEC.
Reality
June 10th, 2010
3:10 pm
The ACC will acquire Florida, TENN and South Carolina and then add West Virginia and a couple of other teams to make their super conference.
The ACC pays out more overall and with those additions would match up well with the PAC 10 super conference.
Ric Flair
June 10th, 2010
3:15 pm
SEC was going to add the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts but determined they were too slow. Their lack of SEC Speed was cited as the reason.
Here is a thought
June 10th, 2010
3:15 pm
Let Vandy and SC head on over to the ACC and then the SEC picks up the 3 major Tx schools ………..U of T, A&M and TX Tech.
The market for the SEC would be huge and the SEC would not miss SC or Vandy ……….not a second would they be missed. We could possibly add Clemson and create a new W/E div. format.
GT? They left behind. They bring nada to the SEC table.
speculating is fun
June 10th, 2010
3:15 pm
Reality – sounds good to me, take them. Hope you like jorts.
Kane337
June 10th, 2010
3:16 pm
“GatorGuy
June 10th, 2010
2:37 pm
For you guys who want Miami to join the SEC, be careful of what you ask for. They will only bring a few hundred fans to your campus but you will wish they had not come. Just ask UVA, UNC and other ACC schools about the Miami “fans”.”
Oh please. More scared tactics by Gaytor fans. Their school is scared they would have to play Miami every year if they joined the SEC. They are the ones that bailed out on the yearly matchups Miami used to have with them every year. They got tired of the butt whoopin’s.
Not Disappointed!
June 10th, 2010
3:17 pm
who cares? Is it time for college football?
Ramblin Wreck out!
The ACC and realignment
June 10th, 2010
3:20 pm
The only people talking about the ACC in this realignment atmospshere are ACC fans. They do not get it. No one desires to blend into that lil boy league. They have nothing to offer beyond two or three fairly decent basketball teams from one year to the next.
ACC fans ………… it is all about $$$$. The DC market and the Boston market are not contiguous to the S.E. like TX is.
Clemson would be a nice pick up and they historically have had good to great D minded teams. Theya re it as far as any compatibility with the SEC and Tech ? forget them. Nothing do they bring into this neogtiation. Nothing, because the SEC already owns Atlanta and Florida.
GeezusDawg
June 10th, 2010
3:20 pm
Vandy would be missed as they are located in Nashville (major city and TV market) and they lend a good bit of academic credibility to the conference.
Jason
June 10th, 2010
3:20 pm
@Abiaka,
Good point! It is easy to forget about USC being a directional school when they’re such a marquee name.
Harry V. Agina
June 10th, 2010
3:20 pm
Ok, seriously, I think GT and Clemson would be great going into the SEC, but the semenoles and Thug U, I seriously dont think they would do anything for the conference but bring trouble, not in a good way. Texas yeah would be cool, but Virginia Tech, give me a butt spankin break, they are pretty much up north, dont see them as a tried and true SEC team.
That is all,
Harry V. Agina
speculating is fun
June 10th, 2010
3:23 pm
GeezusDawg, don’t foget they are a charter member are they not?
GeezusDawg
June 10th, 2010
3:23 pm
Oh yeah, Vandy is a charter member of the SEC too.
Shoryland
June 10th, 2010
3:29 pm
Missouri is an excellent candidate for the SEC:
http://shoryland.com/2010/06/think-bigger-than-big-ten-missouri.html
har har har
June 10th, 2010
3:31 pm
The NFL being swept up in expansion craziness going on this afternoon has just announced a plan to annex the South Eastern Conference, expanding their number of teams to 44.
In a related story the citizens of Georgia have announced a plan to purchase one way tickets for all Tech fans to destination of their choice provided it is at least 5 states away. After said trip their names will then be added to the national do not fly registry.
And more breaking news the Georgia legislature has just signed into law an act banning the wearing of jorts throughout the state. Any one caught wearing jorts will be immediately escorted to the nearest bridge and tossed over the side.
Gary
June 10th, 2010
3:31 pm
jacklydo – Rutgers joining the Big Ten and getting their lump sum of revenue from the conference will fix any budget/cash issues they are having. If they get an invite, I am sure they will take it. Big Ten wants to expand into the NY market – well Rutgers and Syracuse or even UConn will give you that.
I-Dog – A 16 team SEC would work like this: split all teams into four divisions (north, south, east, west) with four teams a piece. You can keep the current 8 game conference schedule by playing games your division (3 games), playing two natural rivals from other divisions (2 games), and then playing a team from each of the other three divisions (3 games). With that schedule every team would play each other every 3-4 years which is basically no different than the current setup. As far as deciding the SEC Championship – each division would be reseeded by record. The top two teams would host the bottom two teams with the winners advancing to the Championship game at the Georgia Dome. That first round playoff game would bring in more viewership than some of the recent BCS games and we all know that the SEC Championship will still be the top draw.
And as far as Miami coming into the SEC. Yes they have a hard time selling out that stadium. But who can blame them when they are playing the likes of Ga Tech, Duke, N. Carolina, Wake Forest, etc…. year in and year out? Those teams don’t travel well, but Miami does seem to score big crowds when FSU comes to town. If Miami constantly played LSU, Florida, Georgia, Bama, Auburn, Tennessee, etc…..they would have no problem selling that stadium out. They have a rich – though questionable – history and they have a large following. Trust me they would be a huge addition to the SEC. Also Florida is not going to stop FSU and Miami from coming into the conference. If it a decision that will make the conference better – and it will – then Slive and the other ADs will approve of it. Also, Florida didn’t seem to object when FSU was last invited back in the early 90s but turned it down.
Pope UGA XXIII
June 10th, 2010
3:34 pm
In local headlines, SEC officials have sent an email to Tech
basically stating, give us a call when your stadium seats more
than it did in 1962 !!!
I like the SEC the way it is with 12 teams only!
June 10th, 2010
3:35 pm
Why mess with a good thing. I think these super-conferences are a bad idea! So what if the Big 16 and Pac 16 has more teams? We can still have our championship game and we will still have the most talented teams year in and out in football!
Gary
June 10th, 2010
3:36 pm
With all due respect to the Tech faithful, the SEC is not coming after you. They will want brand recognition and a large following – neither of what Tech can bring. Good school and looking up on the football landscape, but not what the SEC will want. The only ACC teams that can bring this are FSU, Miami, and Va Tech. Clemson and Ga Tech can bring natural rivalries and if the last spot comes down to those two teams, it will be Clemson because of the SEC ready facilities they have.
cc
June 10th, 2010
3:37 pm
notre dame is a completely wimpy school at this point when it comes to football, staying independent is like saying you only want your military to have to invade grenada everytime. notre dame, well worthy of the name ‘our lady’, their players should all wear stiletto cleats, complete cowards that still want to be included with brave schools (brave through their willingness to take on tough schedules) at the end of each year. vanderbilt is tougher than the fainting irish may ever be again. the only way for the irish to improve is to take on real opponents each year and get serious, but watch out, fsu already showed us what a sheep in wolf’s clothing already looks like.
Seriously
June 10th, 2010
3:38 pm
I dont understand why people prefer okstate to texas tech. did yall know that okstate got most of their traditions from texas tech?? do some research and youll find that they are a copy of tech. and their stadiums seat the same amount, and in my book texas as a whole is way more important than oklahoma. geez.
IL Jacket
June 10th, 2010
3:38 pm
Well, the fun has begun. Next move is up to Texas. Do they go big to Pac-10? Bide time and add a couple of teams to Big 12 or accept Big 10 offer-the most lucrative of its options. For political reasons, the last choice is probably not realistic-Governor of Texas will not permit A&M to be separated from UT. I am not one to give credence to adding SMU & TCU to Big 12. Remember they were dropped like hot potatoes when Big 12 came calling after Arkansas bolted leading to SWC breakup. The problem with that Middle Kingdom conference is that there is not a lot appealling to TV types once you get past Texas. Missouri appears to be
getting short end of stick-desperately wants out of Big 12, but without further B10 expansion, no where to go. Then there is Baylor whose religious orientation is leaving them out in the cold. Then there are the 3 orphans-KState, KU and ISU. Lord knows where they go. All very interesting.
I don’t believe the B10 is done, but their hand appeared to be forced with this Big 12 insistence on affirming the love. I see the B10 continuing their study and maybe having another go either the end of this yearbor next year.
Bob LeBlah
June 10th, 2010
3:39 pm
SEC should add:
Clemson and FSU to the East… T A&M and UT to the west.