Conference Realignment

[RonJohn]

All true. But in college football the SEC is not going anywhere because a much higher percentage of high level players come from the southern region and want the easiest academic route to the NFL. So, all this talk of the SEC eventually fading away and the BIG having some sort of plan to overtake them on the field is laughable. Research dollars do nothing for the product on the field as GT fans all know. The only way that happens is if some body puts in academic minimums/standards that are actually enforced. However we know in todays society that would never be allowed. Hence, the SEC in most low income communities is seen as the path to the NFL. As hard as Ohio State, Penn State (and you know Franklin is begging) and a few others try to convince a 5 star to come a thousand miles away in the cold they aren’t coming in sufficient numbers to overtake the southern teams. And the west coast nuts will eventually get football banned in their region anyway which is why Cali’s studs all leave the state. But I agree if academics are ever mixed back into college football then GT will be in a great position whether in the BIG or SEC.

You totally missed my point. I did not say that the Big10 is superior to the SEC in football. I did not say that the Big10 will be superior to the SEC in football. What I said is that the SEC and Big10 both add better athletics and more money. The SEC adds zero value to the school athletically or in relation to research. If the president is choosing between two conferences which are similar in athletics, but one adds much more value to the university then the one that adds more overall value will win.

This is all hypothetical anyway because nobody is leaving the ACC in the near future.

 

[Techwood Relict]

I don't think the SEC is a choice, but if it were, I would still go with the B1G. The B1G's vision is national, and if you look at the tea leaves, their future plans look to dwarf the SEC's aspirations. The SEC wants to maintain a regional stranglehold on the South and Southwest. That's fine, but one day the SEC won't be the "SEC" any longer. All things are cyclical, and the SEC will eventually lose it's place on the pedastal of college football. The SEC also has tied themselves to ESPN...and if you're paying attention, ESPN's footing looks to be shifting. Disney is looking to offload parts of ESPN...which there's a REALLY high probability that ESPN will be dismantled pretty soon to investors. That means cost cutting, spinning off/selling of divisions, etc. Good luck to the SEC if that's the case. Overleveraging to obtain media assets is what got Diamond/Bally into trouble.

I read somewhere that the ACC contract is actually more profitable for ESPN than the SEC. The SEC brings in more revenue, but the profit margin is much smaller than the ACC. That's not a situation I want GT to be a part of.

Some of our older Yellow Jackets family may be nostalgic to return to the SEC, but that would be a BAD move. Not only in terms of $$$, or the scenario outlined above, but the SEC has shown they're OK with members cannibalizing each other. In the end, the SEC will turn out to be its own worst enemy. The B1G has high standards in the classroom and on the field, and IMO, that's is in line with why Dodd left the SEC in the first place.

I believe in time, if GT joins the B1G, GT will return to a "Southern powerhouse" like back in Dodd and Heisman's era. When B1G teams like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC, UCLA, etc. come to BDS, we will again play in front of a packed stadium. When, not if, we start winning against those teams, elite athletes will want to stay home to play for GT against those teams as well.

Thomas Wolf wrote "You Can't Go Home Again." The themes in that book ring true for GT...GT would be wise to leave the SEC in the past and move onto to bigger and better things.

“He did not know. All that he knew was that the years flow by like water, and that one day men come home again.” - Thomas Wolfe

“You can't go home again” - Thomas Wolfe

I can't decide which one is right..... but it seems like it'd be a good rehire by Murray State.

Mr. Wolfe is a regular in these parts....

 

[Techster]

Mr. Wolfe is a regular in these parts....

I've referenced Wolfe on many times as well. Big fan of his.

We need to start a GT Book thread.

(Yup, we just totally GT'd this thread)

 

[bobongo]

I go with the BIG, that's where the long term future lays IMO. I would love having USC, MI, WI, OSU, UCLA, possibly Stanford, OR, WA, ND etc. playing at BDS at Hyundai Field from time to time. Long term I see SEC having problems, obviously not in the next few years. I'm an old SEC guy, I understand how some feel about that, especially the older folk like myself.

I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to put Tennessee back on the schedule. And Auburn, and Florida, and Alabama. Them were the days...

 

[slugboy]

Behind a firewall, but here’s a fantasy that has a shared NCAA football contract and puts us back in a smaller SEC (and Nebraska back in a classic Big 8??)

Conference realignment reimagined: What if common sense ruled college football?

In a world where realignment has gone wild, let's lay out a vision for a college football landscape that actually serves fans.

theathletic.com

And here’s a more jaded and realistic view from the same(-ish) people:

Five scenarios for the next 10 years of college conference realignment

Here are five potential scenarios, ordered from least to most radical, for what college sports might look like 10 years from now.

theathletic.com

Let me know if the sharing makes any kind of difference to your ability to read the articles

 

[bke1984]

If I got to pick I’d take the SEC every day and twice on Sunday. B1G will be more national, but the SEC teams just flat out care more about football than those of any other conference in this country. Sure - there are teams in the B1G that are that way, but I don’t think they care as much too to bottom. The SEC fan bases live for football - it’s part of their being.

That argument aside, let’s play some teams that are geographically close to us!

 

[Richard7125]

The B1G smack in the heart of the SEC would be a perpetual nuisance.
If Tech had a choice, which would it be? The AAU-rich B1G or rekindling the old SEC rivalries? I'd have to go with the SEC, warts and all. But I would be happy with either.

Serious question, Why do you think it would be a thorn in the SEC's side if Tech were to join the Big10? People throw that around a lot, but in today's world, I really don't see that being a very big deal.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I go with the BIG, that's where the long term future lays IMO. I would love having USC, MI, WI, OSU, UCLA, possibly Stanford, OR, WA, ND etc. playing at BDS at Hyundai Field from time to time. Long term I see SEC having problems, obviously not in the next few years. I'm an old SEC guy, I understand how some feel about that, especially the older folk like myself.

Me too. Even after Tech left the SEC I always pulled for any SEC team versus the world. It took a very long time for that affection to die but when it did it died for good.

Theoretically if the SEC could redeem itself from its corruption, greed, arrogance and phony amateurism I could see loving the SEC again. But it’s not going to happen. The snake oil salesmen won.

 

[stech81]

Serious question, Why do you think it would be a thorn in the SEC's side if Tech were to join the Big10? People throw that around a lot, but in today's world, I really don't see that being a very big deal.

I really don’t think the SEC cares what happens to us. And I don’t think we are very high on the list for the Big 10.

 

[CEB]

Serious question, Why do you think it would be a thorn in the SEC's side if Tech were to join the Big10? People throw that around a lot, but in today's world, I really don't see that being a very big deal.

Agree. I don’t think that moves the needle at all. I don’t think GT (or Clemson or FSU or Miami for that matter) is getting an SEC invite to block the Big Ten. It’s about revenue. I also don’t think it’s nearly as cut throat as fans want to make it. Conferences aren’t looking to destroy or block one another; they’re looking for strategic partners / additions to improve their own standing.
It would be fun to rekindle the historic rivalries in the SEC but I think we would be at a bigger disadvantage and probably find ourselves facing very similar scenarios and circumstances to those that we took a stand against the first time we left. Although we were a founding member and we have more SEC titles than half of the current members, it just doesn’t seem like a fit at this point.
I’d be thrilled if we ended up in the SEC tomorrow but if I had my choice, I’d rather be in the BIG

 

[RonJohn]

Agree. I don’t think that moves the needle at all. I don’t think GT (or Clemson or FSU or Miami for that matter) is getting an SEC invite to block the Big Ten. It’s about revenue. I also don’t think it’s nearly as cut throat as fans want to make it. Conferences aren’t looking to destroy or block one another; they’re looking for strategic partners / additions to improve their own standing.
It would be fun to rekindle the historic rivalries in the SEC but I think we would be at a bigger disadvantage and probably find ourselves facing very similar scenarios and circumstances to those that we took a stand against the first time we left. Although we were a founding member and we have more SEC titles than half of the current members, it just doesn’t seem like a fit at this point.
I’d be thrilled if we ended up in the SEC tomorrow but if I had my choice, I’d rather be in the BIG

I think there is a strong argument that the Big10 picking up two teams in LA was at least partially to keep the SEC out of California. Who could the SEC add from California now? Cal? Stanford? SD State? There could be some argument that the SEC added TX and Oklahoma to keep the Big10 out of Texas. (I don't think that argument is as strong) I think the Big10 has a very good chance of becoming an actual national conference. The SEC not as good of a chance.

 

[CEB]

I think there is a strong argument that the Big10 picking up two teams in LA was at least partially to keep the SEC out of California. Who could the SEC add from California now? Cal? Stanford? SD State? There could be some argument that the SEC added TX and Oklahoma to keep the Big10 out of Texas. (I don't think that argument is as strong) I think the Big10 has a very good chance of becoming an actual national conference. The SEC not as good of a chance.

Very possible, but it looks to me to be a whole lot more about snagging the most lucrative / best available members when the opportunity presents. I don’t think the BIG cares if the SEC goes to Cali if taking those Cali teams diminished their return.
Similarly, I don’t think the SEC cares if the BIG moves to GA or FL or SC if the SEC can’t monetize the additions that “block” it.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Ultimately, the national vs regional argument might be moot as long as revenues are similar. the B1G might need to be national in order to compete with the revenue generated by a regional $EC. In the end, as long as the two conferences can negotiate on par with each other, how they get there won't matter.

 

[billga99]

I think the SEC will care if the Big 10 picked off teams in Georgia and Florida. The top teams get national exposure and attention and I don't think this moves the needle that much. But now all of the Big Ten teams would get exposure on regional matchups and networks which will help their recruiting. Recruiting is so key in football, basketball and to some extent baseball. Those all become better for the Big Ten teams if they have more exposure.

 

[UgaBlows]

Very possible, but it looks to me to be a whole lot more about snagging the most lucrative / best available members when the opportunity presents. I don’t think the BIG cares if the SEC goes to Cali if taking those Cali teams diminished their return.
Similarly, I don’t think the SEC cares if the BIG moves to GA or FL or SC if the SEC can’t monetize the additions that “block” it.

The BIG schools will recruit the South better if they have presence here, that would hurt the SEC and potentially put the BIG on more even ground talent-wise

 

[Richard7125]

I think the SEC will care if the Big 10 picked off teams in Georgia and Florida. The top teams get national exposure and attention and I don't think this moves the needle that much. But now all of the Big Ten teams would get exposure on regional matchups and networks which will help their recruiting. Recruiting is so key in football, basketball and to some extent baseball. Those all become better for the Big Ten teams if they have more exposure.

Conference expansion is almost entirely due to football revenue and to a much lesser extent basketball revenue. As you point out, the big teams already get national exposure and it probably doesn’t move the needle for them. The Big10 isn’t expanding to help the middle/bottom teams (the same way the SEC isn’t expanding to help Vandy or South Carolina). They are only going to expand if it increases the revenue distributed to each member.

 

[Richard7125]

I also think the exposure concept is somewhat antiquated. That was important 30 to 40 years ago, but today every game is on some form of TV. Moreover, NIL will have a much bigger impact on where a recruit goes than Purdue playing a school in Florida or Georgia.

 

[bobongo]

Serious question, Why do you think it would be a thorn in the SEC's side if Tech were to join the Big10? People throw that around a lot, but in today's world, I really don't see that being a very big deal.

You could be right, although I do think it would have some minimal but immediate effect on recruiting.
But there may be some people in the SEC front office who would raise their eyebrows at a GT invite from the B1G, nonetheless. Right away, the effect might be too small to notice. But if they're looking ahead, they might see that an ongoing B1G presence in the middle of the SEC could grow and become more of a factor down the road. I don't think they would like it very much.

 

[gameface]

Mr. Wolfe is a regular in these parts....

Mr Wolfe also wrote, "A Man in Full", in which GA Tech was the school with the dumb red neck football coach and GA had the sophisticated intelligent coach. He was the darling of dawgnation after that. He was invited to several buckhead homes after that. Be careful who you praise.

 

[CEB]

The BIG schools will recruit the South better if they have presence here, that would hurt the SEC and potentially put the BIG on more even ground talent-wise

I completely agree with this and I still don’t believe that the SEC will “block” for the sake of blocking. They will add schools only if it is an improvement to the bottom line. The SEC is not going to decrease revenue over a few recruiting battles. I would love it if they got all nostalgic and worked us into a deal, and if the Big is interested in us, the SEC will surely take a look, but I don’t think we will win out over other candidates that will be a bigger driver of the bottom line.
FWIW, I am becoming of the mindset that there really aren’t many schools left that will move the bottom line for either conference. I’m not down on Tech, I just think expansion target pool is a MUCH smaller sample size than prevailing internet wisdom would have us believe.