The Coming Super Conference

[Coloradojacket]

So I was chatting with someone at the tailgate and we were talking about recruiting and College Football in general. In the discussion he shared with me what he thinks is about to happen to the sport we love. We all know that this paying the players is about to go nationwide and understand, they will be paid for a whole host of things. Shoe deals, likenesses, signing autographs at the car dealership etc. He said once this happens, the Clemson, Alabamas Ohio States of the world are going to be at a semi pro level of being able to recruit. The gap will widen to the point that it will be decided to eliminate the conferences as we know them today. There will be a conference made up of 20 or so teams that will be the new Power conference. There will be no way the GTs, Vandy's, maybe even UVAs of the world will be able to compete.

Even the idea of schemes being able to out do this will vanish, as we have sort of seen the last few years against UGA. We will drop into basically a large division made up of the old conference P5s and G5 teams. Now this may actually make College football better but, the rivalries will be gone. I at first doubted this, but the more I thought about it, I think he I right,

 

[HurricaneJacket]

Arguably, the expansion of the playoff to allow every P5 champion will help somewhat, because you'll see more talent stay local and slowly rebuild regional powers.

I very much hope there isn't a split, because the death of rivalries would kill a lot of the fun for me (especially given that our old school rivals likely would be in the super league)

 

[gtg936g]

Or we start assisting the marketing of our players in the ATL and leverage/build relationships with local companies to have our guys promote their product. If we leveraged the industry side of the ATL (clubs, car dealers, engineering companies, etc.) there aren’t many areas that can compete with the size of the ATL market.


We need to innovate bow and start executing a strategy to get our players paid more than anywhere else. This is where the swag of Collins could really help GT.

For example imagine Collins retweeting waffle house add with our DL eating there. Everyone wants a QB on their add but we could get multiple adds for a lot of our guys, especially as groups.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

So I was chatting with someone at the tailgate and we were talking about recruiting and College Football in general. In the discussion he shared with me what he thinks is about to happen to the sport we love. We all know that this paying the players is about to go nationwide and understand, they will be paid for a whole host of things. Shoe deals, likenesses, signing autographs at the car dealership etc. He said once this happens, the Clemson, Alabamas Ohio States of the world are going to be at a semi pro level of being able to recruit. The gap will widen to the point that it will be decided to eliminate the conferences as we know them today. There will be a conference made up of 20 or so teams that will be the new Power conference. There will be no way the GTs, Vandy's, maybe even UVAs of the world will be able to compete.

Even the idea of schemes being able to out do this will vanish, as we have sort of seen the last few years against UGA. We will drop into basically a large division made up of the old conference P5s and G5 teams. Now this may actually make College football better but, the rivalries will be gone. I at first doubted this, but the more I thought about it, I think he I right,

He is right. It makes me sad, but the writing is on the wall. Even Herschel Walker & Tebow realize that the outright paying of players like this will most likely do this to college football. It is about fanbase size ultimately- what sells products & services.

 

[BleedGoldNWhite21]

So I was chatting with someone at the tailgate and we were talking about recruiting and College Football in general. In the discussion he shared with me what he thinks is about to happen to the sport we love. We all know that this paying the players is about to go nationwide and understand, they will be paid for a whole host of things. Shoe deals, likenesses, signing autographs at the car dealership etc. He said once this happens, the Clemson, Alabamas Ohio States of the world are going to be at a semi pro level of being able to recruit. The gap will widen to the point that it will be decided to eliminate the conferences as we know them today. There will be a conference made up of 20 or so teams that will be the new Power conference. There will be no way the GTs, Vandy's, maybe even UVAs of the world will be able to compete.

Even the idea of schemes being able to out do this will vanish, as we have sort of seen the last few years against UGA. We will drop into basically a large division made up of the old conference P5s and G5 teams. Now this may actually make College football better but, the rivalries will be gone. I at first doubted this, but the more I thought about it, I think he I right,

I’ve discussed basically this exactly scenario on this board before. I don’t think it’s an if, I think it’s a when. I believe eventually the factory schools will essentially become a minor league for the NFL and the remaining FBS teams will pretty much continue what they are doing. Similar to how the FCS playoffs are currently televised, I still think the remaining FBS teams would get plenty of exposure on TV and have their own championship separate from the big boys.

Tradition plays such a big factor in college football and something this monumental would affect traditions all across the country, so I definitely think there will be negative side affects. At the same time, I think the playing field will be much more even and there will be more competitive games all around. When you boil it down, does it really make sense that Vandy is competing with Florida?

 

[Sebastian GT]

He is right. It makes me sad, but the writing is on the wall. Even Herschel Walker & Tebow realize that the outright paying of players like this will do this to college football.

Ha. Herschel Walker was one of the highest paid players in college football in the early 80's. Which one of his personality's said this?

 

[stech81]

So I was chatting with someone at the tailgate and we were talking about recruiting and College Football in general. In the discussion he shared with me what he thinks is about to happen to the sport we love. We all know that this paying the players is about to go nationwide and understand, they will be paid for a whole host of things. Shoe deals, likenesses, signing autographs at the car dealership etc. He said once this happens, the Clemson, Alabamas Ohio States of the world are going to be at a semi pro level of being able to recruit. The gap will widen to the point that it will be decided to eliminate the conferences as we know them today. There will be a conference made up of 20 or so teams that will be the new Power conference. There will be no way the GTs, Vandy's, maybe even UVAs of the world will be able to compete.

Even the idea of schemes being able to out do this will vanish, as we have sort of seen the last few years against UGA. We will drop into basically a large division made up of the old conference P5s and G5 teams. Now this may actually make College football better but, the rivalries will be gone. I at first doubted this, but the more I thought about it, I think he I right,

Super conferences were talked about a few years ago when people said the 12 minus 2 would fold. And one day I guess it could but the problem now is most teams have signed there TV rights away. Not sure but I don't think the SEC did at that time. Others conferences Did to keep from loading any teams.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Well one could argue all these fake degrees of Parks & Rec have basically split universities into the college part and the adult day care center part. Complete with slides and everything else. When guys who were first round draft picks decide to stay for 1 more year of college, you know they're already making big money. The only big question (and its a big one) is how you decide who goes into which conference.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I wonder how many, if any, schools might choose NOT to participate in such a power conference, although they could qualify to do so. I would think that ND, because of their proud history of independence, might not, and oddly enough, I think Clemson also might choose not to do so. The SEC would be pretty much devastated by the loss of the mutts, Bama, LSU, probably Auburn, and maybe A&M. Tennessee might want to, but based on recent history, I don't think they should. This would definitely make for new regional rivalries and perhaps even return college football to the form it once had.

 

[gt13]

If this does happen, I hope tech does not go the semi pro route. Theres a reason I watch college football but not the NFL - a semi-pro league will eventually be a minor league NFL team and then what's the point? You have two professional football teams in your city instead of one?

The reason I like college football so much is because they are student athletes who represent the school I went to and share many of the same experiences and traditions. The team is made up of kids who like GT as much as I do and are brave enough to take on the challenge of the academic part while also playing football. There's a lot of pride there for me when I see our players be successful at both football and school.

If our team were made up of random kids who didnt go to class and only picked us because we drafted them or offered them the highest bid, that ruins it for me. If I wanted that I would just watch the NFL.

Frankly this wouldn't be the worst thing as I am getting tired of how big the gap has gotten between us and uga/Clemson. It's not really even a fair matchup - it's pretty obvious the big time programs have a huge advantage in resources that's only getting bigger and all the cheating/under the table stuff that the NCAA just brushed aside for its biggest programs is infuriating.

 

[FrostedOrange]

Cpj said this is the future at the Macon Touchdown Club last month. I think we'd all benefit from a semipro league for hs players that wanna focus on Fb and let "student athletes" once again rule college football

 

[ole ball coach]

I'll take it one step further. I have heard from high school coaches, there are going to be more and more IMG Acadamy type high schools and that will morph into athletes of the highest quality attending those and the balance playing at the local high school level. Picture Gwinnett County with 2-3 type IMG's and then the rest of the athletes staying at their normal zoned HS. Would be like A and B similar to what the GFL used to have in the 8th grade division.

Heck, the youth teams today are alot of "all- star" and/or traveling type teams. Idea is not too far from happening in reality.

 

[herb]

Good luck with all of this. Haven’t almost all the teams pledged their tv rights to the various conferences? That is gonna be one messy and expensive divorce.

 

[SteamWhistle]

Will never happen but it’s fun to fantasize. It is technically the off season. Also what about Tech says we aren’t a fit for the super conference, Atlanta alone would keep us in. How many small companies in ATL can we find to sponsor our players, I’ll save you the research : a **** ton.

 

[JacketOff]

I honestly just don’t think there are enough teams that would be able to compete in a new “super conference.” In a couple of years, the current dynamic of college football will change, just like it always does every 5-7 years or so. Alabama is on the back end of their dynasty. LSU is coming back into a power. Georgia might be coming down back to normal, especially with Florida and Tennessee lurking again. Florida State was a national championship contender 5 years ago, now they’re called a dumpster fire. Oregon was really bad for a few years, now they’re coming back. Ohio State looks like they’ll be in position to become a dynasty. Clemson shows no signs of slowing under Dabo. But the big picture of college football is different now than it was 5 years ago, and vastly different than it was 10-15 years ago. There are too many variables within programs for 15-20 or so to break off into their own league. What about teams like Texas, USC, UCLA, Nebraska, etc. who are traditional powers but have been average over the past decade? Midway through the season these are the teams who had a chance to play for the Natty:
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
Florida
Georgia
Clemson
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Penn State
Oklahoma
Baylor
Oregon
Utah
Minnesota
Michigan
That’s 15 teams, and about a third of those aren’t considered traditional powers. Just for simplicity take those 15 and add traditional powers who have been bad recently: Texas, USC, UCLA, Nebraska, FSU, Miami, Tennessee. Those teams might’ve won 3 games if they played a 12 game schedule consisting of teams in that “super conference.”

Then you have the breaking up rivals aspect, and teams that would be on the fringe of that top tier. Would Ole Miss, Miss St., Arkansas, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Washington, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Michigan State, etc. allow their rivals to move up to a new league and take all the revenue with them? Or would they want to join that league too? I just don’t think it’s possible with the ever changing landscape of college football to create a league of only “powerhouses”, there’s way too much gray area to contend with.

 

[Boss Ross]

ugag cu bama au Ohio st and a few others have been buying players for years this is nothing new .

 

[Oakland]

The only big question (and its a big one) is how you decide who goes into which conference.

Average football home attendance for the super conference and work your way down. I'm for a football super conference. It would level the playing field as long as the super conference schools played only each other. This arms race stuff in college sports is getting out of hand. The ACC would lose Clemson, FSU, and VPI. The SEC would be screwed up.

 

[stech81]

Guys don't over think this, this talk started when the Big 10 +4 were trying to get teams. The talk then was Super Conferences with 16 team in 4 super conferences . The Pac12 has 12 teams , The SEC has 14 , The Big 12 has 10, the ACC has 14 and the Big 10 has 14 teams. that makes 64 teams. If it did happen you would have 4 16 team conferences it would do away with one conference . Word back a few years ago it would be the Big 12 . Maybe move a few teams to be in line with teams closer by area. If it did happen Tech would be in this if it , but you would be looking a years from now.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Average football home attendance for the super conference and work your way down. I'm for a football super conference. It would level the playing field as long as the super conference schools played only each other. This arms race stuff in college sports is getting out of hand. The ACC would lose Clemson, FSU, and VPI. The SEC would be screwed up.

I am not totally convinced that Clemson would do it. FSU shouldn't at this point in time. And VPI ???

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Guys don't over think this, this talk started when the Big 10 +4 were trying to get teams. The talk then was Super Conferences with 16 team in 4 super conferences . The Pac12 has 12 teams , The SEC has 14 , The Big 12 has 10, the ACC has 14 and the Big 10 has 14 teams. that makes 64 teams. If it did happen you would have 4 16 team conferences it would do away with one conference . Word back a few years ago it would be the Big 12 . Maybe move a few team be move in line with teams closer by area. If it did happen Tech would be in this if it , but you would be looking a years from now.

With pay-for-play now being on the verge of total legality, I think it's closer than you realize.