Conference realignment "Rumors" "tweets" "etc"

[Who'sYourData?]

14 hours ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Somebody’s lying…

No one is lying.  There is little doubt that Aresco knows the AAC will either win big, lose big, or maintain some sort of equilibrium as the "best of the rest" when all is said and done.  So he is being proactive.

Is he having conversations with B12 schools?  Absolutely not.  He has conversations with his friend who does not directly work with the AAC, who has conversations with the other schools and with ESPN.  He can say uncategorically that he has not spoken to any other schools.  In the highly unlikely event this ever goes to trial, he can again say he did not have contact with other schools.  He barely knew the guy having conversations.  He was once a coffee at the golf club.  

But it won't ever come to a trial, because by the time we get to that point all the negotiations will be done.  The schools will have their money, and they won't want any of the dirty laundry coming out.  And the B12 or AAC will likely be dead anyway.

It is a dance.  There is absolutely no doubt someone is having conversations with the AAC and ESPN.  Just like their are conversations between the B12 and some AAC schools already happening.  All with deniability, but ESPN is throwing its weight around also.

[Rocky Style]

31 minutes ago, BulledOver said:

That's a good analogy which conjures an image.....

Since they are bribing formerly great teams like Texas to join the SEC and get beat up on, they will need to wall off and boost up that conference more.  You'll hear all the braindead talking heads boosting up this agenda on the talk shows.  Maybe they will need to satiate the teams that get left behind to consolidate into a new structure where they get a little more money for now. 

Has anyone done analysis lately on how ESPN keeps its empire going?  I haven't seen this analysis pop up yet, but I have to think that more cord cutting will happen and put cost cutting pressure on the bubble.  Cable subscribers will die off and not be replaced.  Perhaps alumni of the handful of programs deemed worthy enough to compete can prop it all up with a pay-per-view model?  Even then, I'm not sure if that level of money can compete with the big pharma blue pill/ugly triangle SUV/grotesque hamburger ad revenue in the current cable model.  

Unless they expand the playoffs, I would imagine the eyeballs that care about the same 4 teams every year would continue to reduce over time.  The current product sucks.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Rocky Style

[Rocky Style]

10 minutes ago, Who'sYourData? said:

It is a dance.  There is absolutely no doubt someone is having conversations with the AAC and ESPN.  Just like their are conversations between the B12 and some AAC schools already happening.  All with deniability, but ESPN is throwing its weight around also.

It's in their financial best interest to kill their own arrangement with the B12, so yes.  They have to hit the right dollar amount and backroom deals to get everyone to kill it for them.

[BulledOver]

16 minutes ago, Rocky Style said:

Since they are bribing formerly great teams like Texas to join the SEC and get beat up on, they will need to wall off and boost up that conference more.  You'll hear all the braindead talking heads boosting up this agenda on the talk shows.  Maybe they will need to satiate the teams that get left behind to consolidate into a new structure where they get a little more money for now. 

Has anyone done analysis lately on how ESPN keeps its empire going?  I haven't seen this analysis pop up yet, but I have to think that more cord cutting will happen and put cost cutting pressure on the bubble.  Cable subscribers will die off and not be replaced.  Perhaps alumni of the handful of programs deemed worthy enough to compete can prop it all up with a pay-per-view model?  Even then, I'm not sure if that level of money can compete with the big pharma blue pill/ugly triangle SUV/grotesque hamburger ad revenue in the current cable model.  

Unless they expand the playoffs, I would imagine the eyeballs that care about the same 4 teams every year would continue to reduce over time.  The current product sucks.

 I read it and I understand your take.....I believe I will go kill myself now the future of football looks bleak...

[Who'sYourData?]

29 minutes ago, Rocky Style said:

Has anyone done analysis lately on how ESPN keeps its empire going?  I haven't seen this analysis pop up yet, but I have to think that more cord cutting will happen and put cost cutting pressure on the bubble.  Cable subscribers will die off and not be replaced.  Perhaps alumni of the handful of programs deemed worthy enough to compete can prop it all up with a pay-per-view model?  Even then, I'm not sure if that level of money can compete with the big pharma blue pill/ugly triangle SUV/grotesque hamburger ad revenue in the current cable model.  

Unless they expand the playoffs, I would imagine the eyeballs that care about the same 4 teams every year would continue to reduce over time.  The current product sucks.

ESPN already has ESPN+.  They are ready for any viewership model that comes along.  They have the content that sports fans will pay for.  They will have to adjust along the way, but they aren't going away any time soon.

[bowman1]

30 minutes ago, Who'sYourData? said:

ESPN already has ESPN+.  They are ready for any viewership model that comes along.  They have the content that sports fans will pay for.  They will have to adjust along the way, but they aren't going away any time soon.

I am wondering how long it takes for some national talking head to lament about reduced fan attendance in relation to realignment and PPV TV modeling 

Personally, I prefer to see USF at RayJay over watching on TV, but if for some reason ESPN (or any network) went to a full PPV model, I probably would not pay the access fee

For clarification, I currently subscribe to ESPN+, because it is a flat fee and I get lots of alt content besides USF away games

[USFsurfer06]

I love this thread and the endless speculation, therefore I shall continue it

It's looking like KU to the Big 10 may be a possibility.  If that's the case the Big 10 will want to select 2 more to make it even.  The only other AAU qualifier that makes sense from the Big 12 is ISU.  Yes, they are not good in anything right now but neither was Rutgers or Maryland at the time of their acceptance.  Plus the Big 10 would then own the state of Iowa and have a good rivalry.  No Iowa is not huge but hey, owning Connecticut, Vermont, and Oriental Avenue is still valuable in Monopoly even though they are cheaper properties.  

WVU to the ACC just makes too much sense not to happen, then the ACC reserves the 16th spot for ND if they should ever decide.

That leaves TCU, Baylor, OSU, KSU, & TTU.

Poach BYU (yes I know all the issues that come with them) Boise State, Army, and your choice of Appalachian State or Coastal Carolina 

Create 4 pods of 5

NW Pod: OSU, Tulsa, KSU, BYU, BSU

SW Pod: UH, TCU, SMU, Baylor, TTU

NE Pod: Temple, UC, Navy, Army, Memphis

SE: Pod: USF, UCF, Tulane, ECU, (ASU or CCU)

Each team plays the other 4 teams in their pod plus 2 teams from each of the other 3 pods, leaving two out of conference spots on the schedule.  The top schools from each pod are then seeded in a 4 team conference playoff to determine the champ!

This would be fun!  

[usf97]

This thread makes me think that maybe EA sports should develop a "Conference Realignment" Video Game. There clearly is a demand for such content. 

You could pick any team be it Wake Forest or South Alabama and you could navigate all the political infighting until you were invited to play in the Big 10 or SEC. 

The final scene would be you getting your media rights check!

[usf97]

Trip is there a way to find out how many Active Board members are still posting in this thread and what is the post count? 

Going to page 1 is like going in the wayback machine seeing all the posters of days past. 

[bowman1]

31 minutes ago, usf97 said:

This thread makes me think that maybe EA sports should develop a "Conference Realignment" Video Game. There clearly is a demand for such content. 

You could pick any team be it Wake Forest or South Alabama and you could navigate all the political infighting until you were invited to play in the Big 10 or SEC. 

The final scene would be you getting your media rights check!

Grand Theft CFB?