I would have said College Football was either my favorite sport, or at least in the ring to duke it out with NFL and NHL. Now.....I barely recognize it anymore. NIL, seemingly unlimited transfers, conferences that make NO sense geographically, more old rivalries extinguished every year....completely broken in my eyes.
a couple of Super Conferences with divisions that look a lot like the old conferences. The SEC can have a division with Texas, OU, A&M and Arkansas. Big 10 can add more west coast schools to go with UCLA and USC and have a Pacific Division.
has always been big business. Now it's on full display.
These big institutions - in this case, USC and UCLA - know they have to optimize their earning power, or they are going to be left behind. So, I completely understand this move despite the fact that it's demolishing great college football traditions.
Hopefully, the morons on this playoff committee comes to their senses and expand the playoffs to 8 games.
This is all about money. IMO, D1 conferences are going to consolidate into one major "Super Conference" involving all the major TV markets. You're just seeing the start of this.
In 2024, the B1G will be a nationwide conference, going from coast to coast, with major TV markets like Los Angeles (USC/UCLA), New York (Rutgers), etc. Those schools who aren't looked at as major "TV" draws will be forced out. At that point, I think both the SCC and B1G will be looking to grab a national TV deal with Amazon, Disney-ABC or Apple to stream games. I would expect those deals to be in the billions.
Consequences? Well, for the smaller schools, good luck trying to stay relevant. The odds are the smaller schools will try and stay on for a few years with the bowls, but more likely will downgrade to the Football Championship division, to save money.
The darker side of this is the coming labor strife in College D1. "NIL" (Name, Image, Likeness) is only the first step. When the athletes see the Universities making bank on the Super Conference, they will want a chunk of that. The same Agents that are involved with NIL's (approved by the NFL) no doubt will be able to influence the players into striking.
Wolverines-Irish has had some great games...it sucks they won't play again until 2033, when USC is in newly created Pacific Ring Conference along with Alabama, UNH, & North Dakota State, Haha.
Nicole Auerbach
@NicoleAuerbach
Just got off the phone with someone who believes this eventually leads to two megaconferences — the Big Ten and SEC — with 20 or more members apiece.
Nicole Auerbach
@NicoleAuerbach
Just got off the phone with someone who believes this eventually leads to two megaconferences — the Big Ten and SEC — with 20 or more members apiece.
So its the CFB version of the AFC and NFC, and I assume bowl games (if they still exist) will be conference playoffs, with the two conference winners meeting in the National Championship.
College football needs more competition. The SEC is just so dominant right now.
I am hoping they eventually go to a 16 team playoff like 1AA ball.
Losing the rivalries sucks but I think if the conferences get more competitive new rivalries can emerge though they may be shorter lived and change often.
USC and UCLA (They have put much more money into the program) can both be players in the Big 10 imv.
to see the Big 10 bring in Washington, Oregon, Stanford, Cal and Colorado in due time. All of those schools fit in terms of being large, highly regarded institutions even if the geographic fit is tenuous.
Is the next step the really big successful schools start trying to get their own TV deals. Do Alabama, Georgia, OHio State, etc get to a point and say why do I need the conference - I am driving the conference, let’s just go right to the networks.
The reality is no one cares about most of the football teams. MN, Rutgers, Missou, Vandy, Pitt, GT, etc are doing nothing for the big boys.
There are currently 68 Power 5 teams plus ND. I think eventually it will be 3 Super Conferences of 24 teams for football. 4 divisions within each. The playoff gets expanded to 16 teams with 12 division winners and 4 at large.
You limit games to your division (5) and then 2 from each division and then 1 crossover conference game. You also have 1 game with a non power school to help keep them alive
You get rid of the Conference Championship games in favor of playoff seeding opening games by ranking. The top 8 winners then play the 8 losers
You utilize the bowl games as the seeding and playoff games making them more relevant and more money generated
I could be way off with this as well.
We'll the B1G just decided a few months ago to get rid
is created. College football will continue to consolidate and a lot of brands will get wiped out. Then once we're down to a couple dozen teams worth watching, a professional development league can compete with what's left without the overhead or regulations of being integrated with higher education.
Being the oracle that I am and putting on my Nostradamus' hat, I foresee four super conferences dictating the future of college sports.
The ACC will add West Virginia, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Central Florida and will attempt to raid the Big 10 of Rutgers and maybe raid the SEC of South Carolina. I can see the ACC cutting ties with Notre Dame basketball and focusing on the more eastern coastal universities
It will then create a "North ACC" division and a "South ACC" division with two five team sub-divisions in the two main divisions. The Conference Championship will be called the "Civil War Bowl"!
It will be like nothing we could have ever imagined.
Yep. I think the one underreported impact of all this is the effect on the higher education landscape itself. This will have major ripple effects on the economics of college.
But back to football: Cal and Stanford may not clear the bar for football? What does that say for the dozens of programs that couldn't sniff their jock? We will see many similar solid brands making business decisions to fold up shop in the coming years. What do those fans turn to? Do they become Alabama football fans? Where do all those excess coaches and players go?
This is why I think a real minor league separate from the NCAA is coming. How hard will it be for them to eventually pull the top recruits when you offer cash and zero academic/compliance hoops to jump through?
fans watching BC, Cuse, and Pitt to be left twisting in the wind regardless of our football struggles is just icing on the cake.
ACC is going to be in trouble when FSU and Clemson eventually bolt for the SEC. Miami will most likely land in the SEC or B1G but the old Big East defectors are screwed.
These big institutions - in this case, USC and UCLA - know they have to optimize their earning power, or they are going to be left behind. So, I completely understand this move despite the fact that it's demolishing great college football traditions.
Hopefully, the morons on this playoff committee comes to their senses and expand the playoffs to 8 games.
Amen. Good to see another AZ Wildcat posting here.
They really can't because the automatic bids will be a big part of the expanded playoff system - when it goes to 8 and ultimately 16.
IMV.
if you're not in one of those 2 conferences, you're done.
Big 10 goes for Notre Dame and Carolina next.
SEC takes Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, Duke and the rest go to the Big 12 / Big East as basketball conferences
Btw, FUCK you tobacco road.
Big 10 goes for Notre Dame and Carolina next.
SEC takes Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, Duke and the rest go to the Big 12 / Big East as basketball conferences
As long as Notre Dame has their sweet deal with NBC they aren't going anywhere. Once that ends, we'll see.
I mean - as a Michigan fan it's absurd that Notre Dame and Michigan don't play again for 11 years.
I wonder what happens to the Pac 12, losing USC/UCLA is a huge blow. It's Oregon and then who - Stanford? Yawn
Big 10 goes for Notre Dame and Carolina next.
SEC takes Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, Duke and the rest go to the Big 12 / Big East as basketball conferences
Why would the SEC take Duke and GT when they could get Miami and VT or NC State?
In 2024, the B1G will be a nationwide conference, going from coast to coast, with major TV markets like Los Angeles (USC/UCLA), New York (Rutgers), etc. Those schools who aren't looked at as major "TV" draws will be forced out. At that point, I think both the SCC and B1G will be looking to grab a national TV deal with Amazon, Disney-ABC or Apple to stream games. I would expect those deals to be in the billions.
Consequences? Well, for the smaller schools, good luck trying to stay relevant. The odds are the smaller schools will try and stay on for a few years with the bowls, but more likely will downgrade to the Football Championship division, to save money.
The darker side of this is the coming labor strife in College D1. "NIL" (Name, Image, Likeness) is only the first step. When the athletes see the Universities making bank on the Super Conference, they will want a chunk of that. The same Agents that are involved with NIL's (approved by the NFL) no doubt will be able to influence the players into striking.
Nicole Auerbach
@NicoleAuerbach
Just got off the phone with someone who believes this eventually leads to two megaconferences — the Big Ten and SEC — with 20 or more members apiece.
Jon Wilner
@wilnerhotline
Source: Don't assume the Big Ten is done.
Nicole Auerbach
@NicoleAuerbach
Just got off the phone with someone who believes this eventually leads to two megaconferences — the Big Ten and SEC — with 20 or more members apiece.
So its the CFB version of the AFC and NFC, and I assume bowl games (if they still exist) will be conference playoffs, with the two conference winners meeting in the National Championship.
Btw, FUCK you tobacco road.
Uh, fuck you right back?
Jon Wilner
@wilnerhotline
Source: Don't assume the Big Ten is done.
Stanford and Oregon have to be in the mix...right?
Doesn't matter to me but why wouldn't the Big 10 take Cal or Stanford and the SF/Oakland TV market?
What would be really cool is if there were a relegation system and some of the minor conferences were affiliated with the two big guys.
That's also what's going to kill the conference dead b/c of how awful that deal is.
I am hoping they eventually go to a 16 team playoff like 1AA ball.
Losing the rivalries sucks but I think if the conferences get more competitive new rivalries can emerge though they may be shorter lived and change often.
USC and UCLA (They have put much more money into the program) can both be players in the Big 10 imv.
That's also what's going to kill the conference dead b/c of how awful that deal is.
Yep, that TV deal hurts the conference alot. I've heard alot in the last 15 hours about the SEC coming for Clemson, FSU & Miami.
The reality is no one cares about most of the football teams. MN, Rutgers, Missou, Vandy, Pitt, GT, etc are doing nothing for the big boys.
There are currently 68 Power 5 teams plus ND. I think eventually it will be 3 Super Conferences of 24 teams for football. 4 divisions within each. The playoff gets expanded to 16 teams with 12 division winners and 4 at large.
You limit games to your division (5) and then 2 from each division and then 1 crossover conference game. You also have 1 game with a non power school to help keep them alive
You get rid of the Conference Championship games in favor of playoff seeding opening games by ranking. The top 8 winners then play the 8 losers
You utilize the bowl games as the seeding and playoff games making them more relevant and more money generated
I could be way off with this as well.
Ain't no reason to include 60+ anymore.
The ACC will add West Virginia, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Central Florida and will attempt to raid the Big 10 of Rutgers and maybe raid the SEC of South Carolina. I can see the ACC cutting ties with Notre Dame basketball and focusing on the more eastern coastal universities
It will then create a "North ACC" division and a "South ACC" division with two five team sub-divisions in the two main divisions. The Conference Championship will be called the "Civil War Bowl"!
It will be like nothing we could have ever imagined.
Link - ( New Window )
Yep. I think the one underreported impact of all this is the effect on the higher education landscape itself. This will have major ripple effects on the economics of college.
But back to football: Cal and Stanford may not clear the bar for football? What does that say for the dozens of programs that couldn't sniff their jock? We will see many similar solid brands making business decisions to fold up shop in the coming years. What do those fans turn to? Do they become Alabama football fans? Where do all those excess coaches and players go?
This is why I think a real minor league separate from the NCAA is coming. How hard will it be for them to eventually pull the top recruits when you offer cash and zero academic/compliance hoops to jump through?
ACC is going to be in trouble when FSU and Clemson eventually bolt for the SEC. Miami will most likely land in the SEC or B1G but the old Big East defectors are screwed.