Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[OSU_D/]

You going to tune into Texas @ Arizona St at 11:00pm EST on the Vs Network?

If only Texas would get over their ego (wanting to dominate a conference) they would realize playing in a mix of Central and East coast times would give them the max audience they need for the national branding they want.

 

[jlb1705]

If only Texas would get over their ego (wanting to dominate a conference) they would realize playing in a mix of Central and East coast times would give them the max audience they need for the national branding they want.

Hell, Jerry Jones realizes that - no ego check required.

 

[toby34a]

You going to tune into Texas @ Arizona St at 11:00pm EST on the Vs Network? Or Arizona @ Colorado? Or Texas Tech at Texas A&M (oh wait, because A&M can't fill their stadium this one will be subject to blackout or carried on Pay Per View).

Big XII teams have been playing on Pay Per View! That's inconceivable to me.

When I moved down to Alabama four years ago, I was surprised to see how many PPV games that SEC schools have as well. Alabama will play games on PPV every year (generally against Joe Blow FCS school) and charge $30 a pop. And people will buy it.

These types of games would never be on PPV in Big Ten country- back before the Big Ten Network, they'd be on ESPN+, but would be picked up by local stations for OTA broadcast so that they would be seen in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, and help out the local broadcasters. Now, nearly every Big Ten game for most schools is available nationwide without having to purchase GameDay.

I have seen Michigan State on national TV more in my years in Alabama then other Big XII schools not named Texas or Oklahoma. Between the noon ABC game, the ESPN and ESPN2 noon/3:30 Big Ten games, and whatever pops up on BTN, most Big Ten schools have the majority of their games on national TV- even the middle of the conference. And people care and watch those games. I was able to watch EVERY SINGLE Ohio State game (and the majority of TSUN games) from the comfort of my couch this year due to Comcast picking up the Big Ten network and the conference's contract with ABC/ESPN. And I'm in Northern Alabama.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Makes the tin-foil hat wearer in me wonder if Delany and Slive cut a deal and split Texas in half to cut out the Pac 10.

One for me. One for you. One for me. One for you.

I expect this was a deal that involved at least 3 conferences and maybe more. Rather than just pull the UNL block out of the Jenga tower and watch the madness ensue, I think Delany has orchestrated this thing with at least two other players to ensure that the right pieces fall into the right places.

Or maybe this is just complete chaos...

The thing that's striking me is the two scenarios that Chip Brown tweets about are two scenarios that seem quite unlikely - UT to the Pac 10 and UT nowhere, Big XII goes on as a conference as is.

I have no doubt he's truthfully reporting what he's being told..... But I don't think he's asking any questions... or.. investigating... you know, being a journalist.

I think High Lonesome said it earlier, Chip is an old newpaper guy with real sources, unfortunately he works for someone who has seemingly gotten under UT's (Mack's or Dodd's) skin as far as recruiting and sources. So its highly possible Chip's getting bad or misleading info to make his employer look bad.

Putting ideas from these two posts together; you have to wonder if ol' Chippy didn't leave the newspaper business because he couldn't live up to the standards, lowered though they may be of late.


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ADD-Alert

Non-sequitur dead ahead
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I was over on Husker board and found this post from a Buckeye fan living in Manhattan to be enlightening:

Huskerboard

have never seen, in person or on television, a Rutgers football game in my life and I don't know anyone who has... and I'm from New York City

While I have seen a Rutgers football game, this begs the question of whether Rutgers could really deliver more than a tiny fraction of NYC. All of Nebraska is still a heck of a lot more than single digit percentages of NYC. But then, you don't have to get far into double digit percentages before NYC is the bigger player. IMHO, it's impossible to know which exigency is real if/until it happens.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

And I'm in Northern Alabama.

This is not expansion related but how far does the Big Ten network reach? Is there a coverage map somewhere?

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

This is not expansion related but how far does the Big Ten network reach? Is there a coverage map somewhere?

If you have [strike]DirecTV[/strike]satellite TV, it is nationwide.

 

[jwinslow]

While I have seen a Rutgers football game, this begs the question of whether Rutgers could really deliver more than a tiny fraction of NYC. All of Nebraska is still a heck of a lot more than single digit percentages of NYC. But then, you don't have to get far into double digit percentages before NYC is the bigger player. IMHO, it's impossible to know which exigency is real if/until it happens.

1) I'm not sure you need people watching Rutgers (which isn't going to happen often, especially after getting worked in the B10 East). You merely need the NYC TV sets to add the BTN on basic packages due to their proximity (10 miles away).

2) Folks won't watch Rutgers, but they might occasionally watch ND, UM, PSU, OSU, Neb play rutgers or simply play other games on the BTN.

 

[FCollinsBuckeye]

Didn't see this posted, but the TX legislature is (predictably) getting involved:

College football -- and college athletics in general -- will get the full attention of the higher education committee of the state's House of Representatives on Wednesday morning. That meeting, thanks to a five-day public-notice law, will come a day after the Texas and Texas Tech boards of regents meet to discuss whether their respective schools should stay in the Big 12 or leave for the Pac-10. While some believe the regents will vote on moves Tuesday, Branch, the chair of the higher education committee, believes the schools will wait until after Wednesday's hearing.

"To make a final decision before Wednesday," Branch said, "would not be wise."
​

Conference realignment to get political in Texas this week - Andy Staples - SI.com​

 

[Jake]

While I have seen a Rutgers football game, this begs the question of whether Rutgers could really deliver more than a tiny fraction of NYC. All of Nebraska is still a heck of a lot more than single digit percentages of NYC. But then, you don't have to get far into double digit percentages before NYC is the bigger player. IMHO, it's impossible to know which exigency is real if/until it happens.

That's been the puzzling part to me all along. Setting aside the fact that Rutgers football hasn't done much of anything since the invention of leather helmets, when did NYC become a college football city? College basketball may hold some sway, but football is about the NFL.

Does anyone really believe putting a Jersey school without a strong heritage in a conference with a bunch of schools in "flyover country" is going to bring NYers to their TV sets? It doesn't matter, in my opinion, that these schools have strong pedigrees. They're Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska - speed bumps to the west coast in many NYers minds.

 

[jlb1705]

Pretty funny comment over at FtT...

If Texas steps in and keeps the Big XII together, they're going to have to make some name changes:

• University of Texas at Ames
• University of Texas at Lawrence
• University of Texas at Manhattan
• University of Texas at Stillwater
• University of Texas at Norman
• University of Texas at Lubbock
• University of Texas at Columbia
• University of Texas at Waco

 

[broken24]

Tigers work to save thinning conference

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri curators met behind closed doors Sunday night for the fourth time in as many days as the school turns its attention to saving the Big 12 Conference after its apparent bid to join the Big Ten failed.

Oh the irony.

 

[jlb1705]

Texas stands to make between $20 mil and $25 mil per yr under a proposed new TV pkg presented by Dan Beebe, plus UT?s own network.
Chip Brown (ChipBrownOB) on Twitter

LMAO... That projection is up by about 5-8 million from what was being promised this morning. If Texas still hasn't decided by tomorrow morning, do you think they can get Bebee to pull an even bigger number out of his ass? $30 million?

I can't believe Texas is actually negotiating through this tool. After Oklahoma admitting that they're Texas' lap dog, this is the second most embarrassing thing to come out of this whole realignment saga.

 

[Jake]

If you have [strike]DirecTV[/strike]satellite TV, it is nationwide.

Meanwhile, in some parts of Ohio you can't get it on cable.

 

[jlb1705]

Pete Thamel of the NYT has only weighed in when there's been something important to say and he's had a real source:

Big 12 AD confirms to the NY Times that Texas is on cusp of committing to Big 12. He said, "The musical chairs will stop." 6 minutes ago via TweetDeck

 

[Jake]

LMAO... That projection is up by about 5-8 million from what was being promised this morning. If Texas still hasn't decided by tomorrow morning, do you think they can get Bebee to pull an even bigger number out of his ass? $30 million?

I can't believe Texas is actually negotiating through this tool. After Oklahoma admitting that they're Texas' lap dog, this is the second most embarrassing thing to come out of this whole realignment saga.

It is going beyond comical. It's like learning way to much about the family down the street you thought had it together. On the surface they seem normal, but one day you learn the husband is banging his wife's sister, the wife is fooling around with her boss, the son is a porn addict and the daughter turns tricks.