B1G and Conference expansion?

Call me a crazy homer but I don't understand how any rational ND fan can consider any conference other than the Big Ten save for maybe the Big East and only then because it can join its Catholic peers in Basketball...and Basketball only.

Joining the Big Ten makes sense financially, geographically, culturally (more or less) and for rivalries. The Pac 12 and Big 12 would be big mistakes.

 
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HuskerShark said:
I think that ND would fit in with the Big 12, and if that happens then so be it...
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They might be able to function but I think it would be awkward and there are better fits. Ah but who knows, this whole thing is confusing as crap.

 
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matthew_m_g said:
Notre Dame Joe said:
This is starting to sound like the beginnings of WWI.
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I hope this doesn't make Jumbo Fisher the Archduke Ferdinand...

huskereddie said:
Is BYU a possibility for the PAC-12? I agree that Boise St. really wouldn't add to the Pac-12 in anything but football and even that might be a reach. With TCU gone to the Big 12 (probably to stay) the PAC-12 is stuck!
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BYU has a Mormon problem--this is why they won't get a Pac-12 invite unless hell freezes over. Unless something changed when the Pac-10 went to 12, it has to be a unanimous decision to add. The California schools would object and have done so (vehemently) when this was brought up in the past. It's a non-starter.

And BYU's refusal to travel or play on Sundays was why the talks between the Big XII and BYU failed as well. Frankly, they're at risk of being left behind if the requirement for a conference title is in place.

---

As for teams that the Pac-12 could pick up, Nevada and Boise State would be good additions--the former gives them the Las Vegas market and the later is a hot national brand/team. And if the Pac-12/14 is desperate enough, there are a number of California schools (Fresno State, San Diego State) they could go after.

I don't think Larry Scott will make the mistake of going after Oklahoma or Texas again--not if the price of admission is onboarding Okie Like, Texas Tech, and/or Baylor.

---

Notre Dame Joe--I didn't see you answer this before, but if you did, I apologize--where do you think Notre Dame will go if they're forced into a conference?
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If I had to predict I'd bet on the Big12 because the chatter says that they'd offer us a deal. The deal is that we'd join for non-football sports and keep the NBC contract in exchange for playing a few Big12 teams a year. They are making a major power play so we'd get swept in. I'm pretty sure Texas would envision that we would have to become full members after a period of time.

NBC is the wildcard that isn't mentioned much. They are negotiating an extension with us now and they seem to want a bigger share of CFB very badly.

Our money is pretty close to a Big10 share depending on how you count the numbers and whether or not we make a BCS bowl.

 
Notre Dame Joe said:
matthew_m_g said:
Notre Dame Joe said:
This is starting to sound like the beginnings of WWI.
Click to expand...
I hope this doesn't make Jumbo Fisher the Archduke Ferdinand...

huskereddie said:
Is BYU a possibility for the PAC-12? I agree that Boise St. really wouldn't add to the Pac-12 in anything but football and even that might be a reach. With TCU gone to the Big 12 (probably to stay) the PAC-12 is stuck!
Click to expand...
BYU has a Mormon problem--this is why they won't get a Pac-12 invite unless hell freezes over. Unless something changed when the Pac-10 went to 12, it has to be a unanimous decision to add. The California schools would object and have done so (vehemently) when this was brought up in the past. It's a non-starter.

And BYU's refusal to travel or play on Sundays was why the talks between the Big XII and BYU failed as well. Frankly, they're at risk of being left behind if the requirement for a conference title is in place.

---

As for teams that the Pac-12 could pick up, Nevada and Boise State would be good additions--the former gives them the Las Vegas market and the later is a hot national brand/team. And if the Pac-12/14 is desperate enough, there are a number of California schools (Fresno State, San Diego State) they could go after.

I don't think Larry Scott will make the mistake of going after Oklahoma or Texas again--not if the price of admission is onboarding Okie Like, Texas Tech, and/or Baylor.

---

Notre Dame Joe--I didn't see you answer this before, but if you did, I apologize--where do you think Notre Dame will go if they're forced into a conference?
Click to expand...
If I had to predict I'd bet on the Big12 because the chatter says that they'd offer us a deal. The deal is that we'd join for non-football sports and keep the NBC contract in exchange for playing a few Big12 teams a year. They are making a major power play so we'd get swept in. I'm pretty sure Texas would envision that we would have to become full members after a period of time.

NBC is the wildcard that isn't mentioned much. They are negotiating an extension with us now and they seem to want a bigger share of CFB very badly.

Our money is pretty close to a Big10 share depending on how you count the numbers and whether or not we make a BCS bowl.
Click to expand...
The fact that are only "pretty close" to the BIG right now tells me you are in trouble already. You have your own national network that broadcasts your home games exclusively, you should be well above what schools like Northwestern are getting paid, but you aren't. The formation of super conferences are only going to make you less relevant and a weaker marketing tool by yourself. Just wait until the next time the BIG negotiates with the major networks. Every other conference is trying to negotiate to get to what the BIG has now. Problem is by the time the do, the BIG will have upped theirs even more.

Another question is if they are going to stay independent in football and leave the Big East in others, why the Big 12? That does nothing for hockey, basketball would be a lateral move at best plus you are leaving all the fellow catholic schools, baseball you would be at a weather disadvantage to the southern schools. It doesn't seem like it would help the other sports at all. I would hope to God that the BIG would be smart enough to never let ND in as a everything but football school too.

 
I don't see the B1G expanding in the foreseeable future unless a decision comes down that only major conference champions are eligible in a four team play-off format, and if Notre Dame applies for B1G conference admission, and decides to forego their independant status and NBC television contract. If Notre Dame ( or any other school) believes that they would be a good fit in the Big XII as a conference member, they need to be aware of the unwritten rule that Arkansas, Missouri, Texas A&M, Colorado, and Nebraska got tired of.....the University of Texas gets what it wants, when it wants, anytime, anywhere, anyplace.

funnypiclonghornwhine.gif


 
HSKR said:
Notre Dame Joe said:
matthew_m_g said:
Notre Dame Joe said:
This is starting to sound like the beginnings of WWI.
Click to expand...
I hope this doesn't make Jumbo Fisher the Archduke Ferdinand...

huskereddie said:
Is BYU a possibility for the PAC-12? I agree that Boise St. really wouldn't add to the Pac-12 in anything but football and even that might be a reach. With TCU gone to the Big 12 (probably to stay) the PAC-12 is stuck!
Click to expand...
BYU has a Mormon problem--this is why they won't get a Pac-12 invite unless hell freezes over. Unless something changed when the Pac-10 went to 12, it has to be a unanimous decision to add. The California schools would object and have done so (vehemently) when this was brought up in the past. It's a non-starter.

And BYU's refusal to travel or play on Sundays was why the talks between the Big XII and BYU failed as well. Frankly, they're at risk of being left behind if the requirement for a conference title is in place.

---

As for teams that the Pac-12 could pick up, Nevada and Boise State would be good additions--the former gives them the Las Vegas market and the later is a hot national brand/team. And if the Pac-12/14 is desperate enough, there are a number of California schools (Fresno State, San Diego State) they could go after.

I don't think Larry Scott will make the mistake of going after Oklahoma or Texas again--not if the price of admission is onboarding Okie Like, Texas Tech, and/or Baylor.

---

Notre Dame Joe--I didn't see you answer this before, but if you did, I apologize--where do you think Notre Dame will go if they're forced into a conference?
Click to expand...
If I had to predict I'd bet on the Big12 because the chatter says that they'd offer us a deal. The deal is that we'd join for non-football sports and keep the NBC contract in exchange for playing a few Big12 teams a year. They are making a major power play so we'd get swept in. I'm pretty sure Texas would envision that we would have to become full members after a period of time.

NBC is the wildcard that isn't mentioned much. They are negotiating an extension with us now and they seem to want a bigger share of CFB very badly.

Our money is pretty close to a Big10 share depending on how you count the numbers and whether or not we make a BCS bowl.
Click to expand...
The fact that are only "pretty close" to the BIG right now tells me you are in trouble already. You have your own national network that broadcasts your home games exclusively, you should be well above what schools like Northwestern are getting paid, but you aren't. The formation of super conferences are only going to make you less relevant and a weaker marketing tool by yourself. Just wait until the next time the BIG negotiates with the major networks. Every other conference is trying to negotiate to get to what the BIG has now. Problem is by the time the do, the BIG will have upped theirs even more.

Another question is if they are going to stay independent in football and leave the Big East in others, why the Big 12? That does nothing for hockey, basketball would be a lateral move at best plus you are leaving all the fellow catholic schools, baseball you would be at a weather disadvantage to the southern schools. It doesn't seem like it would help the other sports at all. I would hope to God that the BIG would be smart enough to never let ND in as a everything but football school too.
Click to expand...
I read "if the bigeast implodes" into his question. In my mind it became a dead man walking conference once WVU left and they refused to raise the exit fee. Yes it's a given that the big12 would be poor for all the olympic sport; I prefered the ACC if they kept FSU and our hand was forced. In my post earlier in this thread I opined on it, .

IMO that won't be the case though. There are too many rival factions that Savvy Jack can play off. Ironically I think the Big10 is helping us because since 1998 they've let it be known that we can enter whenever we want. It's a lot of leverage.

 
Husker John said:
I don't see the B1G expanding in the foreseeable future unless a decision comes down that only major conference champions are eligible in a four team play-off format, and if Notre Dame applies for B1G conference admission, and decides to forego their independant status and NBC television contract. If Notre Dame ( or any other school) believes that they would be a good fit in the Big XII as a conference member, they need to be aware of the unwritten rule that Arkansas, Missouri, Texas A&M, Colorado, and Nebraska got tired of.....the University of Texas gets what it wants, when it wants, anytime, anywhere, anyplace.
Click to expand...
I agree 100% with this statement! I would say that Texas should just give up being in a conference and become Independent already. That way, they can just run everything the way they want to and have their little Longhorn network.

 
Notre Dame Joe said:
IMO that won't be the case though. There are too many rival factions that Savvy Jack can play off. Ironically I think the Big10 is helping us because since 1998 they've let it be known that we can enter whenever we want. It's a lot of leverage.
Click to expand...
It goes back to the hot date analogy that was used when the Big 10 nabbed Nebraska--Notre Dame is the 'California 10', she knows it, and she's willing to exploit that fact with potential suitors and only shack up with someone on her terms (as much as possible) and/or when her hand is forced.

---

I do have to agree that Notre Dame to the Big XII is possible, but it makes no sense for the Big XII to let ND join in all sports *but* football. Remember, the whole reason to get back to 12 teams is because the big XII conference is pissing away $20 million/yr (per the B1G contract) in revenue for a championship game. Letting ND join in all sports *but* football doesn't help them accomplish this.

Also, remember what started this discussion of ND moving in the first place--the final four football tournament only accepting conference champions. That means Notre Dame can't just join as a non-football member any longer--that option is realistically off the table if Notre Dame still believes they're relevant in football.

Now, I could see ND being allowed to join the Big XII fully (read: play a Big XII schedule in football) and keep the NBC deal until it expires, with the understanding that they are contractually obligated (for what that's worth in college athletics...) when the NBC deal expires to give all rights to the Big XII offices in Austin Dallas. That would put home ND games against the Big XII on NBC, which would help get the conference a bit more exposure.

I doubt Mickey and Co. or Fox Sports Cable would appreciate or approve of this setup, but if this means they get to broadcast Notre Dame regularly in the near future, they'll probably acquiesce.

---

Also, has anyone seen or heard *anything* from Delaney lately (save for B1G Baseball tourney quotes)?...

 
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Someone just told me that they just heard that Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech and one other school (I can't remember which one they told me) just agreed to join the Big 12. Can anyone verify that or are they telling stories?

 
This whole ND thing just doesn't make sense to me. They want to stay Independent I get that, but they say if they join a conference they loose their ability to recruit nationally and become a more regional commodity (which by the way has not worked the best lately). That is where they lose me. I feel that NU having been in a conference a long time recruits nationally pretty well and since we have now switched Conferences it is a benefit to have certain ties to specific places. We had ties in the Big 12 footprint and now we are making in roads in the B1G footprint. But we always will attempt to recruit CA, TX and FL. Basically I just don't understand all the arguments against joining a Conf. If you can make more money as an IND and you can find a place for your non-revenue sports to play then knock yourself out.

 
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