Significant changes coming to football conferences?

[reednavy]

We've had discussion about small changes for years, namely Notre Dame picking a conference, but lately things have been blowing up. The conference at the heart of it all is the Big 12, with Nebraska and Mizzou possibly moving to Pac 10 and Texas going somewhere else. Earlier today, I heard the Pac 10 is considering inviting TX, OU, OSU, CO, TTU, and TX A&M, which would leave Kansas, Kanasa State, Iowa State, and Baylor out in the open.

I'm all for Notre Dame picking a conference, which should've been done years ago, but the possible major shift of the Big 12 is not sitting well with me at all. I am completely against it and think things are fine as is. Plus, this would be would affect much more than football, all sports would move and what would this do with the BCS and such?

In addition, the Mountain West is proposing to invite Boise State to their conference, which would be a wise move and probably boost the MWC to get an automatic BCS berth, unless playoffs come soon.

What do others think of all this mess?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5251329

[St. Auggie]

Moving very rapidly toward 4 major conferences, each with their own championship game, winners playing for the right at the national title.  Big12 and Bigeast's days are numbered. 

[Jason]

I'd rather see 8 conferences, each with their own championship (bowl game).  Then we can enjoy a descent post season battle for the Title.

[reednavy]

St. Auggie, I'd say the Big 12 and ACC are done, not the Big East.

The SEC would logically go for FSU, Miami, Clemson, and possibly North Carolina, Wake Forest, or NC State.

I still prefer as is, with Notre Dame being forced to make up their damn mind.

[St. Auggie]

Big10 will take from the Big12 and BigEast.  Pac10 from the Big12.  I agree about the ACC being picked over, but then it fills its spots from the BigEast.  So essentially the Big10 and ACC eat the BigEast.  That is why I say the BigEast is gone, and this forces Notre Dame's hand.  I know the BigEast is good at basketball, but in the end these conferences are being aligned by football and academics.

[reednavy]

A big problem with all of this is that it has the chance to ruin several rivalry games. However, all of this may not happen if Mizzou and Nebraska confirm their backing of the Big 12.

Even if this does happen, both the Pac 10 has to have unanimous approval from all universities, and the Big 10 has to have 8 of 11 schools approve of adding a new school.

[JeffreyS]

The conferences with the best TV contracts will win SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac 10.

[reednavy]

The main reason why the Big 12 is getting all the attention is that you have only 3 true teams that constantly show up, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

This isn't even mentioning the cash that Texas brings every year and it's over $16 billion endowment.

[St. Auggie]

To the best of my knowlege, which is limited, Missouri might as well start painting the Big10+ logo on everything, same could be said for Rutgers.  The Big10 TV deals CRUSHES every other conferences right now.  If you add the state of Missouri (Kansas City and St. Louis) to New York, it will run circles around everyone else, regardless of Texas.  But obviously Texas is the big prize out there followed by ND.

[reednavy]

Texas' athletic department was #1 in revenue again, for the whatever year in a row. That and the # of people who donate money to the school by supporting it's program and watch them is the biggest gold mine.

However, they're interested in starting their own TV network and staying with the Big 12 is their stance right now, they don't want it to change.

[mtraininjax]

Texas and Georgia are respectively the best well run Athletic departments in the country. Who is to say they could just leave and become independents? UGA maybe less because they have yet to win a MNC, but Texas, if they continue domination, could leave or be bribed with a billion to leave the Big 12.

Money is the main factor, because conferences are weak, and so are the leaders, its the TV people who hold the cards. Look for 16-20 game seasons coming soon to a Saturday near you. Its all about the money, forget playoffs, the only way you get a playoff is if the TV leaders see it as financially rewarding.

[St. Auggie]

Multiple reports today of Nebraska being invited to the Big 10, and Colorado to the Pac 10.  These of course have all been rumored in the  recent weeks, but this is coming out of both Lincoln and Denver/Boulder as well as other Big 10 cities.  These are just offers at this time but sounds like both will accept.

[reednavy]

The Big 10 hasn't even extended an invitation, and probably won't. If they don't, then they'll be left out in the cold with one pissed off group of schools calling for blood.

This is by far no set in stone thing and nothing may even happen. Yes, in football it can be done, but what about the other sports? The logistics for most of the other sports involves buses and not airplanes and having a team go from TX of OK to Seattle and then back could prove too much to make sense for the athletes' education.

The Pac-10 will get nobody unless they use Baylor instead of Colorado. Even then, TX is comfortable where it is at and will likely say no to begin with.

I highly doubt that the Nebraska AD wants to be known as the guy that pulled trigger that lead to the collapse of a major conference. That adn the fact the Big 10 obviously has made it clear that they're not ready to act may not leave them a choice but to stay.

[St. Auggie]

Reed, I am saying that newstations in those various locations are reporting that invitations have been extended.  ESPN was reporting last night that Colorado had called a press conference for today.  This again does not mean that they will accept, but rather that invites are going out.  Sorry but the Big12 will soon be a distant memory as you have 3 teams (Nebraska, Colorado and Missouri) that WANT to leave.  3/12 is too much to overcome if you are replacing them with the likes of Boise, TCU and I dont know Utah/BYU. 

[reednavy]

If only Notre Dame would get into the Big 10, this would all be over with.

I'm not even sure that anything will even happen because you ahve to consider that football amy be the cash cow, but this could seriously hurt the other sports that can't travel on a dime and it could ahve adverse consequences on their academics.

There is a lot more to this than just football, and having a team in TX or OK having to travel to Seattle for a football game and then get back in time is kind of a hard thing to do.