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Conference Realignment


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If you want to be forward thinking, regional alliances are unnecessary.  The concept is becoming an anachronism.  They are headed to a model like the sports leagues where Miami could play Seattle or Boston plays Los Angeles. Heck the NFL has been eyeing London and trying to figure out how they can make it work.   The original B1G, which I loved, will be a quaint memory because this stuff is for the long game, much longer than any of us will be alive.  You used to worry about travel but it will get easier and easier.  

With all that in mind, if Texas is gone, the dream scenario would be A and M, USC, UCLA, Cal, and then a couple of heavy hitters in the south.  UNC and VA would be amazing but possibly Georgia Tech to bring in Atlanta.  

Travel itself will get easier but students trying to learn would be a problem if you have a west coast swing.  But the NCAA has long ago lost credibility on the notion of the kids being true students. Maybe the long road trips are during a holiday break.  The answer to all your questions is money and then they can engineer the schedule for the optics.  

Ultimately it might look like two conferences like the AFC and NFC or the AL and NL but just bigger.  Divisions and conferences lead to playoffs and championships.  The long game is longer than any of our lifetimes. The beat will go on and who denies that this is where it’s headed?

Edited by BobSaccamanno
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17 minutes ago, GaloisGroupe said:

Honestly, there is no obvious move that the Big Ten could do to counter an addition of Texas to SEC. That is huge. 

The best bet is to wait for Texas to destroy the SEC from the inside :), then pick up some of the more prestigious SEC schools: Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri, ...

Get in A&M's ear and bring in Oklahoma State as well.  Then you have 2 8 team divisions, Big Ten East and West.  Get to 20 teams and the Big Ten name still makes sense.  Add USC, UCLA, Arizona, and Kansas and maybe have a Big Ten West that is USC, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas, A&M, Ok. St., Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and then an East that is everyone else.

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1 minute ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Get in A&M's ear and bring in Oklahoma State as well.  Then you have 2 8 team divisions, Big Ten East and West.  Get to 20 teams and the Big Ten name still makes sense.  Add USC, UCLA, Arizona, and Kansas and maybe have a Big Ten West that is USC, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas, A&M, Ok. St., Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and then an East that is everyone else.

Arizona, USC/UCLA, and a Texas team expand your brand to some of the biggest markets the BIG is not in yet.

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27 minutes ago, GaloisGroupe said:

Honestly, there is no obvious move that the Big Ten could do to counter an addition of Texas to SEC. That is huge. 

The best bet is to wait for Texas to destroy the SEC from the inside :), then pick up some of the more prestigious SEC schools: Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri, ...

Texas is a big money maker with the brand in there region and being football crazy.  But, you get a UCLA/USC those are global brands.  UCLA might not pack the stands and LA might not be UCLA Crazy, but globally they are huge.  The BigTen and Pac has always had a relationship and now it is time maybe to merge. The tv dollars will pay for the travel expenses.

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45 minutes ago, GaloisGroupe said:

Honestly, there is no obvious move that the Big Ten could do to counter an addition of Texas to SEC. That is huge. 

The best bet is to wait for Texas to destroy the SEC from the inside :), then pick up some of the more prestigious SEC schools: Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri, ...

Notre Dame and Clemson would trump Texas and Oklahoma.

And when did A&M and Mizzou become prestigious SEC schools?

Edited by rico
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22 minutes ago, rico said:

Notre Dame and Clemson would trump Texas and Oklahoma.

And when did A&M and Mizzou become prestigious SEC schools?

Don't see Clemson leaving ACC, but you are right - I would put UCLA, USC, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Clemson, maybe Oregon all as bigger fishes.  The draw of mizzou and and a pitt is to lock down midwest and create or better brand rivalries.

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1 hour ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Get in A&M's ear and bring in Oklahoma State as well.  Then you have 2 8 team divisions, Big Ten East and West.  Get to 20 teams and the Big Ten name still makes sense.  Add USC, UCLA, Arizona, and Kansas and maybe have a Big Ten West that is USC, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas, A&M, Ok. St., Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and then an East that is everyone else.

What are we even saying at this point lol 

UCLA and AZ.. please no

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11 minutes ago, btownqb said:

What are we even saying at this point lol 

UCLA and AZ.. please no

It is coming, might as well get schools that make IU money.  And if we add 6 and make it a BIG10 East/West type of scenario, then you would hardly ever play those western teams.

Edit:  Also, from an IU perspective, we want the B10 to remain strong.  Look where Kansas is falling on those lists, see how often Duke gets brought up as a desirable add, we would not fair well in a huge realignment that blew up the Big 10.

Edited by IUCrazy2
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10 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

It is coming, might as well get schools that make IU money.  And if we add 6 and make it a BIG10 East/West type of scenario, then you would hardly ever play those western teams.

Edit:  Also, from an IU perspective, we want the B10 to remain strong.  Look where Kansas is falling on those lists, see how often Duke gets brought up as a desirable add, we would not fair well in a huge realignment that blew up the Big 10.

We playing at UCLA on a week night for a basketball game? 

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14 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

It is coming, might as well get schools that make IU money.  And if we add 6 and make it a BIG10 East/West type of scenario, then you would hardly ever play those western teams.

Edit:  Also, from an IU perspective, we want the B10 to remain strong.  Look where Kansas is falling on those lists, see how often Duke gets brought up as a desirable add, we would not fair well in a huge realignment that blew up the Big 10.

What hurts me as a fan, tradition and loyalty does not seem to matter anymore.  Rumors of SEC reaching out to OSU is crazy when they are a BIGTen school and basically control the conference.

But, I would love for BigTen to look at this from a Football and Basketball standpoint and be clear that they are.  Heck, why not try and rebrand some emeging sports like lacrosse, soccer and make that something special on their network.  

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35 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Edit:  Also, from an IU perspective, we want the B10 to remain strong.  Look where Kansas is falling on those lists, see how often Duke gets brought up as a desirable add, we would not fair well in a huge realignment that blew up the Big 10.

Very good point. “Mighty” Duke isn’t even a blip on the realignment radar and basketball oriented schools like Kansas, IU and UK could be in the same position.

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1 hour ago, Fiveoutofsix said:

Does anyone know what Warren is known for?  Delany was cutting edge and always wanted to be infront leader.  I don't know much about Warren and his past work, so just wondering?  Can he be behind the scenes creating a mega big ten that would make the SEC/ESPN look up to BigTen/Foxsports game?

This is a concern until he proves otherwise.   The SEC is absolutely cutthroat in the way they operate.  Hope Warren is up to the challenge.  Delaney wouldn't have been caught off guard in this current environment. 

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2 hours ago, IUFLA said:

Christ, just bring in 6 new teams and call it the B1GX2...

Structure it with two 10 team divisions. One division will be IU, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, Michigan, MSU, Ohio St, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Northwestern.  The other division will be everyone else. 🙂

Edited by Parakeet Jones
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2 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

Structure it with two 10 team divisions. One division will be IU, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, Michigan, MSU, Ohio St, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Northwestern.  The other division will be everyone else. 🙂

Name the 2 divisions "The Originals" and "The Johnny Come Latelys." 

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The ACC and PAC 10 have been suggested as a national brand to counter the SEC. The B1G would be a better fit than the ACC. Everything is going to boil down to which conference commissioner is a forward looking deal maker. I hope Warren is up to the challenge. 

I think a PAC 10 alliance or adding T A&M, AZ, USC, UCLA OR and either OK St or Wash. would be a legitimate rival to the SEC and anything they could pull off. 

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Kansas, Oklahoma State, Iowa State & Baylor have reportedly all reached out to the Big Ten in some capacity.  Twenty teams is what the SEC is going for and what the end game will probably be.  Honestly, i'd take all four and then take two huge swings at schools like Clemson, Notre Dame, USC, Oregon, UCLA, Texas A&M and maybe a couple of others.  Miss out on them, then move to add a couple of east coast schools as dancing partners for Maryland/Rutgers/Penn State.  Syracuse, UConn, Pittsburgh, Boston College and one or two others would be targets.

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