Official realignment thread - SEC formally invites OU and Texas to join the conference in 2025

[The Alabaster Yak]

There’s also the fact that an expanded playoff means OU and UT don’t have to win the SEC to get in. Rumors that Sankey being part of the CFP expansion committee and knowing this was going to happen, likely drove some of the playoff expansion specifics

 

[Denver_sc]

You are reading bad projections. $70M

I'm talking about what they reported the most recent "normal" year.

Others here have pointed out that the new payouts are likely to be in the $70M range and that my numbers on the payouts were slightly off (h/t @onealcd ) but the fact that the most recent payouts between SEC/Big12 were not that different leads me to wonder how different the new contract would be if OU/UT stayed in the Big12 for the next round of their contracts.

Also, what happens to the SEC contract now that UT/OU will be coming in on the middle of it? If it's $70M per school for 14 schools starting in 2024, that's $980M total. Divided 16 ways it's roughly $61M.

 

[Not Sure]

The more I think about it, the more I become convinced this is just one step in the process. There is a lot more to come.

 

[skibum]

I alluded to this in the other thread, but I really think that it's going to take some very bold (and coordinated - not competing) moves by the B1G, P12 & ACC (the "2nd Three") to prevent college football from ending up with a 24-32 team "super league" and having everyone else end up in an FCS Div I & II type system where the revenues for the highest division are close to where the G5 is today.

To avert that future, some potential members of the super league will need to sacrifice some revenue, some of the weaker members of 2nd Three will probably need to be culled, and they'll all need to coordinate and accept some things that they don't necessarily like. It will take a bit of creativity, a lot of leadership, some strong-arming, and some bruised egos, but it's doable.

Just barely.

I honestly don't think it will happen.

I'm looking forward to CU beating Oklahoma State in the semi-finals and winning the FCS Division I Football National Championship Game against Wisconsin while Alabama and USC play for the nfl-lite subpar bowl national championship.

 

[Not Sure]

I alluded to this in the other thread, but I really think that it's going to take some very bold (and coordinated - not competitive) moves by the B1G, P12 & ACC (the "2nd Three") to prevent college football from ending up with a 24-32 team "super league" and having everyone else end up in an FCS Div I & II type system where the revenues for the highest division are close to where the G5 is today.

To avert that future, some potential members of the super league will need to sacrifice some revenue, some of the weaker members of 2nd Three will probably need to be culled, and they'll all need to coordinate and accept some things that they don't necessarily like. It will take a bit of creativity, a lot of leadership, some strong-arming, and some bruised egos, but it's doable.

Just barely.

I honestly don't think it will happen.

I'm looking forward to CU beating Oklahoma State in the semi-finals and winning the FCS Division I Football National Championship Game against Wisconsin while Alabama and USC play for the nfl-lite subpar bowl national championship.

In that scenario, a lot of emphasis will be placed on internally sourced revenues like ticket sales, booster club donations, parking and concessions. There will still be haves and have-nots in that dystopian world.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

I'm talking about what they reported the most recent "normal" year.

Others here have pointed out that the new payouts are likely to be in the $70M range and that my numbers on the payouts were slightly off (h/t @onealcd ) but the fact that the most recent payouts between SEC/Big12 were not that different leads me to wonder how different the new contract would be if OU/UT stayed in the Big12 for the next round of their contracts.

Also, what happens to the SEC contract now that UT/OU will be coming in on the middle of it? If it's $70M per school for 14 schools starting in 2024, that's $980M total. Divided 16 ways it's roughly $61M.

However, based on the documents and interviews with industry experts familiar with the finances and revenue capabilities of Power Five conference schools, a path can be drawn to a 16-team SEC with Texas and Oklahoma having close to $1.3 billion in revenue for its 2024-25 fiscal year.

Analysis: If SEC adds Texas and Oklahoma, the conference could generate as much revenue as NCAA

A 16-team SEC with Texas and Oklahoma could have nearly $1.3 billion in revenue for its 2024-25 fiscal year, according to USA TODAY Sports analysis.

www.freep.com

 

[SINKRATZ]

This is perfect

I’ve watched this at least a dozen times and it’s f**king hilarious every time.

 

[SuperD]

1) The renegotiated contract with OU and UT will be substantially higher.
2) Ego.

Was listening to the Yahoo CFB podcast with Wetzel and Thamel and they thought that at least for Texas recruiting and to a lesser extent brand were the reasons although the extra money was nice. They didn't want to go much longer of Aggy and other SEC schools being able to say if you want to play the best football we are your only option.

 

[Big Jim]

The more I think about it, the more I become convinced this is just one step in the process. There is a lot more to come.

You sure?

 

[InTheBuff]

I'm convinced that the Big 10 & Pac 12 MUST merge somehow forming their own 32 team mega conference that will span coast to coast.
For ease keep all schools that are already in each conference and find 6 more that fits best for the future.

West VA
Okie State
Texas Tech
Kansas
Iowa State
Houston
BYU
Cincinnati

Pick any of these 6

 

[SINKRATZ]

I'm convinced that the Big 10 & Pac 12 MUST merge somehow forming their own 32 team mega conference that will span coast to coast.
For ease keep all schools that are already in each conference and find 6 more that fits best for the future.

West VA
Okie State
Texas Tech
Kansas
Iowa State
Houston
BYU
Cincinnati

Pick any of these 6

I think the merged, mega conference only really suits the non-blue blood programs. If I’m Ohio State, do I really want to share the revenue pie with the Oregon State’s and Texas Tech’s of the world? F**k no.

If I’m Ohio State, I want to only add marquee programs who will help line my pockets without having to also take on dilutive members. If that can’t happen, I wait knowing that if push came to shove, the SEC would take me whenever I decided that was the best option.

 

[skibum]

I think the merged, mega conference only really suits the non-blue blood programs. If I’m Ohio State, do I really want to share the revenue pie with the Oregon State’s and Texas Tech’s of the world? F**k no.

If I’m Ohio State, I want to only add marquee programs who will help line my pockets without having to also take on dilutive members. If that can’t happen, I wait knowing that if push came to shove, the SEC would take me whenever I decided that was the best option.

The future of college football is going to depend largely on what USC, Ohio State, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan want.

If they want a super league with lots of money for them, and not much for anyone else - they can make it happen.

If they want a structure with 60-70 viable teams, they can also make it happen, but make no mistake, if they choose that future they will be leaving money on the table (or giving it to others, doesn't really matter how you phrase it).

And if they choose not to decide, well, you know how the song goes.

 

[Jens1893]

This will end well.

 

[leftybuff]

This will end well.

A cease and desist letter to stop talking to the Big 12 members? All 10 of them?

 

[Creebuzz]

Yeah, I’m gonna say that’s not gonna work. Talk about desperate.

 

[Not Sure]

I'm convinced that the Big 10 & Pac 12 MUST merge somehow forming their own 32 team mega conference that will span coast to coast.
For ease keep all schools that are already in each conference and find 6 more that fits best for the future.

West VA
Okie State
Texas Tech
Kansas
Iowa State
Houston
BYU
Cincinnati

Pick any of these 6

Adding ND would be ideal.

 

[Not Sure]

I think the merged, mega conference only really suits the non-blue blood programs. If I’m Ohio State, do I really want to share the revenue pie with the Oregon State’s and Texas Tech’s of the world? F**k no.

If I’m Ohio State, I want to only add marquee programs who will help line my pockets without having to also take on dilutive members. If that can’t happen, I wait knowing that if push came to shove, the SEC would take me whenever I decided that was the best option.

I’ve pointed it out before, but I’ll say it again, every conference needs bottom dwellers. You need the Rutgers, Maryland’s, Oregon States, Kansas, Vanderbilt, etc. otherwise you have elite teams beating the tar out of each other, effectively turning elite programs into bottom dwellers. Plus, it makes for great theater when one of those programs pulls itself up and starts winning.

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

A cease and desist letter to stop talking to the Big 12 members? All 10 of them?

oh, and can we get the 7pm Thursday night ESPN spot for the Kansas State vs TCU game?

 

[leftybuff]

I’ve pointed it out before, but I’ll say it again, every conference needs bottom dwellers. You need the Rutgers, Maryland’s, Oregon States, Kansas, Colorado, Vanderbilt, etc. otherwise you have elite teams beating the tar out of each other, effectively turning elite programs into bottom dwellers. Plus, it makes for great theater when one of those programs pulls itself up and starts winning.

fify.

 

[NuggNinja]

This will end well.

A precursor to a lawsuit against ESPN…?

I’d read that ESPN was working behind the scenes to make this happen, so maybe they might actually have a case. But that would be pretty surprising.

 

[onealcd]

I actually think there could be some serious issues for espn, a clear conflict of interest with fox sports.

 

[skibum]

A precursor to a lawsuit against ESPN…?

I’d read that ESPN was working behind the scenes to make this happen, so maybe they might actually have a case. But that would be pretty surprising.

At the least, discovery could be explosive (maybe not legally damaging, but reputationally).

 

[ahoelsken]

I think the merged, mega conference only really suits the non-blue blood programs. If I’m Ohio State, do I really want to share the revenue pie with the Oregon State’s and Texas Tech’s of the world? F**k no.

If I’m Ohio State, I want to only add marquee programs who will help line my pockets without having to also take on dilutive members. If that can’t happen, I wait knowing that if push came to shove, the SEC would take me whenever I decided that was the best option.

Isn't a scheduling agreement step one in that direction though?

 

[Not Sure]

fify.

We aren’t quite a bottom feeder. Close, though.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Isn't a scheduling agreement step one in that direction though?

A scheduling agreement doesn’t change the financial disparity between the BIG and PAC. I’m not clear what a scheduling agreement does for either conference.

 

[leftybuff]

We aren’t quite a bottom feeder. Close, though.

It was more of a reflection of my frustration with CU FB, but then again, CU has the lowest win % in the P12 since joining, so there is that.

 

[onealcd]

Reddit cfb has been putting out some great content over the last week

 

[BuffsNYC]

I actually think there could be some serious issues for espn, a clear conflict of interest with fox sports.

??? Aren’t they competitors?

 

[Liver]

I think the p12 and the big 10 still have some respect for the ideals and traditions of Cfb and this is part of why they did the scheduling alliance. I think the 32 team league would be a perfect counter and hit job on Texas and the okies and the sec. and I think there will be plenty of money for everyone. And I am absolutely convinced that if the Buffs had a comparable budget to the big10 more in line with the way the economics worked when we were a power we could be good again.

oh yeah we also need two teams out of Texas. Def go houston and tech. **** bailer.

 

[onealcd]

??? Aren’t they competitors?

Well yeah but encouraging two teams to move their rights from a conference you don’t all the rights to, to another conference you do own all the rights to has to be against some sort of contract they sign but what do I know. And now espn is trying to get another conference they own the rights to (AAC) to take more of those teams? Maybe it just all comes down to exit fees I have no idea.