(Rumor) SEC looking at expansion, realignment?

[RedCreek49]

Personally VA tech seems like a Sec school. I would add them and NC State. Leave everyone else. Ou has a great brand but not adding much other than a great program. TV sets do matter. That acc market is good. I doubt the sec expands unless they go to 16 team superconferenses, which kinda silly.

 

I think you're right at least for the next several year. If the SEC does go to 16 teams, they should break it down to 4 division with 4 teams in each. 20 teams, 5 divisions of 4 teams. That's just too many though.

 

In a 16 team conference with 4 divisions, you would play the 3 teams in your division and two team from each of the other divisions on a rotating schedule. That would mean 9 conference games per year! If you really wanted to be bold, you could only play 11 games and have the 12 games be a playoff semifinal game between the winners of the 4 division, with the two winner playing for the SEC Championship!!!

[JohnnyFootball]

I think you're right at least for the next several year. If the SEC does go to 16 teams, they should break it down to 4 division with 4 teams in each. 20 teams, 5 divisions of 4 teams. That's just too many though.

 

In a 16 team conference with 4 divisions, you would play the 3 teams in your division and two team from each of the other divisions on a rotating schedule. That would mean 9 conference games per year! If you really wanted to be bold, you could only play 11 games and have the 12 games be a playoff semifinal game between the winners of the 4 division, with the two winner playing for the SEC Championship!!!

 

In the 20-team scenario, having 4 divisions of 5 teams each would be nice. That way you could play everyone in your division (4 games) and each year entire divisions would play each other (5 games), and it rotates (9-game schedule every year). Meaning everyone from the North plays everyone from the South and then the next year everyone from the North plays everyone from the West, etc. That makes sure that teams play an equal schedule.

 

Then have a conference semifinal and conference final, although that's a lot of games.

[trueblue82]

 

In the 20-team scenario, having 4 divisions of 5 teams each would be nice. That way you could play everyone in your division (4 games) and each year entire divisions would play each other (5 games), and it rotates (9-game schedule every year). Meaning everyone from the North plays everyone from the South and then the next year everyone from the North plays everyone from the West, etc. That makes sure that teams play an equal schedule.

 

Then have a conference semifinal and conference final, although that's a lot of games.

That would give your conference championship finalists 11 conference games. Add one high-profile OOC game (think the neutral-site season opener), and your conference champ has twelv games versus Power 5 teams before they get to the playoffs, provided they qualify. I don't think we see a conference go to this kind of format until there is a change made to the playoff system.

[JohnnyFootball]

That would give your conference championship finalists 11 conference games. Add one high-profile OOC game (think the neutral-site season opener), and your conference champ has twelv games versus Power 5 teams before they get to the playoffs, provided they qualify. I don't think we see a conference go to this kind of format until there is a change made to the playoff system.

True.

 

Although, if we had 4 conferences that were all 20-team conferences who did the same thing, it'd be nice. The division winners would essentially be in a 16-team playoff. That's a lot of games vs tough opponents, though.

[trueblue82]

True.

 

Although, if we had 4 conferences that were all 20-team conferences who did the same thing, it'd be nice. The division winners would essentially be in a 16-team playoff. That's a lot of games vs tough opponents, though.

The other thing that needs to be considered is the average fan's budget. I don't think the NCAA, or ESPN, wants to create a product where their marquee event isn't a sellout. Auburn and OU couldn't sell out the Superdome, and that's two of the biggest fan bases in the country. Pac-12 teams traditionally don't travel well. ThePac12 Championship drew less fans than your average Texas 4A Friday nighter. I've already seen stories on BAMA and Clemson fans having to decide between going to their semifinal, or rolling the dice and hoping they make it to Tampa. Peach Bowl tickets + hotel room + gas= roughly $1000 for a family of four. That's for a semifinal that is 4 hours or less from home, in a city like Atlanta, where hotel prices are reasonable. Clemson fans had to pay for a cross country flight + 2 hotel nights+ tickets, in Glendale, AZ, for the second time this year. For a family of four, they're looking at about $3,000. Now those same families, who probably aren't loaded to begin with, will have to decide if they can afford to go to Tampa, which is probably at least a six hour drive for BAMA fans, at least 8 for Clemson. So you can figure another $2,000 into your football travel budget, which considering what it costs to attend a home game, is probably already stretched thin. If the powers that be think they can make more $$ on it, they'll do it, but games that are sellouts tend to draw better tv ratings than do games where you avoid crowd shots to keep from showing empty seats.

[Coach Rab]

The other thing that needs to be considered is the average fan's budget. I don't think the NCAA, or ESPN, wants to create a product where their marquee event isn't a sellout. Auburn and OU couldn't sell out the Superdome, and that's two of the biggest fan bases in the country. Pac-12 teams traditionally don't travel well. ThePac12 Championship drew less fans than your average Texas 4A Friday nighter. I've already seen stories on BAMA and Clemson fans having to decide between going to their semifinal, or rolling the dice and hoping they make it to Tampa. Peach Bowl tickets + hotel room + gas= roughly $1000 for a family of four. That's for a semifinal that is 4 hours or less from home, in a city like Atlanta, where hotel prices are reasonable. Clemson fans had to pay for a cross country flight + 2 hotel nights+ tickets, in Glendale, AZ, for the second time this year. For a family of four, they're looking at about $3,000. Now those same families, who probably aren't loaded to begin with, will have to decide if they can afford to go to Tampa, which is probably at least a six hour drive for BAMA fans, at least 8 for Clemson. So you can figure another $2,000 into your football travel budget, which considering what it costs to attend a home game, is probably already stretched thin. If the powers that be think they can make more $$ on it, they'll do it, but games that are sellouts tend to draw better tv ratings than do games where you avoid crowd shots to keep from showing empty seats.

All to Tampa is about 8 hours with limited hotels in Tampa... however, Orlando and a few other nice sized cities are close enough where you can stay within 30 mins of Tampa... Tampa will sell out, but it's bc it's an ideal location for both teams... outside of Atlanta there isn't a better spot for Clemson and Bama to meet "halfway"

[DB2point0]

The other thing that needs to be considered is the average fan's budget. I don't think the NCAA, or ESPN, wants to create a product where their marquee event isn't a sellout. Auburn and OU couldn't sell out the Superdome, and that's two of the biggest fan bases in the country. Pac-12 teams traditionally don't travel well. ThePac12 Championship drew less fans than your average Texas 4A Friday nighter. I've already seen stories on BAMA and Clemson fans having to decide between going to their semifinal, or rolling the dice and hoping they make it to Tampa. Peach Bowl tickets + hotel room + gas= roughly $1000 for a family of four. That's for a semifinal that is 4 hours or less from home, in a city like Atlanta, where hotel prices are reasonable. Clemson fans had to pay for a cross country flight + 2 hotel nights+ tickets, in Glendale, AZ, for the second time this year. For a family of four, they're looking at about $3,000. Now those same families, who probably aren't loaded to begin with, will have to decide if they can afford to go to Tampa, which is probably at least a six hour drive for BAMA fans, at least 8 for Clemson. So you can figure another $2,000 into your football travel budget, which considering what it costs to attend a home game, is probably already stretched thin. If the powers that be think they can make more $$ on it, they'll do it, but games that are sellouts tend to draw better tv ratings than do games where you avoid crowd shots to keep from showing empty seats.

I agree, they need to try to get regional teams to the bowl games if at all possible. Especially the smaller bowls. I used to go to the Indy bowl some, now I don't care to see any of the matchups

[Valhalla]

I was reading something earlier that was saying that Kentucky should go to the ACC. It would be better for their basketball program and place them in the conference with their rival Louisville.

 

It would never happen, but it is at least interesting to think about.