Big Ten, Pac 12, and ACC in talks of making a scheduling alliance
August 13th, 2021 at 8:33 PM ^
I can’t read the article because I don’t have an athletic subscription, but I thought if it pans out that’s a big counter to what the SEC is doing
August 13th, 2021 at 8:39 PM ^
It's pretty much the only meaningful counter, isn't it? I guess the BIG could take 8 teams from the ACC and the PAC, but that sounds awfully complicated to accomplish in one fell swoop.
August 15th, 2021 at 9:12 AM ^
It’s not really a counter at all. The sec still has like 7 of the 10 most valuable college football teams and a scheduling agreement is meaningless in the world of negotiating power. It’s like believing the big 10-acc challenge in basketball is going to impact conference realignment
August 13th, 2021 at 8:36 PM ^
I support this idea. Anything to stop the SEC from completely taking over CFB.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:41 PM ^
Too late for that one Walter.
August 13th, 2021 at 9:09 PM ^
I agree to a point (also best tv series ever) but if this really comes together is there a scenario where you shut out the SEC? Any chance they overplayed their hand with this backdoor dealing with Texas and Oklahoma? Big Ten, Pac 12 and ACC have a scheduling agreement and their own playoff. You let the SEC have their semi pro football league in the southern states and don't participate in their "championship". The Big 3 alliance coves from the east coast to the west with a carve out for the southern states. You get what most people still recognize as "college football" with conference and regional rivalry games. At what point do the southern states get sick of watching Alabama kick the shit out of all their teams?
Living in Knoxville I will never get use to Vols fans pulling for Alabama to continue their dominance because of SEC pride? The longer Alabama stays on top Tennessee has no chance to get there, but they all still love it when their rival wins. It is madness, people in the south are just different.
August 13th, 2021 at 10:37 PM ^
I mean it’s their one last remaining of southern pride. Rednecks.
August 13th, 2021 at 10:56 PM ^
Not the last. The south also get the Allman Brothers ... and ... NASCAR.
August 14th, 2021 at 11:09 AM ^
The popularity of NASCAR down here has waned since they went all “woke” a few years ago after the noose was found in Bubba Wallace’s pit and NASCAR chose to promote a more inclusive public relations stance. Same thing with the NFL, but to a lesser extent.
I live in Fla and the culture wars down here are unreal. I have a family member who was the biggest fantasy footballer/bettor on the NFL and completely stopped watching because teams put equality slogans in the end zones. SMH.
August 14th, 2021 at 12:11 PM ^
also best tv series ever
You're right, he was in the best tv series ever made.
Except it was called Malcolm in the Middle.
August 14th, 2021 at 5:40 PM ^
You are right Chuck!
Here's your damn strike
I can dance
August 14th, 2021 at 10:10 PM ^
YOU NAILED IT, BUDDY!
August 13th, 2021 at 11:41 PM ^
Well Clemson would be part of this so….
August 13th, 2021 at 8:44 PM ^
Bleacher report article if you don't subscribe to the Athletic.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:40 PM ^
Cries in Kansas State. :(
August 13th, 2021 at 8:42 PM ^
Wait, no Kansas? Fuck this shit.
August 13th, 2021 at 11:40 PM ^
This is all about football. Football=ratings=$
got it Kansas?
August 14th, 2021 at 9:39 AM ^
Ratings doesn’t = money. The number of homes who get your channel = money. Whether they watch it or not. The more people that the cable company can charge for your channel being part of their lineup, the more money goes to the owner of that channel. Which then goes to the conference.
Ratings is only useful for determining advertising money which goes to the cable provider and the channel companies.
In theory the more actual viewers will get you a higher cut as a more popular channel, but it’s hard to imagine anyone moving the needle there in any meaningful way. More impact is made by adding bigger markets.
August 14th, 2021 at 10:53 AM ^
Cable packages really aren’t going to drive this anymore, as everyone gradually (or already has) ditched cable for streaming services. The Big Ten would be best served by ensuring BTN is available on every streaming service. This is where the PAC12 has failed; it is difficult to find the PAC12 Network on streaming services. This also makes the addition of Maryland and Rutgers increasingly stupid going forward.
August 15th, 2021 at 11:18 AM ^
see people keep trying to say that, but it’s not true at all. TV markets absolutely still drives this. TV $ is still critical in this. Hell, the SEC told FSU and Clemson no because they don’t add value to the conference because they don’t add markets.
And schools aren’t voting to add teams that don’t add money to the pot in that regard.
August 14th, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
If you're serious: Screw them. They're relevant in only one revenue sport (the minor one) and they cheat like hell to stay there.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:43 PM ^
Your OP* hurts our eyes!
*(edit) because the photo includes ohio st.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:43 PM ^
Sounds like a great idea. Gives them flexibility to counter future changes and voting power over the SEC.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:45 PM ^
Mandel's tweet says it's a free article. But it's not.
August 13th, 2021 at 9:00 PM ^
Pac 12: “Hey, so listen, I was thinking that it might be a good idea if you and I formed an alliance. ‘Cause of the downsizing? I think an alliance might be a good idea, you know. Help each other out.”
August 13th, 2021 at 10:25 PM ^
But now they’ve included Stanley
August 14th, 2021 at 9:29 AM ^
“He said there was something in it for me!”
August 13th, 2021 at 9:02 PM ^
This always made the most sense to me tbh.
Wasn't expecting the ACC necessarily, but an alliance of these three conferences is a powerful voting block that preserves the traditions embedded in each conferences DNA.
Not sure if it will be sufficient, however, its a good start to hold these discussions
August 13th, 2021 at 9:13 PM ^
....but as always, To Hell with Notre Dame!!!
August 13th, 2021 at 9:22 PM ^
Good - this is what they should be doing. Also call ND (or are they included in "ACC"?).
Also - poach SEC teams. Do it. Challenge them, don't be afraid. Go right at 'em.
August 13th, 2021 at 10:19 PM ^
Screw ND. Let them form an alliance with the Big 12 and the MAC.
August 14th, 2021 at 8:52 AM ^
Kentucky should be poachable-for both basketball and football. The trick would be keeping Clemson from jumping to the SEC for football-and FSU and Miami. But Missouri, Arkansas, A&M and Vanderbilt-and maybe Florida should be interested as well. This would really put the squeeze on the SEC for basketball recruiting.
Otherwise, while I despise the SEC I also dislike the the overall tenor of this entire matter. Overall, I would like to see more parity built into the system-for the sake of both the players and the fans.
August 13th, 2021 at 10:22 PM ^
Shots fired in the next round of realignment talks. If these leads to regular season games against Clemson and USC, I'm all for it.
Also, if I'm the SEC, I'm grinning right now. All these other conferences are in react mode after a boss move of their own.
August 13th, 2021 at 10:39 PM ^
I don't think thats what this is about. Think this through. What does the SEC want more than anything? Hint hint. Playoff expansion. They add Oklahoma and Texas and all of the sudden in a 12 team format they thinking they should be in with 4-6 teams annually.
Well, what just happened was that the B1G, Pac 12 and ACC just gave themselves de facto power over how the CFP is formed. Now they can easily say "no" to CFP expansion. But not only that, they can basically become the bully in the room and say, "not only are we not expanding the playoffs, with the Big 12 gone, theres 4 conferences. Each conference gets one representative." Now all of the sudden the SEC is loaded with great teams that can't beat Bama and can't get into the playoff at all. Sankey's head explodes. Further more, the B1G, Pac 12 and ACC would essentially have governing authority with the NCAA to set and enforce recruiting practices.
August 13th, 2021 at 11:01 PM ^
Dabo: You had me nodding my head vigorously, right until you mentioned "enforce recruiting practices."
August 14th, 2021 at 12:11 AM ^
If the playoff remains at 4 teams in this new realigned world then the 4 teams will be the following:
B1G - OSU
ACC - Clemson
SEC - Alabama
Pac12 - rock/paper/scissors champion
Basically the same shit as before except the "RPS champ" is currently Oklahoma or Georgia. We still need playoff expansion, IMO.
August 14th, 2021 at 12:31 AM ^
I like the idea, except still adding an expanded playoff.
But what’s to stop the SEC from just forming their own league in spite, and not giving a damn what the NCAA and BIG PAC12 ACC do. SEC would still have pretty enticing matchups every week with Texas and Oklahoma and they have the Mothership (ESPN) backing them.
IMO that result would suck - All the other conferences not being able to play the SEC teams and not to mention UM not being able to play against our Florida rival anymore :( /s
August 14th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
I hope the SEC forms their own league and goes on to do whatever the SEC does. That would leave the PAC12 to absorb the best teams from the BIG12 to form a stronger division. The NC would be 1 team from the BIG10, ACC, PAC12 and the highest ranked team from the 3 conferences. That would leave a national champion from 3/4 of the nation.
August 14th, 2021 at 2:46 PM ^
...and while they're at it they should get rid of the idea that bowl/playoff games are the exclusive right of sunbelt locations. One game on the west coast, one east of the Appalachians/north of Virginia, one in the south, and one in Big Ten country. Make the final game rotate between the four regions. Make the other fans pick up the travel costs. Would love it if the Big Ten would use Chicago for their major events instead of Indy. The NFL proves you can play football in snow country every year.
August 15th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^
A scheduling alliance isn’t shared voting, it’s not enforceable at all, and it will do nothing to prevent clemson and fsu going to sec for more revenue when they get the chance. Why do people think this matters?
August 13th, 2021 at 11:38 PM ^
Make it so
fuck the SEC
August 14th, 2021 at 1:13 AM ^
This article basically suggested the Pac, Big, and ACC are going to do nothing.
August 14th, 2021 at 1:13 AM ^
Did anyone else raise an eyebrow when Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff referred to college football as an ‘industry’? A rare honest assessment.
August 14th, 2021 at 1:23 AM ^
Okay now how is this going to hurt ESPN? Or the SEC?
It would help the ACC and the PAC12 more than it will Michigan.
August 14th, 2021 at 1:25 AM ^
I have mentioned this in other posts, but I like this idea much more than ripping apart existing conferences and reconstituting them in some Frankenstein manner. Virtually all of the benefits are there from consolidating into super-conferences without any of the headaches.
The only downside is that it certainly appears that the SEC has completely antagonized everyone else in the country and we could have de-facto two "national championship" playoffs that each claims to be the true "playoff". That's okay, the more time goes on the more that the SEC appears to be a thinly-veiled assertion of separatist Southern pride and a cultural analogue of the Confederacy. What they couldn't win during the Civil War they can metaphorically win on the gridiron battlefield.
August 14th, 2021 at 4:10 AM ^
we could have de-facto two "national championship" playoffs
Why?
August 14th, 2021 at 8:14 PM ^
If the SEC doesn’t agree with the other conferences about expanding the playoffs we could be in a similar situation to the old Bowl Alliance days when the BIG & PAC10 and Rose Bowl were not part of the system that tried to pair the top two teams in one of the traditional bowl games for national championship game. In this case, it might be the SEC that is odd man out.
August 14th, 2021 at 12:10 PM ^
This move is to prevent the need for two national championship playoffs.
It is to stop the SEC in its tracks from trying to take over CFB with even more expansion, and its own playoff once it reaches critical mass of most of the top teams in the country.
This is circling the wagons so that there are no more elite teams for the SEC to pick off. 16 SEC teams is not enough to form a separate CFB universe with its own playoff.
August 14th, 2021 at 9:32 AM ^
I have to imagine this is a direct response to the SEC acquiring Texas and Oklahoma. A way for them to prevent the SEC from completely overtaking and dominating college football.