This article is from last summer. But the time frame mentioned in the headline is still on-point. What I disagree with most in the article is that tech companies are all of a sudden going to bid on college sports broadcast rights (and pay the kind of money that Fox and ESPN currently do). I’m also not sold on the idea that there will be 4 16-team super conferences since each conference has its own expansion criteria and revenue model.
If true, I’m hoping they’re going with 4 conferences of 18 schools. Or we need PAC 12 to get into Texas and grab us along with Tech.
If they’re truly going 4/16, here’s my prediction.
B10 adding KU and UT
ACC adding ND and WV
SEC adding OU and OSU
PAC adding Tech, UH, KSU, and TCU (if they’re taking a religious school). If not, UNLV or NM.
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The SEC is never going to add two schools in OK. They would be divyng out two shares of conference revenue for a new state that doesn’t bring in a lot of eyeballs. The SEC will expand if it brings in a new subscriber base big enough to compensate for that school’s share of the overall revenue AND increase the payouts of the existing membership.
The problem with discussing realignment regarding TV contracts is that nobody knows what the landscape of sports/media consumerism will be in 2023+
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Wouldn’t OU and OSU give the SEC Oklahoma and the North Texas market? That would seem very valuable to me when they already have a big steak in Houston, they would love to add DFW.
That being said I don’t think we are going to see 4 power conferences. I think it’ll stay 5 with some movement. We are more likely to see an expanded playoff than we are 18 team conferences IMO.
I can’t project that far. I’m interested in winning the AAC this year and going to an NY6 game and can’t think about what may happen beyond that. At 71, my focus is more near term.
Short answer is no. North Texas is still Texas. The folks up there already pay the in-state subscriber fee for the SECN because A&M is in the SEC. Its important to know that subscribers pay more for a conference network if one of the teams from said conference is in that subscriber’s state. It’s the reason the Big 10 added Maryland and Rutgers instead of Pitt and Iowa State.
Here is the real possibility. ESPN gives the Big 12 just enough of a media deal to keep them happy at 10. The entire conference expansion/realignment is predicated on what happens to the Big 12. If the Big 12 stays put, the other conferences are likely to stay that way too, particularly if ESPN is not willing to up the media deals for the other conference that may be considering expansion, Pac!
Me too, Red. I don’t even purchase green bananas . . . . .
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Though there was a flirtation back in 2016 with the Big 12, that league ultimately decided not to expand and that kept BYU going with the status quo for the time being. It sounds as though that will be the case for at least the next four or five years, as athletic director Tom Holmoe told KUTV that he doesn’t foresee realignment involving the school happening again until at least 2023 and only after then could the program consider a move to a league even if it’s not of the Power Five variety.
It’s shaping up for heart break for BYU. Among other factors, they are too far west to be considered for the Big 10, SEC or ACC. The PAC 12 presidents are absolutely opposed to adding a private, religious school (plus, they already have Utah). That leaves the Big 12 as the only viable option. But, that’s a longshot unless there is some shake up with the current B12 members.