Wil it grow even more during our lifetimes?
Yet another reason why the SEC will want to grab UNC and UVA
Maybe.
But football drives that train, not basketball.
It’s not so much the regular season but rather March Madness
March Madness generates a s**t ton of money, and now they’re expanding it? Clearly there’s value here or they wouldn’t have expanded.
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It does.
But remember.
Football drives the expansion/realignment train.
Just ask UConn. Can you guess why even the Big 12 didn’t add them? All right then.
Now, back on topic.
How big will it eventually grow?
Is there an upper limit?
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Your comparing P4 football programs to arguably one of the worst football programs in all of D1 (including Group of 5)
Because you were talking about money to be made in the NCAA men’s basketball.
UConn has probably made more tourney money than just about anyone else in the last 26 years.
Makes no difference, because football drives the train.
Which means….big FOOTBALL brands get expansion priority over big basketball brands.
UT and OU weren’t invited for their basketball brands.
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Goes to 80, 20 teams in a region. 1-12 get a bye. 13-20 play each other Tuesday and Wednesday to get to 64 team field.
I can imagine that!
Then it gets to 96 eventually
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I dunno.
At what point does the number of teams “cheapen” the prestige of the tourney?
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If the Big 12 had a chance to add UNC/UVA, you’re suggesting they would turn them down because they aren’t football juggernauts?
The Big 12 would certainly add them.
Doubt the SEC would over bigger football brands like FSU and Clemson, though they might add them in addition to those two.
Okay so as I understand it
- You’re suggesting the SEC doesn’t want UNC/UVA because their football programs are bad
- You then use UConn as an example to argue that football drives realignment, thus if UConn doesn’t get a Big 12 invite it must be due to their terrible football program
- Now you’re suggesting that the Big 12 would indeed add UNC/UVA despite having bad football programs
How sway?
Why would the SEC add UNC/UVA in addition to FSU/Clemson?
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Their football brands will only be big enough for the SEC PROVIDED either a) Clemson and FSU aren’t available, OR b) they can get them IN ADDITION TO Clemson and FSU.
Hope that makes sense!
If it comes down to a choice of the SEC expanding with Clemson/FSU OR expanding with UNC/UVA, they’ll go with the former, simply because football drives the train, and those are the two biggest available FOOTBALL brands within their preferred region.
Right
So the only way the SEC would ever add UNC/UVA (mediocre brands by your own words) would be subject to also adding FSU/Clemson, further dividing the overall revenue pie for the incumbent members
Got it
They’ll only be added to the SEC either a) in addition to Clemson and FSU, not ahead of or instead of Clemson and FSU, because Clemson and FSU add the most value by far as the biggest football brands, and as such, would be the highest value targets OR b) instead of Clemson or FSU, but only if those two aren’t available because the B1G has claimed them (unlikely, given that they aren’t AAU, but crazier things have happened).
The SEC will NOT, as some here have suggested, take UNC/UVA over Clemson/FSU if the latter two are available. The SEC won’t take far smaller football brands like UNC and UVA over far bigger ones like Clemson and FSU if they have a choice, simply because FOOTBALL, not basketball, drives the P2 expansion/realignment train.
In an IDEAL world; neither the SEC nor B1G will be interested in expansion, and that’ll make it possible for the Big 12 to raid them all, but I’m trying not to be too optimistic or unrealistic.
A more realistic scenario might see the SEC grab Clemson and FSU, the B1G decide not to expand, leaving both power two conferences at 18, and then see the Big 12 grab UNC, UVA, and possibly Miami and GaTech or Pitt.
Again…I don’t want to be TOO pollyanna.
Let’s keep realignment talks in the actual realignment thread
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Now everyone will make the tournament and no one will care about conference tournament.
More diluted games. Its like Fifa world cup, this is the worst thing you could do to a product and for a city hosting.
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I think this expansion was intended to get more P4 schools in the tournament
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