Here is the current Top 25 in brand value.
I did a breakdown by conference. For the purposes of this list, UT and OU are being included in the SEC, rather than the Future Big 12. I’ll explain why later:
SEC: 12 (Texas, aTm, Bama, OU, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee, South Carolina, Arkansas, Ole Miss)
B1G: 7 (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Nebraska, Iowa, Mich St, Wisconsin)
PAC: 3 (USC, Oregon, Washington)
ACC: 2 (Clemson and Florida State)
Indy: 1 (Notre Dame)
Big 12 (Future): 0
OK, as you can see, the biggest value brands are top heavy, especially in the SEC, but to a lesser extent in the B1G.
Of course, you can see why the SEC chose OU and UT. They were the biggest value brands out there NOT already in the B1G or SEC.
So take a look at the ACC. What are its only two really “big value” brands? Well duh! As I’ve said before…CLEMSON AND FLORIDA STATE!!! And which conference will likely be coming for them next? Well duh!!! Just like with OU and UT…the SEC!!!
If the SEC wanted to become the undisputed “brand value” champion, those are going to be the next two schools they’ll “poach.”
Makes sense. Geographically, they’d be a perfect fit as well, and have tremendous in-state conference rivalries with existing SEC members.
So what can the B1G do?
Well, let’s think. Obviously, they can’t take Clemson or Florida State, because they aren’t either AAU or Notre Dame.
OK, so let’s say they take Notre Dame. Now there are no independent “big brand value” schools.
At that point, they won’t make up the difference with the SEC…BUT, there are two other ACC teams that would be AAU, have solid brands, and be adjacent to their existing geographical footprint: UVA and UNC!!! If they wanted to make a longer than normal stretch, maybe GaTech. Pittsburgh, another ACC AAU member already within the B1G’s geographical footprint, might be drawn in as well.
At this point the ACC would be completely GUTTED. If it survives at all, it’ll likely have less overall brand value than the Big 12; perhaps FAR less. In football, you’d be looking at Miami being in the same conference with…Wake Forest, Duke, etc. Perhaps Miami would move to the SEC as well. Perhaps some would want to move to the Big 12, or perhaps they’d simply drive on together. But if they are still a conference, they’ll be diminished.
So you may ask, what about the three PAC-12 schools that are big brands?
Well…I understand that a lot of people here would say, aren’t they also AAU? Well, yeah. So why can’t the B1G just take them and call it a day? I keep hearing lots of talking heads, and a few people on this board imagine a B1G “raid” to that effect.
Well, to be honest, I doubt any conference wants to travel that far. For the B1G, that would be literally an East Coast to West Coast trip dozens of times per year for non-revenue sports. I don’t see it. Those three big value PAC schools are likely to stay put for that very reason. They’ll be their own little exclusive “monopoly” zone out west.
What about the Big 12? Well, there aren’t any big value brands there that either the B1G or SEC want. They’ve made that clear. Only one school, Kansas, is even AAU, and the B1G has definitely made it clear that that’s NOT a sucky football brand that they want. The PAC-12 said no to adding Big 12 schools when they could have had their pick. The SEC picked the big value brands that it wanted.
So I would imagine that the Big 12 will indeed survive. They won’t get raided the way that the ACC will, and while they won’t have any “big value” brands, neither will the ACC once all is said and done.
As for the PAC-12 taking Big 12 schools, possibly even UH…don’t put money on it. For the same reason the B1G won’t take PAC-12 schools (travel), don’t bet on the PAC-12 taking anyone outside their monopoly zone.
FIRE AWAY!!!
