Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="HtownOrange, post: 306427, member: 622"] See: [url]http://m.newsok.com/big-12-interim-commissioner-chuck-neinas-notre-dame-the-only-school-that-would-add-tv-value/article/3688049/?page=1[/url] Four comments caught my attention: [B]1. Neinas' response: “Our television partners agreed that the only new member that would enhance the Big 12 value for television was Notre Dame.”[/B] FSU and Clemson were not going to get the wild increases as put forth via the WVU fans and posters. The Big 12 may have known that FSU and Clemson were not likely to leave the ACC for the Big 12, SEC maybe, not Big 12. [B]2. Neinas' response: “There is some sentiment that an increase in membership would enhance stability. It could be argued that the Grant of Rights agreement signed by the members is the most important instrument to assure conference stability.”[/B] The Big 12 is very dependent on the GOR to hold them together. The more reliant a party is upon the written agreement, the more distrust amongst the parties. The Big 12 remains unstable. Nothing can stop UT from leaving with OU +2, destroying the GOR and TV deal. [B]3. Neinas goes on in the memo to say he discussed expansion with ESPN president John Skipper, Fox Sports president Randy Freer and ESPN's head of college athletics operations Burke Magnus.[/B] [B]Neinas said all three agreed a 10-member conference was preferred, but they would live with expansion to 11 or 12 teams. He also said both TV partners were in support of Notre Dame becoming a partial member of the Big 12 if the Irish would play a specific number of football games at Big 12 venues.[/B] Adding ND as a partial member adds no value without ND agreeing to play the teams not named UT or OU (already on the schedule) and at their own venues (not neutral site games). This probably applies to the ACC as well. [B]4. Nenias referenced a December meeting of athletic directors who were spit on the idea of expansion. He wrote that if the conference were to expand, there was strong support for the University of Louisville to become the Big 12's 11th member.[/B] Sounds like Louisville was the target #12. FSU and Clemson were further down the list of preferred schools. I was surprised as Louisville lacks the football history of either FSU or Clemson.[B][/B] [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?