I get what you’re laying down. It’s just not right.
It’s been years, but if I remember correctly, Nebraska was running from Texas and the LHN - or at least Texas’ pull in the conference.
Also, money isn’t the driver for many decisions. It often gets a nod, but see UAB, see UMD (they burnt incredible bridges with alumni that could very well outweigh the conference payout), see FSU/Clemson/UNC (who likely chose/choose ACC membership over SEC money), see the ACC shunning Miami for 20 years.
Terrible management if often the answer for bad decisions.
You remind me of a younger, more naive version of myself (I suppose that could be a compliment or insult, depending on who you ask). Let's unpack your examples:
see UAB A decision made due to the insane football culture in the south, internal AL politics, and one that will also likely yield significant financial dividends in the end. Don't discount the notoriety that having FBS ball brings to even a C-USA institution. How many upstate New Yorkers would have ever heard of UAB if they weren't NCAA D1? (how many know anyway...)
see FSU/Clemson/UNC (who likely chose/choose ACC membership over SEC money) It's not
only about gross conference pay outs; these institutions don't want to be culturally associated with so many of the big southern flagships, land grants, and the reputation of the SEC in general. These schools you mention (except perhaps Clemson, I'll make a special note of them below) have made the calculation that there would be diminishing returns from upping their gross conference pay out from a move such as to the SEC or XII.
see the ACC shunning Miami for 20 years. I'll grant you this since I'm not sure what you're trying to say here; Miami has made out very well financially from their move. Management has been a bit dicey on some fronts, though- is that what you're referring to?
A final note on Nebraska: they were moving upwards both in payout AND the reputation of the conference and institutions that they would be rubbing elbows with. Money, money, money.
As somebody that knows a lot of high-level folks at a Big 12 school and worked with some of them on a daily basis for a few years recently, I can tell you that those administrators readily admitted
all of the time that it was all money and only money. That's it. Be all, end all... from the horse's mouth (the horse here being at least two P5 presidents I've spoken with about these very issues). Reputation is money. The name recognition that comes from sports... money. I know a high-placed administrator at Clemson that says they
should be SEC... but they feel like they can be king of the hill and make more... you guessed it... money this way in the end.
Everything in academia always goes back to money at some point. Always. Even for the institutions that can afford to be above the fray. Human nature, I suppose.
www.cnn.com
