Realignment: Would You Be Happy With This?

[TheCusian]

Love your optimism, Tom. Wish I could see it the same. I don’t.

As an aside, I do not want to see the Government stick their noses in. But I believe any responsible governor should help state schools to realize their states do no support on ongoing arms race in college football.

You’re way more optimistic about Governor’s not listening to their passionate voters than Tom is about the future

 

[All4SU]

You’re way more optimistic about Governor’s not listening to their passionate voters than Tom is about the future

I guess that’s why I said “should” not “would.”

 

[justgold315]

how does a WV fan know how to work the internet?

At the local library with the rest of the recently released felons

 

[Cusefan95]

The only exception would be if (as some have theorized) there are FB conferences and non FB conferences. Then everyone is doing it.

But under the current environment I completely agree.

I can’t see any way to make that workable. The SEC was a joke in basketball when I was a kid - but now they take money from TV contracts - mostly driven by football - and spend it on other sports as well. That’s why the SEC always has a ton of top 25 basketball programs now.

The way this would work in practice is the schools in football conferences with good TV contracts will dominate basketball as well since their overall revenue is so much higher. (UConn is the exception that proves the rule, the only reason they are winning now is the state is willing to run the athletic department at a huge loss. That’s not sustainable at state schools, and not possible at private ones). So Syracuse might be part of “high level college basketball” in this scenario - but it would be akin to how Vanderbilt is part of SEC football right now. On paper, sure. But with no real chance at sustained competitiveness.

And I don’t think football can be spun off as completely separate business units, since football revenues are needed to fund Olympic sports. People can speculate on football and non-football conferences all they want - there’s no way to get there without creating dozens of new unresolvable problems. It’s not going to happen.

 

[Cusefan95]

I'd love to join the MWC schools with whatever is left of the ACC in football only and go Big East hoops. Money aside its best case scenario and the playoff should give that league an auto bid.

I think the Big Ten and SEC are going to want less schools in the future what happens when they have to play a 7-5 loaded LSU team in the first round because they were deemed 5th or 6th best in the league?

If that’s our best case scenario, Syracuse is absolutely and totally screwed. Because - and this is really key - in reality money is never “aside”.

I hope it’s a lot closer to a worst case scenario that is never realized.

 

[HouClone]

And that's why the SEC, and Big in a few years when the bubble bursts will be in trouble.
They are both living on borrowed time, and being used to all the reckless spending.
When everyone goes to streaming, and they have cut out 70% of the population, the big money will no longer be there.
College lite won't stand up to the NFL.

Let's say this happens where ratings decline, ad revenues plummet. You'll hear the SEC and Big 10 agree to a more equitable revenue model to share with the rest of the conferences. It is too late. People already checked out, moved on.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I can’t see any way to make that workable. The SEC was a joke in basketball when I was a kid - but now they take money from TV contracts - mostly driven by football - and spend it on other sports as well. That’s why the SEC always has a ton of top 25 basketball programs now.

The way this would work in practice is the schools in football conferences with good TV contracts will dominate basketball as well since their overall revenue is so much higher. (UConn is the exception that proves the rule, the only reason they are winning now is the state is willing to run the athletic department at a huge loss. That’s not sustainable at state schools, and not possible at private ones). So Syracuse might be part of “high level college basketball” in this scenario - but it would be akin to how Vanderbilt is part of SEC football right now. On paper, sure. But with no real chance at sustained competitiveness.

And I don’t think football can be spun off as completely separate business units, since football revenues are needed to fund Olympic sports. People can speculate on football and non-football conferences all they want - there’s no way to get there without creating dozens of new unresolvable problems. It’s not going to happen.

The B12 has already mentioned unbundling the TV contacts. Now with pay for play IMO that is more likely. Easier to deal with Title IX that way.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

If that’s our best case scenario, Syracuse is absolutely and totally screwed. Because - and this is really key - in reality money is never “aside”.

I hope it’s a lot closer to a worst case scenario that is never realized.

I think SEC and B1G are closer to worst case scenarios and we'd get killed in either.

Reading my preview magazine the new Big 12 actually kind of sucks for football now the bluebloods are gone. All their newcomers from last year aren't handling the step up well (BYU/Cincy/Houston) the old schools are boring and irrelevant and I think Zona and Utah will be carrying it.

There is no way a conference with schools like Syracuse, SMU, Cal, Washington State, NC State, BC, Oregon State, UNLV, San Diego State, Boise isn't going to be on par with the Big 12 in football. Really just comes down to timing regarding the TV deals and when they'd be signed that conference could easily end up with a superior deal. Big 12 is better in basketball sure but that new conference wouldn't play hoops or non revenue sports. Big East basketball TV contract with Cuse back in the league might end up being OK.

 

[HouClone]

There is no way a conference with schools like Syracuse, SMU, Cal, Washington State, NC State, BC, Oregon State, UNLV, San Diego State, Boise isn't going to be on par with the Big 12 in football.

Speaking of boring, that is a snoozer. Frequent flyer miles galore.

 

[Cusester]

I can’t see any way to make that workable. The SEC was a joke in basketball when I was a kid - but now they take money from TV contracts - mostly driven by football - and spend it on other sports as well. That’s why the SEC always has a ton of top 25 basketball programs now.

The way this would work in practice is the schools in football conferences with good TV contracts will dominate basketball as well since their overall revenue is so much higher. (UConn is the exception that proves the rule, the only reason they are winning now is the state is willing to run the athletic department at a huge loss. That’s not sustainable at state schools, and not possible at private ones). So Syracuse might be part of “high level college basketball” in this scenario - but it would be akin to how Vanderbilt is part of SEC football right now. On paper, sure. But with no real chance at sustained competitiveness.

And I don’t think football can be spun off as completely separate business units, since football revenues are needed to fund Olympic sports. People can speculate on football and non-football conferences all they want - there’s no way to get there without creating dozens of new unresolvable problems. It’s not going to happen.

I think in the last 5 months Fran has proven that we can compete. We just need the right person in charge, whatever the sport.

 

[TheCusian]

I guess that’s why I said “should” not “would.”

Fair.

 

[Maisel123!]

how does a WV fan know how to work the internet?

Nasty. Syracuse has always had a nice rivalry with West Virginia. No need to be insulting.

 

[IthacaMatt]

They won't protect anything but themselves. ND does not have any partners, they have pawns. As long as there are enough pawns for them to build a castle, they will remain independent in FB.

They also have alumni, and a fan base that are mostly based in the East. They don't need all of us, but it's good for their fans, donors and recruiting.

 

[WoadBlue]

I think in the last 5 months Fran has proven that we can compete. We just need the right person in charge, whatever the sport.

It has proven he can compete in recruiting. It has not proven he can compete at winning against the football giants. Nor has it proven he can make people watch Syracuse football they way people watch, say, Michigan St football.

 

[WoadBlue]

Nasty. Syracuse has always had a nice rivalry with West Virginia. No need to be insulting.

WVU fan base is like a smaller size SEC fan base. 100% loyal and passionate. TV loves that.

 

[Cusefan95]

Speaking of boring, that is a snoozer. Frequent flyer miles galore.

The bigger issue is that lineup has absolutely no TV appeal. The TV contract they could get would be trash.

Lots of these ideas are “money aside” ideas, without realize money isn’t only NOT aside - it’s a primary driver of decisions, The result is most ideas of where things could go are patently absurd - this hot garbage conference is an example.

 

[Cusefan95]

WVU fan base is like a smaller size SEC fan base. 100% loyal and passionate. TV loves that.

I went to a WVU- Syracuse in Morgantown game back when GRob and the clownshow we had running the university were destroying the football program. We were talking about all the great old games which had led to a red hot rivalry (see: Marvin Graves) - one guy said “I can’t wait until Syracuse is good again so it’s fun to hate you guys”.

That’s really the only rivalry from old eastern football I miss - whatever direction college football goes, I hope we’re able to rekindle that rivalry.

 

[IthacaMatt]

It has proven he can compete in recruiting. It has not proven he can compete at winning against the football giants. Nor has it proven he can make people watch Syracuse football they way people watch, say, Michigan St football.

He's got some very good assistant coaches who he has known for years.
I think they are going to be better coaches than Babers, both in terms of game plans, and in-game coaching.