MEGA Conference Realignment and lawsuits Megathread(Its still personal)

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UNC is a prolific sports program, bro. They r not a football school, but they are a blue blood in basketball, & have a very strong baseball program & their non revenue generating sports LaCrosse & women sports r pretty outstanding. However, I could imagine UCLA/SC jumping before seeing UNC & Duke jumping. It’s called Tobacco Rd Mafia for a reason. Also, UNC’s academics r pretty stellar.
I get all that, I like having them in the league as a total program. But everyone is saying football is the only thing bringing money to the table and the most important thing for getting an invite, but if that were completely true, UNC is a middling program in the conference.
 
I get all that, I like having them in the league as a total program. But everyone is saying football is the only thing bringing money to the table and the most important thing for getting an invite, but if that were completely true, UNC is a middling program in the conference.

Well it can’t be that, only, b/c Nebraska, Rutgers, & Maryland have been trash since joining & even b4 joining. I think the B1G is trying to have, not only a competitive conference, but markets for viewership locked up, as well. I mean, UCLA have been horrendous at Football since the late 90’s, right?
 
I see people saying Cal could choose to drop football, that seems more likely for Duke than Cal in my estimation. They're not committed to football, they're not interested in football, their stadium environment is notorious for being so quiet that it's like being on a practice field. I could see them getting an invite to follow UNC in all sports but football, but I'd be surprised if they earn a football invite to the big leagues.

Everyone acts like UNC is a sure thing to go to either conference, and sure they kill it in basketball, but they're barely a middling football program in the ACC. Miami, FSU, GT, Clemson, VT, BC, and even Wake and NCST arguably have all easily had better runs in the conference than UNC over the last 20 years. It's not like they're Texas, but maybe I am not seeing how much value there is in having a strong brand with a good logo.
I cannot imagine any scenario that a team is invited to join either SEC or Big 10 without playing football. That goes for Duke, Kansas, or whoever else. Basketball does not drive dollars.

UNC at least has some commitment to football, but more importantly, they have a big national brand, a decent TV market that is growing, and silly or not, I would bet MJ and Jumpman have some pull or weight behind it. The truth is, other than Clemson, the entire ACC is middling football wise since Jimbo left for 8&4. This is about national brands and local TV markets.
 
Dumb question but why do academics matter?

How does UM aligning with SEC or B10 hurt or help the overall mission of UM?

Not a dumb question. A lot has to do with prestige, but there is also a financial incentive that comes with joining some conferences. For example, B1G schools have access to a pool of research grants worth $10 BILLION. That's an incredible amount of money.
 
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I would not be surprised if Cal gives up football. Or at least high level big conference football.
They just spent $320M renovating their football stadium lol, they're not just going to give up on football. Plus Cal actually produces talent. Cal football isn't all that great, but they have more potential than plenty of B12/ACC teams imo. Plus Academics and lots of Olympic Sports are pretty elite.
 
I see people saying Cal could choose to drop football, that seems more likely for Duke than Cal in my estimation. They're not committed to football, they're not interested in football, their stadium environment is notorious for being so quiet that it's like being on a practice field. I could see them getting an invite to follow UNC in all sports but football, but I'd be surprised if they earn a football invite to the big leagues.

Everyone acts like UNC is a sure thing to go to either conference, and sure they kill it in basketball, but they're barely a middling football program in the ACC. Miami, FSU, GT, Clemson, VT, BC, and even Wake and NCST arguably have all easily had better runs in the conference than UNC over the last 20 years. It's not like they're Texas, but maybe I am not seeing how much value there is in having a strong brand with a good logo.
Because this decision isn't ONLY About on field football success the last 20 years.
The fact is UNC is a great brand. Brand . It is the top school in the 9th largest state in the country - good for viewership. Its basketball program is Elite. And for the B10, its Academics are great. Go look at the actual B10 schools and tell me how many of them you'd actually take over UNC if you were building a conference from scratch (that also actually cares about academics too).
 
Not a dumb question. A lot has to do with prestige, but there is also a financial incentive that comes with joining some conferences. For example, B1G schools have access to a pool of research grants worth $10 BILLION. That's an incredible amount of money.
IF B10 added ND, Stanford, Cal, UNC, Duke, and UVA to the academic programs they already have, they'd be the elite of the elite academically, and any other school that joins will benefit from the ties. It would be setting those schools as your academic peers - which would be just barely a notch below the ivys... At the end of the day it's not just the football program that is impacted by being in a conference. The school itself can benefit.
 
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IF B10 added ND, Stanford, Cal, UNC, Duke, and UVA to the academic programs they already have, they'd be the elite of the elite academically, and any other school that joins will benefit from the ties. It would be setting those schools as your academic peers - which would be just barely a notch below the ivys... At the end of the day it's not just the football program that is impacted by being in a conference. The school itself can benefit.

I don’t believe an athletic association with academically elite schools will have a measurable impact on academics, whereas making more money because of the conference you choose could, over time, improve your academic standing. Having an association with Stanford and Cal hasn’t done anything for ASU’s or WSU’s academic standing — at least there is nothing concrete to suggest it has.
 
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I don’t believe an athletic association with academically elite schools will have a measurable impact on academics, whereas making more money because of the conference you choose could, over time, improve your academic standing. Having an association with Stanford and Cal hasn’t done anything for ASU’s or WSU’s academic standing — at least there is nothing concrete to suggest it has.
...And the B10 will do both - elite academics + pay a **** load more money/yr.
Does the PAC12 do research sharing like the B10 does?
Is the PAC12 viewed as an ivy league level academic conference like the B10 with all those schools I listed would be?
You will be viewed better by association. It will improve the academic brand. And the better you are viewed academically, the more applications, the stronger the pool of applicants, the more selective you can be. Those have a direct impact on the academic 'ranking' all these sights do. Being in the B10 could also lead to even more research funding due to the partnership they have. Who knows maybe that association could help get into AAU, and which will help how we are viewed academically...
 
...And the B10 will do both - elite academics + pay a **** load more money/yr.
Does the PAC12 do research sharing like the B10 does?
Is the PAC12 viewed as an ivy league level academic conference like the B10 with all those schools I listed would be?
You will be viewed better by association. It will improve the academic brand. And the better you are viewed academically, the more applications, the stronger the pool of applicants, the more selective you can be. Those have a direct impact on the academic 'ranking' all these sights do. Being in the B10 could also lead to even more research funding due to the partnership they have. Who knows maybe that association could help get into AAU, and which will help how we are viewed academically...

To ur point:
B1G has 11 schools w/in the top 75 in the nation (6 being in the top 50)

ACC has 11 schools w/in the top 75 in the nation (5 being in the top 50)

PAC-12 has 5 schools w/in the top 75 (4 being in the top 50)

SEC has 4 schools w/in the top 75 (3 being in the top 50)

B12 has 2 schools w/in the top 75 (smh - 1 being in the top 50)
 
I could see UNC saying Duke has to come as a condition. And certainly the dollars may make it where it’s worth the expense of having football, even for Duke. Fascinating times.
Also these conferences realize they need teams to beat too. Having a crap football program can be a benefit when you're building a 20-24 team super conference. No one wants a bunch of 7-5 teams. There will be fewer out of conference games so fewer chances to pad your record with an early season G5 or FCS team. These conferences will need their Dukes and Vanderbilts.
 
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To ur point:
B1G has 11 schools w/in the top 75 in the nation (6 being in the top 50)

ACC has 11 schools w/in the top 75 in the nation (5 being in the top 50)

PAC-12 has 5 schools w/in the top 75 (4 being in the top 50)

SEC has 4 schools w/in the top 75 (3 being in the top 50)

B12 has 2 schools w/in the top 75 (smh - 1 being in the top 50)
Yeah if the B10 gets ND, Stanford, Cal, UNC, UVA, Duke to go along with USC and UCLA, that's 14 of the top 50 schools in the country. There are 20 total top 50 schools academically that currently play in a P5 conference. So having 14/20 would be pretty ******* good.

**** among the rest of P5 conference programs there are only 14 top 75 schools...

...once again Nebraska just doesn't fit the B10 at all lol. Only current non AAU member. They rank 136th academically, while the next worst is MSU and Iowa at 83.
 
Yeah if the B10 gets ND, Stanford, Cal, UNC, UVA, Duke to go along with USC and UCLA, that's 14 of the top 50 schools in the country. There are 20 total top 50 schools academically that currently play in a P5 conference. So having 14/20 would be pretty ******* good.

**** among the rest of P5 conference programs there are only 14 top 75 schools...

...once again Nebraska just doesn't fit the B10 at all lol. Only current non AAU member. They rank 136th academically, while the next worst is MSU and Iowa at 83.

Yeah, Nebraska belongs back in the Big 12, clearly. Lol. They r offering, literally, nothing to table. They r not that team anymore in CFB, and they suck at all their other sports, & their academics are not up to par. The Only thing they have going for themselves are their loyal, blind fans.
 
Also these conferences realize they need teams to beat too. Having a crap football program can be a benefit when you're building a 20-24 team super conference. No one wants a bunch of 7-5 teams. There will be fewer out of conference games so fewer chances to pad your record with an early season G5 or FCS team. These conferences will need their Dukes and Vanderbilts.
This is not mentioned enough. You can’t have a conference of all big dogs. They’ll cannibalize themselves.

Also, not enough big brands left that add enough money to the pot that the payouts won’t get diluted.

Those two reasons are why all the 24 team super conference talk is just talk. Won’t happen. There will be some expanding, and one of the PAC 12, Big 12 or ACC will be relegated to second tier status, but that’s it.

And ND will join the B1G eventually. Too much money on the table.
 
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This is not mentioned enough. You can’t have a conference of all big dogs. They’ll cannibalize themselves.

Also, not enough big brands left that add enough money to the pot that the payouts won’t get diluted.

Those two reasons are why all the 24 team super conference talk is just talk. Won’t happen. There will be some expanding, and one of the PAC 12, Big 12 or ACC will be relegated to second tier status, but that’s it.

And ND will join the B1G eventually. Too much money on the table.

So they stop at 20 teams? What are you thinking??
 
Please god let us go the BIG10

FWIW, Dan Patrick on his show yesterday said he thinks the NBC will make a play for ND and the B1G, and basically attempt create the NFL of college football (I think he means it will be watched across the country coast to coast). Sec will counter with Clemson, UM, FSU. So basically will be a regional conference with most of the top football programs against a national conference with top academics. I'm partial to the latter, but happy just to have a seat at the table.
 
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