ESPN resurrected that abortion of a conference. The multi-billion dollar propaganda machine went all in, and identified massive state diploma mills void of professional sports franchises. They purchased AM/FM sports talk radio in those lifeless markets and merged their NASCAR model with its newly acquired SEC product. **** near every AP vote is a employee of ESPN, an affiliate or contributor.
Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, South Carolina, Arkansas and the Mississippi's? Is there a single professional sports franchise in those states? Tennessee has 1, Gainesville might as well be in freakin Georgia. I mean really, it's easy.
Just take a look @ that conference pre-ESPN investment, then contemplate how the entire west coast was phased out and de-valued. Take a look at the programs that have been hindered, crippled and devalued by the NCAA during the last 12 or so years.
Herding 40k debt ridden students and finding another 30k or so from areas isolated from the rest of the sports planet, looks very good on TV. That's the entire plot, nothing more and nothing less.
ESPN's SEC project sparked/created the entire conference re-alignment paranoia. Everyone recalls those few years, where WVU panicked and now travels more than the space station to compete in its conference, FSU, UNC, Clempleson to the SEC....Freakin Nebraska to the B10 and on and on it went.
Take a peek @ Missouri and Texas Agriculture and Military before they joined the SEC. They sucked, had sucked and continue to suck...but somehow, immediately found themselves winning in the ultra=uber SEC, and are now elite programs, fielding heisman hopefuls/winners?
Now that ESPN has created and purchased the new Bullshlt 4 team playoff, for however Billion dollars, basically killing FOX's attempt to elevate the Pac 12. They used the Coaches Poll model for CFB fans....Can't watch em all, so... let's showcase our investment and parrot its greatness.
Steven Rindner one of the CEO's of the Scout recruiting services, said the highest subscription base and click revenue was/is/has always been their SEC market, with the B1G in a distant second. Who might they be catering to?
SEC is the grand illusion, powered by a gazillion dollar propaganda machine and insured/policed by the ultimate scumbag (NCAA) entity. Ignore the window dressing and watch the games/teams. It's just as ordinary than any other