Hating on the $EC - Mostly Alabama (and a little Georgia too)

[AlabamAlum]

Cinci and Indiana State!

[AlabamAlum]

Kidding aside, I don’t think that Iowa Stare would be a bad get. They have respectable football and basketball programs. They don’t add a lot to the “footprint” for TV money, though.

BYU would be okay except for the no Sunday play thing.

[Cody_Russell]

I'm afraid of what Iowa State football would become after Matt Campbell leaves. Could be another Rutgers.
Think the B10 announced Rutgers and Maryland were being added near the end of Schiano's first stint as HC at Rutgers.
Iowa State basketball should be OK.
West Virginia is solid all around with football and basketball. Though Huggins is getting up there in age.

The most wishful of thinking/ dream scenario:
I want Louisville and Notre Dame. Makes perfect sense when it comes to quality and geography.
Will it happen? Nope. Nobody else is talking about it.

[Mike]

I like the idea of Louisville, too. Okie St. has good programs and has committed big money to facilities. They will probably be legit in both basketball and football for the foreseeable future. The Big Ten is gonna have to set aside their academic standards for some of these options. Looking at you, West Virginia.

[AlabamAlum]

Or the best of the PAC-12 could join. I know geography doesn’t make sense, but with readily available and fairly cheap air travel, it’s not the burden it once was. Besides the two conferences have a history.

[lineygoblue]

Notre Dame makes the most sense as one partner, but for that to happen ND would have to be the one to come to the table, and not the other way around. The Big Ten has made overtures to ND many times in the past, only to be turned away like a jilted lover. ND will have to realize its in their best interests to do so, before it actually happens. The Big Ten won't be able to sway them as long as NBC continues to throw money at the Irish.

Louisville and Pitt would fit geographically. Louisville to the West, and Pitt to the East. But, they'd get drilled in other sports outside of football and men's basketball. Pitt would bring a huge rivalry with Penn State, and Indiana vs Louisville would be big too.

[WM Wolverine]

Pittsburgh makes the most sense but I don't think anyone is leaving the ACC. After them, I don't see any University worthy. Kansas? I'd pass on the Cyclones.

[Mike]

Kansas would be great for basketball but it’s football that drives the media deals. Knowing the Big Ten, they’ll go from 12 to 16 with the additions of Rutgers, Maryland, Iowa State, and Cincinnati.

[AlabamAlum]

I think Iowa State and Kansas State make sense, too.

But conferences look to increase “footprints” for TV money. Adding a top 50 market is a consideration. With that in mind, heading out west to take a PAC-12 team or two may be considered.

[lineygoblue]

I could see a scenario where the Big Ten will try to pick up a few of the remnants of the Big XII if both Oklahoma and Texas bail out to the SEC. Iowa State, Kansas State, .. maybe Okie State.

I wonder if there'd be room for all the egos in the SEC with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas. In order to get Texas on the dotted line, they'd want a ton of guaranteed money. They aren't going to give up on the "Longhorn Network" without some serious financial compensation.

[AlabamAlum]

This was actually discussed today on local sports radio in parts:

We won’t offer guaranteed money. It’s just not done by us. As far as the Longhorn Network, it is owned by UT and ESPN in a joint venture. Texas’ revenue with it is tied completely to its ESPN affiliation and would possibly be folded into the SEC Network. It’s not a huge money maker, anyway. $10million a year or so - which is modest in today’s major cfb money.

[lineygoblue]

I still think Texas won't come cheap, and Oklahoma isn't going to stand by and watch Texas get a better deal than they get. Somehow, some ego-driven programs are going to have to agree on taking the same amount of money as their rivals, and that may not sit well everywhere. JMO.

[AlabamAlum]

Texas will get the same deal as every other member institution if they come. There is no way we would open the door to the same problems Texas caused in the BigXII.

[Dr. Strangelove]

A&M, Tech, TCU, Baylor, and Oklahoma State alums will raise hell with their state legislatures if this is a real possibility of happening.

[AlabamAlum]

Not sure anyone cares about those schools’ complaints except A&M - and they’re already in.