College Football--Big Ten Expansion

[Anonymous]

An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

[Anonymous]

I think only FSU is safe. All the other ACC teams may be stuck which they all are anyway until 2036. Uva and Unc have small alumni numbers, poor tv ratings and state political issues with larger schools in the same state. They definitely have less value than Stanford and the San Francisco/ No Cal market. Clemson splits a small state and has low alumni numbers. Maryland was the only school that is a solitary flagship in its state, inside the beltway of a huge media market and has huge alumni numbers. All the other schools besides FSU ( not the only school but an enormous state/population and large alumni numbers ) have issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(OP here)

Great chart from Sports Illustrated dated July 14, 2022. Chart ranks all 69 Power 5 Conference teams in several categories including academics,attendance, and--most important--viewership. Scroll to bottom of the article to see all 69 Power 5 Conference schools ranked in 5 categories:

https://si.com/college/2022/07/14/power-5-desirability-rankings-sec-big-ten-acc

3 schools are tied at #67 for worst viewership (Duke, Boston College, & Rutgers).

The conferences are aligning around football, but that SI report doesn’t paint the full picture. Schools like UNC, Duke, Kansas, etc. have basketball programs that bring in as much revenue and viewership as many of the football programs at other schools.

I understand why you might think that.

It simply isn’t true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(OP here)

Great chart from Sports Illustrated dated July 14, 2022. Chart ranks all 69 Power 5 Conference teams in several categories including academics,attendance, and--most important--viewership. Scroll to bottom of the article to see all 69 Power 5 Conference schools ranked in 5 categories:

https://si.com/college/2022/07/14/power-5-desirability-rankings-sec-big-ten-acc

3 schools are tied at #67 for worst viewership (Duke, Boston College, & Rutgers).

The conferences are aligning around football, but that SI report doesn’t paint the full picture. Schools like UNC, Duke, Kansas, etc. have basketball programs that bring in as much revenue and viewership as many of the football programs at other schools.

I understand why you might think that.

It simply isn’t true.

Outside of March Madness.. college basketball is a basket case. So is pro basketball. The incessant moving around of players has killed it worse than other sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I think only FSU is safe. All the other ACC teams may be stuck which they all are anyway until 2036. Uva and Unc have small alumni numbers, poor tv ratings and state political issues with larger schools in the same state. They definitely have less value than Stanford and the San Francisco/ No Cal market. Clemson splits a small state and has low alumni numbers. Maryland was the only school that is a solitary flagship in its state, inside the beltway of a huge media market and has huge alumni numbers. All the other schools besides FSU ( not the only school but an enormous state/population and large alumni numbers ) have issues.

UNC is coveted by the Big Ten Conference as it gets the Big Ten into new recruiting territory, solid athletic department, excellent academics, and same viewership for football as Stanford, but much more popular in basketball.

Only a few insiders really know the Big Ten Conference's target schools in the ACC if the ACC breaks up. Possible ACC target schools include UNC, U Miami, FSU, Georgia Tech, & Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think only FSU is safe. All the other ACC teams may be stuck which they all are anyway until 2036. Uva and Unc have small alumni numbers, poor tv ratings and state political issues with larger schools in the same state. They definitely have less value than Stanford and the San Francisco/ No Cal market. Clemson splits a small state and has low alumni numbers. Maryland was the only school that is a solitary flagship in its state, inside the beltway of a huge media market and has huge alumni numbers. All the other schools besides FSU ( not the only school but an enormous state/population and large alumni numbers ) have issues.

UNC is coveted by the Big Ten Conference as it gets the Big Ten into new recruiting territory, solid athletic department, excellent academics, and same viewership for football as Stanford, but much more popular in basketball.

Only a few insiders really know the Big Ten Conference's target schools in the ACC if the ACC breaks up. Possible ACC target schools include UNC, U Miami, FSU, Georgia Tech, & Virginia.

Too small alumni base and splits it’s market with larger NC state .. a political and market minefield. Recruiting will be based on money offered not region. Stuck until 2036 anyway. I think Unc is fine with being in the ACC and being king of the dip*hits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think only FSU is safe. All the other ACC teams may be stuck which they all are anyway until 2036. Uva and Unc have small alumni numbers, poor tv ratings and state political issues with larger schools in the same state. They definitely have less value than Stanford and the San Francisco/ No Cal market. Clemson splits a small state and has low alumni numbers. Maryland was the only school that is a solitary flagship in its state, inside the beltway of a huge media market and has huge alumni numbers. All the other schools besides FSU ( not the only school but an enormous state/population and large alumni numbers ) have issues.

UNC is coveted by the Big Ten Conference as it gets the Big Ten into new recruiting territory, solid athletic department, excellent academics, and same viewership for football as Stanford, but much more popular in basketball.

Only a few insiders really know the Big Ten Conference's target schools in the ACC if the ACC breaks up. Possible ACC target schools include UNC, U Miami, FSU, Georgia Tech, & Virginia.

Too small alumni base and splits it’s market with larger NC state .. a political and market minefield. Recruiting will be based on money offered not region. Stuck until 2036 anyway. I think Unc is fine with being in the ACC and being king of the dip*hits.

But how many football recruits will be offered any NIL money ? Very few. Most Power 5 Conference recruits are 3 star (out of a possible 5 stars) recruits and will only be offered a scholarship. Doubtful that many 4 star recruits will be offered NIL money and even if offered it can be under $10,000 which is not enough to move out of one's region away from family & friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

I am not sure how Stanford helps strength of schedule given how mediocre it has been for the last several years, and it will be worse for them without the PAC12 portion any longer.

Someone has it hard to get Stanford into the B1G...I get it, but what is in it for the B1G? Their secondary sports would all fall to Stanford every year and their football team and alumni base adds nothing to the B1g (it is so relatively small even compared to Northwestern)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

I am not sure how Stanford helps strength of schedule given how mediocre it has been for the last several years, and it will be worse for them without the PAC12 portion any longer.

Someone has it hard to get Stanford into the B1G...I get it, but what is in it for the B1G? Their secondary sports would all fall to Stanford every year and their football team and alumni base adds nothing to the B1g (it is so relatively small even compared to Northwestern)

They add academic value and a potential lure for ND.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I think only FSU is safe. All the other ACC teams may be stuck which they all are anyway until 2036. Uva and Unc have small alumni numbers, poor tv ratings and state political issues with larger schools in the same state. They definitely have less value than Stanford and the San Francisco/ No Cal market. Clemson splits a small state and has low alumni numbers. Maryland was the only school that is a solitary flagship in its state, inside the beltway of a huge media market and has huge alumni numbers. All the other schools besides FSU ( not the only school but an enormous state/population and large alumni numbers ) have issues.

UNC is coveted by the Big Ten Conference as it gets the Big Ten into new recruiting territory, solid athletic department, excellent academics, and same viewership for football as Stanford, but much more popular in basketball.

Only a few insiders really know the Big Ten Conference's target schools in the ACC if the ACC breaks up. Possible ACC target schools include UNC, U Miami, FSU, Georgia Tech, & Virginia.

Too small alumni base and splits it’s market with larger NC state .. a political and market minefield. Recruiting will be based on money offered not region. Stuck until 2036 anyway. I think Unc is fine with being in the ACC and being king of the dip*hits.

But how many football recruits will be offered any NIL money ? Very few. Most Power 5 Conference recruits are 3 star (out of a possible 5 stars) recruits and will only be offered a scholarship. Doubtful that many 4 star recruits will be offered NIL money and even if offered it can be under $10,000 which is not enough to move out of one's region away from family & friends.

(OP here continuing)

But, in contrast to my post above, Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban accused Texas A&M of buying every player on their team last year:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10036241-alabamas-nick-saban-says-texas-am-bought-every-player-on-their-team

Schools with ultra wealthy alumni & supporters like SMU & Stanford could do the same.

One unnamed recruit signed an NIL agreement which could payout as much as $8 million by the end of this unnamed player's junior year of college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

I am not sure how Stanford helps strength of schedule given how mediocre it has been for the last several years, and it will be worse for them without the PAC12 portion any longer.

Someone has it hard to get Stanford into the B1G...I get it, but what is in it for the B1G? Their secondary sports would all fall to Stanford every year and their football team and alumni base adds nothing to the B1g (it is so relatively small even compared to Northwestern)

They add academic value and a potential lure for ND.

(OP here)

Agree. Stanford adds academic prestige, research prestige, is a wealthy school, the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose media market and can legitimately but the top recruits under NIL. Plus, adding Stanford to the Big Ten Conference makes the entire West Coast Big Ten country for viewership and for recruiting.

[Anonymous]

CORRECTION: "buy", not "but".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

I am not sure how Stanford helps strength of schedule given how mediocre it has been for the last several years, and it will be worse for them without the PAC12 portion any longer.

Someone has it hard to get Stanford into the B1G...I get it, but what is in it for the B1G? Their secondary sports would all fall to Stanford every year and their football team and alumni base adds nothing to the B1g (it is so relatively small even compared to Northwestern)

They add academic value and a potential lure for ND.

(OP here)

Agree. Stanford adds academic prestige, research prestige, is a wealthy school, the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose media market and can legitimately but the top recruits under NIL. Plus, adding Stanford to the Big Ten Conference makes the entire West Coast Big Ten country for viewership and for recruiting.

Absolutely. In addition, there are also many Big Ten alumni in the area. The need to have 6 teams on the west coast will also push the B1G to take Berkeley as well. Don’t kid yourselves either, most Big Ten presidents want the academic prestige of Berkeley in the conference. The conference really prides itself on having great academic schools (save Nebraska).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

I am not sure how Stanford helps strength of schedule given how mediocre it has been for the last several years, and it will be worse for them without the PAC12 portion any longer.

Someone has it hard to get Stanford into the B1G...I get it, but what is in it for the B1G? Their secondary sports would all fall to Stanford every year and their football team and alumni base adds nothing to the B1g (it is so relatively small even compared to Northwestern)

They add academic value and a potential lure for ND.

(OP here)

Agree. Stanford adds academic prestige, research prestige, is a wealthy school, the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose media market and can legitimately but the top recruits under NIL. Plus, adding Stanford to the Big Ten Conference makes the entire West Coast Big Ten country for viewership and for recruiting.

Absolutely. In addition, there are also many Big Ten alumni in the area. The need to have 6 teams on the west coast will also push the B1G to take Berkeley as well. Don’t kid yourselves either, most Big Ten presidents want the academic prestige of Berkeley in the conference. The conference really prides itself on having great academic schools (save Nebraska).

Love your post, but wonder about Cal's athletic department debt which is approaching half ($500,000,000) a billion dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An internet sports writer suggested that Notre Dame's motive for pushing hard to get Stanford into the ACC is an attempt to preserve Notre Dame's strength of schedule by getting Stanford into a Power 4 Conference. Strength of schedule is a factor used by college rankings services which is important for getting into the 12 team college football playoff.

I am not sure how Stanford helps strength of schedule given how mediocre it has been for the last several years, and it will be worse for them without the PAC12 portion any longer.

Someone has it hard to get Stanford into the B1G...I get it, but what is in it for the B1G? Their secondary sports would all fall to Stanford every year and their football team and alumni base adds nothing to the B1g (it is so relatively small even compared to Northwestern)

They add academic value and a potential lure for ND.

(OP here)

Agree. Stanford adds academic prestige, research prestige, is a wealthy school, the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose media market and can legitimately but the top recruits under NIL. Plus, adding Stanford to the Big Ten Conference makes the entire West Coast Big Ten country for viewership and for recruiting.

Absolutely. In addition, there are also many Big Ten alumni in the area. The need to have 6 teams on the west coast will also push the B1G to take Berkeley as well. Don’t kid yourselves either, most Big Ten presidents want the academic prestige of Berkeley in the conference. The conference really prides itself on having great academic schools (save Nebraska).

Love your post, but wonder about Cal's athletic department debt which is approaching half ($500,000,000) a billion dollars.

I assume they will have to work that out by themselves. Perhaps it’s a new stronger conference affiliation, the alumni/partisans will contribute more to getting things back on track.