Big Ten will soon be the Big 14

coinkat

I am stunned into silence- I suspect the expansion is by no means over- might as well add two more

Justacommeman

<< <i>I am stunned into silence- I suspect the expansion is by no means over- might as well add two more >>



If they do add two more hopefully it will be teams that aren't already irrelevant. Rutgers and Maryland both go to the Leaders (black eye) Division and Illinois moves over to the Legends. MJ

Boopotts

Excellent article about all of this by Jon Chait. Here's a link.

coinkat

The mega conference concept seems to place a greater value on money that Tradition.

This TV revenue thing seems to be overrated in the valuation of this-

BTN Football game - Illinois v Rutgers- will there be an audience?

I suspect the ratings will reflect College Football fans will choose to do yard work or walk the dog instead of tooning into that one-

I am not trying slam either school or the conference- but trying to offer a realistic perspective that bigger is not always better

jdip9

Excellent read, Boo....I, for one, am hoping that conference realignment fails on an epic level. And by ruining all the traditional rivalries that have made the sport great, I think it will.

mcadams

<< <i>Excellent read, Boo....I, for one, am hoping that conference realignment fails on an epic level. And by ruining all the traditional rivalries that have made the sport great, I think it will.[/q

Conference realignment has absolutely NOT "ruined all the traditional rivalries that have made the sport great." I understand how you feel, but that statement is not accurate. Some lower tier rivalry games have been dropped, but the top tier great games are still in place. IMO the biggest loss so far has been Texas-TX A&M, and with Notre Dame moving to ACC, they may eventually drop some of the Big 10 matchups. Meh...

Boopotts

<< <i>Excellent read, Boo....I, for one, am hoping that conference realignment fails on an epic level. And by ruining all the traditional rivalries that have made the sport great, I think it will. >>



I can take or leave college football, but I think the point that this article brought home is an important one. Namely, the only thing competitive advantage that NCAAF has over the NFL is the myriad rivalry games that in some case go back 100 years. Once you start diluting that there becomes very little for college football to offer the viewer that the NFL can't do better.

And it does seem short sighted to build an entire business strategy on what amounts to a glitch in the pricing structure of cable TV.

soundgard

I dont like this at all. It has already hurt traditional rival games. For example Michigan and Wisconsin should play every year and did not happen this year

MajorDanby

<< <i>Once you start diluting that there becomes very little for college football to offer the viewer that the NFL can't do better >>



Two things: First, if the NFL had a minor leagues, then you're almost right. As it stands now, NCAAF is a glorified developmental grounds for the NFL and fans will consume this. Second, fan allegiances to college teams differ from allegiances to NFL teams. College football programs have strong roots in areas where the NFL has no presence. People affiliate with programs because they went there as a student or know someone that went there. When people think of Alabama - there's more than just the team since there's an entire University behind it. Combine these two aspects (programs having a micro level reach on communities and rising college attendance rates) and the insatiable demand for nearly anything football in the US, then college football (not necessarily the institution known as the NCAA) will continue to thrive.

Rudedawg

Mass consolidation usually ends in failure with most ventures in sports, economy and other areas. College Football has some differences because, as has been said already, there are stronger geographical and personal connections. I live in Iowa, am a Hawkeye fan, and I want to play Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin every year. I personally know and talk with people in all those states and enjoy the lead up to it and the anticipation. Adding Maryland and Rutgers is ridiculous and, of course, is only for revenue. We already didn't play certain close rivals this year and no fans that I talk with are happy about it.

The Hawkeye football team was brutually bad this year and some fans didn't even tune into traditional Big Ten rival games by the end of the season. However, our last game against Nebraska?? They tuned in, why?, because it's our "hated" neighbor Nebraska. Iowa fans travel as well as anyone, but they sure aren't going to be very willing to take a two day haul to Maryland or Rutgers. When either of those teams has a down year and so does Iowa, enjoy your half-full stadiums.

College football a money making monster, bigger than ever and I understand the economics of it. However, as a fan, I don't like these changes.

Boopotts

<< <i>

<< <i>Once you start diluting that there becomes very little for college football to offer the viewer that the NFL can't do better >>



Two things: First, if the NFL had a minor leagues, then you're almost right. As it stands now, NCAAF is a glorified developmental grounds for the NFL and fans will consume this. Second, fan allegiances to college teams differ from allegiances to NFL teams. College football programs have strong roots in areas where the NFL has no presence. People affiliate with programs because they went there as a student or know someone that went there. When people think of Alabama - there's more than just the team since there's an entire University behind it. Combine these two aspects (programs having a micro level reach on communities and rising college attendance rates) and the insatiable demand for nearly anything football in the US, then college football (not necessarily the institution known as the NCAA) will continue to thrive. >>




I haven't argued that college football won't continue to thrive. What I'm saying is that the source of college football's competitive advantage lies in its traditions and historical rivalries; thus, athletic directors should be very careful when they start tinkering with their teams/conferences in a way that could erode that competitive advantage. You're of course free to disagree with that, but I can't think of a single business that would knowingly jeopardize the one significant advantage that it has over its primary competitors for the sake of expanded profits in the short-to-medium term- yet that, I think, it what has/is happening with conference expansion.

Ahmanfan

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>Once you start diluting that there becomes very little for college football to offer the viewer that the NFL can't do better >>



Two things: First, if the NFL had a minor leagues, then you're almost right. As it stands now, NCAAF is a glorified developmental grounds for the NFL and fans will consume this. Second, fan allegiances to college teams differ from allegiances to NFL teams. College football programs have strong roots in areas where the NFL has no presence. People affiliate with programs because they went there as a student or know someone that went there. When people think of Alabama - there's more than just the team since there's an entire University behind it. Combine these two aspects (programs having a micro level reach on communities and rising college attendance rates) and the insatiable demand for nearly anything football in the US, then college football (not necessarily the institution known as the NCAA) will continue to thrive. >>




I haven't argued that college football won't continue to thrive. What I'm saying is that the source of college football's competitive advantage lies in its traditions and historical rivalries; thus, athletic directors should be very careful when they start tinkering with their teams/conferences in a way that could erode that competitive advantage. You're of course free to disagree with that, but I can't think of a single business that would knowingly jeopardize the one significant advantage that it has over its primary competitors for the sake of expanded profits in the short-to-medium term- yet that, I think, it what has/is happening with conference expansion. >>




What you are saying makes sense. However, college football's main competitive advantage is that they play football, and nothjng else matters.