Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

[adice15]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

1. I'd like to see those statistics that say that Tulsa was the 7th largest market last year. I don't necessarily doubt them, but statistic sharing is always good.

2. The MWC isn't really that great a conference football-wise. Sure, you get Boise or Hawai'i (who will both be in the other division), but you also have to take New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado State, and Air Force in your division. Honestly, the MWC is looking pretty West-heavy right now. Admittedly, you guys do get pretty huge jumps in attendance when you play the Oklahomas of the world, but you're not going to get too many of those in the MWC. The biggest leaps in attendance you're going to get are going to be against Houston and Boise State. Besides, every school gets those jumps. For example, when Rice played Texas in Reliant a few years ago, the game nearly sold out.

3. I feel like a lot of Tulsa's status as a college football market probably results from being fairly close to Stillwater. The statistics I've seen don't exactly show people kicking and shoving to find a seat in Skelly Stadium. According to the NCAA's records on the subject, you guys sold an average of 22,541 seats per game last year. That puts you guys about at the middle of the pack in either C-USA or the MWC in a good season (although, above SMU, for what it's worth).

With all of that having been said, I would gladly welcome Tulsa to the MWC or Big East if they were invited. Their program would, on average, improve either conference competitively, and they're certainly a better option across the board than, say, Tulane.

http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2012/08/college-footballs-top-25-highest-rated-markets-birmingham-oklahoma-city-columbus-top-three-in-2011/

While Tulsa definitely doesn't have people fighting over seats, the city has definitely started paying more attention to them with the recent success. That's why I think if they got to play in a big conference they would get more fans. While they would be playing Air Force, UTEP, New Mexico State, and the likes, they would also play Boise, Hawaii, Nevada, and possibly San Diego State. Plus with the new playoff system, the winner of the MWC would probably end up being the highest ranked of the 5 conferences. So while I agree, right now we don't have much fans, with the increase in quality in teams and the quality of the conference, they could easily start getting close to sellout crowds.

[gordogg24p]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

The MWC isn't really that great a conference football-wise. Sure, you get Boise or Hawai'i (who will both be in the other division), but you also have to take New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado State, and Air Force in your division.

What Hawai'i team were you watching? All the "weaker" teams you listed beat Hawai'i this year.

[DonkeyJote]

http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-re...three-in-2011/

While Tulsa definitely doesn't have people fighting over seats, the city has definitely started paying more attention to them with the recent success. That's why I think if they got to play in a big conference they would get more fans. While they would be playing Air Force, UTEP, New Mexico State, and the likes, they would also play Boise, Hawaii, Nevada, and possibly San Diego State. Plus with the new playoff system, the winner of the MWC would probably end up being the highest ranked of the 5 conferences. So while I agree, right now we don't have much fans, with the increase in quality in teams and the quality of the conference, they could easily start getting close to sellout crowds.

That's going off of market share, however, not total viewers. Truth is, a 3.3 in Tulsa isn't they many viewers, and a lot of that is probably attributed to Oklahoma alumni and fans.

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[TracerBullet]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Not really. How many religious institutions are in the Big 5 as it stands?
I can think of 4:
Baylor, BC, Syracuse, and Duke.
That's less than one per conference, and 3 of them are in the ACC. It's pretty easy to exclude religious schools if that's a conference's thing.

On that note, just damn it all.

Just wanted to point out that these two consider themselves nonsectarian. Duke has some ties to the Methodist Church, but they aren't full blown like Baylor, BC, SMU, etc.

[dickey1331]

Just wanted to point out that these two consider themselves nonsectarian. Duke has some ties to the Methodist Church, but they aren't full blown like Baylor, BC, SMU, etc.

SMU isn't really full blown. No required religious classes and only a small percent are actually Methodist.


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[Perfect Zero]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Why does it even matter? What's the PAC-12's reasoning on it?

[Tovarich]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Why does it even matter? What's the PAC-12's reasoning on it?

It's not the conference's view on it. Expansion requires every member to approve, or for every member to just grant the commissioner power to invite schools like they did a couple years ago. It is just the opinion of a few schools (Cal would be the ringleader) that the schools should not have a religious affiliation. It's not an official requirement, unlike being a research institution, which is the first requirement and eliminates many of the schools people routinely bring up.

Either way, PAC 12 expansion is dead until the Big 12 GOR is up, and at that point, it would depend on the stability of the conference. It's likely simply dead and we'll go on with 12 unless Texas ever changes their mind about coming over.

[cdawg44]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

It's not the conference's view on it. Expansion requires every member to approve, or for every member to just grant the commissioner power to invite schools like they did a couple years ago. It is just the opinion of a few schools (Cal would be the ringleader) that the schools should not have a religious affiliation. It's not an official requirement, unlike being a research institution, which is the first requirement and eliminates many of the schools people routinely bring up.

Either way, PAC 12 expansion is dead until the Big 12 GOR is up, and at that point, it would depend on the stability of the conference. It's likely simply dead and we'll go on with 12 unless Texas ever changes their mind about coming over.

Honestly, it would be OU and Okie State making the first move to the pac-12 and that forces Texas' hand to move too. GOR ends right when the 15 year Longhorn network ends too with ESPN. Pac-12 isn't doing jack unless that is the scenario. If the ACC blows up, then this is all a mute point and we carry on with 12. Larry Scott made it perfectly clear, we ain't expanding for the hell of it and both times Texas approached the Pac-12, not the other way around. SMU, Houston or whoever not named Texas or OU add zilch to the tv deal. Plus since the league controls the TV network, expanding without big names or flagship schools of whatever state hurts the bottom line.

[Perfect Zero]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

It's not the conference's view on it. Expansion requires every member to approve, or for every member to just grant the commissioner power to invite schools like they did a couple years ago. It is just the opinion of a few schools (Cal would be the ringleader) that the schools should not have a religious affiliation. It's not an official requirement, unlike being a research institution, which is the first requirement and eliminates many of the schools people routinely bring up.

Okay with that said, why wouldn't these schools want other universities that have religious connections?

[cdawg44]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Okay with that said, why wouldn't these schools want other universities that have religious connections?

Same reason the BIG only will allow AAU members to join the league. Certain leagues have certain requirements beyond what the athletic department does. Especially in the Big 3 (Pac-12, BIG, SEC). The ACC and Big XII to a lesser extent have this luxury too. They can be choosy, because they are desination confrences and typically schools don't leave these leagues often unless there is a huge issue dividing the membership or a certain member. Pac-12's refuses to have any religious schools, ACC tends to prefer liberal arts schools with strong research and professional and grad programs and the SEC mostly has rural, agricultural and strong ROTC schools.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Okay with that said, why wouldn't these schools want other universities that have religious connections?

The Pac 12 is all high level secular schools, and those schools often don't want to be associated with religious schools, since those institutions, at times, have more extreme beliefs that can reflect badly on the other schools (like BYU). They also look down on schools that incorporate theology into their curriculum. I believe the Ivy League is also all non-sectarian as well.

[Perfect Zero]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

The Pac 12 is all high level secular schools, and those schools often don't want to be associated with religious schools, since those institutions, at times, have more extreme beliefs that can reflect badly on the other schools (like BYU). They also look down on schools that incorporate theology into their curriculum. I believe the Ivy League is also all non-sectarian as well.

Hmm.. I find it interesting to say the least.

[cdawg44]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

San Diego State might not have the votes to get back to the Mountain West

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2013/1/2/3828660/report-san-diego-st-doesnt-have-the-votes-to-get-back-to-mwc

[dickey1331]

Navy said they are still committed to the Big East. They basically called Boise out.


Navy AD, Gladchuk: “What Boise State wanted was outrageous and unprecedented. It was not palatable to any of the other Big East institutions,” Gladchuk said. “In the final analysis, Boise wasn’t worth it. There is zero television interest in Boise along the Eastern seaboard. What it tells me is the Mountain West was desperate. Clearly, the Mountain West was willing to make whatever concessions necessary to keep Boise in the fold.”


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[Noble Evildoer]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Navy said they are still committed to the Big East. They basically called Boise out.


Navy AD, Gladchuk: “What Boise State wanted was outrageous and unprecedented. It was not palatable to any of the other Big East institutions,” Gladchuk said. “In the final analysis, Boise wasn’t worth it. There is zero television interest in college football along the Eastern seaboard. What it tells me is the Mountain West was desperate. Clearly, the Mountain West was willing to make whatever concessions necessary to keep Boise in the fold.”


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Pretty sure that's what he meant to say.