Certainly, Missouri would have an easier path, but not that much easier. But it’s hard to argue right now that Missouri isn’t also behind TCU, Oklahoma State and Baylor, as well as incoming Cincinnati and maybe BYU. That would be a calculated risk, with some justification: Missouri would be the second all-time winningest program in the new Big 12, behind only West Virginia, while it will rank 11th in the new SEC. How much would it recoup by presumably being more competitive in the Big 12? Perhaps some more visibility, which would lead to the benefits that programs like TCU are hoping to use to become sustained powers. Suffice to say, that’s a lot of annual money to walk away from if you’re Missouri.
#Sec conference division realignment tv#
How much money? If you use just the TV money, the SEC’s average payout is set to be around $58 million under the current parameters of the ESPN contract, while the Big 12’s average payout will only be around $28 million – and that was considered a good get by first-year commissioner Brett Yormark. Missouri could go, but unless it went to the Big Ten - where an invite still does not seem forthcoming - then it would be giving up a lot of money to leave. This time around, it’s more about brands. Louis and Kansas City markets, the Big Ten was, rightly or wrongly, allured by the potential of the New York and Washington/Baltimore markets. If Missouri had waited, would it have gotten the Big Ten’s invite in late 2012 instead of Maryland or Rutgers? That’s hard to say because at that point it was almost all about TV markets, and although Missouri could say it has a chunk of the St. In fact, it’s generally assumed the school was angling for the Big Ten during the 2010/2011 realignment wars, and that only when it didn’t look like an invitation was forthcoming did Missouri agree to accompany Texas A&M to the SEC.
Like the others, this scenario preserves all current cross-divisional rivalries.Now this is a great curveball, because as much as Missouri still seems out of place in the SEC (at least to some people), it’s the Big Ten where those people think Mizzou is a more natural fit. UNC would likely be incentivized by the monetary gains from the SEC Network as well as the increased exposure, which could outweigh the negatives. While the academic scandal and the ACC’s buyout fees may prevent this from ever happening, it would be a strong addition for the SEC. North Carolina has an elite basketball program and has had a strong football team under Larry Fedora. Why not get the best of both worlds? In this scenario, the SEC gains expansion territory in North Carolina and Oklahoma while adding powerhouse schools. This scenario also preserves all cross-division rivalries and adds a new “Battle of the Virginias.” Scenario 3: The Compromise This would likely only come about if the ACC suffered serious losses or just went kaput.Īs for West Virginia, the Mountaineers offer a new geographic footprint and a strong athletic department. Virginia Tech has been rumored to be a potential candidate for SEC expansion for years. While UVA’s academic prowess and strong basketball program would be solid additions to the SEC, Virginia Tech offers a competitive football team paired with a strong academic record. In order to do this, the conference looks to the Virginias. In this scenario, the SEC has decided that it has expanded far enough westward and focuses on expanding the Southeastern region northwards. And frankly, who wouldn’t want to see Alabama play Texas every year? Scenario 2: Meet Virginia(s) In addition, the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry is rekindled, even if it is to Texas A&M’s dismay. With this move, the Tennessee-Alabama rivalry is preserved. In order to preserve rivalries, this would lead to Alabama moving to the East division. Geographically, Texas and Oklahoma belong in the West. In this scenario, the Big 12 has dissolved and Texas has swallowed its pride to make a move to the toughest conference in the nation. If that were the case, what other teams may follow? How many would the SEC take? What about division realignment? As I see it, there are three realistic scenarios: Recently, as Fox Sports Knoxville’s own Nick Davis points out, Oklahoma has been rumored to be looking for a way out of the Big 12 and may very well land in the SEC. There is talk that a Power 5 conference itself could dissolve: the Big 12. Conference realignment has been a hot topic for several years, and now it’s bubbling up again.
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