****The official NEW new conference realignment thread.****

[Saul Good]

the second thread has been pronounced dead.

[PGM]

Endowments and 3rd tier rights oh my

[Saul Good]

This is awesome. I absolutely love this stuff.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The contract has automatic escalators if quality schools are added in an expansion. If the FSU/Clemson rumors pan out, we're at about 24. Then the conference championship game is worth at least another 2 million per, putting it at 26. Finally, everyone owns their tier 3 rights, and most schools worth a damn can get at least 4. So, basically if the Big 12 picks off 2 good schools from the ACC, they are all in the $30 million club.

And you guys had the audacity to mock the SEC Network numbers.

[DeezNutz]

If Big XII could pull upwards of 30, all things considered, what in the hell would the SEC be able to justify?

[sedated]

Originally Posted by alnorth

That reminds me, Notre Dame could now be in play too, if the new postseason scheme effectively shuts out independents, as seems likely. I'm not really expecting anything there though, because if they are forced into a conference, they probably go B1G, but still something to keep in mind.

I was under the impression that the only option for Notre Dame was the Big 12, since that's the only conference that will allow them their current TV setup.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

If Big XII could pull upwards of 30, all things considered, what in the hell would the SEC be able to justify?

All I can say is good luck. I'm sure the SEC teams will do fine when it comes to $$, just like the Big 12 has done.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by sedated

I was under the impression that the only option for Notre Dame was the Big 12, since that's the only conference that will allow them their current TV setup.

It's the American thing to do.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

And you guys had the audacity to mock the SEC Network numbers.

I don't recall anyone sane mocking the fact that the SEC makes a lot of money. If the Big 12 goes to 14 with strong football schools and gets paid, the SEC probably goes to 16, re-opens their contract, and gets paid a little more than the Big 12 to assuage SEC ego.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by sedated

I was under the impression that the only option for Notre Dame was the Big 12, since that's the only conference that will allow them their current TV setup.

The Big 12 might let them keep tier 3, but if Notre Dame wants to keep their tier 1/2 deal with NBC, they can forget it and enjoy never making the playoffs.

That might be the only advantage the Big 12 has. The B1G wants everything, the Big 12 would at least let them keep tier 3, but the NBC deal would have to be scrapped because ESPN/FOX have paid a TON of money to get first and second choice on Big 12 programming.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

If Big XII could pull upwards of 30, all things considered, what in the hell would the SEC be able to justify?

If you go to various SEC boards, obviously some of them are outright mocking the speculation as fantasy and wont ever believe it unless it happens, but those taking it seriously are tossing around eye-popping seemingly-crazy numbers for the SEC. I guess we'll see.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The Big 12 might let them keep tier 3, but if Notre Dame wants to keep their tier 1/2 deal with NBC, they can forget it and enjoy never making the playoffs.

That might be the only advantage the Big 12 has. The B1G wants everything, the Big 12 would at least let them keep tier 3, but the NBC deal would have to be scrapped because ESPN/FOX have paid a TON of money to get first and second choice on Big 12 programming.

Then what does Notre Dame stand to gain by joining the Big XII?

[Codered]

It's either B1G or Independent for Notre Dame. Any other conference is a pipe dream by those conferences wanting to cash in on on adding Notre Dame.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Codered

It's either B1G or Independent for Notre Dame. Any other conference is a pipe dream by those conferences wanting to cash in on on adding Notre Dame.

I think ACC is a very real option for Notre Dame.

ACC would probably let ND join for every sport except football, which B1G won't do. ACC also offers more academic prestige and east coast exposure than the Big 12.

If ND joins the ACC, no one is leaving that conference.

[Codered]

My guess is B1G has been holding off any more expansion talk until Notre Dame decides it's next step.

Add the long relationship the conference and ND has shared. It just seems like a natural fit.

[qabbaan]

@ Clemson and FSU in the Big whatever's-left