BCS leagues expanding - yeah?

The caveat is schools cannot grant their media rights to a conference unless the relevant governing body ratifies that decision.

 

BYU and any of the MWC or other AAC schools would be in play for the Big 12 too if they decide they need to lock down two additional schools.

 

The Big 12 probably isn't adding anybody at this point if it can't raid the ACC. BYU might be a possibility, but none of the other teams in those other conferences really do much.

Without it's own cable channel, the Big 12 isn't in a spot where they want or need to add programs just because there are a lot of television sets. It is only adding a program if it is enough of a TV draw that ESPN and Fox are willing to pay a lot more for the overall conference package. Adding USF, for example, just to get in the Florida market doesn't do anything. Adding West Virginia made more sense because most years they draw pretty decent ratings even though it's a small state. Losing Nebraska hurt the conference a lot more than losing Missouri, even though there are about six times as many people in Missouri.

 

The Big XII might add a team relatively close to West Virginia to get them off their island. Cincinnati would be the best of a dodgy set of options.

Stability in the power 5 conferences is bad news for prospective FCS callups. The contracts for the Gang of 5 (MWC, American, CUSA, Sun Belt, MAC) cap the base distribution from the, ahem, College Football Playoff at $1M per school, up to 12 schools. So there's no benefit in going past 12 schools unless they think the addition will bring enough value to make up for having to divide the pot by one more. As of now, the only conference with less than 12 schools in the second tier of conferences is the Sun Belt, who as of now will have 11 members after Western Kentucky leaves for CUSA in 2014. Once the Sun Belt gets their 12th football school, there may not be any room at the inn for FCS schools.

 

Yeah, Big 12 won't expand just to appease. If WVU isn't happy in a power conference with GOR and long-term stability, it can always go back to the old Big East and play SMU, UCF, Memphis and whoever else. I know the travel costs aren't ideal for the Mountaineers, but I would think the Big 12 paycheck more than covers whatever it made in the Big East to cover those expanses.

 

I keep thing West Virginia in the Big 12 as a temporary deal. Just doesn't seem to fit. I suppose there are ways to undo any deal that gets done.

 

The Big 12 should have moved harder on the ACC targets. If any conference is in trouble first, it's going to be the Big 12, and at this point, it really needs to change it's name - as should the Big 10. But then these are the masters of intellect who hired a PR company to come up with the generic name for the national championship playoff, so getting them to understand the obvious would take a little work.

 

I'm a little surprised the Big 12 didn't add Louisville, which was publicly begging to get in at the same time as West Virginia. But I guess the league talked to its TV partners and it didn't look like Louisville was going to be enough to renegotiate the deals and create a bigger split for each school.

 

But now, that might be different. Not that it will change. W. Va. was just a goofy move without adding a connective trail.

 

Louisville is already signed, sealed and delivered to the ACC. The grant of rights included Louisville. Put down the pipe.

 

West Virginia isn't going anywhere, either.

 

What I was suggesting was the TV value of Louisville would be different now...."Not that it will change" referring to what you just mentioned. Still, something has to happen with W. Va., which is simply not a fit for the Big 12 unless there's a geographic bridge built.