(01-03-2016 03:47 PM)Shasta77 Wrote:  Spreading like wildfire. I would think UConn is a far better fit in the ACC. The Huskies with Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, Kansas State, etc., Texas and Plains states 1500-2000 miles away?? Who knows? Realignment never makes a lot of sense to me.

Have you looked at UConn's current conference? Not a whole lot different than now with nearly half of their conference in the same area.

BYU and UConn to the Big XII

Houston to the ACC

I'm an old SWC guy who was pleased when Houston was added to the conference. I loved watching Elvin Hayes' matchups with Lew Alcindor and UCLA. But I have trouble believing the Big 12 would add Houston for #11 or 12. Maybe if they went to 14.

I'd actually like to see the conference expand the footprint, but stay as contiguous as possible. For example, adding Memphis, Tulane, Cincinnati and Colorado State would put the conference in four new states, build a bit of a bridge to WVU and stick their toes into territory currently claimed by three other conferences. That's just an example. The same thing could be accomplished with Colorado State, New Mexico State, Wyoming and Utah State/BYU, but that wouldn't get anyone in WVU's neighborhood and would go toward the PAC and MW rather than the SEC, Big 10 and MW. I think the perception of the adds would be better in the first example.

I know people want UConn in a P5 conference, but if I were on the Big 12 expansion committee, they would be a non-starter for me. Let them wait on the ACC invitation that they would prefer anyway.

I agree that 5 Texas teams might be a bit much. But the overlooked issue is the city of Houston, currently, appears to no longer be a pure Big 12 town, and may soon be an SEC town. Houston does provide some good defense against that. Otherwise five years from now, South Texas might be split up with two conferences, neither of which are the Big 12.

UConn is simply filling a role that is similar to what was once filled by West Virginia.

Couldn't agree more adcorbett. Houston may very well be the most deserving of any school not in a P5 conference, but they may be hamstrung by the needs of the most logical conferences. The Big 12 has four Texas schools already, the SEC is unlikely to add a school in such close proximity to A&M and the ACC doesn't have another school in the neighborhood.

(01-03-2016 05:41 PM)Titans3775 Wrote:  You people really need to go and read up on how money is collected for new age conference networks like the SEC and BIG have (and likely the other 3 soon enough). 0-12 UCF stands a way better shot at the Big12 than Houston and it obviously isn't because of their football team. Houston is cursed by being in Texas for Big12 realignment. UConn also stands no chance just because that would be stupid for both parties involved on top of a small state pop.

The rumor is that it's down to Cincy, UConn and Houston, so that doesn't seem to be true.

The Big 12 seemingly "owned" the Dallas market with UT, OU, Baylor, and Texas Tech, and it didn't stop them from adding TCU. They very much less "own" Houston (as seen by their dwindling TV ratings this year), with only UT having a significant presence here.

Not just fans spreading. Articles and few insiders with legit sources.

Thing is Big 12 needs Houston to put both LHN and Big 12 network on Comcast in #10 market. Big 12 has lost the 4th largest city to the SEC--Aggy, LSU, etc. UH would be anchor to get it back. Cincy good partner for WVU. Just repeating. I'm a big fan of AAC and feel most all of us deserve P5 status, certainly as much as Wake, Iowa State, Purdue, etc.

It's just pressure talk and leveraging as we get closer to the Rules Committee meeting. Expect more of this until then.

(01-03-2016 06:26 PM)Zombiewoof Wrote:  Couldn't agree more adcorbett. Houston may very well be the most deserving of any school not in a P5 conference, but they may be hamstrung by the needs of the most logical conferences. The Big 12 has four Texas schools already, the SEC is unlikely to add a school in such close proximity to A&M and the ACC doesn't have another school in the neighborhood.

That's kind of the opposite of what I said. I was making the case FOR Houston to the Big 12 specifically because of their location.

(01-03-2016 06:00 PM)upstater1 Wrote:  

(01-03-2016 05:41 PM)Titans3775 Wrote:  You people really need to go and read up on how money is collected for new age conference networks like the SEC and BIG have (and likely the other 3 soon enough). 0-12 UCF stands a way better shot at the Big12 than Houston and it obviously isn't because of their football team. Houston is cursed by being in Texas for Big12 realignment. UConn also stands no chance just because that would be stupid for both parties involved on top of a small state pop.

It's a small state.

But it is densely populated.

And also has the richest per capita $$$ in the country.

3.6 million people. No pro teams. No other school.

So compare it to Kansas (2.9m and 2 schools), Mississippi (3 pop and 2 schools), Iowa (3.1 pop and 2 schools), Pennsylvania, Oklahoma (3.9m and 2 schools), Oregon (3.9m and 2 schools), South Carolina (4.8m and 2 schools), etc.

It's not until you get to Minnesota that you find a school with more population per state university ($5m) but Minnesota also has 4 pro sports teams.

In fact, there is no state with more population per school and no pro sports.

Very interesting. I did not know that about you guys

(01-03-2016 06:33 PM)Shasta77 Wrote:  Not just fans spreading. Articles and few insiders with legit sources.

Thing is Big 12 needs Houston to put both LHN and Big 12 network on Comcast in #10 market. Big 12 has lost the 4th largest city to the SEC--Aggy, LSU, etc. UH would be anchor to get it back.

Have the Astros and Rockets finally gotten their RSN on TV? I only ask because if they had trouble, and those nets actually carry a lot of important games, a network dedicated to junk games may not fare so well anyway.

One thing simply can't be ignored when we are talking about the city of Houston, and that is the fact that it is larger than most states.

The market arguments are weak.

The strongest arguments center around the fact that the Big12 simply doesn't need to share anything, nor can it afford to and thereby weaken its financial position relative to others, and the fact that doing so would encourage members to look elsewhere.

(01-03-2016 06:30 PM)Kronke Wrote:  

(01-03-2016 05:41 PM)Titans3775 Wrote:  You people really need to go and read up on how money is collected for new age conference networks like the SEC and BIG have (and likely the other 3 soon enough). 0-12 UCF stands a way better shot at the Big12 than Houston and it obviously isn't because of their football team. Houston is cursed by being in Texas for Big12 realignment. UConn also stands no chance just because that would be stupid for both parties involved on top of a small state pop.

The rumor is that it's down to Cincy, UConn and Houston, so that doesn't seem to be true.

The Big 12 seemingly "owned" the Dallas market with UT, OU, Baylor, and Texas Tech, and it didn't stop them from adding TCU. They very much less "own" Houston (as seen by their dwindling TV ratings this year), with only UT having a significant presence here.

Big12 wasn't concerned about TV money when TCU and WVU were added. They were more interested in not voiding their current contract. The "Rumor" is completely bogus. People aren't thinking about Big12 expansion logically in the least. Houston could win the national championship and still not be a favorable candidate for the Big12. UConn doesn't stand a chance either. Cincy is probably legit as is Memphis. USF is likely right there also at the moment with UCF picking a bad time to be bad. Markets mean absolutely nothing on the last few TV deals (which came after the Big12's). As long as the population center resides in the same state as the school is all that matters. Non-member state populations are the absolute #1 factor now. Which also explains why the SEC's next expansion foray won't be a package deal with OU and OSU. It will almost undoubtedly be into North Carolina and Virginia.

(01-03-2016 05:56 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Adding any of these schools would be a death sentence for the Big12.

That could be the master plan

It is not just rumor and it not just some dude on Twitter; not when the president of WVU visits UH and the president of KSU visits UConn. That does not mean either has been invited. It does mean Big 12 people are evaluating.

Connecticut sports writer confirms that his sources say that UConn and the Big 12 have had discussions about a potential move.

(01-03-2016 05:56 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Adding any of these schools would be a death sentence for the Big12.

Keeping their heads in the sand and doing nothing will more likely be their death sentence. Of course, Texas doesn't really care whether the conference survives or not, but the other schools had better stand up to them before it's too late.

(01-03-2016 07:06 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(01-03-2016 05:56 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Adding any of these schools would be a death sentence for the Big12.

That could be the master plan

They don't need to add schools for that master plan to happen. Just the threat of doing so.

(01-03-2016 06:30 PM)Kronke Wrote:  

(01-03-2016 05:41 PM)Titans3775 Wrote:  You people really need to go and read up on how money is collected for new age conference networks like the SEC and BIG have (and likely the other 3 soon enough). 0-12 UCF stands a way better shot at the Big12 than Houston and it obviously isn't because of their football team. Houston is cursed by being in Texas for Big12 realignment. UConn also stands no chance just because that would be stupid for both parties involved on top of a small state pop.

The rumor is that it's down to Cincy, UConn and Houston, so that doesn't seem to be true.

The Big 12 seemingly "owned" the Dallas market with UT, OU, Baylor, and Texas Tech, and it didn't stop them from adding TCU. They very much less "own" Houston (as seen by their dwindling TV ratings this year), with only UT having a significant presence here.

I live in Houston...I don't feel a Big XII vibe at all here....zero, nada

Houston is primarily a pro sports town...then down the ladder you have Houston and Rice. You have A&M alums and LSU alums, but you really don't have an SEC feel here...