(02-02-2018 02:16 PM)ShockerDR Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 01:03 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(02-02-2018 11:34 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  WAC 16 did not fail because 16 is an inherently bad number. WAC 16 failed because it prevented schools that desired to play each other annually from doing so and those schools soon figured out they could make more money on a per team basis as an 8 team league than 16. So why aren't the power conferences shrinking to a better number? Because they can make more larger.

The other thing about the WAC, though, is that when it split up, it didn't split along geographic lines. A few schools with more leverage than the others dictated the split by choosing a few others to go with them and telling those schools, if you don't say yes right away, we'll just pick someone else and leave you behind.

So yeah, the WAC was an unstable 16, but if any future super-sized conference splits up, it will split the same way. Those with the most leverage will control the split and others will end up holding the bag. For example, if the Big Ten ever grows larger and many become dissatisfied with it, any split would be controlled by what Ohio State and Michigan want to do, not by some collective decision in which everyone gets an equal say.

If content is morphing into the economic driver behind college athletics (i.e. football), as JR suggests, then wouldn't football independence be a more desirable option by the blue bloods that aren't already in the SEC/Big Ten, such as USC and Texas?

Why?

There is no law that requires conferences be responsible for bundling and selling media rights. They existed for a long time without selling media rights or only selling the most valuable and permitting the schools to sell off what was left.

If Florida and Alabama believe it is in their best interest to retain part or all of their media rights they can try to convince the SEC to change how it handles media rights or they can depart and the odds are there are a number of schools who are better offer selling their own rights involving league games than having a conference package that doesn't include some or all of the premier programs.

Now it isn't like the other schools don't have some leverage. They have the right to control their intellectual property so while they might just declare rights belong to the home team, more likely they will come up with some sort of revenue share or else the visiting team could enjoin the telecast unless compensated.

Doesn't raise its head in non-conference because the game contracts spell out the media rights and compensation (limited to the agreed figure).