The data are starting to resemble a bell curve, albeit with a very high frequency of responses at/near the point of central tendency.

(06-06-2020 12:06 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-06-2020 11:52 AM)bullet Wrote:  What makes the Big 10 and SEC so valuable is not just the brands, but also the rivalries. Maryland, Rutgers and Missouri diminish that. A&M didn't diminish that, but it didn't add on average.

A&M has added marvelously! A&M / LSU, A&M / Ark (will be better if Ark improves) A&M / Alabama, A&M / Auburn is turning into a fine game. Missouri isn't bad enough to diminish the SEC they just haven't added much now that the footprint subscription fee pay model is over.

The reason the SEC took Missouri is twofold.
1. ESPN wanted and paid for it.
2. The were seen as a lure for Texas and Oklahoma and a defensive move from keeping the Big 10 paving an easy pathway South. And if you look at the map they set the Northwest Corner of the boundary the SEC/ESPN would like to fill in.

And of course they were available and wanted to move when Boren insisted we take OSU with OU who was the original desired companion of A&M.

Unlike the Big Ten, the SEC has done a great job of growing, without expanding too far outside their original footprint.

10 for football (round robin and a championship game)
11 for basketball (round robin for 20 game conference schedule)

So, say:
ACC: BC, Cuse, UVA, VT, UNC, Duke, Clemson, GT, FSU, Miami - ND as non-football member

AAC: Cincinnati, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy (football only), South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, UCF, - VCU and Wichita State as non-football members

Interestingly, at present, the median and mode of the distribution is 12, and the mean is 11.85, which rounded up, is also 12.

(06-05-2020 06:50 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  I went with 12. Not too big, not too small and allows enough flexibility for all sports.

Yeah, 8-10 doesn't provide much of a buffer for defections either.

A lot of it is regional though. The top level mid major should have the most programs.

West Region:
MWC 11/12
Big Sky 11
Big West 11
WCC 10
WAC 9

Midwest Region:
MAC 12
Horizon 11
Missouri Valley 10
Summit 9

Northeast Region:
A10 14
Northeast Conference 11
Colonial 10
Patriot 10
American East 9

The top tier mid major conferences are larger which makes sense since they are more desirable. Likewise the bottom tier conferences should be smaller to maintain a higher level of quality.

(06-07-2020 08:48 PM)jedclampett Wrote:  Interestingly, at present, the median and mode of the distribution is 12, and the mean is 11.85, which rounded up, is also 12.

12 is no longer a really large D1 conference anymore. Average across all 32 division 1 conference is 11.3 members.

(06-08-2020 12:01 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(06-07-2020 08:48 PM)jedclampett Wrote:  Interestingly, at present, the median and mode of the distribution is 12, and the mean is 11.85, which rounded up, is also 12.

12 is no longer a really large D1 conference anymore. Average across all 32 division 1 conference is 11.3 members.

Aye. 12 is close to the norm in D1.