Each conference has their own self valuation. Each media company has their own valuations of the conferences. To this point the tool of conferences to increase valuation has been expansion. That time is probably drawing to an end. Moving forward, the tool for valuation will be presence in the CFP. The more presence a conference has in the CFP, their regular season games will be watched by more viewers. So not only do they get the financial benefit from the CFP ‘units’ their 4 auto bids will earn, but the ratings spike their regular season games earn due to the promise of auto bids guaranteeing at least 5 or 6 games a week in November with CFP implications. It’s likely the SEC believes it is far superior to the B1G, and will be in the mix for 5 bids on an annual basis. Yes, the SEC ‘only’ got 3 this year, but Bama, Ole Miss and South Carolina were the next three in line. You could also argue Indiana’s season was kind of a fluke and the B1G’s unwieldy size may hurt its chances of regularly qualifying 4 teams. Thus, the SEC may see the B1G getting 4 auto bids as added competition for its own 5th bid. So, if the SEC and B1G fighting over bids becomes one of the sparks to get the entire CFP to organize under a commissioner or central governing body - NIL governance/player portal/House $$ being the others - that could be a positive development for everybody interested in the long term health of college football (and collegiate sports in general)