Model works for them. They even like two from a state. Freaking Egg Bowl in one of the least populated states, gets plenty of eyeballs. So I don’t see it.

I have heard SEC commissioners for 30 years talk about adjacent states and a geographical footprint. The SEC is old south confederate states, Missouri & Kentucky were old border states between the confederate states & union states. The states had each seceded within their state legislatures beginning with South Carolina until the confederacy was 11 states strong. The state legislatures in both Missouri & Kentucky heavily favored secession and Lincoln knew war was approaching and therefore feared an ever increasing number of states to fight. Lincoln felt Missouri & Kentucky might tip the scale against his union army ever winning that looming war. So Lincoln sent federal troops into the state capitols of both Missouri & Kentucky arresting the southern sympathizing legislators & replacing them with union loyalist legislators. That is all that kept Missouri & Kentucky from being confederate. Oklahoma was just Indian Territory but those Indians had a grudge against those Union Blue Uniforms. So those Indian Tribes came into Arkansas & southern Missouri to fight in numerous civil war battles alongside confederate soldiers. Maryland was a border state too and Virginia was the heart of the confederacy. Pac schools don't relate to any such history or culture.

Not selling anything. Notre Dame would never enter the SEC even if they changed the name to the Irish Conference. Just like no SEC team is going north of the Mason/Dixon Line joining the B1G. Sorry I offended some Hokie northern transplants with a history lesson on southern culture. It is all there in black & white forever itched in the history books.

Obviously a butt hurt yankee. Stay in the rust belt.

from realignment talk which has become pretty boring lately with no one knowing much right now. Maybe we need a history board? But I still like the realignment speculation. Keep up the good work everyone on the best message board in college sports.

The point was to avoid redundancy. The SEC has stayed true to form in keeping a southern footprint but who knows if a future SEC Commish will think twice about adhering to that in his expansion adventure. He might not even be southern.

Just sayin'. Also New Mexico State (Las Cruces) If you want to go border territory, you could take UNLV and New Mexico (Santa Fe). In all seriousness, I was looking at ASU as a school the SEC might like. Maybe a stretch though. ** Edited by Maroon Baboon at 7/29/2022, 7:44:37 PM

Those areas and west Texas did not even surrender after Robert E. Lee did so at Appomattox. They carried the war on in small skirmishes for a couple more years. Lincoln was dead and those in DC never assembled troops to go fight them. I more or less write all that with tongue in cheek. I have read numerous books but most everybody knows at least a little about it. However it is our culture and you still often hear the old south mentioned politically in a somewhat derogatory fashion by Big Media. It will never be totally forgotten in the south or north. That is a fact.

playing every year in the Rose Bowl. The SEC does not have the same relationship with the Pac 10

They should absolutely lock down the South by targeting the ACC schools. No way they let the B1G into current SEC states, with the exception of MAYBE Texas. Then it’s a dog fight for the Carolinas and Virginia. Remember, the B1G could really really use some connections in those states for recruiting.

The SEC geogrpahic footprint has an optimistic future in population and economic growth. Not so much for the B1G's Midwest and Northeast footprint. The SEC should only add the states of Virginia and North Carolina and/or add regional schools like Clemson and FSU. "Go south young man, go south!"

but the Big 10 isn’t holding great cards demographically. That’s why they’re going national, they have to. The SEC on the other hand can fortify its periphery (add some combo of UNC, VT, UVA-C, NC State, FSU, Clemson) and REALLY lock down the high growth areas of the USA.

Adding football powers Maryland and Rutgers after the ACC added Pitt and Syracuse (which surrounded Penn State). Compared to the SEC, the BIG's moves have been desperate. Penn State hasn't been in the national championship conversation since the mid-90's. Michigan is all about name brand not actually 21st century football success. Only Ohio State has any right to brag about being a football power. The Midwest's future isn't as bright as the South's. How many Southerners are moving to Illinois, Ohio, Wisconisn, Iowa, Michigan and Pennsylvania? Not many. How many Midwesterners are moving South? Tens of thousands per year from those states. Go to Texas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Lots of transplants from the Midwest and Northeast. The SEC doesn't have to worry about that. The B1G does. That's why they just added two Los Angeles schools 2,000 miles away. They can't raid the ACC right now, so they went to the Pacific coast.

Adding a school like Mizzou to the ACC would've been a good additon when you compare it to some of the schools added the past 20 years. The ACC could use more large state universities with large fan bases.

As are Syracuse and Boston College for that matter.

Weather they chose to live in the Midwest or not.

The SEC will have more of them than the B1G in the future. With the population and economic growth will come even larger SEC state universities. With economic success will come more research and improved education that will eventually rival the B1G schools. Florida, Vanderbilt, UGA, Texas and Texas A&M are already B1G level education schools. The early to mid 20th century economic boom (industrial boom) in the Midwest made those B1G schools wealthy and quality education mills. The same will happen in the South this century. The Northeast did the same after the Civil War and early 20th century.

The South was the economic power before the Civil War. The north was more industrial with textile mills & such. However all the southern states had better economies with higher wages than northern states. Arkansas was the poorest southern state but Arkansas still had higher wages than any northern state. The Civil War changed all that and the Reconstruction that followed the Civil War for nearly a decade economically crushed the south.

football states versus larger markets that compete against the NFL for fans. Their formula for success is around passion, that’s why their slogan is, “it just means more!”

But the decision lies with ESPN, who owns the media rights to The ACC. They are paying peanuts for that content and they have it under lock and key until 2036. For ESPN, bad things happen if they crack open the ACC contract: Some of the ACC schools (currently earning less than $40 million per year) will become members of The SEC and will get a huge pay raise at ESPN's expense. Some other ACC schools will join The B1G where they too will get a huge pay raise at the expense of both ESPN and whomever has the rest of the B1G rights. If The B1G manages to acquire properties like UVa, UNC, Goergia Tech, FSU, all of a sudden the B1G occupies the Southeastern advertising footprint. That not only increases the B1G ad revenue, it diminishes ESPN's ad rates. ESPN currently has a monopoly on The Southeastern USA and that is worth a ton of money in TV ads. They got The ACC on cheap and they,re going to keep it that way as long as possible. ESPN is waiting for a disposition on the B1G rights before moving on to The Big 12 and possibly The PAC. Those latter two expire in 2025, The B1G in 2024. ESPN will bid for a piece of the B1G package, but it will be expensive. They need The B1G because their SEC/ACC footprint is regional. Their national advertisers demand to be in The B1G footprint. If The B1G pushes the price beyond ESPN's budget (could happen because of the multiple bidders) ESPN may take a pass and use the money instead to grab all the other properties they can and patch together a national footprint. Neither ESPN nor The B1G wants to do that; they need each other. This is why ESPN will not voluntarily release The ACC from their media contract. It will take some type of risky rebellion on the part od ACC schools and the tacit help of The B1G.

Just saying...lol I would put both as top picks of the B1X. They prefer AAU membership, and both schools meet that requirement. UNC is an odd duck. Huge BB passion, crap football passion.

those states, but I don’t buy they want those schools. I do think the B1G wants those two schools since they are in the AAU.

NC State's football isn't any better than UNC's and is arguably worse. And I think UNC has better long-term potential in football than does NC State. And UNC's basketball value, which also adds some value to the conference equation, is probably the best in the country. I have no doubt that the SEC's most desired NC school is UNC.

Stadiums. Both games were very close. I sat at the 50 yard line about 20 rows up for the Carolina game completely surrounded by Carolina fans. I sat in a similar situation at the NC State game. There was no comparison which crowd was more into it. It was NC State and it was not close. That said, you are right you guys love your basketball. Both of you brought out your basketball teams at halftime, and again there was no comparison, but this time it was Carolina that had the crowd into it, in fact more so than you were for a tight football game. The fact is Carolina recently reduced their football stadium, that’s not being into football. I am not a Carolina hater, I have some great friends from there, that’s how I got great seats. I do think John Skipper wants you in the SEC (ESPN Conference) if the ACC doesn’t hold up, and if Carolina went to the SEC, they want UVA. However, UVA gets to many students from up North and they would lose some of their strongest sports in the SEC. Therefore I think their preference is the B1G if the ACC doesn’t hold up. Here is to hoping the basketball tournament breaks off sooner rather than later, that’s the best chance of the ACC surviving and making more money IMHO.

moving forward. Everyone else is subject to the good graces of the SEC and the Big Ten. Even Washington and Oregon are being treated with indifference by the P2.

other sports. I smell John Skipper inserting his influence here, I also smell UNC saying if we go with another Virginia school, we want UVA. Virginia Tech has dominated both schools in Football, even during the Fuente era. Virginia Tech is 18-2 in the last 10 years against UNC and UVA. However, people are all of sudden saying this is about Brand, no this argument is about John Skipper wanting UNC with the ESPN Channel Conference and not going to the Fox Channel Conference. PS If the ACC can’t hold together, I hope UNC, UVA, NCSU and Virginia Tech go to the same Conference. Remember the Fox Channel Conference just took 2 from the same city and the ESPN Channel Conference has thrived on close regional rivalries like the largest Cocktail Party, the Egg Bowl and the Iron Bowl.

Oklahoma State has been good in football just during the long head coaching career of Mike Gundy. The Hogs beat Okie State like drum during the 1960's & 1970's, hard to even sit in the football stadium and respect them as a Big Eight team during those games. Worse with TCU, they were pitiful, not even getting 15,000 seat crowds before Gary Patterson arrived. Patterson finally left TCU last year. The TCU future is now questionable? Alabama has been great with Saban and South Carolina regularly beat Clemson until Dabo Swinney showed up. The same with FSU after Bobby Bowden retired. Some success with Jimbo Fisher but the pits since.

Yeah. I know there was the availability issue and maybe a market issue. But the thread is about rivalries and football cachet. And in both of those categories OSU is better. Better in basketball too. And even baseball if you care about that. I'll take the Pokes any day over Mizzou ** Edited by Maroon Baboon at 7/30/2022, 2:38:48 PM ** Edited by Maroon Baboon at 7/30/2022, 2:53:09 PM

Oklahoma State does historically have the better basketball program. More or less a toss up between Oklahoma State & Missouri on other sports. I did notice that Okie State just recently hosted their first regional tournament in the baseball season ending playoffs. The Razorbacks ruined that for them. One thing for sure. Stillwater cannot compete with St. Louis & Kansas City on TV sets.

I'm not trying to hate on NC State, but I wouldn't call them a "football brand". They haven't won the ACC football championship since 1979. In fairness, UNC hasn't won it since 1980. Neither UNC or NC State is really a football brand, so NC State doesn't add any more football value to the SEC than UNC does. Given that they are roughly equal in terms of football value, why would the SEC want NC State over UNC, with all the other value UNC brings?

Maybe they can announce their decision during Shark Week.