Conference Re-Alignment predictions...

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

So while its painfully obvious that conference realignment is not dead and will be continuing, I have two questions... 1. Does anyone actually think a basketball only conference will happen? I think as much as some may want it, I don't know its feasibly... Question 2. - what do you predict the conference structure looks like 10 years from now.

Thought it would be interesting to see people's guesses.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

It's all a bubble and will collapse when football does. Which is inevitable. No one stays on top forever, and every year there are more and more articles coming out about the impact of concussive and sub-concussive hits. Eventually football will go away from high schools, then colleges, then the NFL will struggle to survive. It seems insane, but some day people are going to look back at American football the way we look back at Roman gladiatorial arenas. I'm guessing that will be within the next century.

Regarding the actual questions...to question 1, yes, it will happen. I still think it's 2-3 years out, but depends on the ACC reaction to this. They will almost certainly come for Louisville and/or UConn, BC be damned. However with them looking weak at the moment, I also think this might be when the Big 12 strikes to get FSU and make their move to 12 (maybe Georgia Tech as the other?). The real question of how this plays out is who voted in favor of the $50M buyout. Maryland voted against it and is betting they can avoid paying that exit fee because it was forced on them. If they win that battle, you'll see other schools that voted against it following them out of the conference, increasing the ACC need to raid the Big East, the only conference they have been able to pillage so far.

Question 2 -- I don't know. I think the four main conferences (B1G, SEC, Pac-12, and Big-12) will all push to 16. This may spur ACC teams to try to get out rather than to try to salvage their own conference. Either that or there will be a fifth hybrid conference of the ACC and Big East, but it will be clearly seen as the top mid-major and not one of the true mega-conferences in its own right.

[Mucrisco]

I think we should make a partnership with the Mountain West for Football. Then, for the basketball, we agree to play non conference games with them. I'd like to play the Zags, San Diego St, and UNLV. Going to Hawaii for a nonconference game would be cool too.

[TheSultan]

It's all a bubble and will collapse when football does. Which is inevitable. No one stays on top forever, and every year there are more and more articles coming out about the impact of concussive and sub-concussive hits. Eventually football will go away from high schools, then colleges, then the NFL will struggle to survive. It seems insane, but some day people are going to look back at American football the way we look back at Roman gladiatorial arenas. I'm guessing that will be within the next century.

Perhaps, but that day isn't happening any time soon....and there is no reasons for conferences to base business decisions on those types of projections.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

When it comes, it's going to come a lot faster than anyone could ever imagine.

And regardless, none of this should be "business decisions". It's disgraceful and a joke that people use that justification. None of these are institutions of higher learning anymore, they're cash cows. Maryland isn't a business. Wisconsin isn't a business. Marquette isn't a business. It's more than a little offensive that they are even allowed to act as though they are.

[TheSultan]

Now you are just being silly. Of course Marquette is a business. It's not a businesses with an owner, but it certain does make "business decisions." And is it really your point that the University of Wisconsin is not an institution of higher education anymore? Really? The 40,000 students that attend school there don't get anything of value for their tuition?

Look, I understand being bitter than Marquette is left out of this and the conference around us is falling apart, but can we keep hold of our rationality here?

[MU/Panther]

East Carolina will be in the Big East.

[Goose85]

So while its painfully obvious that conference realignment is not dead and will be continuing, I have two questions... 1. Does anyone actually think a basketball only conference will happen? I think as much as some may want it, I don't know its feasibly... Question 2. - what do you predict the conference structure looks like 10 years from now.

Thought it would be interesting to see people's guesses.

1 - I really hope a basketball only conference doesn't happen. We need to be associated with the 'haves' as long as possible. Even if the Big East doesn't get close to a Big 12 / Pac 12 / Big 10 / SEC tv deal, a tv deal close, or even half of what the ACC gets is huge compared to the money a basketball only conference gets. We would then go from the Big East to a nice story if we should ever get to the sweet 16.

2 - Well, the Big 10 network and Fox may be changing the landscape. If this plays out the way the Big 10 is anticipating it will, with a huge increase in cable fees for the BTN in New York / Maryland / DC, I am guessing there will be four 'have' conferences with up to 16 teams and and the ACC / Big East / Mountain West / MAC / CUSA / etc will have to figure something out to make sure they can be relevant and generate revenue.

[Goose85]

Big Question - Is Florida State happy with the current playoff structure being the big dog in the the barely relevant ACC football league? Do they worry about the ACC strength of schedule and decide the Big 12 is the way to go?

Big 12 - I think they may still add Florida State and maybe Georgia Tech / Clemson / BYU.


ACC - What happens to the ACC if they lose Florida State? The loss of Florida State would put the ACC on no better ground than the Big East, with or without Rutgers.

[Hamostradamus]

Prediction:

1. ACC will poach 2 Big East teams in the next 10 days, with hints being dropped in the next 48 hours
2. Big East Commish will make overtures to whoever the hell is left
3. Larry will do absolutely nothing other than issue a press release that causes more problems than it solves.