[NU Sports] 16-team conferences

Wed Apr 21 11:36:24 CDT 2010

It is really interesting and fairly predictable.

As always, it comes down to the eyeballs.

The BT Network hung tough to be part of the basic cable package and won.
They have since delivered a quality product and demonstrated that they
have a broad audience.  

Now it is just a land and expand strategy.  The BT Network has the data
to prove the model to advertisers and content providers (teams).  Now
they just need the BT to reach into new media markets by adding teams
that are of interest to the target demographic in those markets.

Though I'm convinced the ND has a death wish, the business side of their
school would be INSANE to pass up this opportunity.  It is all about
aggregated content and market penetration rather than individual
contracts with broadcasters.  Eleven is better than one.  Sixteen is
better than eleven.  The BT Network gives the BT immense bargaining
power with all distribution channels.  ND will never be able to match
that on it's own.

BTW, the conference name will not change regardless of the number of
teams.  It is a recognizable brand and you don't mess with things like
that.

Jeff

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From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com]
On Behalf Of Sportsbiz
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 8:22 AM
To: hakirsch at aol.com
Cc: Northwestern Wildcats; nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] 16-team conferences

I think the four conferences of 16 teams is likely inside of the next
five years.  I'll take your scenario one step further however.  I
believe that once the four superconferences are in place, they will
either pull out of the NCAA or demand and receive their own division
within the NCAA so that they no longer have to share basketball or
football revenues with the"peons".  In fact, I think that may be the
unspoken driving factor behind the expansion, along with the greter TV
revenue to be derived for a larger television footprint for the Big Ten
Network and the inevitable forthcoming Pac-10 Network.

Mark S. Ament
sportsbiz at gmail.com
SportsBiz - The Business of Sports
Illuminated<http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com>
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On Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 12:24 AM, <hakirsch at aol.com> wrote:

> How many teams will the conference need to change its name ?
>
> Harry
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Leonard <jleonard518 at yahoo.com>
> Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:48:01
> To: Northwestern Wildcats<nwu-sports at tssi.com>
> Subject: [NU Sports] 16-team conferences
>
> Fellow Wildcat Faithful,
>
> I just posted this idea on the NU rivals board so I thought I'd open 
> it up to thios group. Please understand this is just me wondering if 
> this is where the wind will blow. I'm not saying I like it or that it 
> should be done.......
>
> The Big Ten Network has clearly raised the bar and changed the money 
> in college football. I'm also assuming that the current expansion talk

> is being done to position the Big Ten for whatever is coming next. 
> Based on that, I could see a realignment in college football with four

> super conferences of 16 teams each. The four conferences would play 
> conference championships that would take use from 8 teams to 4 teams.
> The four teams pair up in January 1st bowls and there's one more 
> championship game a week later to crown the champions.
>
> This would mean of couse that the Big Ten wants to grab the best 
> available
> 5 and set the trend rather than grabbing scraps. The geography 
> wouldn't be 100% but the money would more than compensate for it. The 
> Pac 10 would grab two Utah schools a couple of Big 12 schools, and 
> possibly Boise State. The football worthy schools in the ACC and Big 
> East could merge, and the SEC would pick up a few more.
>
> That gives you 64 out of
> 119 Div.1-A schools that have a shot at the national title. That's 
> probably realistic, because no one would truly make the case that 
> UTEP, Buffalo, or Tulane would or should ever get there. The remaining

> 55 schools would still continue to play as they do now and continue to

> apppear as non-conference games for the super conference teams.
>
> Just internet speculation on a slow news day. SjT, please don't have a

> heart attack - none of the games will be played in London.
>
> Victory & Honor,
> Jim
>
>
>
>
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