[NU Sports] 9 conference games

[Jonathan Hodges]

It was mostly Delany pushing for the 9 game slate, and, in fact, most
coaches are opposed to it as it will definitely take 6 wins away from the
conference as a whole and will likely take away about 1-2 conference bowl
bids per season (although a lot depends on how schools' non-conference
scheduling goes - chances are they'll abandon a MAC type matchup).

While the on field aspects are pretty much all negative, it's definitely a
deal done for TV purposes.  The TV contract at the time will be worth a good
amount more due to this.  Gate receipts will also likely get a nice boost
(especially with schools charging more for conference games).  All in all,
revenues will get a nice boost with another conference game added to the
schedule (directly when schools get 5 home games and indirectly via revenue
sharing even when they only get 4).

In terms of other conferences right now, the Pac-12 and Big 12 both have 9
game schedules.  The ACC and SEC are sticking with 8, for now.  Who knows
what the national conference landscape will be like by 2017, though.

While I know that NU will likely suffer in the W column with this move, I
also know they'll bring in more revenue and that will be key moving forward,
especially with that ambitious facilities upgrade coming down the pipeline.
So, I remain mixed on this.  Hopefully Fitz can build a strong enough
program to survive this increase in strength of schedule by that time.

Jonathan

On Thu, Aug 4, 2011 at 2:47 PM, <cherron604 at aol.com> wrote:

> A question that I have - who was asking for a nine-game conference season ?
>  How many conference games in the SEC ?
>
>
> Chuck Herron   Tech '85
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Leonard <jleonard518 at yahoo.com>
> To: Northwestern Wildcats <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
> Sent: Thu, Aug 4, 2011 8:16 am
> Subject: [NU Sports] 9 conference games
>
>
> Well, the road will get a bit harder for the Cats in 2017. I'm not sure
> that I
> see nine conference games as a good thing. I like to think the Cats will
> always
> be competitive in the Big Ten but 7-5 is a lot easier to reach when you can
> get
> 4 wins in non-conference play. (my own definition of a good year is to be
> above
> .500 and going to a bowl).
>
> In some years we play tougher non-conference opponents than the Big Ten
> schedule
> will serve up, so I think it will be a wash over the long term but I'm not
> excited.
>
> Go Cats!
> Jim
>
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-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
Contributor, HailToPurple
Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
Twitter: @hailtopurple
Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu