Smoke your cigars and enjoy the band while you can....

[Pete]

Pete, you and I don't see a lot of these business of college sports issues the same way. This is one where I think we'll find some common ground. This is real bad.

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-playoff-has-not-yet-agreed-to-new-tv-contract-according-to-commissioner-on-cfp-management-committee-204500201.html

With their expansion of some of college football’s biggest brands, the SEC and Big Ten are expected to seek a bigger cut of the revenue pie as well as a governance structure that grants them more autonomy.

Yeah, I definitely agree that the right solution is one that provides a path for non-power 5 schools. I also acknowledge that the big 2 need to be satisfied. 7+5 seems like the right thing to do.  My fear is that Schulz and others like him will overplay their hand and the big 2 will bolt and do their own thing.

[Pete]

Also, I LOVE Yormack’s approach of marketing us as the best basketball conference. 

[KITNfury]

How much does March madness generate? There are more basketball schools in non P2 conferences than in the sec, big.

[Pete]

How much does March madness generate? There are more basketball schools in non P2 conferences than in the sec, big.

The Forde article above said that 70% of the revenue goes to the power 4/5 + Big East.

[MakeItRain]

How much does March madness generate?

NCAA Championships generate just over a billion dollars a year, of course most of that is the mens basketball tournament.

[cfbandyman]

I'm not yet at the point of too much of a good thing yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament.  The reasons he gives are silly and speak to not wanting to change something that might need to be changed, only because it's comfortable. The tournament hasn't grown at the same rate of the sport and stunting that growth only because we're used to a 64 team bracket, is really dumb.

The problem for me isn't an expanded tournament, it's that they're going to expand the tournament while minimizing the involvement of the non power conferences. The expansion will come with something stupid like a play in tournament comprised solely of 1 bid conferences, played on home courts to minimize costs.

Which reducing the smaller schools will ruin what makes the tourney special. It's the lil guy toppling Goliath, not a bunch of meh teams from large conferences is why people (ultimately) watch the tourny. People want FAUs, Loyola's,  Butler's, George Masons, UMBCs, and Farleigh Dickersons of these world to come in and make it the beautiful mess it is

[Pete]

I'm not yet at the point of too much of a good thing yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament.  The reasons he gives are silly and speak to not wanting to change something that might need to be changed, only because it's comfortable. The tournament hasn't grown at the same rate of the sport and stunting that growth only because we're used to a 64 team bracket, is really dumb.

The problem for me isn't an expanded tournament, it's that they're going to expand the tournament while minimizing the involvement of the non power conferences. The expansion will come with something stupid like a play in tournament comprised solely of 1 bid conferences, played on home courts to minimize costs.

Which reducing the smaller schools will ruin what makes the tourney special. It's the lil guy toppling Goliath, not a bunch of meh teams from large conferences is why people (ultimately) watch the tourny. People want FAUs, Loyola's,  Butler's, George Masons, UMBCs, and Farleigh Dickersons of these world to come in and make it the beautiful mess it is

Everyone agrees on what makes it special.  However, if the power 4 (for example) decided they wanted to exclude the smaller schools, they could potentially still make more money even if the overall tournament suffered greatly. So far, those conferences have proven they are very willing to make those sorts of decisions (e.g. damage the whole in order to profit maximize at an individual level). 

[Pete]

Kirk Shulz ends his campaign of terror against the CFP 5+7 format, and so it is now approved.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39563282/cfp-unanimously-approves-5+7-model-new-12-team-playoff

Also, sounds from the article that they are willing to decouple from the bowls for the playoffs, at least a little bit.  That would be wonderful.  The grifters in charge of bowls add zero value to the process.

[bananaeater]

I'm not yet at the point of too much of a good thing yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament.  The reasons he gives are silly and speak to not wanting to change something that might need to be changed, only because it's comfortable. The tournament hasn't grown at the same rate of the sport and stunting that growth only because we're used to a 64 team bracket, is really dumb.

The problem for me isn't an expanded tournament, it's that they're going to expand the tournament while minimizing the involvement of the non power conferences. The expansion will come with something stupid like a play in tournament comprised solely of 1 bid conferences, played on home courts to minimize costs.

Which reducing the smaller schools will ruin what makes the tourney special. It's the lil guy toppling Goliath, not a bunch of meh teams from large conferences is why people (ultimately) watch the tourny. People want FAUs, Loyola's,  Butler's, George Masons, UMBCs, and Farleigh Dickersons of these world to come in and make it the beautiful mess it is

Everyone agrees on what makes it special.  However, if the power 4 (for example) decided they wanted to exclude the smaller schools, they could potentially still make more money even if the overall tournament suffered greatly. So far, those conferences have proven they are very willing to make those sorts of decisions (e.g. damage the whole in order to profit maximize at an individual level).

I would add that these decisions aren't just "selfish", they are short-sighted.  As college sports continue their spiral and viewership declines, the smartest guys in the room will be fighting for an increasing share of a shrinking pie. 

[Katpappy]

Kirk Shulz ends his campaign of terror against the CFP 5+7 format, and so it is now approved.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39563282/cfp-unanimously-approves-5+7-model-new-12-team-playoff

Also, sounds from the article that they are willing to decouple from the bowls for the playoffs, at least a little bit.  That would be wonderful.  The grifters in charge of bowls add zero value to the process.

I think Bowls would have more credibility and be more entertaining if they made it harder to qualify.  Do it like it was years back and make the minimum number of wins to 8. 

[Katpappy]

I had heard yesterday that if we go to 16, make the 3 power conferences have separate tournaments of four teams for the CCG.  That would sort out the top 4 teams for auto qualifiers of each conference.  The G5/6 could have a combined tournament where each has a CCG and then the conference champs have a final tournament for the qualifier for the CFP.  This would remove the bullshit CFP committee picking their beauty contest picks.  As there would only be 3 at large picks.  I am assuming the ACC gets picked apart and what's left become a G conference.  What do you all think about this method?

[MadCat]

It sounds like too many games to me.  Football doesn't seem well suited for tournaments 

[deputy dawg]

Pete, you and I don't see a lot of these business of college sports issues the same way. This is one where I think we'll find some common ground. This is real bad.

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-playoff-has-not-yet-agreed-to-new-tv-contract-according-to-commissioner-on-cfp-management-committee-204500201.html

With their expansion of some of college football’s biggest brands, the SEC and Big Ten are expected to seek a bigger cut of the revenue pie as well as a governance structure that grants them more autonomy.

SEC and Big 10 are the uncultured swine of collegiate sports. 

[cfbandyman]

I'm not yet at the point of too much of a good thing yet when it comes to the NCAA tournament.  The reasons he gives are silly and speak to not wanting to change something that might need to be changed, only because it's comfortable. The tournament hasn't grown at the same rate of the sport and stunting that growth only because we're used to a 64 team bracket, is really dumb.

The problem for me isn't an expanded tournament, it's that they're going to expand the tournament while minimizing the involvement of the non power conferences. The expansion will come with something stupid like a play in tournament comprised solely of 1 bid conferences, played on home courts to minimize costs.

Which reducing the smaller schools will ruin what makes the tourney special. It's the lil guy toppling Goliath, not a bunch of meh teams from large conferences is why people (ultimately) watch the tourny. People want FAUs, Loyola's,  Butler's, George Masons, UMBCs, and Farleigh Dickersons of these world to come in and make it the beautiful mess it is

Everyone agrees on what makes it special.  However, if the power 4 (for example) decided they wanted to exclude the smaller schools, they could potentially still make more money even if the overall tournament suffered greatly. So far, those conferences have proven they are very willing to make those sorts of decisions (e.g. damage the whole in order to profit maximize at an individual level).

I would add that these decisions aren't just "selfish", they are short-sighted.  As college sports continue their spiral and viewership declines, the smartest guys in the room will be fighting for an increasing share of a shrinking pie. 

1000% that's what makes it special it's the quirkiness, pageantry, rivalry, and tradition. As they keep destroying it it'll collapse into itself. They best beware.

[MakeItRain]

Kirk Shulz ends his campaign of terror against the CFP 5+7 format, and so it is now approved.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39563282/cfp-unanimously-approves-5+7-model-new-12-team-playoff

Also, sounds from the article that they are willing to decouple from the bowls for the playoffs, at least a little bit.  That would be wonderful.  The grifters in charge of bowls add zero value to the process.

ESPN runs the bowls now, that's exactly why they aren't going anywhere. Those bowls are among the most watched programming on their family of networks, each year.

[MakeItRain]

They're hell bent on destroying the sport. How do they not realize that they're risking fewer fans, which means less revenue, by grabbing all the money that they can while telling 60% of the sport that they don't matter as much.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/heres-what-big-ten-sec-could-demand-as-college-football-playoff-holds-critical-meeting-in-texas/

[MakeItRain]

The sport might implode, literally right in front of us. Greg Sankey is a straight piece of crap. I don't know why the other commissioners and Notre Dame would agree to this. Call their bluff, they're trying to cut everyone else out of the sport anyway. Frankly, I'd rather win a national championship in a sub division than to beg these motherfuckers for scraps and never ever have a shot because the playing field is so uneven.
https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1760331734271324641

[Pete]

I agree, and I think many big 10 and SEC fans actually agree too. 

This is exactly what happens with Laissez-faire capitalism.  An entirely predictable outcome from short term profit motive. It’s horrible and unavoidable.

[Pete]

Kirk Shulz ends his campaign of terror against the CFP 5+7 format, and so it is now approved.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39563282/cfp-unanimously-approves-5+7-model-new-12-team-playoff

Also, sounds from the article that they are willing to decouple from the bowls for the playoffs, at least a little bit.  That would be wonderful.  The grifters in charge of bowls add zero value to the process.

ESPN runs the bowls now, that's exactly why they aren't going anywhere. Those bowls are among the most watched programming on their family of networks, each year.

I don’t mind the concept of bowl games, I just object to them being good old boy back scratching party clubs that grift $ from the system.

[KITNfury]

That was my point with the ncaa tourney. Every non P2 conference could tell the ncaa and the P2 to eff off and start it's own basketball tourney. It would miss some P2 teams, but overall it would be the premier tournament.

[Stupid Fitz]

The sport might implode, literally right in front of us. Greg Sankey is a straight piece of crap. I don't know why the other commissioners and Notre Dame would agree to this. Call their bluff, they're trying to cut everyone else out of the sport anyway. Frankly, I'd rather win a national championship in a sub division than to beg these motherfuckers for scraps and never ever have a shot because the playing field is so uneven.
https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1760331734271324641

This is where I am. All other schools should be banding together and just let the BIG and SEC schedule each other every year. No one will do this because they are all chasing the quick dollar, but its going to dry up eventually. People will only watch Georgia VS Alabama, Michigan, or OSU so many times.

[Katpappy]

I had heard yesterday that if we go to 164, make the 3 power conferences have separate tournaments of four teams for the CCG.  That would sort out the top 4 teams for auto qualifiers of each conference.  The G5/6 could have a combined tournament where each has a CCG and then the conference champs have a final tournament for the qualifier for the CFP.  This would remove the bullshit CFP committee picking their beauty contest picks.  As there would only be 31 at large pick so ND would have a path.  I am assuming the ACC gets picked apart and what's left become a G conference.  What do you all think about this method?

[MakeItRain]

That was my point with the ncaa tourney. Every non P2 conference could tell the ncaa and the P2 to eff off and start it's own basketball tourney. It would miss some P2 teams, but overall it would be the premier tournament.

I do wonder about the dynamic of doing this if the SEC and Big 10 tries to bully the ACC and Big 12 in the CFP. There's the factor of the basketball tournaments being NCAA events and the CFP isn't. In addition to that, those two still have autonomous rights along with the Big 12, ACC, and Pac 2.

[PurpleOil]

The sport might implode, literally right in front of us. Greg Sankey is a straight piece of crap. I don't know why the other commissioners and Notre Dame would agree to this. Call their bluff, they're trying to cut everyone else out of the sport anyway. Frankly, I'd rather win a national championship in a sub division than to beg these motherfuckers for scraps and never ever have a shot because the playing field is so uneven.
https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1760331734271324641

I agree 100%. I'd rather be a top dog in a 'lower' division than continue to deal with this bullshit. Part of me honestly does hope it all collapses.

[Kid In the Hall]

If the other conferences were smart and NOT short-sighted (and we know this to be untrue), all non-SEC/Big Ten conferences would cozy up to the punching bag that is the NCAA and present a unified front to the SEC/Big Ten. Basically, tell them to eff off with their football demands and let them know that if/when they choose to break away for football, they'll be unwelcome to participate in any other NCAA sports (including the men's b-ball tourney cash cow).

People just do not understand the level of infrastructure necessary to provide administration/structure to dozens of sports. It's easy to crap all over the NCAA - and, rightly so in many cases - but what they do isn't easy. The SEC league office probably has about 30ish employees. The NCAA has more than 3,000.

Telling those two leagues to administer/govern 30+ sports would stop them in their tracks because no conference has the infrastructure in place to do it and it'd take many, many years and tens of millions of dollars to get to that point.