Elites, What Say Ye?

[War Machine Dawg]

I was talking conference expansion with a buddy - an aTm guy - yesterday. It seems clear to most of us that UNC and either VT or VA will be the next 2 SEC members. My buddy proceeds to say he has a "very reliable source with close ties to SEC coaches and ADs." According to his buddy, most of them think Oklahoma & Okie State will be the next 2 SEC members, possibly as soon as this summer. Texas will head for the PAC-12 and the Big 12 will fold. They also supposedly say the SEC isn't actively looking for new members, unless someone falls in their lap, a la aTm.

Personally, I don't buy it. Oklahoma might make a little financial sense, but otherwise they make zero "footprint" or regional sense. Not to mention it would make the conference wayyy too spread out. Okie State brings literally nothing to the table, other than T. Boone Pickens. I think we're looking to expand up the East Coast and potentially try to get into the DC market. Plus, I don't think we're going to add teams that overextend the conference geographically to where our fans have trouble traveling to road games. But maybe I'm wrong.

What say ye? Do Oklahoma & Okie State make sense?

[Gordon Gekko]

Outside of West Virginia, the two Oklahoma schools are the last two Ive heard mentioned I would want. I've spent a lot of time in OK and OU fans are worse than Bama fans and Ok State adds nothing.

Adding both would be beyond stupid. If we have to expand getting a NC school and a VA school would be ideal to me.

[msstate7]

I don't wanna expand, but I'm probably in the minority

[Coach34]

I don't think NC will ever join the SEC

[engie]

The ACC and Big12 are now stable until further notice.

These Grants of Rights have really done a number on expansion. Essentially, no team in those two leagues own their OWN media rights for the next decade. They are owned by the conference.

That said, I seriously doubt Texas would have signed up for something like that unless they were pretty damn sure they could get out of it if they wanted to...

[Homedawg]

I don't think NC will ever join the SEC

I agree they don't "want to". However, prior to Maryland leaving the acc they thought they had solidified their league for the time being. That caught them off guard. They hold the power in that league and if one more domino falls they will look out for themselves. That might mean, they go to the big ten. But I wouldn't rule out them being an sec member. It makes sense for all parties assuming we get another good team w them that adds something. I'm not saying your wrong coach, that they will be in the sec. I do think it's way more likely now than, say....6 months ago. Just food for thought.

[Homedawg]

I don't wanna expand, but I'm probably in the minority

I'm with you. But it's not a matter of if, but when.....

[codeDawg]

I don't wanna expand, but I'm probably in the minority

Expansion is inevitable. The SEC just has to make sure it makes the right long term decision in doing so.

The death if the NCAA will come with the birth of the super-conferences.

[Pollodawg]

I am still not sure why we added Mizzou for anything other than the TV market and basketball.........

[gravedigger]

Tv market.

[Quaoarsking]

I believe there is some kind of clause that lets a majority vote to eliminate the GOR. So if 2 went to the SEC, 3 to Pac-12, and 1 to the Big 10 (or something like that), the GOR could be eliminated.

Having said that, I can't imagine us taking both Oklahomas. There's no way that would improve our TV deal. Maybe Oklahoma and Kansas/Kansas State, but I don't know if those states have the population.

[Vandelaydawg]

I am still not sure why we added Mizzou for anything other than the TV market and basketball.........

the only other reason than tv is money, and they are essentially the same.

[Hump4Hoops]

Why in the hell would we want any more strong teams? We already added aTm who will be battling Alabama and Florida for best athletics in the conference. I want someone we can beat on a semi regular basis.

[SaltyDawg]

Clay Travis seems to think the next team will be NC State. Like him or not, the guy really is usually spot on. The SEC Network will be located in Charlotte, even though that was a coincidence considering they have been working from Charlotte for years. It would just make more sense that it'd be East coast schools.

[codeDawg]

Why in the hell would we want any more strong teams? We already added aTm who will be battling Alabama and Florida for best athletics in the conference. I want someone we can beat on a semi regular basis.

I don't think it makes much sense to bring in strong football competitors. The SEC should be looking for schools that bring new major TV markets and are traditionally competitive in basketball. When the NCAA does dissolve, the SEC needs to be coming from a position of strength in its product for the new basketball tournament. Right now SEC basketball outside of UK and Florida is just sad.

[M.Fillmore]

Why in the hell would we want any more strong teams? We already added aTm who will be battling Alabama and Florida for best athletics in the conference. I want someone we can beat on a semi regular basis.

I'm with you on this one. Good point.

[SheltonChoked]

No way the sec expansion is into Oklahoma. Not enough TV sets. The sec will expand east.

I can understand a scenario where the PAC 12, big 10, sec and acc break away from the NCAA. Them I could see the sec getting ou and osu. I'd rather us get ou and ku out of it. But at that point, I'll just be glad we have a seat at the big table.

[War Machine Dawg]

I see most of us are on the same page. Adding OU and/or OSU makes no sense for the SEC and the most likely expansion will be eastward.

As for NCSU being the Carolina team, that's definitely a popular rumor. Hell, before last year, I'd have said it was much more likely they join than NC. But I think NC will have taken notice what's going on at aTm now that Little Bro has stepped out of Big Bro's shadow. I don't think they'd be willing to let that happen with them and NCSU. If push comes to shove, they'll do whatever it takes to join the SEC and make sure NCSU doesn't get a seat at the Big Boy table.

I also am with those who say hell no to more powerhouse programs. Unfortunately, it will happen. That's the only way expansion makes sense. And as far as expanding for hoops - you can forget it. Football is driving expansion. If you can't understand that or accept it, there's really nothing I can say to you.

[Political Hack]

NC State (Charlotte/NC), Miami (South Florida), and VaTech (Virgina & DC) make the most sense. NC and Duke likely won't split up. If the ACC won't allow teams to leave, then the SEC may have to push West or North to bring in additional teams.

Florida will fight tooth and nail to remain the only in-state SEC school though. I think Texas, Baylor, Tex Tech, Ok, Ok St., Louisville, West Va., VaTech, NC State, NC, Duke, Clemson, FSU, Miami, GaTech, and maybe a few others are about all there is to choose from. Not a huge universe to go poking around in if we're talking about getting to 20.

[codeDawg]

I see most of us are on the same page. Adding OU and/or OSU makes no sense for the SEC and the most likely expansion will be eastward.

As for NCSU being the Carolina team, that's definitely a popular rumor. Hell, before last year, I'd have said it was much more likely they join than NC. But I think NC will have taken notice what's going on at aTm now that Little Bro has stepped out of Big Bro's shadow. I don't think they'd be willing to let that happen with them and NCSU. If push comes to shove, they'll do whatever it takes to join the SEC and make sure NCSU doesn't get a seat at the Big Boy table.

I also am with those who say hell no to more powerhouse programs. Unfortunately, it will happen. That's the only way expansion makes sense. And as far as expanding for hoops - you can forget it. Football is driving expansion. If you can't understand that or accept it, there's really nothing I can say to you.

Of course conferences are expanding today for the largest revenue drivers, which are football teams. My point is that the SEC does not need to expand to improve it's portfolio of football schools. We need to be looking ahead to what our entire portfolio should look like for the long term.

The next big change in college athletics will be the super-conferences leaving the NCAA. The only real value the NCAA provides at this point is a billion dollar basketball tournament that sends a huge chunk of that money to other (and much smaller) schools and uses a huge chuck to fund itself. There is no reason the big schools can't do this on their own and make significantly more money doing it. There is a huge revenue opportunity in basketball by just taking back what the NCAA keeps.

The SEC, therefore, should be adding strong basketball schools in outstanding TV markets to maximize the potential revenue from the new basketball format and our leverage in negotiating the structure of the new deal. Also, you get the bonus of eyes on SEC football games in a huge new market, even if the team isn't the next A&M. You don't have to get FSU to get a ton of new viewers. Mizzu is a good example. NC or Duke would be ideal, but as someone else mentioned, splitting those up would be a task.

Picking up another powerhouse football team just makes it more difficult to ensure that we put a team in the NC and in high revenue bowl games each year.

[ghostofjackie]

I was talking conference expansion with a buddy - an aTm guy - yesterday. It seems clear to most of us that UNC and either VT or VA will be the next 2 SEC members. My buddy proceeds to say he has a "very reliable source with close ties to SEC coaches and ADs." According to his buddy, most of them think Oklahoma & Okie State will be the next 2 SEC members, possibly as soon as this summer. Texas will head for the PAC-12 and the Big 12 will fold. They also supposedly say the SEC isn't actively looking for new members, unless someone falls in their lap, a la aTm.

Personally, I don't buy it. Oklahoma might make a little financial sense, but otherwise they make zero "footprint" or regional sense. Not to mention it would make the conference wayyy too spread out. Okie State brings literally nothing to the table, other than T. Boone Pickens. I think we're looking to expand up the East Coast and potentially try to get into the DC market. Plus, I don't think we're going to add teams that overextend the conference geographically to where our fans have trouble traveling to road games. But maybe I'm wrong.

What say ye? Do Oklahoma & Okie State make sense?

I don't know what's going to happen, but adding Missouri made me sick to my stomach. That is a classic example of overextending the conference footprint. Through all this expansion talk I wanted to SEC to stay true to it's roots and remain "southern". I know it's all about expanding TV market's, but I really wish we could have added Florida State and Clemson first. That's never going to happen but I wish it would remain a southern conference and Missouri didn't fit the mold.

Also, I thought the ACC had some kind of contract with their remaining teams that will hold the conference together for a long long time.

ETA: We shoud never never ever go with West Virginia. That school, fanbase, and entire state would do nothing for the SEC.

[ghostofjackie]

Why in the hell would we want any more strong teams? We already added aTm who will be battling Alabama and Florida for best athletics in the conference. I want someone we can beat on a semi regular basis.

Think about it this way......

If we add two teams to the east (UNC, NC State, Va Tech, Miami, Ga Tech, etc, etc,) then Missouri could become a Western Division team. That would actually be ideal for us. Adding a football program like that to the west would be in our best interest. Adding a powerhouse like Oklahoma (except when they play big games) would be horrible for us.