Superconferences & Realignment

[stlnd01]

Duke makes more money on football than basketball.

Duke.

It doesn't matter what those schools who are a non-factor in football do. They aren't part of the realignment conversation.

I think UConn *may* be the only one remotely relevant.

Probably the best thing that could happen for basketball and all other sports would be for big-time football to break away from the rest of the NCAA/conference structure and exist as its own thing. You’d preserve reasonable basketball conferences and avoid the ridiculous situation of flying your womens soccer team from LA to Maryland or whatever.

And yeah I completely agree that rendering all these middleweight P5 schools irrelevant - like the bottom half of the ACC and various Pac-12 leftovers - is going to kill the sport. But both realignment and the NIL/transfer situation are driving things quickly in that direction.

 

[forkbeard3777]

I think this is short sighted to say the least.

And what will basketball schools do? Branch off and form their own super conference? What about the schools who have top football and basketball programs?

Man, the death of the Big East — UConn, St. John’s, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt, Villanova, and so on was tough to stomach. I arguably enjoyed the Big East Tourny at MSG in the 90’s and early 2000’s more than the actual tournament.

 

[IrishLax]

If you guys think this part is exciting, just wait until the B1G and SEC start booting longstanding members. Pretty soon the rest of the conference is going to start wondering why are Mississippi State and Indiana University getting $100 million a year in media money?

I saw an obnoxious Northwestern writer (I know that doesn’t narrow it down) say something like “isn’t it great that our terrible program is taken care of forever because of a decision made a hundred years ago with local schools? Lol”

And what he doesn’t realize is that we are *this close* to a football super league of 16-24-32 teams where all of the NWs, Dukes, and Vanderbilts of tomorrow are completely booted from the revenue generation and relegated to a second tier where they get no money and no eyeballs.

If a super league comes to pass, it’s going to be the best of the best aligning to have their own playoff and own scheduling, and then you will see a retreat to regional conference for non-revenue sports. These schools are all hastening their own demise by indulging the big money makers while continuing to dilute their own value.

Ideal conference size, btw, is 10 teams where you play all other teams once every year. The only thing that could save CFB at this point is a legislated cap on conference size and that will NEVER happen.

 

[Huntr]

Yep, 100%.

Although the Blue Bloods won't necessarily kick out Rutgers, et al. They'll just leave and take the next tier (UGA, LSU, FSU, Miami, etc) with them and that will be that.

 

[Huntr]

Man, the death of the Big East — UConn, St. John’s, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt, Villanova, and so on was tough to stomach. I arguably enjoyed the Big East Tourny at MSG in the 90’s and early 2000’s more than the actual tournament.

My capacity to give a shit about conferences dying disappeared when the Big 8 went tits up. I loved that conference so much. Their tourney in KC was magic.

Then the SWC schools came in, it became more Texas-centric and that was it for me.

 

[Irish#1]

I have never seen an entity of any sort that so grossly overvalues itself like Florida State does. They are absurd.

You might enjoy this.

That brings us to Florida State. Were one to listen to that meeting Wednesday, one would think the school can just snap its finger at any moment and truckloads of cash suddenly will descend upon Tallahassee. Who wouldn’t want a piece of (according to FSU’s president) the 12th-most watched program in the country during the past decade?

 

[NDohio]

Man, the death of the Big East — UConn, St. John’s, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt, Villanova, and so on was tough to stomach. I arguably enjoyed the Big East Tourny at MSG in the 90’s and early 2000’s more than the actual tournament.

It's interesting. I agree that was a great conference and watching it break apart really sucked, but the Big East also did something that other conferences haven't been able to do - re-invent itself. The new Big East is pretty damn good right now and they are just going to get better. The level of coaches they have (Sean Miller, Rick Pitino, Shaka Smart, Danny Hurley, Ed Cooley, etc) is really impressive. They still have the tourney at MSG and it's growing every year. The Big East has had 3 NCAA championships in the last ten years. It's quite remarkable how the resurrected from that break up.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I think Miami and FSU ruled the roost in the 80s and 90s until the internet and social media became a thing in the Bush Gore Century. They both fell off pretty hard after that in comparison to their peak standards when they were winning championships.

Ohio State and UGA could have never gotten kids out of there back then like they are now.

 

[Irish#1]

I think Miami and FSU ruled the roost in the 80s and 90s until the internet and social media became a thing in the Bush Gore Century. They both fell off pretty hard after that in comparison to their peak standards when they were winning championships.

Ohio State and UGA could have never gotten kids out of there back then like they are now.

UM & FSU's demises came when the snake oil salesmen Jimmy and Bobby left. If they had them today I think SM would only help them more. The hype around them back then was incredible. I can't imagine what it would have been like if they had it back then.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

UM & FSU's demises came when the snake oil salesmen Jimmy and Bobby left. If they had them today I think SM would only help them more. The hype around them back then was incredible. I can't imagine what it would have been like if they had it back then.

Miami won three national championships after Jimmy left, one in each decade. I'll happily take that kind of demise having been waiting since 1988. Miami won titles with Erickson and Coker. After 2003, Miami fell off under Coker with a couple of 9-3 seasons followed by a 7-6. Done.

FSU's demise began under Bowden. Jimbo had a good three year run during his tenure, but it wasn't anything compared to the Bowden 90s.

The fact is, they didn't have social media in the 80s and 90s. When it came around and became part of our daily lives, it coincided with these programs taking a dip.

Look at the season by season results. College football, the world and society changed. They both fell off. Not to mention they had a lot more eyes on them due to their shenanigans.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

I saw an obnoxious Northwestern writer (I know that doesn’t narrow it down) say something like “isn’t it great that our terrible program is taken care of forever because of a decision made a hundred years ago with local schools? Lol”

And what he doesn’t realize is that we are *this close* to a football super league of 16-24-32 teams where all of the NWs, Dukes, and Vanderbilts of tomorrow are completely booted from the revenue generation and relegated to a second tier where they get no money and no eyeballs.

If a super league comes to pass, it’s going to be the best of the best aligning to have their own playoff and own scheduling, and then you will see a retreat to regional conference for non-revenue sports. These schools are all hastening their own demise by indulging the big money makers while continuing to dilute their own value.

Ideal conference size, btw, is 10 teams where you play all other teams once every year. The only thing that could save CFB at this point is a legislated cap on conference size and that will NEVER happen.

The irony in haters screaming at ND for it's football independence, only for their teams to essentially join in ND's model. Football independence (in order to create a super conference) while keeping their other sports programs in their respective leagues would be chef's kiss.

 

[GATTACA!]

The only thing that could save CFB at this point is a legislated cap on conference size and that will NEVER happen.

Or a collapse of TV revenue.

 

[MKEagle]

It's interesting. I agree that was a great conference and watching it break apart really sucked, but the Big East also did something that other conferences haven't been able to do - re-invent itself. The new Big East is pretty damn good right now and they are just going to get better. The level of coaches they have (Sean Miller, Rick Pitino, Shaka Smart, Danny Hurley, Ed Cooley, etc) is really impressive. They still have the tourney at MSG and it's growing every year. The Big East has had 3 NCAA championships in the last ten years. It's quite remarkable how the resurrected from that break up.

Pitino and Cooley turning around St Johns and Georgetown respectively would only give the Big East more credibility

 

[condoms SUCk]

Or a collapse of TV revenue.

They only react to the almighty $. If we fan’s really wanted to REALLY stop this train we’d stop watching on TV, stop buying team gear, and stop attending games. Unfortunately, that will never happen, and the TV execs and conferences know it.

 

[GATTACA!]

It's interesting. I agree that was a great conference and watching it break apart really sucked, but the Big East also did something that other conferences haven't been able to do - re-invent itself. The new Big East is pretty damn good right now and they are just going to get better. The level of coaches they have (Sean Miller, Rick Pitino, Shaka Smart, Danny Hurley, Ed Cooley, etc) is really impressive. They still have the tourney at MSG and it's growing every year. The Big East has had 3 NCAA championships in the last ten years. It's quite remarkable how the resurrected from that break up.

It's interesting, the ghosts.

 

[FWIrish4]

If you guys think this part is exciting, just wait until the B1G and SEC start booting longstanding members. Pretty soon the rest of the conference is going to start wondering why are Mississippi State and Indiana University getting $100 million a year in media money?

IU brings a shit ton of value to the B1G in basketball. There is absolutely 0% chance they get booted as long as the football super league doesn’t happen as Lax described above.

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Or a collapse of TV revenue.

I could see a third. This is a great article on the non-profit paradox in college athletics. Maybe while Congress is addressing NIL and all the other things, they could address these more systemic issues too.

 

[stlnd01]

Barring some sort of gross misconduct, how would a move to expel “less desirable” schools from conferences even work? When was the last time that happened? Has it ever?

Let’s say the B1G decided Northwestern isn’t pulling its weight and, I dunno, Ohio State launched a campaign to vote them out. Why would Rutgers or Purdue or Nebraska go along with it, knowing they could easily be next. Once you set that precedent, the big fish will inevitable strangle the small ones, one by one.

More likely the big fish (in this case Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, USC) decide to leave on their own for something new with other heavyweights - maybe just in football - like that ill-fated soccer super league a couple years ago.

It may have the same effect but it would be a very different process and could leave the rest of traditional conference college sports intact.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Barring some sort of gross misconduct, how would a move to expel “less desirable” schools from conferences even work? When was the last time that happened? Has it ever?

Let’s say the B1G decided Northwestern isn’t pulling its weight and, I dunno, Ohio State launched a campaign to vote them out. Why would Rutgers or Purdue or Nebraska go along with it, knowing they could easily be next. Once you set that precedent, the big fish will inevitable strangle the small ones, one by one.

More likely the big fish (in this case Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, USC) decide to leave on their own for something new with other heavyweights - maybe just in football - like that ill-fated soccer super league a couple years ago.

It may have the same effect but it would be a very different process and could leave the rest of traditional conference college sports intact.

Yes, that is what I think would happen. It wouldn’t be kicking schools out of the conference in a literal sense but cutting them out nonetheless.

 

[IrishLax]

Barring some sort of gross misconduct, how would a move to expel “less desirable” schools from conferences even work? When was the last time that happened? Has it ever?

Let’s say the B1G decided Northwestern isn’t pulling its weight and, I dunno, Ohio State launched a campaign to vote them out. Why would Rutgers or Purdue or Nebraska go along with it, knowing they could easily be next. Once you set that precedent, the big fish will inevitable strangle the small ones, one by one.

More likely the big fish (in this case Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, USC) decide to leave on their own for something new with other heavyweights - maybe just in football - like that ill-fated soccer super league a couple years ago.

It may have the same effect but it would be a very different process and could leave the rest of traditional conference college sports intact.

Exactly this, since the "have nots" actually outnumber the "haves" in each conference and they would NEVER support expulsion of a member.

The reason the "super league" stuff gets bandied about is it wouldn't involve "expelling" anyone -- it would be like ~16 schools all announcing at once that they are decoupling football (i.e. "leaving") from their current conference and establishing a new scheduling + postseason model independent of everything else. You wouldn't kick anyone out, you'd just be leaving them where they're at.

Most teams have little to no incentive right now to do this. Some -- like FSU, Clemson, etc. -- have TONS of incentive... but it's an impossibility for them because of GoR.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

IU brings a shit ton of value to the B1G in basketball. There is absolutely 0% chance they get booted as long as the football super league doesn’t happen as Lax described above.

This is basically what I was pointing out with an earlier post (albeit, I did not realize how much more money football brings in, even at a bball school like Duke....crazy). Men's basketball does generate a lot of money at basketball schools and I was simply wondering if there'd be a place in a "basketball conference" (like the B1G) for the likes of UConn, etc...? Perhaps that eventually leads to it's own super conference down the road....who knows. The money obviously does the talking but I can't discount brand clout either along with the chest pumping that would come along with a Duke or UNC national champ as a B1G representative (if that came to be). Which again, is why I questioned the landing spot for UConn, Villanova, and Gonzaga basketball. Football is driving the bus for the current discussion, but I think a basketball discussion isn't too far behind depending on where the chips fall.

 

[Irish#1]

This is basically what I was pointing out with an earlier post (albeit, I did not realize how much more money football brings in, even at a bball school like Duke....crazy). Men's basketball does generate a lot of money at basketball schools and I was simply wondering if there'd be a place in a "basketball conference" (like the B1G) for the likes of UConn, etc...? Perhaps that eventually leads to it's own super conference down the road....who knows. The money obviously does the talking but I can't discount brand clout either along with the chest pumping that would come along with a Duke or UNC national champ as a B1G representative (if that came to be). Which again, is why I questioned the landing spot for UConn, Villanova, and Gonzaga basketball. Football is driving the bus for the current discussion, but I think a basketball discussion isn't too far behind depending on where the chips fall.

FB definitely drives the bus, but all of these schools presidents are also thinking about the other sports during these discussions while everyone on message boards, podcasts, etc., are focused on FB. If the other sports aren't taken care of one way or another, it could lead to a lot of lawsuits.

 

[NDohio]

This is basically what I was pointing out with an earlier post (albeit, I did not realize how much more money football brings in, even at a bball school like Duke....crazy). Men's basketball does generate a lot of money at basketball schools and I was simply wondering if there'd be a place in a "basketball conference" (like the B1G) for the likes of UConn, etc...? Perhaps that eventually leads to it's own super conference down the road....who knows. The money obviously does the talking but I can't discount brand clout either along with the chest pumping that would come along with a Duke or UNC national champ as a B1G representative (if that came to be). Which again, is why I questioned the landing spot for UConn, Villanova, and Gonzaga basketball. Football is driving the bus for the current discussion, but I think a basketball discussion isn't too far behind depending on where the chips fall.

FYI, UConn has been pursued by the Big 12.

Big 12 Records | University of Connecticut

UConn's Candidacy for the Big 12 Conference UConn's Candidacy for the Big 12 Conference In association with the University of Connecticut's p ... February 10, 2026

uconn.edu

 

[BleedBlueGold]

FYI, UConn has been pursued by the Big 12.

Big 12 Records | University of Connecticut

UConn's Candidacy for the Big 12 Conference UConn's Candidacy for the Big 12 Conference In association with the University of Connecticut's p ... February 10, 2026

uconn.edu

Eww.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

SIAP, but this is gold.

 

[NDWarrior]

The Ivy League teams (and Michigan) dominated through WWI... Then the traditional powerhouses we know today came into ascendancy. It will be interesting to see with the shift to a 12-team playoff if the top teams dominating the NC also changes a bit. College Football Champions: Complete list of winners since 1869

 

[BilboBaggins]

Exactly this, since the "have nots" actually outnumber the "haves" in each conference and they would NEVER support expulsion of a member.

The reason the "super league" stuff gets bandied about is it wouldn't involve "expelling" anyone -- it would be like ~16 schools all announcing at once that they are decoupling football (i.e. "leaving") from their current conference and establishing a new scheduling + postseason model independent of everything else. You wouldn't kick anyone out, you'd just be leaving them where they're at.

Most teams have little to no incentive right now to do this. Some -- like FSU, Clemson, etc. -- have TONS of incentive... but it's an impossibility for them because of GoR.

I don't see that happening because 1) as you said, the have-nots outnumber the haves; 2) the premier teams need Ws, and someone has to lose so it makes sense to keep the have-nots involved; 3) their TV footprint is still (?) the driving force, let's remember RUTGERS was pursued by the Big Ten less than ten years ago.

I see I still see four conferences reigning over football. A 20-team Big Ten, 20-team SEC, and either one 20-team conference or two 16-team conferences between the Big 12 and ACC.

With the pod format, really there is little difference between 14 and 20 teams IMO. The conferences should have been hard capped at 12.

My 20-team Big Ten works because 1) you preserve the pre-1994 Big Ten in two pods, rivalries generally stay in tact, 2) ND gets its California schools and then a usual Big Ten mix (Nebraska used to heavily recruit in California and it's probably the best deal they'd get), and 3) the eastern pod is really akin to something that could have formed if JoePa got his way.

I think Stanford only gets into the Big Ten as a package with Notre Dame, just as I see Duke getting in only as a package with UNC. A lot of people say the Big Ten will go for Virginia or Georgia Tech. IMO it makes more sense for cohesion to being UNC/Duke as a package. The Duke/UNC/Maryland/Penn State/Rutgers pod really actually works pretty well IMO.

 

[Reaper97]

 

[TNUtoNotreDame]

The real only threat is if the ACC dies or becomes so weak that it's unattractive for us

 

[IrishLax]

Twitter seems to be suggesting that Arizona, ASU, and Utah are a done deal.