Will The Economy Dictate A Shift

[the real grad88]

I saw the post below about UC-Berkley cancelling several programs because of funds, and it got me to thinking about the cost of all of the far-flungness of so many conferences and the "new economy." I have wondered for a while how long it will be before some state governments begin to put 2 and 2 together and realize how much money is being wasted on unnecessary travel and then begin to nudge schools to make realignments based upon regional proximty (common sense). It makes no sense that Houston is playing schools way out East when they have schools a short bus ride away. Why is North Texas playing MTSU and Troy when they have much closer regional options? Someone at some point is going to start asking those questions! Not just costs...but how about the stimulation of local/state economies? How much money would be generated in TEXAS by an all-Texas (or mostly Texas/regional) conference!? A lot.

[the real grad88]

Another thought: How many schools could actually bring their budgets into the black by cutting down on their travel costs AND building rivalries with schools so that fans could actually travel to away games, thereby increasing attendance. A conference with NT, SMU, Houston, Rice, UT-EP, Texas State(?), UT-SA(?), Tulsa, La-Tech, and maybe Tulane, I think all ships would rise from increasing attendance. What about the regional TV revenues that could come from such a conference? If it could just be tried, it would work.

Edited September 30, 2010 by the real grad88

[shaft]

That's probably with fcs conference are small regional conferences.

[NT80]

Most conferences determine membership by football power, and all other sports follow.

It would make more sense for the far-flung football conferences to be for football only, and all other sports be in regional conferences.

Of course then you have to define "regional". Regional for Texas could be 600+ miles, but in the Northeast it could be 200 miles or less.

[Green Mean]

For the big conferences, I don't forsee the shift to make it more region friendly unless you're a small program. It all goes back to TV money.....that won't be decreasing anytime soon. Look at the Rangers...they got a historic TV deal even when the economy is very down. And folks the economy won't be slow forever...in a few years things will start to boom again and it will all be good.

[GrayEagle]

TV still drives the bus. BCS AQ conferences have it; non-AQ don't.

The wisest solution would be to divide the non-AQ teams into four 12-team conferences based on proximity. It would save on travel expenses and build regional rivalries...thus increasing attendance. The TV revenue would be shared based on attendance or some similar formula.

The NCAA is a hollow association with little authority to do what is best for the membership as a whole so there is no chance of using any measure of common sense or reasoning. It won't happen.

[emmitt01]

If we do get into a regional conference I'm taking the train to all of the away games...

[PlummMeanGreen]

Another thought: How many schools could actually bring their budgets into the black by cutting down on their travel costs AND building rivalries with schools so that fans could actually travel to away games, thereby increasing attendance. A conference with NT, SMU, Houston, Rice, UT-EP, Texas State(?), UT-SA(?), Tulsa, La-Tech, and maybe Tulane, I think all ships would rise from increasing attendance. What about the regional TV revenues that could come from such a conference? If it could just be tried, it would work.

Our program will all but have to be a clone of the Boise St. football program before many of the aforementioned schools accept us into "The Club." It still all boils down to politics--guess it always will. Moreso for UNT with the private schools than public.

It took a 20/20 tie with UT back in 196? for UH to lose their "cooty-status" state-wide and that is when Darrell Royal said "we need UH in the SWC." MORE TO IT: DKR wanted UH in the SWC so they would also have to recruit under SWC rules, too.

GMG!