Possible Conference shake up

[King Barry's Back]

Assuming something big happens -- and the Big XII becomes untenable.

Then, the long-term health of Sooners athletics and especially football will be heavily dependent on OU getting into a better and financially stronger new or expanded conference.

Mentioned alternatives include going west and joining the Pac-10. Bennies -- playing in some great outdoor venues with beautiful fall weather, and raking in bucks from a TV deal including LA, SD, SF, Portland, Seattle, etc.

A second alternative includes joining the SEC. Bennies -- football mad territory, lots of big cities, and a truly Southern football culture where I think Sooners would feel right at home.

Outside of those, other than some brand new conference that would include teams from the SEC, Pac-10 and Big XII -- I don't see anything else.

I think OU has a good product and a great reputation, and I think we will punch above our weight in terms of TV-draw.

However, I am VERY concerned that we are going to be pressured to bring lil sister with us.

I can CERTAINLY see a scenario where the Pac-10 is tossing out Wazzu and Oregun St, and has no interest in allowing OkState to crash the party. ANd the same in spades for the SEC.

What really concerns me is that OU will be offered a premo conf spot, and OSU will be left with an invitation to something like Conference USA (where they belong). We'll be told against our will by the State poo-bahs that the two schools are a package -- with the end result that both OSU AND OU wind up in the likes of Conference USA.

If you think ags party like its 1999 after beating OU to go 4-8, wait til you see how joyous they will be when they drag us down to their also ran status.

I'm starting to hate them again.

[rawlingsHOH]

Assuming something big happens -- and the Big XII becomes untenable.

Then, the long-term health of Sooners athletics and especially football will be heavily dependent on OU getting into a better and financially stronger new or expanded conference.

Mentioned alternatives include going west and joining the Pac-10. Bennies -- playing in some great outdoor venues with beautiful fall weather, and raking in bucks from a TV deal including LA, SD, SF, Portland, Seattle, etc.

A second alternative includes joining the SEC. Bennies -- football mad territory, lots of big cities, and a truly Southern football culture where I think Sooners would feel right at home.

Outside of those, other than some brand new conference that would include teams from the SEC, Pac-10 and Big XII -- I don't see anything else.

I think OU has a good product and a great reputation, and I think we will punch above our weight in terms of TV-draw.

However, I am VERY concerned that we are going to be pressured to bring lil sister with us.

I can CERTAINLY see a scenario where the Pac-10 is tossing out Wazzu and Oregun St, and has no interest in allowing OkState to crash the party. ANd the same in spades for the SEC.

What really concerns me is that OU will be offered a premo conf spot, and OSU will be left with an invitation to something like Conference USA (where they belong). We'll be told against our will by the State poo-bahs that the two schools are a package -- with the end result that both OSU AND OU wind up in the likes of Conference USA.

If you think ags party like its 1999 after beating OU to go 4-8, wait til you see how joyous they will be when they drag us down to their also ran status.

I'm starting to hate them again.
Silly talk.

[NOVSooner]

OU will never wind up in conference usa. period. OSU, likely. OU, never. premier teams will wind up in a "premier" conference. upgrading your facilities by 1 booster and having zilch to show for it on the field does not make you a premier team.

[Flagstaffsooner]

I'm starting to hate them again.

Why the hell did you ever quit?:rolleyes:

[goingoneight]

Say what you want to say, but it's true. Aggy will pull on our coattails, kicking and screaming like an orange-headed stepchild who wants a candybar, but daddy said no if we're looking to go anywhere without them.

I'm concerned that this "Bed-lame" "rivalry" could cost us, too... but only when I can truly feel like anything's really going to happen conference realignment-wise.

[PDXsooner]

lots of big cities

?? Such as...? (referring to the SEC)

[prrriiide]

?? Such as...? (referring to the SEC)

Assuming an SEC expansion would take texass if they took OU:

DFW - #5 market
Atlanta - #8 market
Houston - #10 market
Tampa-St.Pete - #14 market
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale - #17 market
Orlando-Daytona-Melbourne- #19 market
Nashville - #29 market

That's just the ones with over a million TV households. There are 16 more SEC (and OU/tx) markets with at lest 1/2 million TV HHs.

http://www.tvb.org/rcentral/markettrack/us_hh_by_dma.asp

[SoonerDutch]

In order to ensure our place if and when conference expansion becomes a reality, we need to mobilize support in the state legislature. If they want to force us to take Poke State, vote them out...

[diegosooner]

change is inevitable, but I hope we don't get screwed.

[Dan Thompson]

Maybe we should start a Red River Conference.

OU
OSU
Tulsa
Tx
Tam
TCU
TT
Baylor
SMU
Rice
UTEP
other

[Leroyt]

A million monkeys with a million typewriters typing for a million years couldn't come up with a single word that hasn't already been written about the possible scenarios for realignment.

[PDXsooner]

Assuming an SEC expansion would take texass if they took OU:

DFW - #5 market
Atlanta - #8 market
Houston - #10 market
Tampa-St.Pete - #14 market
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale - #17 market
Orlando-Daytona-Melbourne- #19 market
Nashville - #29 market

That's just the ones with over a million TV households. There are 16 more SEC (and OU/tx) markets with at lest 1/2 million TV HHs.

http://www.tvb.org/rcentral/markettrack/us_hh_by_dma.asp

If you're including the Texas cities, I agree. What perplexes me is how the SEC has such a huge TV deal with so few big markets. As for the ones you mentioned:

DFW - #5 market -- not currently SEC
Atlanta - #8 market - the crown jewel, but partly ACC
Houston - #10 market not currently SEC
Tampa-St.Pete - #14 market - At least half the people here are retired New Englanders
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale - #17 market --is this really an SEC market? I say NO
Orlando-Daytona-Melbourne- #19 market -- #19 - not a very big deal
Nashville - #29 market -- less impressive than Orlando

[rawlingsHOH]

Tampa-St.Pete - #14 market - At least half the people here are retired New Englanders
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale - #17 market --is this really an SEC market? I say NO

i always noticed the trend of retired new englanders on the east coast, and the midwesterners on the gulf coast