So, with Temple and UConn winning this year in football, along with Memphis, does the B12 look to ESPN if they get hosed again in the college football playoffs?
Assuming:
1. ESPN wants more games on TV, both in football and basketball.
2. They want UConn on TV, as it is right there. Temple is close as well and in a big metro.
So, if you add those three, it helps WVU, being on the east and Memphis bridges them to the rest of the conference. That helps the conference stability. While none of them make the Big boys of UT football all warm and fuzzy, it does that for the ones that are smart and see new P5 wins in media dense areas. It is like adding a Purdue or Iowa State. You should win every year, but they do well enough in their non-conference to be a good win.
They also all help in basketball. B12 becomes a very probable basketball leader. You now have access into the Big cities of the east coast for tournaments and recruiting.
What helps ESPN as well is having early am games for those playing in the eastern as well as the central time zones.
13 is an odd number of teams you say. Agreed. So you add either BYU or CSU. Most fans would prefer the name of BYU on the schedule, but their whole Sunday thing. Probably have to find capability to work with that for the right $. Either adds games in a third time zone, so TV can add more slots of good games (not great, but less KU vs whomever in football and TTU vs TCU in basketball. If not BYU, CSU is building n football, building a new stadium, etc. An easier win, but not a cake walk in basketball either.
Maybe you do Cincinnati, but it doesn't add any extra spots for later evening games (not talking west coast/Pacific time zone late night games). Plus they fail again at football.
So that would be 14. Still leaves you open in case the ACC unravels and a ND and Louisville become available, or if USF and UCF keep growing.
Some will argue a la carte pricing prevents it. Too far out for ESPN not to make a run at it. It would keep member splits the same, and several have gone on record saying they will ask no extra than they have now for multiple years to join the B12.
Do an East West split, TCU and Baylor in East, UT and TTU in west so everyone plays in Texas once a year. KU can go East for basketball, we stay west. Cross divisional rivalries that play every year in football, twice a year in basketball. 4 east coast teams, TCU, Baylor and KU in east, rest of us in west.
Just thoughts on a Tuesday. Not real serious and no sources. ESPN loves those east coast games when ND plays Temple, etc.
Assuming:
1. ESPN wants more games on TV, both in football and basketball.
2. They want UConn on TV, as it is right there. Temple is close as well and in a big metro.
So, if you add those three, it helps WVU, being on the east and Memphis bridges them to the rest of the conference. That helps the conference stability. While none of them make the Big boys of UT football all warm and fuzzy, it does that for the ones that are smart and see new P5 wins in media dense areas. It is like adding a Purdue or Iowa State. You should win every year, but they do well enough in their non-conference to be a good win.
They also all help in basketball. B12 becomes a very probable basketball leader. You now have access into the Big cities of the east coast for tournaments and recruiting.
What helps ESPN as well is having early am games for those playing in the eastern as well as the central time zones.
13 is an odd number of teams you say. Agreed. So you add either BYU or CSU. Most fans would prefer the name of BYU on the schedule, but their whole Sunday thing. Probably have to find capability to work with that for the right $. Either adds games in a third time zone, so TV can add more slots of good games (not great, but less KU vs whomever in football and TTU vs TCU in basketball. If not BYU, CSU is building n football, building a new stadium, etc. An easier win, but not a cake walk in basketball either.
Maybe you do Cincinnati, but it doesn't add any extra spots for later evening games (not talking west coast/Pacific time zone late night games). Plus they fail again at football.
So that would be 14. Still leaves you open in case the ACC unravels and a ND and Louisville become available, or if USF and UCF keep growing.
Some will argue a la carte pricing prevents it. Too far out for ESPN not to make a run at it. It would keep member splits the same, and several have gone on record saying they will ask no extra than they have now for multiple years to join the B12.
Do an East West split, TCU and Baylor in East, UT and TTU in west so everyone plays in Texas once a year. KU can go East for basketball, we stay west. Cross divisional rivalries that play every year in football, twice a year in basketball. 4 east coast teams, TCU, Baylor and KU in east, rest of us in west.
Just thoughts on a Tuesday. Not real serious and no sources. ESPN loves those east coast games when ND plays Temple, etc.
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