that is all speculation and the source is the Marshall blog of all places. As it sits right now half of that alliance has overall losing records. I have come to the conclusion that the pro-merger folks are downright delusional, somehow thinking that banding together a bunch of non-AQs in large numbers is going to make them be the next step from the Big 5 conferences. Furthermore no one factors in the colossal amount of additional revenue they would need to generate in order to make up for the additional mouths to feed (especially if they plan on having 20 plus members) and outside of Air Force there aren’t any markets in there that are super-desirable (yeah I’ve heard the Rice has Dallas, Tulane has New Orleans, UNLV has Las Vegas arguments) but let’s face it the last 20 years have not been kind to ANY of those teams in the broad scheme of things. I know the same can be said for some of the Big East schools coming on board but I would still take SMU in Dallas over Rice any day of the week. Further consider that none of us has a vote of confidence in Hair Thompson’s choices or his ability to negotiate a decent media deal that magically makes his teams disappear from the face of the earth for media exposure. This idiot is steering the ship of this new merger. THANKS BUT NO THANKS!!!!!!!!!!

wishes and invites to the big12 or pac12. pac12 comissioner has already said the conference will not be expanding anytime soon and the big12 (to me) is out of the question. sure we can play football with those schools, but joining a conference is more than just sports, its about the school as a whole, athletics AND academics.

and BSU is a one trick pony with a few sideshows (football, wrestling, gymnastics…?)

SEC, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 12 and then everyone else. In other words the inequality will only get worse.

let’s compare:

Rice vs SMU in the Dallas market-’nuff said.

won’t give up independence unless forced to do so, so I don’t see it. That said you do make an interesting point about the huge value of the BBall schools to the conference and potential overall market value. The Big East at the very least is a very desirable bball conference, the alliance? Umm, a collection of decent teams that pop into the ranks of greatness every now and then (barring maybe Southern Miss) in football and a select few bball schools that are good. While it’s true that Big East bball doesn’t affect us directly it’s overall value to the conference definitely puts it in a more marketable position and might get a better deal overall.

I’ve never researched it, but I’m sure the Ivy League has by far the largest endowments.

The 4 team playoff is going to be the SEC, PAC-12, B1G and then the talking heads will get to arugue over the BIG XII champ vs. the ACC champ. In some years it maybe the Big East champ. This is why they are pushing for only conference champs. Don’t win your conference, no chance. If your not Tx or Ok and not in the SEC, PAC-12 or BIG, not much chance. Your going to get the same result for the most part. It also weakens the arguement against the football cartel. There will be no AQ conferences and there will be a playoff.

As long as human polls are a factor and coaches can vote for their conference/teams they are always going to put Big 10, PAC 12, SEC and Big 12 in there. Although I concur that AQ status isn’t the way, it is better than the direction we are going (ie 6 conferences get to participate on a regular basis versus 4 conferences getting to participate on a regular basis).

they get rid of the human polls/special interest groups who routinely do this crap and big bowls aren’t allowed to select teams based on beauty contests rather than records, then we won’t be upset. In other words, as long as we get what everyone else wants then we won’t complain.

I will agree with you on that one. Although I do agree that the definition of conference champion needs to be revisited and overall record needs to count more than just 4 extra games to fill out a schedule.