Merged - Big 12 Aftermath Thread

[Fryowa]

BYU is the undisputed best draw in that conference. UCF is number 2. Neither of those have the pull to drive a media deal like the ACC or P12. Maybe the Big 12 deal will all in be the equal to just the tier one rights of the Pac 12, but the other conferences all have networks. A Big 12 Network is worth next to nothing.

I haven't read anything further on this. Does the expansion then cause a dilution in distributions that lets Texas and Oklahoma leave next year without a messy lawsuit? You'd think they could negotiate a settlement at this point bince the Big 12 has conceded they are toast.

This whole thing is just prolonging the inevitable, which is the dissolution of the conference. One could argue that it will stay together and just be diminished in its role and stature, but the simple fact is that there’s not enough ad revenue and media money to dole out to the current Big 8 schools to maintain their levels of staff and facilities.

At what point do you just throw in the towel? Once OK/TX leave (which is gonna be sooner rather than later), how is an ISU going to pay Campbell and his staff millions of dollars? They won’t. I don’t care how much he loves ISU, he’s going to bolt for better opportunities. Once that happens under those circumstances, the death bed is going to be made. The next staff they get will either be P4 flunkies or some G5 guys not good enough to coach P4 programs. Other schools will use that as recruiting ammunition and pretty soon you’re toast. And then how are you going to pay the big ass loans on Trice’s improvements and pay to maintain all of those facilities? Trice is going to be like ASSCAR tracks in a few years. Theyll be tearing out seating rather than have 30,000 people in 60,000 seats.

The other argument is, “F it, we’ll just ride this thing till it fall off a cliff and go down with the ship.” But good luck with that, I can guarantee you Iowa is using this as recruiting ammunition as we speak. “Hey Jimmy, are you sure you want to end up in a conference that plays their games on ESPN Plus? You know, there’s no way Campbell stays there anyway because that conference is falling apart. We’ve been in the Big Ten for 122 years and if you come here you’re going to be playing on TV every week against some of the best teams in the country. I don’t know, Jimmy, I’d sure have a hard time trusting my athletic career to that mess they have coming up in Ames. I mean, you said you want to play pro ball some day, and that’s definitely not the best place to be starting your path…”

 

[Fryowa]

Who, outside of Clemson?

Jesus. Here we go again.

Look at UCLA. Doesn’t matter if they suck, they have a history and people know who they are. It’s a national brand whether you can stomach it or not.

USC
Notre Dame
Florida State
Miami
Oregon

Even shit teams like nebraska are more substantial to conferences than ISU would be.

I’ve asked you a million times here…instead of listing all the reasons every other school shouldn’t be in a conference, give us reasons why ISU should be instead.

And don’t you think the P12 or B1G would take ISU if it benefitted them in some way? You guys got your single 9-3 season in your head and now you think your team is a big player. It’s not. Tell me how many people in P12 country would tune into an ISU game. We both know it’s be fans only and that means Iowa only.

 

[BryceC]

Jesus. Here we go again.

Look at UCLA. Doesn’t matter if they suck, they have a history and people know who they are. It’s a national brand whether you can stomach it or not.

USC
Notre Dame
Florida State
Miami
Oregon

Even shit teams like nebraska are more substantial to conferences than ISU would be.

I’ve asked you a million times here…instead of listing all the reasons every other school shouldn’t be in a conference, give us reasons why ISU should be instead.

And don’t you think the P12 or B1G would take ISU if it benefitted them in some way? You guys got your single 9-3 season in your head and now you think your team is a big player. It’s not. Tell me how many people in P12 country would tune into an ISU game. We both know it’s be fans only and that means Iowa only.

Honest question, what is the value of being a national brand if it doesn't result in more ticket sales, more TV viewership, or anything like that? ISU is in a better place than UCLA in both cases.

 

[BryceC]

At what point do you just throw in the towel?

Are you suggesting ISU just literally quit offering athletics?

 

[Fryowa]

Honest question, what is the value of being a national brand if it doesn't result in more ticket sales, more TV viewership, or anything like that? ISU is in a better place than UCLA in both cases.

For the millionth time…

Stop trying to gaslight us and tell me what reasons you have that ISU should be in a major conference.

And then tell us why you think ISU hasn’t been get picked up by a major conference in lieu of one of those other teams? Surely if there was a chance that a conference might be in a better spot monetarily to pick ISU up they would have, no?

 

[Fryowa]

Are you suggesting ISU just literally quit offering athletics?

Not at all. But once OK/TX leave the big 8, the football program would bankrupt the athletic department if it continued to be operated in the same way. You’re being obtuse if you think that the B12 is going to survive this by adding 3 G5 teams and a wannabe Notre Dame. There is zero way to make the math work, and this thing is going to happen quicker because I guarantee you it’s being used against ISU in recruiting already.

So, are you going to continue to dodge the questions?

 

[Luftgekuehlt67]

Um...Pollard would swap places with UCLA in red hot minute, guaranteed.

The only reason it's different for Barta is because he got hired by a school that was lucky enough, 100 years ago, to fall ass backwards into a conference that would become the Big Ten.

In terms of on-field performance, the Big Ten isn't what it used to be, but it's absolutely drowning in cash.

 

[ssckelley]

Honest question, what is the value of being a national brand if it doesn't result in more ticket sales, more TV viewership, or anything like that? ISU is in a better place than UCLA in both cases.

You keep hanging your hat on ticket sales. Just because every person in Ames Iowa goes to the game on Saturday doesn’t mean anyone outside the state knows who you are or wants to watch them play.

UCLA may not sellout their football games but everyone across the country knows who they are.

 

[BryceC]

You keep hanging your hat on ticket sales. Just because every person in Ames Iowa goes to the game on Saturday doesn’t mean anyone outside the state knows who you are or wants to watch them play.

UCLA may not sellout their football games but everyone across the country knows who they are.

Again, why is that criteria for anything? Everybody knows who they are… we’ll okay? Take ticket sales out entirely. Nobody watches them on TV, and if that’s not what this is all about then what is?

I bet our game on Saturday has more viewers than any UCLA game this season.

 

[ssckelley]

Again, why is that criteria for anything? Everybody knows who they are… we’ll okay? Take ticket sales out entirely. Nobody watches them on TV, and if that’s not what this is all about then what is?

I bet our game on Saturday has more viewers than any UCLA game this season.

How do you know nobody is watching UCLA? This last Saturday’s game against LSU was the 2nd highest watched game behind Georgia/Clemson. Pretty sure the UCLA/USC game will get decent ratings too.

How did we get down this UCLA vs ISU wormhole? UCLA is already in a major conference, ISU has to prove it has something to bring to the table in order to get into another conference. Right now that’s very little.

 

[Luftgekuehlt67]

How do you know nobody is watching UCLA? This last Saturday’s game against LSU was the 2nd highest watched game behind Georgia/Clemson. Pretty sure the UCLA/USC game will get decent ratings too.

How did we get down this UCLA vs ISU wormhole? UCLA is already in a major conference, ISU has to prove it has something to bring to the table in order to get into another conference. Right now that’s very little.

I think Fry called out UCLA as an example of a name brand "franchise". Doesn't matter what you think of them or your opinion of their recent on field/court success, they still pack a mighty wallop in terms of prestige, name recognition, rating potential, etc. They also belong to a very strong and stable conference and are, in fact, a "bell cow" member of said conference.

Bryce then claimed ISU was in a better position than UCLA. The same ISU that is the 2nd most popular P5 program in a state with 1/3 the population of LA County. The same ISU whose conference is literally disintegrating. The same ISU that is very often confused by those on a national level as being "the Hawkeyes" even by people who are, in theory, paid to know better.

I'm on record as saying I hope things shake out for ISU in a positive way because I like the rivalry and think both programs are better for it, but in terms of this whole realignment circus, UCLA is driving a 2019 BMW X7 while ISU is googling "2007 hyundai elantra grinding noise when turn key".

 

[Fryowa]

Again, why is that criteria for anything? Everybody knows who they are… we’ll okay? Take ticket sales out entirely. Nobody watches them on TV, and if that’s not what this is all about then what is?

I bet our game on Saturday has more viewers than any UCLA game this season.

OK, then answer the question you keep avoiding. Tell us what ISU brings to the table that’s better than any of those programs.

You know very well that if it was beneficial to any conference to add ISU they’d do so, because at the end of the day it’s about money.

You have a burnt turd program (even if they beat Iowa which is highly possible) that’s had a single good (debatable) season in 120 years, has no other even remotely good sports, and a hyper regional, small fan base. Take off your clone boner glasses for ten seconds and look at the situation from the outside once.

 

[Fryowa]

I bet our game on Saturday has more viewers than any UCLA game this season.

Literally 98% of those viewers are in a flyover state that no one gives a shit about, least of which are advertisers and networks. You’re grasping at straws.

But ok…let’s assume you’re right and there’s something ridiculous like twice as many viewers and they’re spread all over the country. Then tell us why no one is beating down ISU’s door to add them to their conference.

 

[Fryowa]

… in terms of this whole realignment circus, UCLA is driving a 2019 BMW X7 while ISU is googling "2007 hyundai elantra grinding noise when turn key".

Outstanding.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Honest question, what is the value of being a national brand if it doesn't result in more ticket sales, more TV viewership, or anything like that? ISU is in a better place than UCLA in both cases.

Bruh, you're losing your mind. LA is the most status obsessed vapid place on Earth. UCLA or USC might as well not exist when they suck. Iowa State can play sub .500 ball and will still have herbs lining up to buy tickets. But it doesn't matter because the moment UCLA or USC gets good they have 5 million fans. Instantly. The mere hope that USC and UCLA can get to the third week of November undefeated is seriously worth more than all the dogshit left in the Big 8 cpmbined.

The entirety of the West Coast market hinges on pretty much 5 programs, maybe 4: USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington. If the Big Ten said "Hey, we're tossing Iowa, Purdue, Michigan State and Northwestern to pick up these 4 teams from the Pac 12" I would totally get it. I'd be pissed, but I would have the common sense to understand that those four programs are worth substantially more to a conference than Iowa. The fact that you can't understand how valuable a blue blood like UCLA is relative to Iowa State tells me you are losing your grip on reality.

 

[BryceC]

Um...Pollard would swap places with UCLA in red hot minute, guaranteed.

The only reason it's different for Barta is because he got hired by a school that was lucky enough, 100 years ago, to fall ass backwards into a conference that would become the Big Ten.

In terms of on-field performance, the Big Ten isn't what it used to be, but it's absolutely drowning in cash.

Of course he would switch with UCLA. But the real question is, would UCLA swap places with a place like Minnesota? IMO I think they would in a heartbeat even though they'd never say it. The major cash is going to flow to two conferences at this point, the SEC and the Big 10, and everybody else is going to be honestly on a different level financially.

 

[BryceC]

How do you know nobody is watching UCLA? This last Saturday’s game against LSU was the 2nd highest watched game behind Georgia/Clemson. Pretty sure the UCLA/USC game will get decent ratings too.

How did we get down this UCLA vs ISU wormhole? UCLA is already in a major conference, ISU has to prove it has something to bring to the table in order to get into another conference. Right now that’s very little.

College Football TV Ratings

College football TV ratings for the 2024 regular season, bowls, College Football Playoff and National Championship.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

PAC 12 TV ratings problems are well known at this point.

I also don't think the PAC 12 is a very strong or stable conference at this point, of course it seems like it relative to the Big 12.

 

[BryceC]

OK, then answer the question you keep avoiding. Tell us what ISU brings to the table that’s better than any of those programs.

USC
Notre Dame
Florida State
Miami
Oregon

Any of those 5 programs? Why would I compare ISU to those 5 specifically? Of course they don't bring as much as those programs, those aren't comparable schools and I think you know it.

I think college football teams are like NBA players. There are really only about 10 to 15 of them that are really stars and bring the money and the prestige to a conference. I think there are 3 or 4 in the Big 10, 4 or 5 in the SEC, 1 in the PAC 12, and one or two in the ACC. Notre Dame still isn't actually in a conference.

Quick look at those 5 teams - Miami, FSU, Oregon, ND, and USC they all typically are averaging over 2 to 3 million viewers per game. That's really good and why they aren't comparable. They are also name programs. UCLA had several games under 500k viewers last year, that's the point I was making specifically about them.

Regardless, at this point ISU isn't going to be in one of those conferences. They'll be in the Big 12 for the foreseeable future. I've said I think the new Big 12 will be on par with TV payouts for the ACC and Pac 12. You disagree. I guess we'll find out in a year or so.

 

[Fryowa]

Any of those 5 programs? Why would I compare ISU to those 5 specifically? Of course they don't bring as much as those programs, those aren't comparable schools and I think you know it.

I think college football teams are like NBA players. There are really only about 10 to 15 of them that are really stars and bring the money and the prestige to a conference. I think there are 3 or 4 in the Big 10, 4 or 5 in the SEC, 1 in the PAC 12, and one or two in the ACC. Notre Dame still isn't actually in a conference.

Quick look at those 5 teams - Miami, FSU, Oregon, ND, and USC they all typically are averaging over 2 to 3 million viewers per game. That's really good and why they aren't comparable. They are also name programs. UCLA had several games under 500k viewers last year, that's the point I was making specifically about them.

Regardless, at this point ISU isn't going to be in one of those conferences. They'll be in the Big 12 for the foreseeable future. I've said I think the new Big 12 will be on par with TV payouts for the ACC and Pac 12. You disagree. I guess we'll find out in a year or so.

Any programs in any of those conferences. If the clowns brought literally anything to the table why hasn't there been interest in joining somewhere?

 

[HawkGold]

If ISU gets to a good place, ISU football will matter to more people in 5 years than will UCLA football.

Another big flip is who is going to college. Women no make up more of enrollment than me. 60 percent of undergrads at UCLA are now female. Chew that number for awhile.