Texas A&M might be starting the new 2012 conference shuffle

[GYBE]

and how much pressure would there be on notre dame to join one of the super conferences? they have a really good deal on their own right now

None.

I mean, I know everything here is speculation. But if your plan involves ND joining a conference, you're doing it wrong.

ND football is supported by two things. The first is the amazing TV contract that ensures that almost every game they play is seen nationally. No other school can come close to that visibility. I live in Canada and usually only 1 or 2 games a year aren't televised here. They're on NBC for every home game, ABC picks up road games against the Big 10 and CBS buys games against the service academies. This exposure would be destroyed by joining a conference.

The second thing supporting the team is the network of alumni boosters that every school has. But unlike most schools, winning isn't the only thing they're paying for. These benefactors fight against any change to the ND tradition, for better or worse. They won't even make concessions on a jumbotron,which the administration has been wanting for years. They pay extra to keep everything they way it is. They will never allow ND to join a conference.

[hermes]

that's what i always thought (not so much the boosters) but the tv deal- it just seems like ND makes a ton of money with that, plus they don't have to share it with anyone else

would they even be able to keep that deal if they went to a conference (maybe the Big 12? but that seems to be falling apart)

[princeofpalace]

^
Ut would never want to share a conference with ND, UT loves the Big 12 because they run it. They will not have the same power with ND and their tv contract in the Big 12.

Now, Word on the street is that Oklahoma, Ok St, Texas Tech are headed to the Pac 10 and that Texas may have to leave the Big 12 also. If UT leaves Big 12, Id expect that LHN gets folded into a regional PAC10 network. Im not sure that UT is willing to srap LHN this early on.

[DelaneyRudd]

^
Ut would never want to share a conference with ND, UT loves the Big 12 because they run it. They will not have the same power with ND and their tv contract in the Big 12.

Now, Word on the street is that Oklahoma, Ok St, Texas Tech are headed to the Pac 10 and that Texas may have to leave the Big 12 also. If UT leaves Big 12, Id expect that LHN gets folded into a regional PAC10 network. Im not sure that UT is willing to srap LHN this early on.

UT will have to give up some hubris now that they realize that they aren't going to be able to do what ever the hell they want.

[chadrucf]

They could go independent and continue to do whatever the hell they want, albeit with less clout.

[craig01]

I don't know where these Big 12 teams expect to go. I dont think 16 team conferences are iminant and losing their TV deal is suicide.

They may not be if Oklahoma/Texas stay in the Big 12.

If they do leave, you can bank on several 16 team conferences being formed.

[DelaneyRudd]

All I have to say is I'm glad my team got in last year. The system is looking like some teams may get shut out completely to the point they might as well just divide NCAA football into 3 divisions instead of 2.

[craig01]

All I have to say is I'm glad my team got in last year. The system is looking like some teams may get shut out completely to the point they might as well just divide NCAA football into 3 divisions instead of 2.

D-1 will always stay the same, although there are around 20-30 schools that really don't belong in D-1 football.

The 4 super conferences will become exclusively elitist.....even more so than they already are......witness the threat of legal action by the potential Big 12 leftovers.

The left out schools know what is at stake for their football futures, not to mention what that TV money does supporting the financial dependency of the rest of their athletic programs.

Schools left out like Baylor for example, would be forced to drop many of their intercollegiate athletic programs.

A school with around 13 programs like Boston College (ACC), may be forced to carry only 6/7, such as UCF (CUSA).

I don't know anything about the legal footing in the fight to stop the Aggies, but it may get very ugly.

I just don't see how it can be stopped though.....sadly