Do We Really Need To Expand The SEC?

What's with everyone and "tradition." It's not like it's has been this way for 75 years. The SEC added 2 schools in 1991 and everyone else followed later with 12 team conferences. I'm sure people were saying the same thing then, though. In 5-10 years this will just be "the way it is" again.

I'm not saying I love it, but it's going to happen, so we might as well embrace it and make the best of it while we can.

 

I don't think it's just about on-field concerns. It's also about expanding the alumni base and TV markets, which means it's all about $$$.

They'd want A&M to access the Texas market, attract more recruits from Texas to SEC schools. I've also heard Virginia Tech as a possible option, to make inroads in the north Virginia/DC market.

The SEC is going to want to expand, especially if the Pac-12 brings in big schools like Oklahoma and Texas. Having fewer huge conferences might make it easier to have a playoff system too.

I wish things would stay as they are, but the almighty dollar is the most important thing.

 

The only way this would work is if we switch to a playoff system instead of the BCS. Adding 2 or 4 more teams and increasing the number of SEC games each team has to play isn't something the current schools would be happy with I'd imagine. Especially when only 1 team from the SEC can make it to the NCG.

What's the incentive for the current schools to support this? Money? Each school already is getting over $200m a year from the conference. ($220m for 10-11) Are the current schools really willing to take the money if it increases the odds of them losing a game and possibly missing out on a NCG?

I don't think so. Unless, they switch to a playoff system. Then enough teams from each conference get in, instead of just the winner of the SECCG.

 

The regular season IS the playoff.

 

My 2 cents in this debate is that I think there is WAY too much talk of the geography of a school and their potential TV viewing audience that they would bring in to a conference. Every time FSU is mentioned as a possible SEC East school many people say "why, we already have FLA, so why add another college in the state of Florida?"

If those guys know anything about college football you would know that although there are people who are fans of a certain school there are MANY MORE people in that state that HATE that school and would never watch it on TV and never buy any of their merchandise.

Thats like saying we shouldn't have Auburn AND Bama in the SEC at the same time or Ole Miss and MooU in the Conference at the same time.

If FSU joined the SEC then they would bring many, many more thousands of fans who HATE the Gators from birth. Sounds like a good deal to me!

 

I'd tend to believe this more if human polls didn't play such a huge factor in who goes to the BCSCG.

 

I heard a similar report. They were talking about having four 16 team super conferences within the next three or four years. I watched the game last night with one of UGA's gymnastics coaches and he confirmed that this is the plan and there are a lot of people on board for it.

 

True. I think that's what gets to people more than anything.

 

I like the idea of Clemson. To me, they fit the mold of an SEC team (of course, like UGA, they currently need to upgrade their coach). In many ways, they are kind of like the twin sister of LSU on the East Coast. I am not sure that they bring in the dollars like a bigger market team, but not sure A&M does either. Both have passionate fanbases, though. FSU would be a bigger market just being in FLA, but not sure they are too keen on the week in and week out competition they would be stepping up to. Maybe they are, or just don't care with the $$$ they would be getting.