Could super conferences get too big?

Cuban is against
super conferences.

You can have too much of a good thing. Mark Cuban made some great points this week with his blog against the idea of super conferences. I agree with him on a lot of points.

How big is too big? I get that super conferences will get some sweet television contracts, but if all of that money is split among 16 or 20 teams, doesn't everyone get a smaller share? How big can a television contract be?

I'm also anxious to see how the travel issue plays out. When you take away the regional rivalry games, fans are less likely to travel to the away games. Some OU fans may make the trip to see a marquee game like USC or Oregon, but are fans in Norman going to make it all the way to Corvallis, OR, or Pullman, WA? Probably not many. Conversely, they may make a trip to Ames, IA, to see Iowa State even though it's not a great game, but it's at least driving distance.

Possible Pac-16 West                           Possible Pac-16 East
USC                                                        Oklahoma
UCLA                                                       Oklahoma State
Oregon                                                    Texas
Oregon State                                           Texas Tech
Washington                                             Colorado
Washington State                                    Utah
California                                                 Arizona
Stanford                                                   Arizona State

Sure, USC and OU will be in the same conference,
but how often will they actually play each other?

The other issue is the scheduling. In football, you can't play everyone in a 16-team league. I'm assuming that a team will just play seven games within its own division then two games with teams from the other? So, for Texas and Oklahoma, they'll be in a conference with Oregon and USC, but hardly ever play them. Maybe they'll see the Trojans once every two or three years? That would mean USC actually visits Norman or Austin every four years or so.

Like most people do, we're only thinking about football here. What about other sports? Yesterday, I was imagining a Big East basketball slate with 20 teams. Let's image that the Big East adds the orphaned Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri after the Big 12 collapses. How do you make a 20-team basketball schedule? Do you just make a 19-game slate in which everybody plays everyone once? Syracuse and Georgetown fans are already upset that they no longer have a home-and-home. Imagine how Kansas and Missouri fans would feel about that. Do you expand to a 20-game slate with one home-and-home with a "rival?" Do you divide it into divisions with home-and-homes within your division? Then you'd never see some teams from the other side. A lot of schools would balk at the idea of being in the Big East but not getting to showcase their programs in east coast markets.

Here's a crazier idea: divide the Big East into four divisions. I don't have clever names yet like Leaders and Legends, and I don't see a way to balance the talent evenly while preserving rivalries, but here's my best shot:

Imagine a 20-team Big East basketball slate.
Kansas and Missouri still have to play twice, right?

Hypothetical Big East Division 1
Georgetown
Syracuse
Connecticut
Pittsburgh
West Virginia

Hypothetical Big East Division 2
Villanova
St. John's
Rutgers
Seton Hall
Providence

Hypothetical Big East Division 3
Cincinnati
Louisville
Marquette
Notre Dame
DePaul

Hypothetical Big East Division 4
Kansas
Kansas State
Missouri
TCU
South Florida

Wow. That's a mess, but you could play home-and-homes with every team in your division and maybe play three teams from every other division. That's 17 conference games. I know it's unbalanced (Division 1 is loaded), and I know a Kansas State home-and-home with South Florida doesn't excite anybody, but that's the best I can do.

Of course, I'm really just hiding my bigger fear: The Big East could kick out non-football schools like my alma mater, Marquette, as well as DePaul, Seton Hall, and Providence. I would guess the Big East would keep high profile non-football schools in large markets like Georgetown and St. John's. Then the Big East would be back to a manageable 16 teams. I hope that doesn't happen, but I realize it's possible.

My point (and Mark Cuban's): huge super conferences create issues with schedules that fans and coaches will hate. I would love it if somehow the Big 12 could be preserved and maybe bring in some teams like TCU, SMU, and Houston, but I know I'm fighting an uphill battle there.

I guess we'll just have to sit back and watch the experiment take place and raise more complaints as it goes along. You know, kind of like we do with the BCS: presidents and television executives like it, fans and coaches hate it, but it's the way of the world.

The Big 12 Needs to Lower Expectations

While it's nice that the Big 12 is shooting for the stars trying to improve the conference, they need to lower their expectations.

There are reports that the Big 12 presidents are discussing adding Notre Dame, BYU, and Arkansas.

Minka's available!

In related news, I'm discussing dating Minka Kelly, Stacy Keibler, or Hope Solo... in my opinion, those are all just about as likely to happen as any of those three teams joining the Big 12. I'm almost as tired of the Notre Dame/BYU/Arkansas discussions than I am the Lebron James/Michael Jordan comparisons.

I'll lay it out so all the rumor starters can understand it: Notre Dame has absolutely no reason to join a conference. As long as the Irish have their TV deal with NBC and their special rules that get them into the BCS, they gain absolutely nothing by joining a conference. If they join a conference, they will lose at least some of their annual rivalry games (USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Stanford), and they will have to start sharing their bowl money. Besides, as I've said before, IF Notre Dame ever joins a conference in football, the Big Ten makes way more sense. The Big Ten is a much more stable league, and it has three rivals Notre Dame would want to continue playing.

Big 12 games here? Never.

If the Big 12 wants Notre Dame, it will have to give the Irish some kind of deal that makes them more money, meaning they would get a sweeter deal than Texas has. We've seen how well that's worked out, as the Longhorn Network started a firestorm that has contributed to Texas A&M leaving the conference. Notre Dame to the Big 12 will not happen. Ever.

BYU? The Cougars are just starting to try out the independent thing. There is no way they give up on it immediately. If two or three years down the road, BYU is struggling as an independent, perhaps it will consider joining a conference. If BYU does join a conference, the Pac-12 probably makes more sense. It's a more stable league, and BYU can join the same league as rival Utah. The right situation down the road may entice BYU to join the Big 12, so I'll at least grant it's possible one day, but not right now.

Notice how I've mentioned stability a couple times already? I'm going to do it again with Arkansas. Tell me why the Hogs would leave the powerful SEC for the unstable Big 12. I can't think of a single logical reason to leave a strong, stable conference for a league that could fold any day now. Arkansas is only slightly less likely than Notre Dame to join the Big 12 in my opinion. If for some unfathomable reason, the SEC kicked Arkansas out of the SEC, then, sure, the Big 12 is on the table. But that won't happen, so I fully expect Arkansas to remain an SEC member for as long as possible.

So, what's realistic?

I've talked about this before, but the Big 12 needs to look at more realistic options. Granted, none of them are glamorous. However, they are possible and may bring something to the table, although nothing on the dreamy levels of Notre Dame or BYU.

Spread out in Texas
There are a handful of teams in Texas that would welcome a chance to join the Big 12 and get to play teams like Texas and Texas Tech regularly. Adding all of these schools probably still wouldn't replace the influence of Texas A&M, but they would add several smaller fan bases throughout the Lone Star State.
TCU - Yes, the Horned Frogs are already on their way to the Big East, but the Big 12 may be intriguing if Dan Beebe could put together a deal that solidifies the conference for the foreseeable future.
SMU - The Mustangs are very open about their interest in the Big 12. Like TCU, they are in the DFW market but don't carry the market. The Big 12 already has a stranglehold on the Metroplex because of all the Texas and OU fans there. Adding TCU and/or SMU doesn't bring much market-wise. One thing to consider, though: adding TCU and/or SMU would mean several games would actually be played in the Metroplex. Instead of just the one OU/Texas game, the Big 12 would have the Sooners, Longhorns, Cowboys, and Red Raiders regularly visiting DFW, which may increase Big 12 interest there. That's something to think about.
Houston - The Cougars make the most sense. They are the biggest school in Texas that is not in a BCS conference. Most logical people assume the Big 12 will consider Houston, and it should.
UTEP - If Texas Tech and the Lubbock market are important, is the El Paso market really that much of a step down? It's something.
Rice - Hey, it's in Texas. Great academics count for something, right?
UT-San Antonio - It won't happen now, but Larry Coker is just starting the program there. If five or ten years down the road, UTSA is a legit, competitive program in the WAC, they may be someone the Big 12 considers far, far down the road. Keep an eye on them.

I could show a picture of these football programs, but
the previously mentioned  Stacy is much easier on the eyes.

Raid Conference USA or the Mountain West
I'll remind you that I said none of these options are glamorous, but they are realistic.
Memphis - Terrible football that would make Big 12 fans groan, but the Tigers do add a TV market and (for what it's worth) a solid basketball following.
Tulsa - The Golden Hurricane would love to be in a conference with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Unfortunately, they are in a situation similar to TCU and SMU: they have a small fan base and do not add a TV market to the conference. Tulsa is one of the smallest institutions in the bowl subdivision.
Boise State - Do you want a good football program or not? At least the Broncos have that.
Air Force - Maybe not outstanding football, but a well-respected program that does consistently get to bowl games. Air Force also helps in the state of Colorado, a market the Big 12 lost. Plus, military academies do have at least some national appeal.
Colorado State - See: Memphis... minus the great basketball.
UNLV - When you think about it, UNLV would be a great addition. It adds a television market, the football is competitive, and the basketball has a strong following as well. Plus, if we have media functions and conference championship games in Vegas every year, well that would be just fine with me! Viva Las Vegas!
San Diego State - It gets you into California. So, there's that.


I know the options I've presented don't add much excitement, but they are at least possible, unlike Notre Dame and BYU. When you're considering options for the Big 12, ask yourself this: does this university gain anything by joining a shaky conference? All of my suggestions do have something to gain: access to an automatic BCS bid, the only thing the Big 12 has to offer. Notre Dame, BYU, and Arkansas are all already in better situations. I've said it on Twitter before:  if the Big 12 wants those three schools, it might as well go after the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

Lower your expectations. Know where you rank, and then maybe you'll get somewhere.

Now, excuse me while I go try to contact Minka Kelly and see if Hope Solo has returned any of my calls.