With Southern Miss joining the Sun Belt and others expected to follow, what’s next for Conference USA?
Conference USA reportedly already has some replacements in mind, but will they actually join?
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The case of ESPN’s involvement in conference realignment has suddenly (and intentionally) gone cold
Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC might lead to a nine-game conference schedule, further boosting SEC TV rights
Many have long pushed for a nine-game SEC conference schedule, and the conference adding Texas and Oklahoma might lead to that.
Conference realignment & ESPN’s control over college football playoff rights has some leaders wanting to press pause
"We've mis-set fans' expectations that it's going to move on a very fast timeline."
Big 12 sends ESPN a cease-and-desist, says ESPN’s been talking with at least one conference beyond SEC on adding Big 12 members
"I am aware that ESPN has also been actively involved in discussions with at least one other conference regarding that conference inducing additional Members of the Big 12 Conference to leave the Big 12 Conference."
Fox Sports’ Bob Stoops writes op-ed saying it’s a “good and necessary move” for Oklahoma to leave the Big 12 for the SEC
"Let’s set the record straight: OU’s move to the SEC is what’s best for Oklahoma."
Big 12 reportedly may offer Texas and Oklahoma 1.5 shares to stay, but that might not be enough to keep them
As per a CBS report from Dennis Dodd, Big 12 officials are considering offering Oklahoma and Texas an even larger percentage of conference revenues. But it's unclear if that will actually become a proposal, and if it would actually be enough to retain them.
AAC wants to try to poach at least some remaining Big 12 teams, cites TV deal: “We’ve already got ESPN at the table.”
At first glance, the idea of the AAC adding Big 12 teams makes no sense from a financial standpoint, unless those teams are completely out of options or unless ESPN decides those additions somehow make the AAC worth a whole lot more. But ESPN could possibly decide that as part of an overall campaign to claim more college football rights from Fox.
A 16-team SEC would need at least $134 million more central revenue annually, with ESPN likely throwing in most of that
Projections from May have the SEC paying its schools $66.9 million annually from 2024-25 on. To stay at that level after adding Texas and Oklahoma, it would need at least $134 million more in central revenue. But there's quite a good chance it can get that, likely mostly from ESPN.
Media exec says there’s talk NCAA conferences might eventually divide over athlete image rights: “You might split the top five in two.”
"Are the students getting paid? And are they getting paid across the board, or just the schools that can afford it. There are conversations going on right now about how you might split the top five (conferences) in two."
The American Athletic Conference wants schools to lock in to staying, potentially offering top schools more: will the likes of UCF take that...
The American wants its schools to provide a grant-of-rights, making it harder for them to leave but possibly tripling or quadrupling the conference TV package.
Conference realignment doesn’t seem likely, but Longhorn Network, ACC Network and Pac-12 Networks could be key to changes
With the Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12 media rights and the SEC Tier 1 rights all coming up between 2023 and 2025, conference realignment talk is back, and LHN, ACCN and Pac-12 Networks may play a significant role.
Six years after the Longhorn Network’s launch, it hasn’t lived up to many fears or hopes
Longhorn Network definitely hasn't turned into the behemoth some rivals feared.
