SEC Expansion (Poll)

[BamaHoHo]

None of nthe above, 1st off we went to 12 teams , not to get bigger but to qualify as a conference to have a Championship game. Why get bigger & have to cut more pieces of the pie.

 

[rtr1973]

None of the teams listed (except possibly USF) add TV markets which the SEC doesn't already dominate nor will they will bring in close to the revenue they'd take out. They'd dilute the conference, not enhance it.

The only reason to go larger than 12 would be to form a super-conference, in which case the SEC would expand geographically into more large TV markets like Texas (UT & TAMU), Oklahoma (not a big TV market, but you won't get the Texas teams without including OU), North Carolina (UNC), Virginia (UVa or VT), and South Florida (UM)

 

[BamaHoHo]

None of the teams listed (except possibly USF) add TV markets which the SEC doesn't already dominate nor will they will bring in close to the revenue they'd take out. They'd dilute the conference, not enhance it.

The only reason to go larger than 12 would be to form a super-conference, in which case the SEC would expand geographically into more large TV markets like Texas (UT & TAMU), Oklahoma (not a big TV market, but you won't get the Texas teams without including OU), North Carolina (UNC), Virginia (UVa or VT), and South Florida (UM)

Good points

 

[Crimson Speed]

I'm not enthusiastic about any changes at this point. But, if we are dreaming about possibilities, what if we added six teams to the mix and created a super SEC? Here is how I would see it:

SEC West
Alabama
LSU
Florida State
Miss State
Ole Miss
Arkansas

SEC North
Tennessee
Kentucky
North Carolina
Auburn
Louisville
Virginia Tech

SEC South
Florida
Georgia
Clemson
Virginia
Georgia Tech
South Carolina

Vandy would be dropped. The other potentials in the mix could be South Florida, Memphis, and West Virginia.

As is the case now, all teams in each division would play each other. They would also maintain a permanent opponent in one of the other divisions (as Ala vs. Tn). Plus, each team would rotate playing three other SEC teams outside their division. That would total nine SEC games for each conference member, leaving three out of conference games. The SECC game would still match up the two with the best "in conference" records (which could match up two teams from the same division).

 

[UA12NCS]

My choices would be Georgia Tech in the East and Georgia Southern in the west for the following reasons.

I remember the Bama-Tech rivalry when Tech was in the SEC. I would love to see it renewed, plus living GA it would be closer than T-Town for me. It was a great rivalry until the Atlanta media, especially Outlar and Bisher with the AJC, slanted the Darwin Holt-Chick Granning hit against the Tide. With Tech on the upswing, it would be good for the SEC, but put them in the East.

For the West, I tried to come up with an easier game. My first thought was USA, University of South Alabama, as they recruited my son some years ago, but I don't remember what division they play in. Next to mind is Georgia Southern since that is where my son ended up and the memory of Erk Russell still lingers.:BigA:

 

[KrAzY3]

None of nthe above, 1st off we went to 12 teams , not to get bigger but to qualify as a conference to have a Championship game. Why get bigger & have to cut more pieces of the pie.

This is why you don't blindly add teams based on being in neighboring states and avoid small earners. If you can expand your reach as a conference, going farther into Florida or into North Carolina (population 9 million, the 10th largest state) for example you can open up your reach and increase revenue.

If you added 4 teams, you could make the SEC championship game bigger, add more bowl tie-ins and by picking the right teams you could have a few more rivalry games which are good ways of generating revenue.

For instance, Clemson is one of the best earners in football. They would make the pie bigger along with their natural South Carolina rivalry. Louisville would increase interest in Kentucky football and make the game between the two more meaningful but they would also bring a lot of basketball revenue (I saw one report in 02-03 that had them at the top basketball earner at 14 million). Throw in North Carolina and NC State (or East Carolina) and you open up a large state to SEC athletics, bring in a big basketball earner and bring in a North Carolina rivalry as well. In that scenario I think you don't end up with smaller pieces of a pie, but a bigger pie.

The added bonus is that you have less chances of SEC rematches and you make the football schedule a bit more bearable without really watering it down. All those teams are capable of being competitive...

 

[Tide1990]

It would be pushing the definition of Southeastern, but West Virginia would be a decent choice. They might just be interested in leaving the Weak East to join a real conference. Of course, Weak East is a BCS conference, so if WVU likes the easy path to a BCS bowl (but mediocrity overall), I guess they'd chose to stay where they are.

 

[CHATTBRIT]

Leave the SEC alone at 12. The job of the Ncaa should be to bring the Little East, Big XI and PAC I up to 12 teams so they, too, can get with the big boys and have a championship game. Then all the major conferences would be even numerically.

No special treatment for independents so ND would join the Big XI. PAC I would then get someone like Fresno State or San Diego State to make 12.

 

[BamaAllTheWay]

For the West, TCU so we can get exposure to the Dallas Fort Worth recruits. TCU plays like an SEC team: good defense and physical. For the East, not really sure, but the state of Florida is full of talent like Texas so I'd like a South Florida or Central Florida.

 

[rhYno]

UAB? :rofl:

 

[tidemaniac]

I think without question it should be a team from Louisiana and Georgia to make some recruiting competition in those two states. Memphis would be horrible for Alabama. Any team from Alabama or Mississippi would make too many from those states. You could argue several Florida teams, but only if they were from Jacksonville would it make since. Too bad there isn't a good school in Jacksonville.
I still think Division 1 should have 6 conferences of 72 teams. The worst team of every conference is relegated to Division II. Division II would have 6 conferences of 72 teams, and their conference champions would move up to Division I. There last 6 teams would be relegated to Division III, and so on. If you are put on probation guess what your penalty could be? This would keep it cleaner, and make games the end of the year way more important. Could you imagine Ole Miss and Miss St. playing on the last weekend and the loser would be relegated. Maybe Alabama getting the chance to knock Auburn out of Division I. This is how they do soccer overseas, and it gets very interesting.

 

[CrimsonNeck]

of that list, south florida and la tech because of their large enrollment and location. another school from alabama or mississippi doesn't make sense, a florida or louisianna school does.

Solid logic. A 2nd Louisiana team makes sense as does another Florida team - in what are two of the finest recruiting bases in the nation. Old emotions might suggest Tulane but they quit decades ago & turned their noses up to a possible expansion bid (as did GaTech) in 1990(?).

 

[rhYno]

Come on, people! Show UCF some love (I live six miles away from the UCF campus and that would mean I'd be here for when 'Bama plays them at home:biggrin.

 

[pcolatide]

The list is weak and I wouldn't want any of those. But FSU and Ga Tech would be good additions if the circumstance should arise. Both could be competitive immediately in the three major sports. The ACC could quickly replace those with USF and UCF. I believe Fl would be in support of the FSU entry.

 

[BamaJama17]

No offense but these are not good choices.

 

[UA12NCS]

Georgia Tech in the East and Georgia State in the west, which would match Saban vs. Curry every year.

 

[ncbama]

Ain't gonna happen with anybody from that bunch. Very poor list of prospects. The SEC can do much better than any of those.

 

[RiverCityTider]

Nether North Carolina would ever leave the ACC due to basketball reasons,

FSU and Miami should have joined.

Only worthy possibilities are Ga Tech And Louisville.

Those of you who said UAB .... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

 

[champions77]

TU would have no business being in the SEC. For one thing, they don't bring a huge TV market(Tulsa is about the same size of Bham) and they geographically and culturally would not be a good fit(Oklahoma is very conservative, but it is NOT part of the South).

Geographically and culturally not a good fit? That is interesting in that Norman is SOUTH of four SEC schools. We do say y'all, love chicken fried steak and barbeque and quite often see confederate battle flag license plates. How much time have you spent in Oklahoma? More Oklahomans identify themselves as Southerners than as Midwesterners. Gosh the last Confederate General to surrender was Stand Watie.

 

[BamaSkins]

add Memphis and Louisville then re-align the divisions: use I-65 as the dividing line: Vandy and Louisville could go on either side...


West East
----- -----
Alabama Louisville
Arkansas Tennessee
Memphis Kentucky
Vandy Georgia
Miss barn..really in Ga anyway
Miss St SC
Lsu Fla