It appear Texas A&M is headed to SEC (West: association, backyard)

[ScoPro]

Why not?

The Dinky Dozen has been a dead end conference for a couple years now.

At least A&M's move might be the catalyst to start the 16 superconference shuffle up again.

I hope so, as the present alignments suck.

[hoffdano]

TCU is an interesting idea for the SEC, but they would instantly be the smallest school in the conference (smaller than Vanderbilt). The SEC might gain some of the DFW market. TCU has two good sports programs - football and baseball. They have a lot of work to do to be reasonably competitive in the others.

[HouTXmetro]

Although TCU has a stronger football team, I think Baylor should join A&M instead. Keeps the Brazos river rivalry with A&M intact in addition to giving balancing the SEC west Geographically. I also think Baylor has the overall stronger athletic program.

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by HouTXmetro

Although TCU has a stronger football team, I think Baylor should join A&M instead. Keeps the Brazos river rivalry with A&M intact in addition to giving balancing the SEC west Geographically. I also think Baylor has the overall stronger athletic program.

Your kidding right? I sure hope so.

[Spade]

Hes right. Baylor has the better athletic program. TCU has the better football program.

[Wolfpacker]

Originally Posted by Spade

Hes right. Baylor has the better athletic program. TCU has the better football program.

When it comes to conference moves, it's about what schools bring, both on-and-off-the-field. It is also only about two sports: Football and men's basketball. The rest of the athletic program is not important.

Why those two sports: They are what attracts their alumni and fans to not just their games, but in donations to the school, they are what brings in eyeballs to their TV markets/deals and merchandising, they are what will help "brand" their universities (a great, well-publicized season will see an uptick in applications for the following incoming class), they are what drives the revenue and donations to support the rest of the department. Also what fan bases travels well to bowls and tournaments.

You also have to remember that conferences also look to bring in schools that are similar to their own. The Big Ten is known for their academics. Outside of Nebraska, who got removed this summer, every Big 10 school is part of the Association of American Universities. With the expectation of Northwestern University, all the schools are highly-ranked, research-heavy big state universities. PAC-12 is also somewhat similar in this way. It's one of the reasons why Texas is so highly coveted, but the rest of the remaining Big 12 schools aren't.

Religion relationships also limit a school's appeal to a major conference's makeup. It's one reason why BYU, even it's high-profile "brand", a large, loyal base of alumni and fans, and strong academics, will unlikely ever get invited to the PAC-12 or Big Ten. Hence why Utah got the invite over BYU. No way TCU or Baylor goes to the SEC (or outside of the Big East for TCU, any other major conference). Religious, smaller, schools who don't fit in. Baylor, if the Big 12 falls apart, will go to the Mountain West or CUSA in my view.

The SEC is not known for it's academics like the Big 10, ACC, or PAC-12. Schools like Oklahoma and Texas A&M would fit well into the SEC and the SEC culture.

Finally, it also is about expanding a conference's geographical footprint from getting into to media markets and recruiting pipelines.

To expand on the TV deals, conferences will not add schools if they do not add a positive revenue stream. By this, conference members split their TV deals and bowl proceeds by the number of schools. A school isn't going to add schools that not only maintain the amount of money that they split with their addition, they're going to want to see an increase in the hard dollar amount that is split per school.

[Rustybolt]

From the announcer for the Rice band last night at the Texas vs. Rice game: "The Aggies leaving the Big 12 and joining the SEC will raise the collective IQ of both conferences". What a hoot that got from the 101,000+ in attendance!

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by Rustybolt

From the announcer for the Rice band last night at the Texas vs. Rice game: "The Aggies leaving the Big 12 and joining the SEC will raise the collective IQ of both conferences". What a hoot that got from the 101,000+ in attendance!

I also liked when the band members spelled out $EC. Mind you, this was the Rice band saying all this.

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by Wolfpacker

When it comes to conference moves, it's about what schools bring, both on-and-off-the-field. It is also only about two sports: Football and men's basketball. The rest of the athletic program is not important.

Why those two sports: They are what attracts their alumni and fans to not just their games, but in donations to the school, they are what brings in eyeballs to their TV markets/deals and merchandising, they are what will help "brand" their universities (a great, well-publicized season will see an uptick in applications for the following incoming class), they are what drives the revenue and donations to support the rest of the department. Also what fan bases travels well to bowls and tournaments.

You also have to remember that conferences also look to bring in schools that are similar to their own. The Big Ten is known for their academics. Outside of Nebraska, who got removed this summer, every Big 10 school is part of the Association of American Universities. With the expectation of Northwestern University, all the schools are highly-ranked, research-heavy big state universities. PAC-12 is also somewhat similar in this way. It's one of the reasons why Texas is so highly coveted, but the rest of the remaining Big 12 schools aren't.

Religion relationships also limit a school's appeal to a major conference's makeup. It's one reason why BYU, even it's high-profile "brand", a large, loyal base of alumni and fans, and strong academics, will unlikely ever get invited to the PAC-12 or Big Ten. Hence why Utah got the invite over BYU. No way TCU or Baylor goes to the SEC (or outside of the Big East for TCU, any other major conference). Religious, smaller, schools who don't fit in. Baylor, if the Big 12 falls apart, will go to the Mountain West or CUSA in my view.

The SEC is not known for it's academics like the Big 10, ACC, or PAC-12. Schools like Oklahoma and Texas A&M would fit well into the SEC and the SEC culture.

Finally, it also is about expanding a conference's geographical footprint from getting into to media markets and recruiting pipelines.

To expand on the TV deals, conferences will not add schools if they do not add a positive revenue stream. By this, conference members split their TV deals and bowl proceeds by the number of schools. A school isn't going to add schools that not only maintain the amount of money that they split with their addition, they're going to want to see an increase in the hard dollar amount that is split per school.

Norte Dame is a catholic school and Miami is a small poor private school. That pretty much ruins your argument. Standford and Vanderbilt are both small private school.

[GradyBaaBaa]

It's Labor Day and ut still sux.