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DesertCougarFor all the talk surrounding conference alignment, this has been the most surprising. Coach Kelly actually admitted that ND might have to join a conference if super conferences start forming. I have never heard any sort of admission coming out of ND, so this really caught me off guard. Here is a link:
http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/31518500 " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It got me thinking...what conference would they join if they "had to."
History says that they will join the B1G because everyone says that they would fit best there. However, I read a post on CC about speculation of the Big12 changing their structure to form a loose affiliation, rather than a traditional conference. The gist of it was that in order to stay together, the Big12 needs to offer some big names something that they cannot get elsewhere. The would offer schools that join the right to keep/build their own network. I think that is the only way ND joins the Big12.
At first I thought that there is no way this could work, but the longer I thought about it, the more it made sense. First, there is no way that the Big12 stays together if super-conferences start forming, unless they have something special to offer some big name schools. And it would have to be REAL $pecial ;) to get a team like ND to join an unstable Big12...The ace up their sleeve would be the ability to offer schools the right to maintain their own network, which means $$$$ for ND, with or without profit sharing of the other affiliation pie! It would do two things: stabilize the Big12 and remove the jealously the other schools have towards Texas. The two big questions are how the heck are they going to make it work legally? And would BYU get invited?
Another question I had was about scheduling. I know that ND and BYU like the flexibility to schedule a variety of teams and venues. It helps exposure and recruiting. I think Texas sees it and would like to try it out too. I wonder if the loose affiliation could require no more than 6 conference games a year. This would allow for the desired freedom and for previous rivalries to continue. Talk about a best case scenario! Is there anyway it could get better than that?
It got me thinking...what conference would they join if they "had to."
History says that they will join the B1G because everyone says that they would fit best there. However, I read a post on CC about speculation of the Big12 changing their structure to form a loose affiliation, rather than a traditional conference. The gist of it was that in order to stay together, the Big12 needs to offer some big names something that they cannot get elsewhere. The would offer schools that join the right to keep/build their own network. I think that is the only way ND joins the Big12.
At first I thought that there is no way this could work, but the longer I thought about it, the more it made sense. First, there is no way that the Big12 stays together if super-conferences start forming, unless they have something special to offer some big name schools. And it would have to be REAL $pecial ;) to get a team like ND to join an unstable Big12...The ace up their sleeve would be the ability to offer schools the right to maintain their own network, which means $$$$ for ND, with or without profit sharing of the other affiliation pie! It would do two things: stabilize the Big12 and remove the jealously the other schools have towards Texas. The two big questions are how the heck are they going to make it work legally? And would BYU get invited?
Another question I had was about scheduling. I know that ND and BYU like the flexibility to schedule a variety of teams and venues. It helps exposure and recruiting. I think Texas sees it and would like to try it out too. I wonder if the loose affiliation could require no more than 6 conference games a year. This would allow for the desired freedom and for previous rivalries to continue. Talk about a best case scenario! Is there anyway it could get better than that?