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Originally Posted by alnorth
By "don't need much help", I mean "tier 1 is pretty much maxed out", not "eh, it'd be more money, but the SEC doesn't need more money", that would be a silly response.
That said, I probably should have lumped Tier 2 in with Tier 3, not tier 1.
Regarding Tier 3, if you want to give each team a game, just give each team a game, you don't need to go to 9 to do that.
This also doesn't address the undeniable fact that AD's and coaches are, generally, strongly against 9 conference games, and vastly prefer 8. Especially in the SEC, where even though there's 14 teams they still stuck with 8 games even though it meant a 6-year rotation.
BCS schools want 7 home games every year. That is very difficult to do with 9 conference games without sacrificing a lot of quality. If the SEC didn't want to go to 8 for 14, they aren't going to 8 with 16, especially since it would be easier to schedule 8 with 16 than it is with 14.
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Coaches and ADs are against any increase in conference games and have been in every single conference because their jobs and bonuses often depend on making bowl games. That doesn't mean it won't happen though, especially if it is a catalyst for big money from ESPN and/or equity in a conference network.
If a 9 game conference schedule can be used as a carrot for ESPN, it will be used. The idea has been floated on a few SEC sites that are connected in the conference, particularly Mr. SEC. More SEC games = more money. It isn't difficult to understand.