Quote:
Originally Posted by Prison Bitch
It's important to remember that the only reason the Big 12 got $20M/yr is because they offer 9 conference games. Conference games are paid a huge premium by networks due to the ratings differential they bring. By being the only league at 9 games, the Big 12 gets 12% more dollars than they would with an 8 game slate. Therefore any adds (FSU, GT, whoever) must allow the league to remain at 9 league games.
FSU won't want to join a league that hamstrings them with that. Because they want to keep the Fla-Mia games if they do go anywhere.
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As long as Miami goes with them and they play every year, I don't see why they would care about the ninth conference game. Nothing really changed.
Besides, in a 16 team pod scenario, you wouldn't have to have nine conference games. To me, the perfect structure would be (I came up with this, but I'm sure others have as well):
Four pods of four teams. Each team has a primary rival in a different pod and a secondary rival in a third pod. Each team plays their own pod every year. They play other pods on a rotating basis. They also play their rival every year. This gets you to eight conference games except when your rival comes from the pod you are playing. In those years, you play your secondary rival for the eighth game.
You end up playing your pod and rival every year, your secondary rival two out of every three years, and other schools every third year while still only playing 8 conference games.