Are the ‘little guys’ about to be driven out of big-time college sports?
- Thread starter Vernon
- Start date
The day is coming when anti-trust law suits are going to rock the P5 and media cartel. Too many politicians and schools are going to be pushed to curb. Although I have been sucked into the allure myself, when you think about it the growing gap between the chosen few and all the others is getting way to wide.
I think you are correct Rootmaster - However to avoid that issue I do believe that when the expansion to 16 team conferences happens there will still be 5 conferences in the power group so that will include 80 teams. Some just posted on the Blue Lot that there are not enough deserving teams which is true but teams will be given membership to make the Power5 more inclusive. That will help keep the politicians at bay.
The playoff has killed the non-Power 5 leagues. They've got no real leverage now. It's a real shame for college football as whole.
I remember the storm when the BCS was formed. Orrin Hatch of Utah was a powerful senator and ticked about the Utah schools being left out. He invited Lavell Edwards in to rail against the BCS in Congress for what seemed like days. It got the at large spot opened, which many lower level teams benefited from.
If it blows again, it could get very interesting.
I remember the storm when the BCS was formed. Orrin Hatch of Utah was a powerful senator and ticked about the Utah schools being left out. He invited Lavell Edwards in to rail against the BCS in Congress for what seemed like days. It got the at large spot opened, which many lower level teams benefited from.
If it blows again, it could get very interesting.
I don't see it hurting basketball as the writer seems to think it will. The NCAA tourney already takes care of the smaller leagues with automatic bids. Two, with the smaller rosters and scholarship limitations the power leagues can't suck up all the top talent in basketball as they can in football. The high mid-majors should continue to flourish in basketball.
Of course, the source being the Lexington paper, basketball has to be mentioned. I think it's a state law?
Of course, the source being the Lexington paper, basketball has to be mentioned. I think it's a state law?
my problem with it is there are programs with potential that will never get the same opportunity to build a powerful brand as a lot of the "power" programs today. hell it was easier back in the day...all you had to do was win. now people are looking at your endowment, your academic standing, your athletic department health, media market, etc. look at fla st. they were nothing before bobby arrived and now look at them. If the environment we have now existed in the late 70's chances are we, WVU, would be on the outside looking in and not in a P5 conference. I worry about that now if the Big12 blows up. as a result i don't hold my nose up in the air regarding any other team or teams...you never know if or when you're going to be bedfellows with ECU, Cincy, UConn, etc again. so i say let the little guy have his day. expand the playoffs to 8 and have all P5 conference champs with the remaining 3 slots going to g5's. that way the g5's will be scratching and clawing for the 3 slots and will have a chance to build their programs against the big boys. sure, the g5's will still need the "money" games against the p5's, but given a cut of the playoff money, maybe those programs won't have to cut tennis or track. the tv money will still be the major difference in who earns what anyway...
The Big Ten signed with Fox, ESPN and CBS for $440 million over the next six seasons.
Conference USA, which includes Marshall, signed with ESPN, CBS and two other outlets for $2.8 million a year.
For each Big Ten school, there’s more than $30 million. On top of the Big Ten Network, College Football Playoff and NCAA Tournament revenues.
Each C-USA school will get $200,000, a drop from the $1.1 million for 2015-16.
Thank goodness WVU is in the Big 12, where it will get $30 million a year from the Big 12 and maybe another $8 million in 3rd tier rights.
Conference USA, which includes Marshall, signed with ESPN, CBS and two other outlets for $2.8 million a year.
For each Big Ten school, there’s more than $30 million. On top of the Big Ten Network, College Football Playoff and NCAA Tournament revenues.
Each C-USA school will get $200,000, a drop from the $1.1 million for 2015-16.
Thank goodness WVU is in the Big 12, where it will get $30 million a year from the Big 12 and maybe another $8 million in 3rd tier rights.
If I were Boise State I would have a whole lot of big time lawyers getting ready to go after the college sports rising big conference monopoly.
Even Not So Little guys are going to get priced out of the market and a lot of others get grandfathered in through no particular merit, other than being a longtime members of a stable conference. Not much reason for teams like Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, Boston College, Northwestern, Rutgers, Illinois, and a whole lot of others to be on the inside looking out other than luck. Zero meritocracy and soon to be a wall built around the castle of a fortunate few. I hate the megaconference model. I don't begrudge any of the "little guys" the chance to build a program and move up but the mega conference model is going to shut people out of a chance to compete.
If I'm the "little guys" I'm doing everything in my power to get the playoffs expanded to 8 teams. A team like Boise probably never gets into the top 4 but getting into the top 8 is absolutely possible.
Something that has entered my mind lately is how a school in the Sunbelt or CUSA, for example, will be able to retain coaches? The good head coaches on that level that prove themselves have and always will jump to a power conference HC job when the right call comes. What I worry about is a dilution of coaching talent due to falling salary levels caused by the loss of overall revenue. Soon they may not be able to pay their head coaches as much as an assistant makes at the P5 level.
If you're a young head coach at one of these schools making minimal money in the near future, it's going to be awfully tough to turn down a good assistants job at Big State Tech for possibly double the money or more, than a head coach may soon make in one of the non-P5 leagues. Two, good assistants on staff that would be your go to guy when the big schools come calling, will be making the transition to P5 staffs as soon as a job opens due to the money. The coaching cupboard in the non- P5's could become very bare, very quickly.
The 'little' guys were left in the dust about 50 years ago. Washington and Lee, Fordham, Yale and many many others that were once powerhouses..................are now forgotten. The 'little' guys of todays game were left behind about 20 years ago. Today's game is all about the Power Five leagues and even then.................the P5 bottom dwellers are doomed to always be 'bottom dwellers' and practice games for the top tier (money) teams. Can you say Alabama, Texas (yes, Texas), Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Clemson (yes, Clemson), etc. Nebraska used to be a Top Tier team but their 15 minutes of fame has passed them by. Clemson is the new Nebraska!
Texasfor...yea the have and have nots have changed over the years, but a lot of that comes down to changes in scholarship rules and an institutions constant struggle between academics (the reason for the schools in the first place) and athletics (seen as either student activity or school promotional resource). Changing travel patterns and exploding media had a lot to do with it also. In stadium fans just aren't as important anymore. You can see all the "big" games on TV anytime you want. Local, then regional, rivalries have died as well. Institutions made the best decisions they could based upon cost and changing market conditions.
However this is different. The P5 schools represent a cartel of self interest to create increasing amounts of money for the "football country club members" at the expense and degradation of all the schools not in the "club." Something increasing smells with this new model. The elites within the "club" will continue to consolidate power and position leading them to even more money..a la Texas.
I enjoy WVU playing Oklahoma for example and am sure happy we are in the chosen few, but I have a problem with the chosen few deciding who can get service at the lunch counter. Just musing.
However this is different. The P5 schools represent a cartel of self interest to create increasing amounts of money for the "football country club members" at the expense and degradation of all the schools not in the "club." Something increasing smells with this new model. The elites within the "club" will continue to consolidate power and position leading them to even more money..a la Texas.
I enjoy WVU playing Oklahoma for example and am sure happy we are in the chosen few, but I have a problem with the chosen few deciding who can get service at the lunch counter. Just musing.
The part I would disagree with is the phrase "about to be." The lower tier sports at G5 schools have already been relegated to a 3rd or worst class status. To put in perspective, first class luggage gets treated better.
An argument can be made that a 1-aa school like North Dakota State Bizon get better treatment. These G5 schools don't ever have attention say like college game day which has been to the Bizon how many seasons in a row?
If the school is not in a power five conference it is basically irrelevant. I think within 3 to 5 years the Power five will just break away and form their own body and LEAVE the NCAA. Thanks to Oliver Luck for you spearheading the effort to get us out of that RI ran hell hole we were in.
An argument can be made that a 1-aa school like North Dakota State Bizon get better treatment. These G5 schools don't ever have attention say like college game day which has been to the Bizon how many seasons in a row?
If the school is not in a power five conference it is basically irrelevant. I think within 3 to 5 years the Power five will just break away and form their own body and LEAVE the NCAA. Thanks to Oliver Luck for you spearheading the effort to get us out of that RI ran hell hole we were in.
Yes...............I agree with the 3XfellEER. The NCAA will fight the Power Five to hades and back as the exit is attempted. Spell this anyway you want but I spell it .......................CA$H. The shiny shoes got the smell of CA$H about 15 years ago. The fans..................they suffer as the $hark$ swarm!
You make my point. They became that way because of collusion between sports networks and the perception leaders. It had nothing to do with what they did or didn't do. Which is why we all should standby for the tidal wave of law suits.It will not end as it is today. Media will cave to political and legal pressures. Too much money and academic pride on the line to just go quietly into the night. Got to say there are a majority of college Presidents saying, "enough is enough." Just sayin'
