The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Top Ute]

Does that also means it overstates the fan bases foir schools like Stanford and Cal?

Cal's fan base is overstated in this survey; Stanford's severely understated.

These numbers are all over the map.

[TripletDaddy]

Living alumni, merchandise sales, traveling strength of fan base and TV ratings are all far greater indicators of fan base strength and numbers than Google search hits.

Pat arguing for BYU over Utah. Now I've seen everything!

[TripletDaddy]

Back to the topic of expansion, and in case this hasn't been posted:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/15616479/wake-me-up-when-this-realignment-nightmare-is-over

So CBS and Oklahoma reporters say its BYU, AF and TCU, while ESPN says its BYU, Louisville, adn WV.

I'm inclined to give ESPN reporting less credibility. But the nice thing is that BYU is the only constant.

I was hoping ESPN was correct

[creekster]

Cal's fan base is overstated in this survey; Stanford's severely understated.

These numbers are all over the map.

And you know this because?

I was merely suggesting g that the bias noted by woot would also affect those schools. Your assertion seems a bit less reliable than that data, even if it does have biases and inaccuracies.

[Top Ute]

"Truest" doesn't mean true. There are lots and lots of assumptions and leaps you have to make to get the conclusions the guy gets, starting with using an online web survey.

Like he said, the only thing that would even begin to be reliable would be a national survey with thousands of people polled.

Yep. 80 million CFB fans, and we're taking gospel a survery of less than 30,000 people? That's 0.000375 percent of college football fans.

I could come up with a truer fan count representation by driving around and counting license plate frames and bumper stickers.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Back to the topic of expansion, and in case this hasn't been posted:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/15616479/wake-me-up-when-this-realignment-nightmare-is-over

So CBS and Oklahoma reporters say its BYU, AF and TCU, while ESPN says its BYU, Louisville, adn WV.

I'm inclined to give ESPN reporting less credibility. But the nice thing is that BYU is the only constant.

Impossible. SU says that nobody is seriously talking about BYU to the B12 other than BYU fans.

[Lost Student]

This thread will either become the largest one of all time on Cuf, or stand as a silent rebuke and mockery of BYU fans' most fervent hopes and dreams.

Only about 570 posts until this is the largest thread of all time on Cuf (and I believe that it already has significantly more views than any thread). SU, does this mean that our hopes and dreams will come true?

[Scorcho]

here's visual proof of the NY Times article.

[Uncle Ted]

Chip Brown, 2:19pm today, DeLoss Dodds press interview:

-One day after the Pac-12 announced it wouldn’t expand, altering the options of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said he’s optimistic the Big 12 can make a renewed commitment and move forward.

“I’m relieved. It’s the right thing to do,” Dodds said.

--Dodds said he hasn’t been met with a list of demands from Oklahoma to keep the Big 12 together and didn’t sound like Texas would be looking to change much about the Longhorn Network.

According to news reports out of Oklahoma, the Sooners want high school content eliminated from LHN (even highlights) and don’t want any conference football games on UT’s network (operated by ESPN).

But Dodds said everyone was in the room when papers were signed by Fox allowing ESPN to make its best efforts to have two games on the Longhorn Network.

Dodds said, “We already have a conference game on the network. We’re playing Kansas (Oct. 29).”

--Dodds said, “In my mind, Texas A&M is in the SEC.”

--Dodds said continuing to play Texas A&M in football would be “problematic” because of scheduling. Dodds wouldn’t say if Texas would try to replace A&M with Notre Dame going forward but did gush about UT’s relationship with the Irish.

“One thing we’ve learned through all of this is Notre Dame is a friend,” said Dodds, adding that he wouldn’t rule out Texas and Notre Dame one day being in the same conference.

“There’s always chances. You build a relationship,” Dodds said.

--Dodds had no comment on if Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe should continue to lead the conference. “That’s a presidential issue,” Dodds said.

--The Big 12 athletic directors are scheduled to meet Tuesday. But Dodds said he was unaware of any special meetings involving Oklahoma or of any plans to sign a five-year agreement to stay in the league.

“I talk to (Oklahoma athletic director) Joe (Castiglione) every day,” Dodds said. “We are good. We have a great relationship.”

--In order to hammer the point home that schools can’t just pick up and leave the Big 12, Dodds said there might need to be bigger exit penalties for the Big 12 conference. But more importantly Dodds said an iron-clad contract needs to be written and agreed to by the remaining members.

“This handshake stuff probably won’t work,” Dodds said. “Probably need to get the lawyers involved in that one.”

--Much of realignment this year has focused - rightly or wrongly - on Texas’ Longhorn Network. But Dodds said Texas is proud of LHN and doesn’t plan on sharing any revenue from it. Dodds said $5 million of the $15 million per year ESPN is paying Texas for LHN is going to academics, and then UT must share 17 percent with IMG College (UT’s marketing arm) and then pay other expenses.

“When you get down to what we’re getting it’s smaller than people think,” Dodds said.

--When asked if Texas’ public perception has taken a beating during realignment, Dodds said, “We are who we are. People say what they say. The outcome is the outcome. We are proud of ourselves. We are proud we put the kids first. We are proud we are taking care of our third-tier (TV) rights.”

--Dodds said Texas is in favor of sharing revenue from Tier 1 TV rights to help build stability into the conference. Orangebloods.com reported nearly a month ago that Texas was willing to end the unequal revenue sharing that has ruled the conference for all of its 16 years.

It would mean a pay cut to Texas of roughly $2 million to $4 million annually in TV revenue, but would help those who have long sought equal revenue sharing such as Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas and Kansas State, whose operating budgets are one third of Texas.

The league already has equal revenue sharing in the Tier 2 agreement signed in April with Fox for 13 years and $1.17 billion.

--Dodds said part of the problem with the instability in college athletics is that “sometimes boards (of regents) get involved and that changes our world.”

Dodds said he wasn’t pointing to any boards in particular, but he said, for the most part, “athletic people love the Big 12.” Meaning athletic directors, and that’s where the “congeniality is.”

--There are “a bunch” of schools that might be good fits to replace Texas A&M. Dodds wouldn’t name any. He said he prefers getting to 10 schools and added that he “loves 10” but could see where the league might go to 12 at some point.

--Dodds expects the Big 12’s Tier 1 television deal with ABC/ESPN, which still has four years remaining on it, to get redone “sooner rather than later.”

--On the fact cable providers are still not picking up the Longhorn Network in wide distribution in Texas, Dodds said, “You can’t get distributors to pick it up when it looks like the conference is not going to make it.”

Dodds didn’t have a timetable for when LHN could be seen in wide distribution. “Time Warner is still not doing the NFL Network. So who knows?”

--Texas had conversations with the Atlantic Coast Conference that were “very positive,” Dodds said.

“We were very interested in the ACC if things imploded,” Dodds said. “But that’s not going to happen.”

--On playing Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl beyond their current contract through 2015, Dodds said, “The State Fair of Texas needs to bring something to the table to keep us beyond that.” Dodds alluded to more seating, more club level seats and overall improvements.

--On 16-team leagues, Dodds said, “The path to a championship in a 10-team league is clear. The path to a championship in a 16-team league is cluttered.”

--On the possibility of independence, Dodds said, “We looked at it. It was not very high on our list. It’s problematic for football scheduling and for scheduling your other sports. We probably make more money as an independent, but it would hurt our kids with inconsistent travel.

“But we are stopping looking at all that and putting everything with all of our efforts back into the Big 12,” Dodds said.

[Jeff Lebowski]

here's visual proof of the NY Times article.

I hate to admit it, but that's a funny photo.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Troy in the same ballpark as Utah and Stanford? Pittsburgh and Illinois being Top 10 teams in the Omaha market? They don't even have alumni association chapters there. Florida State lagging behind Miami? Rutgers having triple the fan base of Notre Dame in NYC?

Living alumni, merchandise sales, traveling strength of fan base and TV ratings are all far greater indicators of fan base strength and numbers than Google search hits. Even the founders of the CommonCensus map warn that these numbers are "highly inaccurate."

Speaking of traveling fans...

Utah vs. UCLA, September 2, 2006 attendance: 59,709

BYU vs. UCLA, September 8, 2007 attendance: 72,986

Do you also realize that a significant and heavily-populated portion of New Jersey is in the New York television market?

I do, however, agree that the Miami v. FSU thing is off. Miami is in a major television market while FSU is not and that throws the numbers off.

[Blueintheface]

Chip Brown, 2:19pm today, DeLoss Dodds press interview:

--On the possibility of independence, Dodds said, “We looked at it. It was not very high on our list. It’s problematic for football scheduling and for scheduling your other sports. We probably make more money as an independent, but it would hurt our kids with inconsistent travel.

“But we are stopping looking at all that and putting everything with all of our efforts back into the Big 12,” Dodds said.

More money but future scheduling problems? But BYU is playing Weber St. WEBER ST! Independence can work if you give it time.

[Cougarmandias]

Yep. 80 million CFB fans, and we're taking gospel a survery of less than 30,000 people? That's 0.000375 percent of college football fans.

I could come up with a truer fan count representation by driving around and counting license plate frames and bumper stickers.

I don't think its the number that matters so much. A methodologically rigourous phone survey of 30,000 people would have take-it-to-the-bank numbers about college fandom.

But internet surveys are pretty meaningless.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Yep. 80 million CFB fans, and we're taking gospel a survery of less than 30,000 people? That's 0.000375 percent of college football fans.

I could come up with a truer fan count representation by driving around and counting license plate frames and bumper stickers.

You need to tell Gallup that they're doing a shitty job. They're only surveying 1,500 people in their polls and that's .000005% of the population.

[creekster]

Yep. 80 million CFB fans, and we're taking gospel a survery of less than 30,000 people? That's 0.000375 percent of college football fans.

I could come up with a truer fan count representation by driving around and counting license plate frames and bumper stickers.

You didnt major in stats, I see.