[Goose]

Conference realignment’s winners and (many) losers after the latest upheaval - The Athletic

This article focuses on the Pac 12 schools, but also mentions some drawbacks for Big 10 schools.

Great post! Final conclusion from the above:

I don’t buy the idea that college football is destroyed or dying. I suspect the sport will become even more popular at the top. But it lost a lot of its soul on Friday and is becoming something entirely different — and not better — for people who love the sport.

While I agree with the above, I would add the qualifier that college football isn't destroyed and may be even more popular at the top IN THE SHORT TERM. Organizational moves that occur only because of market anomalies eventually become major liabilities and must be reversed. We are already seeing the struggles the major network organizations are facing to keep the money flowing. It won't persist, and when the revenue streams dry up, the structures they prop up will no longer make sense.

It has been repeatedly pointed out that college football functions as a "minor league" for the NFL. The anomaly is that this "minor league" right now makes big money. If it was actually a "solid" opportunity, the NFL would have jumped in to compete. They didn't because they know the current situation isn't "normal" and will not persist.

[Goose]

Conference realignment’s winners and (many) losers after the latest upheaval - The Athletic

This article focuses on the Pac 12 schools, but also mentions some drawbacks for Big 10 schools.

Great post! Final conclusion from the above:

I don’t buy the idea that college football is destroyed or dying. I suspect the sport will become even more popular at the top. But it lost a lot of its soul on Friday and is becoming something entirely different — and not better — for people who love the sport.

While I agree with the above, I would add the qualifier that college football isn't destroyed and may be even more popular at the top IN THE SHORT TERM. Organizational moves that occur only because of market anomalies eventually become major liabilities and must be reversed. We are already seeing the struggles the major network organizations are facing to keep the money flowing. It won't persist, and when the revenue streams dry up, the structures they prop up will no longer make sense.

It has been repeatedly pointed out that college football functions as a "minor league" for the NFL. The anomaly is that this "minor league" right now makes big money. If it was actually a "solid" opportunity, the NFL would have jumped in to compete. They didn't because they know the current situation isn't "normal" and will not persist.