[BostonCard]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

How exactly is this supposed to work?  Maybe we set up an 8-team tri-conference playoff (P12N, P12S, BIG-X legends, Big-X leaders [or whatever they are fashioning themselves], ACC-coastal, ACC-Atlantic [by the way, it makes no sense to have a Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal division and an Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic division], plus the best 2 remaining teams, likely from he BIG-X)?  Winner playes the SEC champ for the NCAA championship, except the SEC will complain that its second place team should also be in teh final.

BC

---

Some more detail from ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...comes-next

Basically, pushback against the SEC is the only thing the alliance has going for it.

BC

[BostonCard]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

How exactly is this supposed to work?  Maybe we set up an 8-team tri-conference playoff (P12N, P12S, BIG-X legends, Big-X leaders [or whatever they are fashioning themselves], ACC-coastal, ACC-Atlantic [by the way, it makes no sense to have a Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal division and an Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic division], plus the best 2 remaining teams, likely from he BIG-X)?  Winner playes the SEC champ for the NCAA championship, except the SEC will complain that its second place team should also be in teh final.

BC

---

Some more detail from ESPN.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/st...comes-next

Basically, pushback against the SEC is the only thing the alliance has going for it.

BC

[OutsiderFan]

The Alliance has potential to make the SEC regret taking Oklahoma and Texas.

There are so many dynamics at play.  Here are just a few.

- Alliance schools will be in 40 of the Top 50 markets in the country.
- Alliance schools can halt CFP expansion.
- Alliance schools can schedule each other and agree not to schedule against SEC schools.
- Alliance schools can set higher academic standards to allow NCAA participation.
- Alliance schools can agree on NIL matters and stop the drive toward professionalizing college sports.
- Alliance schools want to preserve and play more sports than the SEC does.
- Alliance schools can have a nationally relevant football brand, as opposed to regional SEC.

The SEC intends to stay in the NCAA, but it really wants to do its own thing. The Alliance can create dynamics for the SEC where it is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't, on so many fronts.  Even if the SEC was to see this and try scooping up say the remains UTBB112 schools, and maybe a few AAC schools, to compete with the Alliance, it will have to dilute itself and bring in schools from smaller markets to do so.

You guys who want to preserve college sports as you have know it as much as possible, should be ecstatic about the prospect of having this Alliance means for Stanford. The Big Ten, Pac, and SEC are much more aligned in their values than they are with the SEC and can now out-vote it on all NCAA matters. The Alliance has major potential to make the SEC rue the day it took Oklahoma and Texas.

[OutsiderFan]

The Alliance has potential to make the SEC regret taking Oklahoma and Texas.

There are so many dynamics at play.  Here are just a few.

- Alliance schools will be in 40 of the Top 50 markets in the country.
- Alliance schools can halt CFP expansion.
- Alliance schools can schedule each other and agree not to schedule against SEC schools.
- Alliance schools can set higher academic standards to allow NCAA participation.
- Alliance schools can agree on NIL matters and stop the drive toward professionalizing college sports.
- Alliance schools want to preserve and play more sports than the SEC does.
- Alliance schools can have a nationally relevant football brand, as opposed to regional SEC.

The SEC intends to stay in the NCAA, but it really wants to do its own thing. The Alliance can create dynamics for the SEC where it is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't, on so many fronts.  Even if the SEC was to see this and try scooping up say the remains UTBB112 schools, and maybe a few AAC schools, to compete with the Alliance, it will have to dilute itself and bring in schools from smaller markets to do so.

You guys who want to preserve college sports as you have know it as much as possible, should be ecstatic about the prospect of having this Alliance means for Stanford. The Big Ten, Pac, and SEC are much more aligned in their values than they are with the SEC and can now out-vote it on all NCAA matters. The Alliance has major potential to make the SEC rue the day it took Oklahoma and Texas.

[Goose]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

If this happens will it be called the Triple Alliance?

[Goose]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

If this happens will it be called the Triple Alliance?

[oman]

- Alliance schools can agree on NIL matters and stop the drive toward professionalizing college sports.

-

I don't think you can get that back in the bottle.

[oman]

- Alliance schools can agree on NIL matters and stop the drive toward professionalizing college sports.

-

I don't think you can get that back in the bottle.

[Goose]

- Alliance schools can agree on NIL matters and stop the drive toward professionalizing college sports.

-

I don't think you can get that back in the bottle.

You for sure can't without legislation. With legislation, it would be possible. Passing such legislation will partially depend on what the student-athletes would be willing to accept. Ideally, all the stakeholders could agree on something. I would hope some kind of a pooling of all NIL fees would be approved by the student athletes, but that obviously remains to be seen.

[Goose]

- Alliance schools can agree on NIL matters and stop the drive toward professionalizing college sports.

-

I don't think you can get that back in the bottle.

You for sure can't without legislation. With legislation, it would be possible. Passing such legislation will partially depend on what the student-athletes would be willing to accept. Ideally, all the stakeholders could agree on something. I would hope some kind of a pooling of all NIL fees would be approved by the student athletes, but that obviously remains to be seen.

[BostonCard]

Keep in mind that “the alliance” is going to have to cater to a diversity of schools, each with its own agenda.  Ohio State and Clemson, for example, likely have different priorities than Oregon State.  Stanford will likely have its own thoughts.  I’m sure that the SEC would be happy to poach Flirda State, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan if it could.

Just because you get a big alliance, don’t assume that all members will be rowing in the same direction, or that it will be run competently.

BC

[BostonCard]

Keep in mind that “the alliance” is going to have to cater to a diversity of schools, each with its own agenda.  Ohio State and Clemson, for example, likely have different priorities than Oregon State.  Stanford will likely have its own thoughts.  I’m sure that the SEC would be happy to poach Flirda State, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan if it could.

Just because you get a big alliance, don’t assume that all members will be rowing in the same direction, or that it will be run competently.

BC

[Goose]

Keep in mind that “the alliance” is going to have to cater to a diversity of schools, each with its own agenda.  Ohio State and Clemson, for example, likely have different priorities than Oregon State.  Stanford will likely have its own thoughts.  I’m sure that the SEC would be happy to poach Flirda State, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan if it could.

Just because you get a big alliance, don’t assume that all members will be rowing in the same direction, or that it will be run competently.

BC

Thus, the Triple Alliance

[Goose]

Keep in mind that “the alliance” is going to have to cater to a diversity of schools, each with its own agenda.  Ohio State and Clemson, for example, likely have different priorities than Oregon State.  Stanford will likely have its own thoughts.  I’m sure that the SEC would be happy to poach Flirda State, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan if it could.

Just because you get a big alliance, don’t assume that all members will be rowing in the same direction, or that it will be run competently.

BC

Thus, the Triple Alliance

[DC 86]

Keep in mind that “the alliance” is going to have to cater to a diversity of schools, each with its own agenda.  Ohio State and Clemson, for example, likely have different priorities than Oregon State.  Stanford will likely have its own thoughts.

BC

Isn't this already true? Within each conference you have universities with vastly different agendas. Forget Clemson, USC certainly has different priorities than the aforementioned Oregon State already, just as Alabama and LSU are very different from Missouri and Vanderbilt.

The one thing that all schools are aligned on is the desire to maximize revenue from their next television contract (and in the case of the ACC possibly re-negotiate their current television contract) and to structure the revised playoff so that as many conference teams as possible get in. Outside of that I assume the alliance will be loosely structured and that the three conferences will continue to operate autonomously most of the time.

[DC 86]

Keep in mind that “the alliance” is going to have to cater to a diversity of schools, each with its own agenda.  Ohio State and Clemson, for example, likely have different priorities than Oregon State.  Stanford will likely have its own thoughts.

BC

Isn't this already true? Within each conference you have universities with vastly different agendas. Forget Clemson, USC certainly has different priorities than the aforementioned Oregon State already, just as Alabama and LSU are very different from Missouri and Vanderbilt.

The one thing that all schools are aligned on is the desire to maximize revenue from their next television contract (and in the case of the ACC possibly re-negotiate their current television contract) and to structure the revised playoff so that as many conference teams as possible get in. Outside of that I assume the alliance will be loosely structured and that the three conferences will continue to operate autonomously most of the time.

[BostonCard]

More cats makes it harder to herd them in the same direction, especially since there isn’t any shared history. Also, you underestimate the chances of screwing it all up.

BC

[BostonCard]

More cats makes it harder to herd them in the same direction, especially since there isn’t any shared history. Also, you underestimate the chances of screwing it all up.

BC

[DC 86]

More cats makes it harder to herd them in the same direction, especially since there isn’t any shared history. Also, you underestimate the chances of screwing it all up.

BC

Obviously more universities makes it less likely to find common ground, but this alliance ultimately is only about a very narrow set of issues, regardless of the P.R. spin being put out now. A conference needs to be aligned on every issue and dozens of sports, the Pac-12/Big-X/ACC alliance is about football (and possibly but to a much lesser extent men's basketball) and really only about maximizing television revenue. So the complexity of additional players is mitigated by the reduction of agenda items.

I didn't provide an estimate regarding the chances of "screwing it up" so I'm not sure how you determined that I am underestimating, but I do think the chances of the Pac-12 maximizing its broadcast revenue potential definitely goes up as part of an agreement like this, details pending.

[DC 86]

More cats makes it harder to herd them in the same direction, especially since there isn’t any shared history. Also, you underestimate the chances of screwing it all up.

BC

Obviously more universities makes it less likely to find common ground, but this alliance ultimately is only about a very narrow set of issues, regardless of the P.R. spin being put out now. A conference needs to be aligned on every issue and dozens of sports, the Pac-12/Big-X/ACC alliance is about football (and possibly but to a much lesser extent men's basketball) and really only about maximizing television revenue. So the complexity of additional players is mitigated by the reduction of agenda items.

I didn't provide an estimate regarding the chances of "screwing it up" so I'm not sure how you determined that I am underestimating, but I do think the chances of the Pac-12 maximizing its broadcast revenue potential definitely goes up as part of an agreement like this, details pending.

[needle]

College presidents are frankly too stupid to see the strategic benefits of keeping the CFP at four teams when there’s more money to be had with expansion.

I do think some ADs hear the concerns of athletes and understand how the sixth or eighth team in really doesn’t have much of a shot of winning the whole thing. But they also likely believe they can sell fan bases on hope if the playoffs expand.

Not a big issue for a place like Stanford, but a primary consideration of ADs at places like Miami, Penn State, Michigan and SC.

CFB is in the mess it’s in mostly because college presidents have prioritized short-term dollars over the long-term health of the sport. I am not optimistic about that changing.

[needle]

College presidents are frankly too stupid to see the strategic benefits of keeping the CFP at four teams when there’s more money to be had with expansion.

I do think some ADs hear the concerns of athletes and understand how the sixth or eighth team in really doesn’t have much of a shot of winning the whole thing. But they also likely believe they can sell fan bases on hope if the playoffs expand.

Not a big issue for a place like Stanford, but a primary consideration of ADs at places like Miami, Penn State, Michigan and SC.

CFB is in the mess it’s in mostly because college presidents have prioritized short-term dollars over the long-term health of the sport. I am not optimistic about that changing.

[martyup]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

If this happens will it be called the Triple Alliance?

"Cerberus Pact"

[martyup]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

If this happens will it be called the Triple Alliance?

"Cerberus Pact"

[Goose]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

If this happens will it be called the Triple Alliance?

"Cerberus Pact"

I still think it is more Triple Alliance. The ACC is Italy. They will switch sides when the SEC-ESPN entente bribes them with promised benefits they will never actually get. The PAC-12 is Austria, not as strong as the B1G, who is Germany, but still has to fight on multiple fronts for which it is ill equipped.  It is also poorly led and has multiple ethnic groups that don't like each other much. The B1G is strong but will eventually be starved out with internal revolts being the final nail.

[Goose]

Nicole Auerbach (who is usually very well sourced) reported today that the Big-X, PAC-12 and ACC will soon announce a formal alliance, perhaps as early as next week.

If this happens will it be called the Triple Alliance?

"Cerberus Pact"

I still think it is more Triple Alliance. The ACC is Italy. They will switch sides when the SEC-ESPN entente bribes them with promised benefits they will never actually get. The PAC-12 is Austria, not as strong as the B1G, who is Germany, but still has to fight on multiple fronts for which it is ill equipped.  It is also poorly led and has multiple ethnic groups that don't like each other much. The B1G is strong but will eventually be starved out with internal revolts being the final nail.

[oman]

I still think it is more Triple Alliance. The ACC is Italy. They will switch sides when the SEC-ESPN entente bribes them with promised benefits they will never actually get. The PAC-12 is Austria, not as strong as the B1G, who is Germany, but still has to fight on multiple fronts for which it is ill equipped.  It is also poorly led and has multiple ethnic groups that don't like each other much. The B1G is strong but will eventually be starved out with internal revolts being the final nail.

So is Mike Leach J.E.B. Stuart?

[oman]

I still think it is more Triple Alliance. The ACC is Italy. They will switch sides when the SEC-ESPN entente bribes them with promised benefits they will never actually get. The PAC-12 is Austria, not as strong as the B1G, who is Germany, but still has to fight on multiple fronts for which it is ill equipped.  It is also poorly led and has multiple ethnic groups that don't like each other much. The B1G is strong but will eventually be starved out with internal revolts being the final nail.

So is Mike Leach J.E.B. Stuart?

[Goose]

I still think it is more Triple Alliance. The ACC is Italy. They will switch sides when the SEC-ESPN entente bribes them with promised benefits they will never actually get. The PAC-12 is Austria, not as strong as the B1G, who is Germany, but still has to fight on multiple fronts for which it is ill equipped.  It is also poorly led and has multiple ethnic groups that don't like each other much. The B1G is strong but will eventually be starved out with internal revolts being the final nail.

So is Mike Leach J.E.B. Stuart?

Maybe, but wrong war.

[Goose]

I still think it is more Triple Alliance. The ACC is Italy. They will switch sides when the SEC-ESPN entente bribes them with promised benefits they will never actually get. The PAC-12 is Austria, not as strong as the B1G, who is Germany, but still has to fight on multiple fronts for which it is ill equipped.  It is also poorly led and has multiple ethnic groups that don't like each other much. The B1G is strong but will eventually be starved out with internal revolts being the final nail.

So is Mike Leach J.E.B. Stuart?

Maybe, but wrong war.

[Phogge]

Stuart took it on himself to raid rather than shade the Army of the Potomac.

John Buford picked the ground, held long enough and probably saved the Union.

Leach wins battles and loses wars. He’s Stuart.

Saban is Alexander.

[Phogge]

Stuart took it on himself to raid rather than shade the Army of the Potomac.

John Buford picked the ground, held long enough and probably saved the Union.

Leach wins battles and loses wars. He’s Stuart.

Saban is Alexander.

[BostonCard]

Some more info on the Pac-12's view on expansion and re-alignment from Wilner (whose core competency does seem to be the business of sports).

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/08/23/p...-alliance/

On expansion....

“No schools really add value,” said a source not affiliated with the Pac-12.

Good insight over why it might be better to wait before expanding the playoffs:

If the 12-team format is implemented prior to the 2026 season, then ESPN would have the option to become the sole rights-holder in a non-competitive bidding process.

But by delaying expansion until the next contract cycle, the CFP could take all 11 games (over four rounds) to the open market and accept multiple bids, thereby driving up the price.

I think the last thing anyone should want to do is give the Big Mouse more power over college football.

BC

[BostonCard]

Some more info on the Pac-12's view on expansion and re-alignment from Wilner (whose core competency does seem to be the business of sports).

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/08/23/p...-alliance/

On expansion....

“No schools really add value,” said a source not affiliated with the Pac-12.

Good insight over why it might be better to wait before expanding the playoffs:

If the 12-team format is implemented prior to the 2026 season, then ESPN would have the option to become the sole rights-holder in a non-competitive bidding process.

But by delaying expansion until the next contract cycle, the CFP could take all 11 games (over four rounds) to the open market and accept multiple bids, thereby driving up the price.

I think the last thing anyone should want to do is give the Big Mouse more power over college football.

BC

[OutsiderFan]

If the CFP rights contract expires in 2026, I don't see any harm with Big Mouse having the rights to all the games for a year or two. Say what you will about Big Mouse, but nobody can put together productions like it can. I wouldn't have trouble with Big Mouse having the initial rights in order to do a great job setting the bar for how it is done, and then opening up bidding to other suitors. 

I think CBS, NBC, and Fox would all want a crack at it, in addition to Big Mouse.

[OutsiderFan]

If the CFP rights contract expires in 2026, I don't see any harm with Big Mouse having the rights to all the games for a year or two. Say what you will about Big Mouse, but nobody can put together productions like it can. I wouldn't have trouble with Big Mouse having the initial rights in order to do a great job setting the bar for how it is done, and then opening up bidding to other suitors. 

I think CBS, NBC, and Fox would all want a crack at it, in addition to Big Mouse.

[82lsju]

The Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 are expected to formally announce their long-awaited alliance on Tuesday afternoon, sources close to the situation tell CBS Sports. The agreement between the three conferences will focus on NCAA governance and college football scheduling, but the leagues also plan to get on the same page regarding future College Football Playoff expansion.

Realignment among the three conferences has not been part of their discussions and will not be an issue addressed with the alliance.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...e=facebook

[82lsju]

The Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 are expected to formally announce their long-awaited alliance on Tuesday afternoon, sources close to the situation tell CBS Sports. The agreement between the three conferences will focus on NCAA governance and college football scheduling, but the leagues also plan to get on the same page regarding future College Football Playoff expansion.

Realignment among the three conferences has not been part of their discussions and will not be an issue addressed with the alliance.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...e=facebook

[OutsiderFan]

I think The Alliance deserves its own thread. What say y'all?

[OutsiderFan]

I think The Alliance deserves its own thread. What say y'all?