Where I believe this is all heading.

[bigorangepoppa]

I think there will be 8 and it will benefit everyone. Here is why, who and how I think it should shake out…

If Oklahoma and Texas go to SEC, that is a good thing for the PAC, because only so many SEC teams are getting into the playoffs. That said, the PAC 12 would be doing themselves a favor if they matched the SEC in size by taking on Iowa St., Oklahoma St., Baylor and Texas Tech and slid CO and Utah, AZ and AZ st over to make up a western division of the PAC. All of those BIG 12 teams have had their shining moments over the past couple of decades and should make runs. Meanwhile Kansas and Kansas St slide up to Big 10 to make up the BiG 16 conference and WV goes where they belong in the ACC and completes their 16 teams. USA, American, Big East, MAC and Mountain West can figure it out too to reduce those numbers down to 4 conferences. It is the only way they can ensure their team has a chance to make the national stage, because then everything would be as follows. I think there needs to be a 16 team playoff and have for sometime. Seems to be the sweet spot for concurrence. That said the top 3 from the big 4 get in (12 teams), and then the top team from the other 4 get in (4+12=16). This realignment includes every conference, some similar controversy to BCS picking the top 4 teams, but is fair to the bigs altogether, meanwhile the other conferences have a representative. I think there should be enough bowls for most if not all teams to play post season.

I think another thing this realignment would accomplish is Blue Chip players staying in smaller schools because they know they can have a chance to play on the big stage without dealing with all of the big school hassle. It will take time to get there, but this will even out things over time and give ALL schools, players and coaches the opportunity to display their skills. I think things get more exciting, and of course the bigger schools will still make more money due to sheer volume of fans, etc… and I think all of college football prospers because you will get more fans into things because their teams have an actual chance to play on the big stage.

I have never been a fan of a four team play-off. There are several teams that in the past could have been the best team at the end of the season that were left out. expanding to a 16 team format would eliminate any possibility of the Scott Frost UCF National Championship claim.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

Is there enough good teams to spread out for 4 super conferences? I think it will be capped at 3 super conferences, might be two, similar to NFL model.

In today’s world of inclusiveness and feelings, how long before one of these small, non competitive schools, sue their way into one of these new power conferences?
GBO!!

 

[rocky top buzz]

At some point tou have to wonder if there will be an SEC draft to maintain competitive balance because it's been bad with the CFP era and NIL just gives more power to the top 5 teams.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

A friend passes on the notion that schools will eventually pay players and those players will be legally considered school employees, and therefore in many states including TN, STATE employees. I think that's reasonable to assume.

The other shoe?

When the college players file their CTE lawsuit, the state..... meaning the taxpayers..... are on the hook for a multi billion dollar payout. I'm unsure if the state is self insured for these kinds of things or not but I'm uncomfy getting into a business with a massive lawsuit looming outside its door.

I'm growing daily to dislike the idea of schools getting in the pro sports business but I'm not sure how we can avoid the landslide in that direction.

 

[kcvols1]

WIth this influx of cash coming into players hands, how long will it take the unions to come knocking on the door to give their support for their future representation?

Depends upon whether the athletes can organize themselves and share contract information efficiently.

If they can, there’s no market for a union.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

I'm not going out on a limb. That's the point. All this conjecture and prediction of what's going to happen is wasted time. I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. Go Volunteers!!!!!!

Like I said, you have a knack for politics.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

A friend passes on the notion that schools will eventually pay players and those players will be legally considered school employees, and therefore in many states including TN, STATE employees. I think that's reasonable to assume.

The other shoe?

When the college players file their CTE lawsuit, the state..... meaning the taxpayers..... are on the hook for a multi billion dollar payout. I'm unsure if the state is self insured for these kinds of things or not but I'm uncomfy getting into a business with a massive lawsuit looming outside its door.

I'm growing daily to dislike the idea of schools getting in the pro sports business but I'm not sure how we can avoid the landslide in that direction.

Sovereign immunity will protect them or cap their liability.

 

[golfballs]

A friend passes on the notion that schools will eventually pay players and those players will be legally considered school employees, and therefore in many states including TN, STATE employees. I think that's reasonable to assume.

The other shoe?

When the college players file their CTE lawsuit, the state..... meaning the taxpayers..... are on the hook for a multi billion dollar payout. I'm unsure if the state is self insured for these kinds of things or not but I'm uncomfy getting into a business with a massive lawsuit looming outside its door.

I'm growing daily to dislike the idea of schools getting in the pro sports business but I'm not sure how we can avoid the landslide in that direction.

Players will get paid by athletics departments, there is 0 doubt about that. Not sure what it will look like though. Maybe like contract workers, and schools will pass on insurance for the players to take care of, probably through some kind of Union.

The only way to get out of this business is to get out of business all together. For Tennessee it’s unavoidable

 

[kcvols1]

A friend passes on the notion that schools will eventually pay players and those players will be legally considered school employees, and therefore in many states including TN, STATE employees. I think that's reasonable to assume.

The other shoe?

When the college players file their CTE lawsuit, the state..... meaning the taxpayers..... are on the hook for a multi billion dollar payout. I'm unsure if the state is self insured for these kinds of things or not but I'm uncomfy getting into a business with a massive lawsuit looming outside its door.

I'm growing daily to dislike the idea of schools getting in the pro sports business but I'm not sure how we can avoid the landslide in that direction.

Be proactive explaining the risks and studying the problem.

Educate and institute rule changes.

Develop and observe safety protocols.

Pay for players’ medical needs, even after they leave your program. (If they are employees, this is basically workman’s comp.)

Get competent litigation counsel on retainer.

You’ll probably face some litigation anyway, but you’ll be better suited for defense by taking the steps above.

 

[kcvols1]

It isn't the Pac12, it is the three states that they are focused in: California, Oregon, and Washington. Young people in these regions are more likely to attend a gay pride rally or Antifa riot than a Pac12 football game.

This is an idiotic statement, but college sports certainly aren’t as popular there as they are here.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

You know it just dawned on me. We will probably need to replace OK-TN home and home series with another team. OK @ Neyland 2024 plus rescheduled game @OK from 2020 COVID Season.

I'll put my 2 cents in for Colorado (for selfish reasons, 80 miles away from me) or a different TX team like Baylor/TCU or from VA/NC/MD states, also for recruiting purposes..

I'm pretty sure the TX-TN basketball game next January won't need to be cancelled.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

A friend passes on the notion that schools will eventually pay players and those players will be legally considered school employees, and therefore in many states including TN, STATE employees. I think that's reasonable to assume.

The other shoe?

When the college players file their CTE lawsuit, the state..... meaning the taxpayers..... are on the hook for a multi billion dollar payout. I'm unsure if the state is self insured for these kinds of things or not but I'm uncomfy getting into a business with a massive lawsuit looming outside its door.

I'm growing daily to dislike the idea of schools getting in the pro sports business but I'm not sure how we can avoid the landslide in that direction.

I absolutely hate the direction that college sports is headed, but what can you do about it?
GBO!!

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

A friend passes on the notion that schools will eventually pay players and those players will be legally considered school employees, and therefore in many states including TN, STATE employees. I think that's reasonable to assume.

The other shoe?

When the college players file their CTE lawsuit, the state..... meaning the taxpayers..... are on the hook for a multi billion dollar payout. I'm unsure if the state is self insured for these kinds of things or not but I'm uncomfy getting into a business with a massive lawsuit looming outside its door.

I'm growing daily to dislike the idea of schools getting in the pro sports business but I'm not sure how we can avoid the landslide in that direction.

If they are state employees, then they are subject to taxation!

 

[NEO]

Contracts will happen and it will make the portal moot.

You will see 4 year contracts with something that says the contract is void after 2 years if player is eligible to join the NFL.

I also see an option where players can be selected into the NFL but can still play the final 2 years in college to strengthen their skills before joining the team.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

If they are state employees, then they are subject to taxation!

They're already subject to taxation as is anyone who earns money in America. I get you're butt-hurt that athletes are going to out earn you, but give it a rest.

 

[BACKDOC]

That was always ideal from a mathematical/playoff view.

The issue is how absurdly imbalanced things are and heading towards even more. If CFB doesn't fix the issues of parity and conference balance, a ton of fans nationwide are going to lose interest year after year. Why should a Big 12 or Pac fan care when half of the top 25 are SEC teams? This whole conference system is fuzzed.

I know lots of Bama fans that have lost interest; like my son always says, who wants to watch a blood bath.

 

[SayUWantAreVOLution]

Contracts will happen and it will make the portal moot.

You will see 4 year contracts with something that says the contract is void after 2 years if player is eligible to join the NFL.

I also see an option where players can be selected into the NFL but can still play the final 2 years in college to strengthen their skills before joining the team.

I could see a situation where an NFL team signs a player to a contract, pays them while they're in a specific college to develop as a precursor/development league. Then you begin having coaches with divided loyalties to their NFL development contracts and their team.

It eventually evolves into a "D league" situation with the clubs being loosely attached/renting facilities from schools.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

I believe there will be 4, 16 school superconferences.

Those schools will break away from the NCAA. They will have new contracts for various things that include a negotiated cut for athletes.

Don't know how long it will take to reach this end game, but that's what I think is the kind of thing that ultimately happens.

Probably, since this has been rumored/predicted for at least 10 years now if not longer. I remember talking about the 4 16 "super" conferences at least back in 2010.

 

[Boogievol]

I believe the sec will be a twenty team conference. Four pods of five teams each. Ten sec games every year.

 

[Orange And Garnet]

Tennessee will have no interest in sharing the pool of money they generate with the University of Toledo.

IMO, those 4 power conferences will form their own thing and since there are 64 (or whatever the number is) schools dividing the pot and not 120, they're going to make a hell of a lot more money.

People are severely overreacting talking about bands being gone, etc. this is where we are headed. I agree with you. The only schools that are going to get left out I think in the end are like the MAC, CUSA, etc. People acting like they watch all 120 teams every Saturday are crazy. There’s only 60 ish teams we all care about watching now anyway.
And just because players are legally getting paid doesn’t mean it’s going to turn into a whole new sport. People are jumping way off the deep end here. This 4 super conference model is going to actually give lower tier schools a better chance at winning a title. The likes of Toledo, Tulane, Georgia State, Middle Tennessee whoever will have the chance to win a national championship. They have zero shot now. Them getting out of this is a good thing outside from a competitive standpoint. Money is the issue though. However, FCS, D2 and D3 make it work. No reason these teams can’t either.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

They're already subject to taxation as is anyone who earns money in America. I get you're butt-hurt that athletes are going to out earn you, but give it a rest.

I'm not butt hurt. Haven't had habaneros in few weeks.

I also won't lose any sleep over the situation.

Of course those who have to pay for their kids education and then subsidize a scholly for an athlete that is making bank on NIL could rile up a quite a few middle class taxpayers.

 

[HuntlandVolinColo]

People are severely overreacting talking about bands being gone, etc. this is where we are headed. I agree with you. The only schools that are going to get left out I think in the end are like the MAC, CUSA, etc. People acting like they watch all 120 teams every Saturday are crazy. There’s only 60 ish teams we all care about watching now anyway.
And just because players are legally getting paid doesn’t mean it’s going to turn into a whole new sport. People are jumping way off the deep end here. This 4 super conference model is going to actually give lower tier schools a better chance at winning a title. The likes of Toledo, Tulane, Georgia State, Middle Tennessee whoever will have the chance to win a national championship. They have zero shot now. Them getting out of this is a good thing outside from a competitive standpoint. Money is the issue though. However, FCS, D2 and D3 make it work. No reason these teams can’t either.

Do you think they will replace the 12 team playoff with the SECCG?

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

I don’t think there are 64 programs that clearly belong in super conferences. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to differentiate between 24 or so super conference members and the next 30 or so programs that don’t make the cut. There are some large universities in big media markets with large alumni bases that won’t find a super conference home. I think that’s where this thing could fall apart. All it’s gonna take is the Big10 and/or PAC12 to say they don’t wanna be NFL Jr. and the SEC with or without TX and OU could be stuck on an island where nobody outside their own footprint watches and the rest of college football has their own championship format.

 

[Devo182]

To upgrade the SEC, we need to replace South Carolina and Florida with Clemson and Florida State.

Lol. Yes we need more great teams all in 1 league. Just wreck the entire sport while Sankey is at it. Shortsighted greed.

 

[Devo182]

I don’t think there are 64 programs that clearly belong in super conferences. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to differentiate between 24 or so super conference members and the next 30 or so programs that don’t make the cut. There are some large universities in big media markets with large alumni bases that won’t find a super conference home. I think that’s where this thing could fall apart. All it’s gonna take is the Big10 and/or PAC12 to say they don’t wanna be NFL Jr. and the SEC with or without TX and OU could be stuck on an island where nobody outside their own footprint watches and the rest of college football has their own championship format.

Yup this whole "Belong" model is flat dumb.

Who cares about that - if we chose who belongs to play in the 60s, UF, FSU, Miami, Clemson, Oregon, Stanford, and so on never would have grown to what they became. This whole elitist attitude is ruinous. Shoot, do we belong right now? People should be careful what they wish for when it comes to creating an "elite only" conference. Absolutely terrible for the sport.