Photo: Getty Images
Why is the SEC likely going to add Texas and Oklahoma? Money? I guess because everything is supposed to be about money. And yes, SEC schools stand to make lots of money by adding to power brands. But, for now, players don't make any of that new money and fans are not about to see a drop in ticket prices or better seats for lower donation levels.
And just why would most schools in the SEC vote for this? Money? I get that, but what about winning? Sure you can brag about being the biggest and best and playing big games. I get that but you can split into divisions and pods but someone will be the 16th place team in your league. Someone will be 12th and 14th and so on. Is that fun for your fans?
When the SEC faces anyone in bowl games or playoff games, their fans band together and love to chant S-E-C, S-E-C!!! But if your team is not one of those actually playing in those big games, how fun is that?
Today, lots of fan bases in the SEC are pounding their chest but when you break it down more than half of the SEC has no chance to consistently win and compete for conference and national titles. And the same thing applies to the ACC and all of the other "super" leagues that have expanded to 12, 14 and soon-16 teams.
Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Texas A&M have never played in the SEC title game. South Carolina and Miss St have played in Atlanta once for the championship. Missouri played two times for the title shortly after entering the conference but not since. Arkansas and Tennessee have made three appearances in the championship game. That's it.
Do you know the last time Florida won the SEC Championship? 2008.
If you are coming back with "well, Alabama is a unique dynasty and that's why my team hasn't won" then you are just blind to what these leagues with so many teams have become.
Adding Oklahoma and Texas may make your league more money but for most of the league, you will fall deeper into mediocrity and you don't even see it.
Alabama is in a class by itself. After that, the SEC second tier has become Georgia and LSU. Then you can get to Florida and Auburn. After that group, you have programs with lots of money and little chance of competing. Bragging about the national titles your conference has but being no part of that is not exactly fun. There can always be that special season where you win 10, 11 or 12. But those don't happen that often once you get past the top 5-6 teams in the SEC.
So why is everyone voting for this? Money?
In the ACC, it's not much different. And rumors have that league studying the idea of going from 14 to 16 teams. Why? Miami, Duke, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Pitt and Virginia have played in the ACC title game once since it started in 2005. Louisville, North Carolina State and Syracuse have never played in the game and Maryland never got in the game before it left for the Big Ten- where it may never play in that conference championship game.
When Syracuse jumped to the ACC in 2013 what did it give fans? In football, it gave them one winning season in the league. And while Clemson is rolling through the league like a Crimson Tide type freight train what are the chances for most schools in that league to compete for the title? Florida State has the chance to get back to where they were but who else? Miami? We have been waiting for that for years and the Canes would be one of those teams who could become contenders each season? Who else?
Is Wake Forest ever going to consistently contend? Do their fans care?
I know why Boston College jumped to the ACC in 2005. Money. But I always felt that was one program that could have benefitted on the field by staying in what became the American(AAC). I felt they would have competed for football and basketball titles every year. After early success, when the ACC expanded again- BC has not won more than seven games from 2010 to today and in the last 11 seasons has never been over .500 in conference play. But maybe their fans enjoy all the extra cash the school has made.
When the dust settles, I don't know what the landscape of college football will look like. How many Power leagues will be left.? How many more rivalries will be killed? But if all that matters is making the most money, who cares? It's not like fans enjoy winning, right?
Final thought: The WAC was the first 16 team league in 1996 and divided its members into four quadrants.