Could Kentucky be left in the realignment rubble?
by Anything but Gatorade on Sep 19, 2011 2:35 PM EDT
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This is a legitimate question. With Texas A&M, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse all switching conferences, and rumors all over the place about Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech finishing out the would-be Pac-16, we're all the closer to four "superconferences" in college sports. I think we're all aware, by now, that the conference re-shuffling is all driven by maximizing TV revenue from broadcasting football games. This begs the question, then, of where Kentucky might fall in all of this.
But Kentucky is in the SEC! you may be thinking. Surely they're safe?!?!
Maybe not. In the ever-shrinking swimming pool that is upper-level college football, Kentucky may find itself on the outside looking in. Sure, football seems like a priority for Kentucky, but let's be honest with ourselves: our football program does not bring much to the table. No one's banging on our doors to get us to move conferences, and why would they? While it may seem like Kentucky is above the fray thanks to already being in what is sure to be one of the four big conferences that will probably exist within the next ten years, I'm not sure UK's SEC brethren wouldn't think twice about shoving the Cats out in favor of bringing in a Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, or Texas if that's a possibility. Kentucky basketball, as great as it is, does not make the SEC money; football does.
This isn't probable, but I do think that it is remotely possible. The solution, even if the problem is off the grid, is for Kentucky to really dedicate itself to a winning football program. Let's hope that happens, so the above nightmare scenario doesn't play itself out.
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This is a stretch......and I believe in most conspiracy theories......lol.....
No way the SEC sends UK packing. They may rattle sabres and blow hard into the night, but I don’t believe they would cut ties with them.
I am now and shall forever be the Cat in The Hat, The Artist Formerly Known As ABC!!!
by Greg Alan Edwards on Sep 19, 2011 2:44 PM EDT reply actions
Kentucky is a founding member of the SEC.
This cannot happen. Their name is on the charter, along with the rest of the football greats. By the way, so is Vanderbilt’s, which is why no matter how cockstrong the SEC feels like getting, neither UK nor Vandy is going anywhere unless they leave.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
by Glenn Logan on Sep 19, 2011 2:49 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The only way it could happen is ...
… if the rest of the SEC formed a new athletic conference and didn’t invite Kentucky, Vandy, etc. But you have to realize that UK contributes more revenue to the SEC than South Carolina, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and the Mississippis.
In other words, those schools are more likely to be shunted aside first, if it’s all about the money.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
In addition
The SEC Tournament in basketball is the principle funding for the league office.
I realize it's a stretch
However, I do think that realignment and the horizon in top-tier college football should make the Board of Trustees and the Athletic Department think long and hard about their commitment to football. A tag-along isn’t welcome in most places.
Anything but Gatorade - yet another SEC sports blog
by Anything but Gatorade on Sep 19, 2011 4:02 PM EDT reply actions
And yet everyone likes to have at least one guaranteed win
Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."
It isn't even a stretch.
It’s a foregone conclusion, fait accompli, whatever you want to call it.
The only mechanism to get UK to leave if they don’t want to is to disband the conference.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
UK Fortunate To Be In SEC
As Tru (old habits die hard) so aptly references: UK is a founding member of SEC and as long as the SEC exists in virtually any form UK will be a member. Considering the emphasis placed on FB in the reorganization wave and the state of UK ’s program it is indeed fortunate. Otherwise it would find itself in the same predicament as KU: a virtual orphan.
"Statistics are no substitute for judgment" — Henry Clay (my namesake)
UK is in the SEC for as long as it wants to be....
I don’t think that questions is in doubt at all.
Slower Traffic Keep Right!
UK is safe...
EWhile we have not been one of the powers in FB as long as we are going to a post season bowl game on a semi-regular basis we are contriubting to conference in a positive way. If Joker can’t maintain a team that goes post-season at least one year in three, then wewill have to find a coaach who cans. On the other side we are a definite plus now on the basketball side, both with our own achievements, and the showcase the interest in our games give the rest of the teams in the conference.
And if you check on the ACC boards for discussion about Pitt and Syracuse coming over you will find that FB is mentioned , but they are excited over becoming the dominant BB conference in the nation, a title the Big Least like to appropriate for itself.
Just maybe if this were going down when both the FB and BB programs were “down” someone would have been tempted to throw UK out the door, but that isn’t the case at the present, and I can’t see it happening.
Now to see us pick #15 and 16 (assuming #14 is WVa), and I say Mizzu in the west and VaTech in the east (any school with a national bass fishing championship should fit fine in the SEC. :-) ).
If realignment were about the quality of football squads this *might* be an issue
Though probably not even then as Glenn et.al state above. But as you yourself state, realignment is about money, not quality. Despite their relative struggles in football, UK still generates money and for that reason alone won’t have to worry about ending up in the cold.
1/x doesn't die, it just fades away.
I'm a little naive about all this
Just how is expanding the conference going to generate more money per school?
I believe SEC schools split the bowl monies.
It is not just what you receive for your bowl. The team playing gets their travel expenses and such off the top. The money is put into an account and split 14 ways, now. The SEC itself gets one, each SEC team gets one, except the team playing the bowl gets 2. Dividing that by 16 or 18 could be less money, but should have more money to divide with more teams possibly playing in bowls.
That is unless it has changed jdog. Things change so often you know. And I could be wrong again. :-)
Blue... there is no other color to Bleed !!!
Thanks to all
but it is still a little fuzzy to me.
You are onto somethin
That is why Louisville will never be in sec. There is no scenario I can think of where their inclusion raises the PER team split. UK already gets the sec enough of the Louisville tv market.
only one rule in my house - uk has to be your favorite college bball team
by memphis wildcat on Sep 20, 2011 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions
With any expansion within our conference I'm afraid that our bowling days may be a thing of the past
If we get a WV along with TA&M and another quality FB team just where would we fit into the bowl picture at the end of the year? How many teams from the SEC would the bowl committee’s select? How many teams from the SEC would the viewing public really want to watch or stomache watching?
A man is nothing more than a summation of his scars!
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