Tuesday - The Future of College Sports

[Bobby Burton]

3 minutes ago, Rivalrygameblock said:

I hope so but it’s hard to have that kind of faith in university systems and presidents. For every Eltife who might be thinking about the health of his whole system, you  get a Paul Bryant type knifing UAB again to ensure Bama gets its share of the increased revenues. 

Perhaps.

[Tuco Ramirez]

Wouldn’t this require an act of congress? Is there any momentum in congress to do anything or is this all moot? 

[Hookem72]

Bobby

Thank you for the well written description of what is happening.   I think Campbell is right.  Trying to label what he is doing as socialism or self serving is silly and fallacious.  These are economic facts and the way NFL teams have for years financed their stadiums is worse than socialism—it is funneling money from taxpayers into the owner’s pockets with no return to the local citizens other than made up economic impact statements.  
 

College Football has to be fixed now or It will be a race to the bottom until there are only a few teams that can truly compete for media money.  Taking the short view of things for self interest is going to kill college athletics.  

[Hashtag]

9 minutes ago, Hookem72 said:

College Football has to be fixed now or It will be a race to the bottom until there are only a few teams that can truly compete for media money.  Taking the short view of things for self interest is going to kill college athletics.  

The entire history of cfb has been about few teams that can truly compete no matter the format pre and post nil era. 
 

You fools claiming this needs to be fixed is laughable. Especially considering the huge advantage Texas currently has in this landscape. But I suppose we can make everything level and even so that bag game can come back and we are not at a competitive advantage. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Hashtag

[Connor Vaughn]

6 minutes ago, Hashtag said:

The entire history of cfb has been about few teams that can truly compete no matter the format pre and post nil era. 
 

You fools claiming this needs to be fixed is laughable. Especially considering the huge advantage Texas currently has in this landscape. But I suppose we can make everything level and even so that bag game can come back and we are not at a competitive advantage. 

I’m starting to think you don’t get enough attention under your own roof. 

[Bobby Burton]

36 minutes ago, General Grant said:

I have zero trust in him.  That entire fanbase imo is the most unhinged irrational fanbase in college sports. SEC + Beard sent them into lala land.  I think he's a wealthy hack.  I'm convinced his only goal is getting Tech into the same conference with us. Their life revolves around us.

In the end I don't care. With current leadership we'll be fine under whatever model there is. My chief worry is what happens when Eltife's term runs out.  CDC and Hartzell/Davis have been fine. But Eltife is running the show and he's run it damn well.

1. Campbell may be many things, but he’s not a hack. His only goal may even well be getting Texas Tech on an even playing field with Texas. I can’t discern his true goals, etc. But I can decidedly tell you he’s not a hack. The conversation we had was informative. He knew numbers, reasons, etc., and it wasn’t the sound of a hack.

2. I too worry about Texas after Eltife. It’s the chief reason why I asked Governor Abbott about how he elects/chooses the BoR.

[Bobby Burton]

35 minutes ago, Tuco Ramirez said:

Wouldn’t this require an act of congress? Is there any momentum in congress to do anything or is this all moot? 

He’s trying. But first congress has to vote down the Score Act. 

[pinkman_90]

Is two weeks of commercials during every game not enough?  Now I have to deal with Cody Campbell propaganda on OTF?

yuck.  

[Jordan91]

Sorry, I just don’t trust Cody Campbell. 

[Burnt Orange Horn]

10 minutes ago, Bobby Burton said:

He’s trying. But first congress has to vote down the Score Act. 

The Score Act needs to be explained more thoroughly.

I think you meant to say, "Whatever route this takes ....."

A very necessary article and a good interview.  I distrust Campbell's ultimate purposes, but as mentioned he seems to have a handle on the data and reasonable conclusions on the future of college athletics financing pitfalls.  I also get a sense that he knows he cannot overplay his position in favor of TTU exclusively.

[Hashtag]

7 minutes ago, Burnt Orange Horn said:

The Score Act needs to be explained more thoroughly.

I think you meant to say, "Whatever route this takes ....."

A very necessary article and a good interview.  I distrust Campbell's ultimate purposes, but as mentioned he seems to have a handle on the data and reasonable conclusions on the future of college athletics financing pitfalls.  I also get a sense that he knows he cannot overplay his position in favor of TTU exclusively.

He’s getting ahead of this because big 12s next media contract isn’t going to be pretty. The separation will continue because sec and bigs next deals will be larger while big 12 and ACC shrinks. That’s why he’s going this full stop. 

[harveycmd]

If you start from the understanding that of course Campbell wants what's best for TTU, then you just look at the argument and see what makes sense wholistically. 

It comes down to what do you want college football and college athletics in general to look like. If you want to look something like it did in the past, then you make some kind of deal. If you think things have changed too much to try to hang on to the past, then you say no. 

History teaches that you can't go back and it's really hard to hang on. 

Edited 4 hours ago by harveycmd

[SuperDave0805]

Of course Campbell wants Tech's media rights to be tied with the likes of Texas, Notre Dame and Alabama

[Burnt Orange Horn]

19 minutes ago, Hashtag said:

He’s getting ahead of this because big 12s next media contract isn’t going to be pretty. The separation will continue because sec and bigs next deals will be larger while big 12 and ACC shrinks. That’s why he’s going this full stop. 

Oh, I fully think Campbell wants to move TTU out of the mediocre 12.  He will pull an SMU move if he must and defer revenue for several years to get into B1G or preferably the SEC.  He is trying to show TTU will have big boy funds even without the conference broadcast rights payouts initially.  I think he will have to form an endowment for TTU Athletics to secure this type of move, though.

Edited 4 hours ago by Burnt Orange Horn

[yoyocc]

I wouldn't compromise on anything. Right now the rest of the teams outside of the SEC/Big 10 are withering on the vine. Texas' success is my sole priority, even at the expense of games no one is watching.

 

Edit: If there's anything we learned from the 2010s, it's that CFB is as cut throat of a business as there is and the Big 12 is perfectly willing to steal our market value while we are stuck in no man's land.

Edited 4 hours ago by yoyocc

[GoHorns1]

3 hours ago, Hashtag said:

Cody Campbell supports socialism. 

The NFL says hi and it isn’t socialism it’s Capitalism 

[HelloThere]

1 hour ago, Bobby Burton said:

1. Campbell may be many things, but he’s not a hack. His only goal may even well be getting Texas Tech on an even playing field with Texas. I can’t discern his true goals, etc. But I can decidedly tell you he’s not a hack. The conversation we had was informative. He knew numbers, reasons, etc., and it wasn’t the sound of a hack.

2. I too worry about Texas after Eltife. It’s the chief reason why I asked Governor Abbott about how he elects/chooses the BoR.

A guy who played the game and is a self made billionaire is a “hack” to some people because he supports TTU. I think it is reasonable to be skeptical of the plan, everyone should. However, I see it more of a guy trying to get a conversation started because EVERYONE knows the current format isn’t going to last. The lawsuits will never end and things will continue to change more and more. Sounds to me like he is part of a group that wants to find a more permanent solution. 
 

If this was a UT alum doing the same thing many here would support it and other fan bases would completely disregard because of the same reasons he is being dismissed. The truth is, conversations have to start somewhere and he is 100% right that public institutions belong to the people and the people’s interest should be protected first. 

[Stuey22]

1 hour ago, Hashtag said:

The entire history of cfb has been about few teams that can truly compete no matter the format pre and post nil era. 
 

You fools claiming this needs to be fixed is laughable. Especially considering the huge advantage Texas currently has in this landscape. But I suppose we can make everything level and even so that bag game can come back and we are not at a competitive advantage. 

So to understand your logic...Texas needs an advantage to beat TEXAS TECH because if it's a level playing field it ain't gonna happen???  I do not understand the thought that the  University of Texas must keep the regional rival schools under our thumb because we're afraid they might on occasion compete or heaven forbid, beat us.

And who has this much hate for freaking Texas Tech? At best it should be indifference...I'm thinking you're an Aggie operative because your behavior is very cultish.  

[f1revo]

Athletic department solvency is least of our worries while the federal government is attacking higher education and research as a  whole. The institutions themselves are under attack. There's bigger fish to fry out there versus potentially a few more tv dollars. Like worrying about a rash while you're bleeding out.

[NothinButDaHorns34]

Can’t trust cody campbell as far as you can throw him. You can’t make me believe he’s not doing anything he can to get the upper hand for tech’s sorry asses. 

[Tuco Ramirez]

28 minutes ago, GoHorns1 said:

The NFL says hi and it isn’t socialism it’s Capitalism 

I believe the NFL divides its media revenue evenly between teams. 

[Huskie1]

Just now, NothinButDaHorns34 said:

Can’t trust cody campbell as far as you can throw him. You can’t make me believe he’s not doing anything he can to get the upper hand for tech’s sorry asses. 

I will disagree with you there. I have met him in person and had business dealings with him. I found him to be straightforward, honest, and very sharp. He is loyal to the school he played for and wants to see college athletics prosper. The two are not mutually exclusive.

This is a huge issue and will not be easily solved. I was a walk on track athlete at UT and would hate to see sports like track and field suffer because of funding. 
 

Thanks for the insightful article Bobby. It sparks ideas and discussion. 

[harveycmd]

There's definitely a socialistic element to it because it's done for the overall financial well being of the league. The big difference here is that the pool size of the NFL is much smaller at 32 teams. Does Campbell think it's a good idea for Tech, Big 12 schools and the ACC to share with G5 teams? That's the test question that immediately shows his true colors. 

[Glass Joe]

1 hour ago, Hashtag said:

He’s getting ahead of this because big 12s next media contract isn’t going to be pretty. The separation will continue because sec and bigs next deals will be larger while big 12 and ACC shrinks. That’s why he’s going this full stop. 

Yeah, I think Campbell is focused on 2031 when the media rights deals of the ACC and B12 expire.  And more importantly, the CFB Playoffs contract is up for renewal.  This will mark the Waterloo of college football as many of us have always known it.

Campbell realizes the ACC powers are heading for P2 conferences (FSU, Clemson, Miami, UNC, and a few others), and the ACC as we now know it will go the way of the old Pac-12.

When this happens in 2031, you’ll have something like 40-44 schools in the P2 conferences (today, it’s 34 schools, add ND, and add the top 6-7 schools that leave the ACC in 2031 = 42 schools).

The media partners will then be faced with a big decision of the P2 conference media deals, and the CFB Playoff deal.  The issue will be:  do we close off the P2 with 42-44 schools?  Or, do we invite a few additional castoffs from the B12 and call it a 48-school P2 structure?  
 
Campbell is trying to get Tech to be one of those small handful of B12 schools that gets an invitation to the P2 in 2031, should any B12 schools get invited at all.  I imagine the P2 will wind-up at 48 schools, so that leaves 5-6 schools openings, but the B12 schools will also be competing with those non-top 6 ACC schools that haven’t already been invited into the P2 (FSU, Clemson, UNC, Miami, UVA, et al).  
 
Here is where things can get dicey.  Disney / ESPN already exclusively own the rights for the SEC and ACC schools.  They are likely to be the media partner that gets first dibs on the top ACC schools, since Disney controls their rights until 2036.  That means as the SEC expands to add top ACC schools, it’s likely to be adding schools that make sense for its geographic and demographic viewership.  That means the southeast U.S. and into the mid-Atlantic region.  More importantly, it does NOT extend to the western or midwestern U.S.

That means FOX will be the media entity selecting the final 5-6 refugee schools from among the B12 and any ACC leftovers that SEC (Disney) doesn’t want.  How will FOX approach this decision?  Well, they have already invested in the west coast (USC, UCLA, UW, Oregon), but do they want to add a few schools to form a 6-8 school division?  Say, Arizona State and a Bay Area team (Cal or Stanford)?  What about adding some presence in the mountain states (Colorado, Utah)?  Or, does FOX want to buttress its presence in the mid-Atlantic media markets (Eastern time zone) to offset SEC encroachment?  Maybe WVU or UVA or VT?

It doesn’t take too long to figure out that the B12 schools in the central / plains aren’t going to be the top choices here.  KU, ISU, KSU, Baylor, Tech, Okie State, etc.  There simply isn’t any incremental media revenue to be additive to a media rights deal by including these schools.  The Big Ten already owns the corn belt (Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana), so doubling down with ISU / KSU / KU / OSU makes little sense.

I would say this to Campbell’s idea that growing the pie solves his problem:  Just  because the pie gets bigger, doesn’t mean your slice of it will too.   It’s still a competitive feeding situation, not just a bigger trough.

A quick look at B12 football viewership plummeting in the last season (sans Texas and OU) tells you all you need to know about the individual value and viability of most of the current B12 schools.  And Campbell shouldn’t expect the executives at Disney and FOX to be too dumb to realize this as well.

 

[Hashtag]

21 minutes ago, Stuey22 said:

So to understand your logic...Texas needs an advantage to beat TEXAS TECH because if it's a level playing field it ain't gonna happen???  I do not understand the thought that the  University of Texas must keep the regional rival schools under our thumb because we're afraid they might on occasion compete or heaven forbid, beat us.

And who has this much hate for freaking Texas Tech? At best it should be indifference...I'm thinking you're an Aggie operative because your behavior is very cultish.  

You are missing the point on why level playing field isn’t advantageous to Texas in the current landscape. If you can’t see why Texas has a clear advantage here then you’re just dumb. This isn’t just about Tech, this advantage also extends over Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU, etc. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Hashtag