Central Florida a possible team to add to the Big 12

[thebigabd]

Maybe the Big 12 should consider bringing in Central Florida as an 11th member, and then going after someone else (Louisville?) to make the Big 12 whole again.

• UCF is a huge school, with over 50,000 students.
• Brand new basketball arena
• Brand new basketball practice facility
• Brand new football stadium

The football team has a high profile coach (George O'Leary) and is the best team in C-USA, and is ranked in the final top 25 standings.

The basketball team is currently 11-0, and also ranked in the top 25. Plus, Michael Jordan may come to Norman to watch his son play if they were in the Big 12.

All of the expansion ideas have been with western schools... why not go east and get a rising program with legit facilities like UCF?

 

[NickZepp]

I think the first 2 you look to add if you are the Big 12 are BYU and Notre Dame.

But neither one is that likely. UCF or Louisville, or Memphis, or Boise State wouldn't be bad for the other guys. The Big 12 won't last long with just 10 teams.

 

[5hrenergy]

ND is never going to happen because financially it makes no sense for ND. The Big 12 as it stands has 5 years tops.

 

[stoops4pres]

Basketball won't be a great factor in any expansion equation; hence why KU almost got left out in the cold during the expansion talks this summer.

And I'm not 100% knowledgeable in the expansion factors and stipulations, but from what I have read in the past and understand, it seems as if UCF is actually a better idea then some of the others that virtually would have held no lucrative value to the conference, such as TCU and Boise.

And the only conference expansion ND would even come close to considering is the Big 10. No way they would ever come to the Big 12.

 

[seniorsooner]

I would say UCF and Memphis, but Memphis brings absolutely nothing to the table from a football perspective. UCF and Louisville?

 

[oSuJeff97]

Fantastic idea....

UCF absolutly fits the criteria of what you want in an expansion candidate:

• Adds new, large TV markets that haven't been part of your core (check)
• Gives conference in-roads into new recruiting areas (check)

What if we add UCF and Memphis and call it day?

 

[seniorsooner]

Memphis is just soooo bad in football. Their fanbase is terrible, the people in the media market don't care, they have no tradition of winning, etc, etc. They haven't won a conference title since 1971.

 

[seniorsooner]

Here are the attendance numbers for Memphis home football games this past season:

27,965
22,231
18,848
19,731
39,742 (note: this was against Tennessee)
14,992

That is truly pathetic. Granted the team was horrendous (1-11) but I'm not sure how many people would show up even if they were winning. Plus how often are they going to win in the Big 12?

 

[seniorsooner]

Big 12 "East" Division

Kansas
Missouri
Kansas State
Iowa State
Louisville
UCF

Big 12 "West" Division

OU
OSU
Tex
A&M
Tech
Baylor

Git R dun

 

[Sid]

I think the first 2 you look to add if you are the Big 12 are BYU and Notre Dame.

But neither one is that likely. UCF or Louisville, or Memphis, or Boise State wouldn't be bad for the other guys. The Big 12 won't last long with just 10 teams.

I agree. If the Mormons and the Catholics do not come to the rescue of the Big 12 conference, it will die. The conference should have died last summer. When the conference dies, OU can go to the PAC 12. Schools like KU, OSU and ISU can go to the MWC or to C-USA where they belong.

 

[seniorsooner]

OU isn't going anywhere without OSU. It will never, ever, ever happen.

 

[NickZepp]

Here are the attendance numbers for Memphis home football games this past season:

27,965
22,231
18,848
19,731
39,742 (note: this was against Tennessee)
14,992

That is truly pathetic. Granted the team was horrendous (1-11) but I'm not sure how many people would show up even if they were winning. Plus how often are they going to win in the Big 12?

I agree with this, but they would only be added for basketball and they would add a TV market. Even if it is an SEC area. We would get more TV sets in a Memphis or Louisville than other places. Louisville hasn't been that good at football since joining the Big East either. Colorado hasn't really been any good at any sports for 5 years in the Big 12, yet they were good at adding TV sets in the Denver area.

 

[seniorsooner]

I've always thought the whole "media market" argument is overrated. If the people in the media market don't care and therefore won't be tuning in, what is the point? The same could be said about Colorado to a certain extent. The pros of Louisville are that they do have a pretty strong fan following in football, and they at least have some tradition of winning. They've also got a really good coach in place that has already started turning things around. Kragthorpe was a total bust but if you remember at the end of Patrino's tenure they were firing out 11-1 seasons.

 

[stoops4pres]

Memphis is just soooo bad in football. Their fanbase is terrible, the people in the media market don't care, they have no tradition of winning, etc, etc. They haven't won a conference title since 1971.

Ya if you're going to choose another university besides UCF (this is the best suggestion out of all of them, props abd), I would take Louisville over Memphis.

The TV markets are a wash (believe they are within two spots of each other), but it has better academics and its infrastructure with football is better.

 

[seniorsooner]

Louisville home football attendance numbers 2010:

55,327
48,427
55,106
48,591
43,887
51,772

That is VERY respectable.

 

[Sid]

OU isn't going anywhere without OSU. It will never, ever, ever happen.

lol Be careful.

 

[stoops4pres]

I've always thought the whole "media market" argument is overrated. If the people in the media market don't care and therefore won't be tuning in, what is the point? The same could be said about Colorado to a certain extent. The pros of Louisville are that they do have a pretty strong fan following in football, and they at least have some tradition of winning. They've also got a really good coach in place that has already started turning things around. Kragthorpe was a total bust but if you remember at the end of Patrino's tenure they were firing out 11-1 seasons.

Well for Memphis' concern, it is only an hour away from Ole Miss, so it is beneficial for both parties (market and Ole Miss). So to my knowledge (and I'm not 100% sure), its not like the market isn't benefitting despite its high ranking. It is reaping the benefits.

 

[stoops4pres]

Louisville home football attendance numbers 2010:

55,327
48,427
55,106
48,591
43,887
51,772

That is VERY respectable.

Yep, and it is night-and-day when comparing it to Memphis.

Memphis overall would be better than some options out there (i.e. Boise), but give me Louisville and UCF and then the Big 12 is set.

 

[NickZepp]

They were good at the end of Petrino's era. And they look to be trending up now. I would take Louisville over Memphis. But I think it's probably a little less realistic that they leave the Big East right now.

 

[thebigabd]

Big 12 "East" Division

Kansas
Missouri
Kansas State
Iowa State
Louisville
UCF

Big 12 "West" Division

OU
OSU
Tex
A&M
Tech
Baylor

Git R dun

This situation would be fantastic... You add markets in Florida and Kentucky, get schools who are good at both basketball and football with high profile coaches (and good facilities), and open up new recruiting areas for the existing Big 12 schools.

Dan Beebe should be selling out to get Louisville and UCF on board.

Man, the basketball would be awesome if you brought in Louisville and UCF. UCF is a good team this year, but they would start recruiting a lot better if they played in a major conference and that part of the country would probably land them some pretty good talent.