why A&M was a huge get and why FSU, WVU, Clemson etc are not.

I think many here are not understanding why the SEC is so intent on expanding into new markets and just assume that it is about viewers. This is not the case. The real money in athletics at this point is not with the third party TV contracts such as those with CBS and ESPN. Don't get me wrong those contracts do not pay chump change but the real money is with a conference TV network similar to the B1G's.

At this point the Big Ten schools make more per school then any other conference despite their contracts with abc and espn being even close to the size the sec's are. The reason is simple the B1G network.

The B1G is on basic cable and satellite packages throughout B1G country and the nation. For every household that has the channel in a state that has a B1G school they get a premium royalty from the service provider. In non B1G states that get a small royalty. The premium payout is much much more per household and that's why populous states are very important.

Total viewership is not important. I have seen many here say Missouri doesn't get many viewers in St louis and KC watching and it very well could be true. I believe SFP was the main one harping on this. Guess what it doesn't matter. The real money is in the premium royalties not commercials as the B1G has proven. These households will get the SEC network on an extended cable package or satellite the same way they get the B1G network and many of us get the B1G network here in Louisiana. Difference is they would now be that the cable companies in Missouri would be paying the SEC premium royalties.

Many here have said that FSU would be an ideal pick because they are a national brand, great tradition, fit the footprint, etc etc. All of this is true, but FSU is not a good fit to make existing SEC schools money. Yes they would make the SEC money on renegotiated contracts with espn and cbs but not much. They would have to pay for themselves which would be around 20mil and the possibility of bringing anything more then that is low and even if it was more it wouldn't be much more. They also do not add a new state and population base in which the SEC could charge a premium to once the SEC network is created. In the end they bring nothing to the table to make the exsisting SEC schools money.



For the exact reason listed why FSU is not a good fit, A&M is an amazing get for the SEC. Once the Network is created the ability to get premium royalties from the whole state of texas is huge. Its the exact reason i believe the SEC will not look to add TCU. TCU is in the same boat as FSU, they bring shite to the table that could make existing members money.

WVU is a good get but with a population of under 2 million they are not a huge get from a financial standpoint. They fit in the SEC but they do not significantly up the amount that exsisting members will make. If the SEC is truly looking to go to 16 like many believe then they are a really good get, but at 14 they are kinda HO-HUM....barely above average.


Missouri with almost 6 million would be a really good get especially if every conference is expanding to 16. they would significantly increase amount existing members could make in the future.

Another name that has been floated is NC State. Many have said they would be a good fit and they would be correct. Still many have complained that they have only been mediocre in the football in the week ACC and those posters would also be correct. But what NC State brings is a location inside a state with over 9 million people. I do not think people understand how big this is. This is a huge get and would make existing members an arse load of money in the future when a SEC network is created.


Which brings us to the last and biggest jewel of them all....Virginia Tech. Virginia has a population of almost 8 million and growing. This would significantly increase the amount of money a SEC network would make in the future.


To sum it up the best thing the SEC could do would be to add 4 the following teams

1. Texas A&M- adds 24,782,302 households
2. Virginia Tech- adds 7,882,590 households
3. North Carolina State- adds 9,380,884 households
4. Missouri- adds 5,987,580 households
5. West Virginia- adds 1,819,777

also East Carolina could come into play because of the population of NC. South Florida, Clemson, Louisville, and prolly TCU are out because of this.


This is the reason why I believe Slive has repeatedly stated that an expansion would come from new states. I know right now the SEC cant create their own network and nobody on this board knows if expanding will allow the SEC to create a full time network, but in the future the SEC will go this away. there is way way too much money left on the table if you do not. Hope this clears up some of the confusion.



BTW I'm not saying any of these teams are coming here, simply explaining why some schools are great gets and some are not. Kind of the same reason why Rutgers would be a very very good get for the B1G and why Syracuse was a very good get for the ACC in football also.




edited to add any school that comes in will need to add atleast 45 million to the coffers of the sec per year or its just not work it. Thats around 20 million for the aforementioned school and 2 million for the other members. If a school cant do this now or in the near future when a SEC network is launched then the SEC has zero incentive to add said school.



FOR THE RECORD

B1G SCHOOLS MADE 22.6 MILLION PER SCHOOL LAST YEAR
SEC SCHOOLS MADE 17.3 MILLION PER SCHOOL LAST YEAR


SOME LINKS

how much sec schools make

Explains payout for B1G network

LINK

LINK

LINK



quote from USA TODAY ARTICLE linked above

"The Big Ten Network receives approximately $0.85 per cable subscriber in markets where it has a school, approximately $0.15 per subscriber out of market."


SO hopefully this puts to rest this notion that WVU is a good take as the 14th team. They are not and neither is any other school where an SEC team already resides. they do nothing to add to the future of this conference.