Potential SEC East Expansion Candidates

Let’s explore the possible candidates for SEC East expansion. This exploration implements the parameters that we discussed previously.

Eastern Candidates

School: Florida State University

Geography: state of Florida (on the SEC map)

Stadium Size: 83,500

Season ticket process: Seminole Boosters with priority applied with donations

TV market: Tallahassee (105) and some of: Atlanta (8), Tampa (13), Orlando (19), Jacksonville (47), Pensacola/Mobile, AL (60),
Rivalry Impact: Top3: UF, Miami, and Clemson? Pros: the #1 rival becomes a conference game; you may loose Miami and/or Clemson. Could pick up some new regional rivals that would exceed Miami and Clemson in UGA and Alabama. Cons: you could loose your #2 and #3 rivals

Traditions: lots of winning in the last 20 years, not so much in the last 7. Chief Oseola and Tomahawk chop. 4.25

Commitment level of fans: SEC caliber. Period. Travel well.

School: Clemson

Geography: state of South Carolina (on the SEC map)

Stadium size: 80,301

Season ticket process: IPTAY

TV market: Greenville/Spartanburg (36) with a share of, Columbia, SC (79) Atlanta (8) and Charlotte, NC (24)

Rivalry Impact: Top 3 rivals. South Carolina, Georgia Tech, and FSU. Pros: Come to the SEC and the SC game becomes a conference game AND you renew the UGA rivalry. Cons: You may loose the GT game or the FSU game, but maybe not both. Ask the average Clemson fan if they would trade either GT or FSU for UGA and I bet you get resounding yes!

Traditions: Known as a football school, rubbing the rock, and playing by the lake. One football conference championship in the last 20 years: Score: 3.5

Commitment Level of fans: Clemson fans travel very well. They have had numerous sellouts each year, and much like their in-state brethren, SC, they have a renewed, albeit naïve, and higher level of expectations each year. Remember, last year was the first time they have made the ACC championship game since the ACC expanded. SEC caliber.

School: Georgia Tech

Geography: state of UGA (on the SEC map)

Stadium Size: 55,000

Season ticket process: Tech Fund (where applicable)

TV market: Atlanta (8)
Rivalry Impact: Top 3: UGA, Clemson, and who? VT, FSU? Pros: Just like Clemson, your biggest rival becomes a conference game; you may loose the Clemson and/or the FSU game. VT would end.

Traditions: The Ramblin’ Wreck, Buzz, Bobby Dodd, John Hiesman, two conference championship games in the last 20 years. Score: 4

Commitment level of fans: Fan base is where GT falls short. They don’t sell out home games, they don’t travel well, but the few that they do have are committed. Could compete with the Falcons for a fanbase, but I don’t think that is the case. But I will mention it because I give Miami, South Florida, and TCU a break.

School: University of Miami

Geography: state of Florida (on the SEC map)

Stadium Size: 72,319

Season ticket process: general public (ticketmaster) (no seat priority- starts at $99 season ticket package)

TV market: Miami (17) with some of Orlando (19), West Palm (38) Ft. Meyers (62)
Rivalry Impact: FSU and VT? The FSU rivalry would not change if both came into the conference, and it would pick up UF. Cons: Loose VT, but are they really a rival?

Traditions: lots of winning in the last 20 years, not so much in the last 7. The U! Good football, nice weather for an away game. 3.0

Commitment level of fans: Fair weather. Literally. It’s too nice of weather in Miami to go to a football game. There is no fall atmosphere in 80° in November. Also competes with the Miami Dolphins for a fan base.

School: Louisville

Geography: state of Kentucky (on the SEC map)

Stadium Size: 56,000

Season ticket process: Cardinal Athletic Fund

TV market: Louisville (50) with some of Lexington, KY (63) Cincinnati (34) and Indianapolis (25)
Rivalry Impact: Kentucky, Cincinnati, and Big East Basketball. As much as Kentucky would want them in and as much $$ the SEC TV contract could offer, I find it hard to believe they would leave the Big East basketball environment.

Traditions: Does anyone know of Louisville football traditions. I can name past coaches even not named Petrino. But no national stage except under Bobby’s watch. 1.5.

Commitment level of fans: Don’t know, but as far a looking at their season ticket process, I would say high.

School: South Florida

Geography: state of Florida (on the SEC map)

Stadium Size: Raymond James Stadium (Bucs Stadium) 66,321

Season ticket process: General Public (ticketmaster)

TV market: Tampa (13), with some of Miami (17), Orlando (19), West Palm (38), Jacksonville (47), Ft. Meyers (62)
Rivalry Impact: Does the football team have a rival? They are a young program. They would love to be in the SEC.

Traditions: Not too many with the youth of the program, especially when you are competing with NFL football for fans 0.5

Commitment level of fans: not too much.

School: Central Florida

Geography: state of Florida (on the SEC map)

Stadium Size: 45,301

Season ticket process: General Public (ticketmaster) (no seat priority- starts at $99 season ticket package)

TV market: Orlando (19) with some Tampa (13), Miami (17), West Palm (38), Ft. Meyers (62)
Rivalry Impact: When Wikipedia lists your rivals as: South Florida, FIU, Marshall, and Tulsa you would love to be in the SEC.

Traditions: not too many its central and south Florida football. 1.0

Commitment level of fans: not too much.

Exploring the SEC Expansion

With the SEC meetings in Destin this week, the 800-pound gorilla in the room is expansion. I am very curious how this works out for the SEC. There are many questions that arise when considering expansion.

• How do the finances work out?
• Who to offer as member schools?
• You’re the SEC. You want the individuals that you offer to accept without a doubt. So will they accept?
• Does this expansion talk make the existing SEC schools more money?

The almighty dollar drives everything in the world of College Football. I saw today that the SEC will divide up over $200 million from TV money. That is $17 million each. $17 million for Florida, UGA, and Alabama, but as well as Vandy, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Ole Miss.
How does that money get divided up if additional members are added? Do you think CBS or WWL is going to renegotiate one year into the contract? If CBS is kicking in more money, they may want another game per week. Maybe if they get say in who is in? But in these tough economic times, do you think they will kick in an extra $67 million just to get 16 members to $17 mill each? Maybe if big TV markets are added for advertising.

My opinion is that the SEC is ONLY going to expand IF there is at LEAST the same amount of money on the table for each member’s school. I know that Vandy, Ole Miss, Miss St, Arkansas, and Kentucky don’t want to give up any portion of their $17 million. What am I saying?!?! None of the current members want their $17 million touched.

So for the sake of this conversation, let’s ASSUME that the Presidents’ of the SEC schools meeting with ESPN yesterday included potential expansion and increasing the TV contract.

With that huge leap, let’s look at what schools would be potential targets.

We have seen many different suggestions, opinions, and theories in this “new” idea of a Mega-SEC. These have been thrown out in some cases and have had some serious thoughts in others. However, let’s breakdown the real options and how they may affect the existing SEC landscape and eventually our Georgia Bulldogs.
The consensus is that the SEC would jump to 16 schools to keep up the arms race with the Big Ten and NOW the PAC 10. Therefore, for this discussion format we will explore the possibility of expanding the Eastern and Western Divisions of the SEC by 2 members each. There should be some minimum requirements for consideration.

They should be:
Geography: must be contiguous to the SEC map. Travel considerations for non-football sports.
We are not the ACC and Boston College.
Stadium size: Got to fit in with its new conference members (the SEC)
Season ticket process: if a seat equity plan or contribution is required for season tickets that could indicate the demand for tickets and commitment to making $$$
TV market: got to have viewership impact because of the TV contracts
Rivalries impact: how conference realignment could impact the fan base
College football relevance and quality of traditions: Scale of 1-5. Totally subjective on my part, but history, goofy traditions, and national stage is important
Commitment level of fans: Again, totally subjective on my part, but we all know that our fan base has the perception by our college football family

Don’t think that those aren’t at the top of the list for requirements, and those individuals who suggested Troy, LA Tech, Memphis, Tulane, and Southern Miss, this is where I will say. Really? Really?
Let us take a look at 14 realistic candidates and then we will try to implement a scoring system for these parameters.

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Uncle Front Runner

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