Project Rudy: A College Football Super League

[CrimsonTitles]

I heard about this on McElroy and Cubelic this morning. A private equity has been meeting with officials from a lot of the power schools pitching their idea for a super league, and this seems to make more sense than other proposal I've seen. The article goes into detail about the proposed plan, but it's essentially based on two concepts:


(1) Arrange more games between power conference programs by eliminating all games against Group of Five and FCS opponents; expanding the playoffs; and pitting blue-blood powers more often against one another.

(2) Consolidate the media rights of the 70 schools under one agreement, instead of the current structure of five different packages (one for each power league and Notre Dame.

The proposed changes would result in an increase of sponsorship and media revenue by $15 billion over a 12 year period.

Thoughts?

While SEC and Big Ten leaders mull major changes, a new Super League concept could radically alter college sports

As SEC and Big Ten leaders prepare to meet this week in Nashville for a historic summit of the industry’s two powers, there is an unreported undercurrent driving the discussion: Project Rudy.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[TideEngineer08]

It's going to happen, one way or another. Not only has the barn door been left open but all of the horses are gone and the fence has been torn down.

However, this:

Spearheaded by former Disney executives-turned-investment professionals, Project Rudy is a super league-esque concept

Is going to be a fat NO from me.

And this:

about Project Rudy, its name a nod to the famous Notre Dame walk-on, Rudy Ruettiger.

Disqualifies this particular idea outright

And finally this:

Consolidate the media rights of the 70 schools under one agreement, instead of the current structure of five different packages (one for each power league and Notre Dame)

Is utterly tiresome and needs to end. I'm referring to a separate package for Notre Dame. At this point it's not some nostalgic idea of Independence. It's a clear money grab and an effort to play by a different set of rules. IF some breakaway of the power conferences happen, then Notre Dame MUST join a conference completely or remain with "the rest."

EDITED: Actually, apparently I misread that and they DO want to bring Notre Dame under the same umbrella. We'll see.

 

[KrAzY3]

Every one of these proposals I have seen so far, are clearly designed to try to give a landing spot to teams that are obviously going to be left behind.

The reality is that between the Big 12 and the ACC, there are probably about 6 programs that could be seen as desirable to the Big 10 and the SEC. The rest? The rest ultimately hurt the bottom line...

 

[denver]

I'm a big soccer fan by heritage....a Super league has been discussed there too...in Europe specifically. It was shot down by the fans mostly...there was an uprising and protests against it. While it sounds great to have the best teams play each other..the fact that it becomes more regular makes it mundane...the special saturdays when we play a great rival team or just a great out of conference team are something to look forward to...playing them year in year out and week after week would lessen that anticipation for me..so with that...Im OUT.....beware if unintended consequences...onto the next dumb idea to ruin what was the best sport in America

 

[BamaNation]

This is similar to the proposal from several years ago from a VC. Money is bigger now. It all makes sense.

Thus it won't happen.

 

[BamaNation]

It's going to happen, one way or another. Not only has the barn door been left open but all of the horses are gone and the fence has been torn down.

However, this:
Is going to be a fat NO from me.

And this:

Disqualifies this particular idea outright

And finally this:

Is utterly tiresome and needs to end. I'm referring to a separate package for Notre Dame. At this point it's not some nostalgic idea of Independence. It's a clear money grab and an effort to play by a different set of rules. IF some breakaway of the power conferences happen, then Notre Dame MUST join a conference completely or remain with "the rest."

EDITED: Actually, apparently I misread that and they DO want to bring Notre Dame under the same umbrella. We'll see.

My daughter is now a freshman at Notre Dame so I have seen some of that "specialness" this year.

I will say I am beginning to believe it does operate differently than most places - in mostly good ways.

However, it is not as special as it used to be operating totally differently than everybody else. Their scheduling agreements with different leagues is, I think, a recognition that they're gonna ride the NBC pony as long as they can and then jump to a bigger/stronger/faster thoroughbred when required. Their stadium is pretty awesome - tradition-wise - but not anything nearly as "nice" as mediocre SEC teams now have for the deep-pocketed IMHO.

All that aside, SEC & B1G need to lead the exit from the indecipherable NCAA autocracy to something designed for schools that want to (and are able to) support big boy/girl athletics. Leave the little guys to play with their Tonka toys in their rusted sandboxes and whiz by a tree. Why are we paying millions to bring in the likes of USF, Mercer, etc that nobody cares about watching in person or on TV? If we're going to have to pay athletes 20+MM per year, we need to be playing teams that we can upcharge tickets for that also bring enhanced value to a TV deal.

I do think this type of structure will happen sooner rather than later because with proposals like this, the money starts talking loudly...quickly.

 

[crimsonaudio]

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Why is it called "Project Rudy"?