[Mick]

[quote author=ThePassionOfTheChryst link=topic=13101.msg134085#msg134085 date=1444611808]

Can they not find two schools to join?

They could easily find two schools to join. The question is whether they bring enough revenue to offset the pie being split 12 ways rather than 10.
[/quote]

The problem is that the big five conferences have heavy attendance that smaller conference schools can't match.  SEC averaged 78k in 2014, Big Ten was next at 67k.  Big 12 was third at 58k and the Pac 12 was fourth at 53k.  The ACC brings up the rear at 50k average game attendance, but then it's a big dropoff to the American  Conference.

Probably is that the most likely schools have half the attendance.  Houston might be likely, they averaged 28,311 last year and had the highest average increase from 2013 to 2014.  SMU would be intriguing, they're at 21,528.  Marshall's at 27,461.  Tulsa drops to 20k.  What about the Mountain West conference?  Boise State, with their 33k?  Colorado State at 27K?

[Mick]

[quote author=ThePassionOfTheChryst link=topic=13101.msg134085#msg134085 date=1444611808]

Can they not find two schools to join?

They could easily find two schools to join. The question is whether they bring enough revenue to offset the pie being split 12 ways rather than 10.
[/quote]

The problem is that the big five conferences have heavy attendance that smaller conference schools can't match.  SEC averaged 78k in 2014, Big Ten was next at 67k.  Big 12 was third at 58k and the Pac 12 was fourth at 53k.  The ACC brings up the rear at 50k average game attendance, but then it's a big dropoff to the American  Conference.

Probably is that the most likely schools have half the attendance.  Houston might be likely, they averaged 28,311 last year and had the highest average increase from 2013 to 2014.  SMU would be intriguing, they're at 21,528.  Marshall's at 27,461.  Tulsa drops to 20k.  What about the Mountain West conference?  Boise State, with their 33k?  Colorado State at 27K?