NCAA Conference Realignment

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So what do you guys think happened with the PAC-10? It seems like it could be any one (or combination of) several scenarios.

 

Did Larry Scott not have the votes to admit new schools?

Did Larry Scott not have the votes to get OSU and TTU in the Pac-10, so their big brothers backed out?

Was the LHN to big a hurdle to overcome?

Was the whole thing a ploy by OU to effect change in the Big 12 that got a little out of hand?

Did Larry Scott/the PAC get tired of having their chain jerked around and withdraw the offer?

Did OU and UT get together to work out a deal, then decline the Pac-10. After that, the Pac "declined" to expand?

 

I think it was at least 90% LHN.

Revenue sharing from LHN, right? I read that somewhere.

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Why isn't Bouse State in any of the disussions to join a BCS conference? Do the conferences not want them (because of academics maybe?) or do they not have an interest in becoming the BCS school they've long fought against for respect?

 

It's because they're a borderline JUCO that has no fanbase or media markets of note. Their stadium seats 5000 less than the lowest BCS conference team(Cincy).

 

They're currently increasing the seating capacity of the stadium, which will seat 53,000 when complete in time for the 2013 season. According to Nate Silver, they have a bigger fan base than TCU. Boise State is the #41 highest seller in collegiate apparel (for the first quarter of 2010-2011 fiscal year) as well. Academics is the excuse I hear the most, but frankly I think it's far more likely about geography. If they were located closer further south, I think they'd have a better chance.

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

[minnesotacubsfan]

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

 

 

maybe there is a better way/approach, but I sure don't see anyone providing one.

[fiver]

Why isn't Bouse State in any of the disussions to join a BCS conference? Do the conferences not want them (because of academics maybe?) or do they not have an interest in becoming the BCS school they've long fought against for respect?

 

It's because they're a borderline JUCO that has no fanbase or media markets of note. Their stadium seats 5000 less than the lowest BCS conference team(Cincy).

 

They're currently increasing the seating capacity of the stadium, which will seat 53,000 when complete in time for the 2013 season. According to Nate Silver, they have a bigger fan base than TCU. Boise State is the #41 highest seller in collegiate apparel (for the first quarter of 2010-2011 fiscal year) as well. Academics is the excuse I hear the most, but frankly I think it's far more likely about geography. If they were located closer further south, I think they'd have a better chance.

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Silver also listed Auburn as having a larger fanbase than Alabama, and I have a hard time believing that. Bama fans seemingly outnumber Auburn fans by a pretty wide margin in the state of Alabama...I don't have anything but anecdotal evidence to support that....maybe Bama fans are just louder and more obnoxious so they seem to outnumber AU fans.

[Banedon]

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

 

 

maybe there is a better way/approach, but I sure don't see anyone providing one.

 

I don't need numbers to prove it. I can just see it with my eyes!

[fiver]

So what do you guys think happened with the PAC-10? It seems like it could be any one (or combination of) several scenarios.

 

Did Larry Scott not have the votes to admit new schools?

Did Larry Scott not have the votes to get OSU and TTU in the Pac-10, so their big brothers backed out?

Was the LHN to big a hurdle to overcome?

Was the whole thing a ploy by OU to effect change in the Big 12 that got a little out of hand?

Did Larry Scott/the PAC get tired of having their chain jerked around and withdraw the offer?

Did OU and UT get together to work out a deal, then decline the Pac-10. After that, the Pac "declined" to expand?

 

I think it was at least 90% LHN.

 

Yes, I've heard that LHN was the sticking point, and it's going to be the sticking point with the other BCS conferences as well. Texas would need to become an independent, equally share LHN revenue, or remain in the Big 12.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

 

 

maybe there is a better way/approach, but I sure don't see anyone providing one.

 

Not using google results for the term "college football"?? What is this AOL?

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According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

 

 

maybe there is a better way/approach, but I sure don't see anyone providing one.

You just like anything that has MN among the 100 most popular programs.

[bukie]

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

 

 

maybe there is a better way/approach, but I sure don't see anyone providing one.

 

Not using google results for the term "college football"?? What is this AOL?

If he'd used AOL data, then I'd be more apt to call it into question. Google search results are a pretty good read these days on people's interests. More so than TV audiences and ticket revenues.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

According to Nate Silver, Clemson has the 10th biggest fanbase in the coutnry.

 

Nate Silver is a god and his word is gospel.

 

 

maybe there is a better way/approach, but I sure don't see anyone providing one.

 

Not using google results for the term "college football"?? What is this AOL?

If he'd used AOL data, then I'd be more apt to call it into question. Google search results are a pretty good read these days on people's interests. More so than TV audiences and ticket revenues.

 

Google results for the term "College Football" Who are the morons saying I want to read more about my team, let me search the term college football.

[bukie]

Google results for the term "College Football" Who are the morons saying I want to read more about my team, let me search the term college football.

 

Yes, the thought that searching for the term "College Football" indicates an interest in college football is pure farce. I can only imagine the number of people who search "college football" and have no interest in it what so ever. I'm sure the majority of them are searching for "I have no interest in college football. Where are places I can go that have no college football?"

 

Equating analysis of Google search results to AOL is akin to equating DIPS to tobacco.

 

EDIT: And yes, doing market analysis based on Google search results is a real thing, and widely done. How do you think Google makes money?

[Guest]

Google results for the term "College Football" Who are the morons saying I want to read more about my team, let me search the term college football.

 

Yes, the thought that searching for the term "College Football" indicates an interest in college football is pure farce. I can only imagine the number of people who search "college football" and have no interest in it what so ever. I'm sure the majority of them are searching for "I have no interest in college football. Where are places I can go that have no college football?"

 

Equating analysis of Google search results to AOL is akin to equating DIPS to tobacco.

 

EDIT: And yes, doing market analysis based on Google search results is a real thing, and widely done. How do you think Google makes money?

 

Don't be obtuse, that term is extremely vague and far, far, far from being inclusive. Maybe, maybe it's a good guess of casual fandom. But take a poll here, or any site where college football fans gather. How many of them do you think searched that term in the last 12 months? I'd say 5% at the absolute maximum.

[Banedon]

Don't be obtuse, that term is extremely vague and far, far, far from being inclusive. Maybe, maybe it's a good guess of casual fandom. But take a poll here, or any site where college football fans gather. How many of them do you think searched that term in the last 12 months? I'd say 5% at the absolute maximum.

 

I googled "nate silver college football" about an hour ago.

[bukie]

Google results for the term "College Football" Who are the morons saying I want to read more about my team, let me search the term college football.

 

Yes, the thought that searching for the term "College Football" indicates an interest in college football is pure farce. I can only imagine the number of people who search "college football" and have no interest in it what so ever. I'm sure the majority of them are searching for "I have no interest in college football. Where are places I can go that have no college football?"

 

Equating analysis of Google search results to AOL is akin to equating DIPS to tobacco.

 

EDIT: And yes, doing market analysis based on Google search results is a real thing, and widely done. How do you think Google makes money?

 

Don't be obtuse, that term is extremely vague and far, far, far from being inclusive. Maybe, maybe it's a good guess of casual fandom. But take a poll here, or any site where college football fans gather. How many of them do you think searched that term in the last 12 months? I'd say 5% at the absolute maximum.

Considering all the search permutations that include the phrase "college football" I'd wager it's a lot more than that. Even for someone who already knows of a forum to post at and data sites to get reliable statistics, it's not uncommon to search for things like "college football tickets" or "2011 college football schedule", which pulling up analytics based on searching for "college football" will include.

 

Could it be better to aggregate searches on other terms like "NCAA football", or "Division 1 football" or even just "football"? Maybe so, but "college football" is a general enough term to pick up a fair aggregate with enough data, and on a sample size like the entire United States over a time period of a year, it's probably a fair estimate.

 

As far as his estimates going to the individual for schools, it's more precise than he probably should be, but estimating within, say, a +/- 10k or even 50k error is probably fair.

[SouthSideRyan]

What? If I want tickets for Arkansas State-LA Monroe, why would I search "college football tickets?" If I want New Mexico State's football schedule, why am I searching "college football schedule?"

 

How did you find NSBB, bukie? Did you search baseball message board, and dug through the results until you found one for the Cubs?

[bukie]

What? If I want tickets for Arkansas State-LA Monroe, why would I search "college football tickets?" If I want New Mexico State's football schedule, why am I searching "college football schedule?"

 

How did you find NSBB, bukie? Did you search baseball message board, and dug through the results until you found one for the Cubs?

I was referred to NSBB. I've located other Cubs message boards by, you know, googling Cubs message boards or Cubs fan sites. I've found other decent sports fan sites/forums by googling for them too.

 

Web developers spend hours upon hours improving their SEO specifically so they'll come up higher in google searches.

 

Oh, and if I want New Mexico State's football schedule, I'd probably search "New Mexico State college football schedule", yes. Maybe with a specific year if I wanted, say, next year's schedule.

[jersey cubs fan]

What? If I want tickets for Arkansas State-LA Monroe, why would I search "college football tickets?" If I want New Mexico State's football schedule, why am I searching "college football schedule?"

 

How did you find NSBB, bukie? Did you search baseball message board, and dug through the results until you found one for the Cubs?

I was referred to NSBB. I've located other Cubs message boards by, you know, googling Cubs message boards or Cubs fan sites. I've found other decent sports fan sites/forums by googling for them too.

 

Web developers spend hours upon hours improving their SEO specifically so they'll come up higher in google searches.

 

Oh, and if I want New Mexico State's football schedule, I'd probably search "New Mexico State college football schedule", yes. Maybe with a specific year if I wanted, say, next year's schedule.

 

You would not arbitrarily throw the word college into that search. That would be stupid.

[bukie]

You would not arbitrarily throw the word college into that search. That would be stupid.

You're right, the word college would totally throw off the search and give me wrong results.

[SouthSideRyan]

So as to not confuse it with New Mexico State's professional football schedule.

[jersey cubs fan]

You would not arbitrarily throw the word college into that search. That would be stupid.

You're right, the word college would totally throw off the search and give me wrong results.

 

Why would you add unnecessary words? You're lying or not very smart. I wouldn't search Chicago Bears National Football League schedule. You wouldn't search New Mexico State College football schedule. You'd type in New Mexico State, and football would come up automatically and unless you were afraid of not having the schedule come up in the first selection you'd stop there. But you would not enter the word college for no good reason. It would be really freaking stupid.

[bukie]

Again, there are probably ways to get more exact numbers from analytics by checking results for each school's searches with "football", or by getting data on a variety of other terms. But, with the huge sample size he was getting, the results aren't going to be very meaningfully different in terms of gauging interest by location than going with a generic search term.

[jersey cubs fan]

the only thing I could think of that would be normal would be something like college football recruiting schedule, or college football betting lines.

[Guest]

You would not arbitrarily throw the word college into that search. That would be stupid.

You're right, the word college would totally throw off the search and give me wrong results.

 

"Chicago Cubs MLB major league baseball team 2011 schedule wrigley field" wouldn't throw off a search for the Cubs schedule either. Doesn't mean someone searches that way.

[Banedon]

the only thing I could think of that would be normal would be something like college football recruiting schedule, or college football betting lines.

 

college football rankings

college football stats

college football champions

college football reference (I never remember the different url's for the "reference" sites)

[Guest]

Conversely,

 

espn.com