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| B10'S COMMISSIONER JIM DELANY |
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BIG 10 NEW SCHEDULING STRATEGY COULD TRANSLATE INTO DRAMATIC AND LONG LASTING CHANGES FOR GANG OF 5 SCHOOLS
Speaking to reporters in Chicago at yesterdays Big 10 Media Day, Commissioner Jim Delany, announced new and sweeping changes to the current Big 10 scheduling philosophy. Staring in 2016 the Big 10 will no longer allow its football teams to schedule FCS opponents.( by virtue of the rule change, potentially no Gang of 5 schools either)
Starting with the 2016 Football Season, all Big 10 schools will be forced to schedule and play only schools from the so called 5 Power Conferences. Delany made the decision in part he said, because he wants the Big 10 to play competition that he believes will enhance the reputation and prestige of the conference. Delany also noted that he thinks that fans and coaches of the Big 10 want this for the league as well. As Delany put it: "So I think better competition draws the fans more. I think if you asked players, they don’t like practice very often but they love games. They love big games. So I think it’s partly (for the) player and fan and television."
While Commissioner Delany did not specifically mention what the new Big 10 schedule change might mean for Gang of 5 schools, it seems clear that the new mandate could potentially spell bad news for the Gang of 5 Conferences.
In fact, many Gang of 5 Presidents and AD's have been privately worried about the Power Conferences shutting their school's and teams out by refusing to schedule them. With the Big 10's surprise schedule change announcement , the fears of many of those within the Gang of 5 leadership ranks has become more reality than speculation.
The greatest of these fears of course, is that the Big 10 is just the beginning of an overall Power 5 strategy to cut not only FCS schools out of the scheduling loop, but Gang of 5 schools as well. If this were to happen it would not only change the landscape of college football forever, it would also ensure that the divide between the Power 5 and Gang of 5 becomes a fait accompli.
GOING FORWARD
You can rest assure that each of the Gang of 5 League Commissions have been working the phones since yesterday trying to gage which, if any the other Power 5 Conferences, are interested in following the new Big 10 scheduling model. While I do not think the remaining Power Conference Commissioners have any immediate plans to to change their scheduling models, I do believe that many will be watching the Big 10 very closely over the course of the next several years to gage how the no FCS mandate is working.
If the other P5 Conferences perceive that the Big 10 has gained an edge in the the College Playoffs because of their schedule change, then we will see a rush by the remaining Power Conferences to do the same.
At that point all bets would be off in terms of the viability of the Gang of 5 Conferences. At the very least, it seems likely that some G5 leagues might be granted scheduling rights whereby the Power conferences would deem some G5 leagues more worthy than others. The MWC and the AAC, with their ESPN contacts and more recognizable brands would seem to be the two conferences that might( might be the key word) fair the best if such an arrangement were made.
However the new Big 10 schedule change end up shaking out( Big 10 coaches by the way, appear to be unhappy with the no FCS rule) Gang of 5 fans should be paying close attention to this new development as it could mean both dramatic and long term changes for the Gang of 5 schools in how they operate and/or survive. Stay tuned.
You may need to take a look at what they are proposing. No FCS schools and at least one Power 5 team OOC a year. They will still play G5 teams. Really not a bad thing for us. Takes some schools out of the loop. I imagine the MAC will get the most play. I think the SEC and ACC are already telling their teams to schedule at least one P5 OOC a year.
ReplyDeleteNick, thanks for the post. Good perspective . I think we are seeing a gradual line being drawn in the sand in which many G5 schools are going to find themselves on the wrong side. I read one sports writer yesterday mention that the Big 10 would no longer be playing App State and FIU. Clearly the writer had failed to realize that App and FIU are no longer in the FCS division. Herein lies the problem, Jim Delany is not so much concerned about FCS schools on the schedule as he is schools on the schedule that reduce the perception, prestige and lower the competitive nature of the Big 10. So in a way it does not really matter who was banned so much as it is a statement on the divide between what college fans consider to be competitive and non competitive schools.
DeleteAs far as the MAC is concerned I think some schools will be safe others not so much. I think the safest group are the top half's of the AAC and MWC , the top quarter of the MAC and one or two schools from the CUSA and the Sun Belt. I really hope I am wrong and your are right . I hope the BIg 10 announcement will not hurt G5 schools.