SEC expansion talk is entertaining. It’s fun to think about Clemson or FSU joining the SEC East. I like that idea from a rivalry standpoint.
As a Georgia fan, I’ve always wanted to see the Bulldogs play both of these teams on a regular basis. They are both close by. They are both powerful programs. They are both bitter rivals with current SEC schools — Clemson/South Carolina and Florida/Florida State.
As for Texas A&M or Missouri or Virginia Tech, well, that’s not particularly exciting. But adding these schools makes a lot more business sense for the SEC. If you’re looking at money, then you want to expand your market. There is currently no SEC school in Texas, Missouri or Virginia. So, grabbing new fans in new states will do a lot for revenues.
But what would be the point of expansion?
It’s fun to be the strongest and fantasize about being stronger. That’s what the SEC expansion talk is really about.
But expansion could also seriously dilute an already powerful product.
Here’s why: The farther you get from everybody playing everybody else, the farther you get from a clear and true champion.
Scheduling is a huge factor in winning any championship. Consider that Georgia will avoid playing Alabama and LSU in the regular season. Other SEC East schools aren’t so lucky. That means Georgia has a competitive edge in the East this year in terms of scheduling.
Expanding the conference to 14 or 16 teams will only amplify such scheduling differences, leaving some good teams with a much easier slate than others. You’ll have champions with an asterisk — “yeah, they won the conference title, but they avoided playing the top three teams in the conference.”
Likewise, we should question any realignment that involves conferences jumping out of their actual geographic area to grab schools. For instance, why is South Florida in the Big East, a traditionally northeastern conference?
As it stands, the SEC is truly southeastern. But are Texas and Missouri really part of the southeastern United States? Not really. If “SEC pride” is really about football in the southeastern United States, then the SEC shouldn’t step out of the nation’s actual southeast.
All of this is interesting talk. But a simplistic Southern saying should sum up the best course of action here: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Zach Mitcham is editor of The Madison County Journal.
As a Georgia fan, I’ve always wanted to see the Bulldogs play both of these teams on a regular basis. They are both close by. They are both powerful programs. They are both bitter rivals with current SEC schools — Clemson/South Carolina and Florida/Florida State.
As for Texas A&M or Missouri or Virginia Tech, well, that’s not particularly exciting. But adding these schools makes a lot more business sense for the SEC. If you’re looking at money, then you want to expand your market. There is currently no SEC school in Texas, Missouri or Virginia. So, grabbing new fans in new states will do a lot for revenues.
But what would be the point of expansion?
It’s fun to be the strongest and fantasize about being stronger. That’s what the SEC expansion talk is really about.
But expansion could also seriously dilute an already powerful product.
Here’s why: The farther you get from everybody playing everybody else, the farther you get from a clear and true champion.
Scheduling is a huge factor in winning any championship. Consider that Georgia will avoid playing Alabama and LSU in the regular season. Other SEC East schools aren’t so lucky. That means Georgia has a competitive edge in the East this year in terms of scheduling.
Expanding the conference to 14 or 16 teams will only amplify such scheduling differences, leaving some good teams with a much easier slate than others. You’ll have champions with an asterisk — “yeah, they won the conference title, but they avoided playing the top three teams in the conference.”
Likewise, we should question any realignment that involves conferences jumping out of their actual geographic area to grab schools. For instance, why is South Florida in the Big East, a traditionally northeastern conference?
As it stands, the SEC is truly southeastern. But are Texas and Missouri really part of the southeastern United States? Not really. If “SEC pride” is really about football in the southeastern United States, then the SEC shouldn’t step out of the nation’s actual southeast.
All of this is interesting talk. But a simplistic Southern saying should sum up the best course of action here: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Zach Mitcham is editor of The Madison County Journal.
