is a legitimate debate about a ten-game conference football schedule.
One possible solution to this that the conference athletic directors are considering is the 10-game conference schedule. Of course, while that balances out home and road games in conference, it only leaves space for two nonconference games, which means it could be just as hard to get to seven home games on the season.
“Most of us need seven home games in order to make our local budgets,” Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said. “Is there a way to overcome that? I don’t know. We’ll have to look at that. The conference is aware that it’s an issue.”
A reason they can contemplate losing that seventh home game is the math behind what a tenth conference game adds to the value of the broadcast package.
… The more Big Ten games that are played give the Big Ten more Big Ten games to show on its network and sell as part of the conference’s new television deal. All of which leads to more money.
Money that could help overcome the loss of an occasional home game.
This will be interesting to keep an eye on, no doubt. Especially as we watch Slive tap dance with the networks on the new SEC TV deals (and possible birth of a SEC Network).
Get The Picture 
This is fantastic. I also find justice in the fact that the 9 game schedule is looking more like reality due to the overplayed greed of the powers that be. I’ve long thought expansion would ultimately be worth it if it meant an additional conf game(s). If your business is providing tv content, you best make it relevant.
I just hope it doesn’t mess with Jacksonville.
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It shouldn’t as long as Jax is more profitable to the schools than home-and-home is.
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Fire away at my ignorance but isn’t Jax more profitable for us than for the jorts-wearers?
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I think Georgia gets a higher travel allowance than Florida, but that’s about it.
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10 SEC games, plus Tech makes a tough schedule every year. That means playoffs have to expand to make sure that SEC teams with 2 loses will be well rep’d in the playoff. also means that a early loss to Ole Miss is basically meaningless. The slide towards a nfl style season began before we knew we were on the slope.
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Hell, If I hollered for a school that played in the Big Whatever, why would I care how many conference games my team played?
Fortunately, (or unfortunately) dat dont work for me, cause I holler for a SEC school…where even the bottom dwellers would love to play 10 Big Whatever schools a year.
The Genius of Urban Meyer makes itself apparent.
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So, the homegame gate is still the life-blood? How can this be true?
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Then let’s contemplate and discuss/debate a 10-game schedule.
Nine is a good SEC game number that puts us back to rotating two games from the other division. If ten is done to promote 6 SEC home games (at least) every once in a while, will that change the ticket- purchasing packages that some recently disdained? I’m sure it would in this conference, but not so sure in others.
Two premises:
1) 10 games would ensure a yet even more competitive SEC representative to the NC.
2) Increases possibility of more losses and/or injury in this strong conference.
Which one do you hold above the other? Remember that other conferences may choose to forego their AA cupcakes and actually play a more competitive schedule to keep up with the competitiveness of the SEC. Catchup if you will. Should we wait to see how it affects them or try to get ahead of the curb?
As for me and mine, we prefer the competitiveness of extra conference games that are more interesting than the resultant “W” or “L”. Others may differ. The point is that Bluto placed this sidedish of speculation for our enjoyment and all he has gotten from us is crickets. Did all the argumentative aholes on here retire ( not all because I’m one and haven’t retired yet) or is it that no one has the stomach for a good word fight anymore? Cheez!!
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I’d love to see a 10-game SEC schedule; but we’d have to lose either the Tech game home-and-home or the Fla game in Jax to be able to play more than 6 home games/season (only 5 home games in years we played Tech in Atl). Or we could add a 13th game to the season, at home against some Buffalo.
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