Bianchi: SEC should buy FSU, Clemson, Texas and Oklahoma
When money's being doled out by the hundreds of millions in college football, every program — especially the elites — seek their piece of the pie.
Mike Bianchi, a longtime college football columnist and daily radio figure in Central Florida, wrote Monday in
The Orlando Sentinel that the SEC needs to continue its "master plan of world domination" by bankrupting the Big 12 and ACC with the purchase of Florida State, Clemson, Texas and Oklahoma — a brazen opinion that may not be so far-fetched after all.
Securing four heavyweights would cripple those respective Power Fives and transform the SEC into a fire-breathing monster bigger than it already is with rule over its kingdom against the money-printing Big Ten.
It's survival of the fittest at its finest.
Bianchi's basing his opinion on growing revenue projections in the coming years which could eventually leave the SEC and Big Ten as college football's only primary superpowers.
"There are some estimates that the SEC and Big Ten could be distributing upward of $25 million per year more in TV revenue to its members than the Big 12 and ACC,"
Bianchi writes. "Do you really think FSU is going to sit idly by while the Gators are making $250 million-per-decade more than the Seminoles are making?"
As of now, the ACC and Big 12 have decided not to move forward with conference-wide TV networks, a potentially fatal blow in terms of revenue despite being desperately needed, Bianchi says.
Without them, the Seminoles, Tigers, Longhorns and Sooners should listen to all bidders.
"What this means is the SEC, Big Ten and possibly the Pac-12 (although its network isn't nearly as successful) will continue to reap additional money from their still-growing networks while the ACC and Big 12's TV money stagnates," Bianchi writes. "Consequently, Big 12 and ACC coaches will soon start sounding as frustrated as the non-Power 5 coaches who currently wonder how they will be able to keep pace in the arms race that is college football."
Bianchi may be onto something with this clincher:
"Mark my words, in a few years, Jimbo Fisher and Dabo Swinney will be singing the same sad song. And this is when the SEC will swoop in and ask a simple question of FSU, Clemson, Texas and Oklahoma: "Do you want to come with us and make $50 million a year or stay where you're at and make $25 million?"
"If it's going to happen eventually, why not just do it immediately?"
Will the SEC go after Florida State, Clemson, Texas and Oklahoma with money bags?
Media Days and CFB Live right around the corner. I'm bout to rack up in these Magazines this weekend.
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