30 years of data on our side shows there's not much impact.
We have lacked necessary leadership to manage such an increase in funding. It took HBC showing up in 2005 to start any meaningful facility upgrades. At that point we were light years behind our competition in the SEC. But hey, we had a big stadium and we showed up to games even when we sucked. YAY! I really credit Eric Hyman a lot for being a disruptor. We had gone along to get along for way too long.
I see no difference. Mediocrity shouldn't be accepted at ANY level. "I would rather be mediocre..." is something that should never be said. I don't care what the comparison is. Mediocre shouldn't be an option.
Typically the reason for failed organizations is poor leadership. I've never said Clem would magically turn into some superpower. All I'm saying is we spent 13 years in the SEC collecting that check before we started making significant facilities upgrades. Why?? There was an arms race going on in the SEC, and we just sat there cashing a check hiring guys like Brad Scott and Sparky Woods. The Holtz/HBC hires were great. But again, nothing facilities wise going on under Holtz. Wasn't until HBC came on until that started. HBC was clearly checked out 2 years before he quit mid season. Then we hire a guy that couldn't win at a place that had won 2 NCs within the last decade. So yeah, I'd agree we've had some pretty awful leadership.
What happened is in 2005 we hired a winner. I remember reading about how shocked he was that our facilities were that bad. Any even still, he said "why not us?". Even still he said "don't cheer for us when we lose". I hate the way he left, and a part of me will never forgive him for it. But the man introduced something to USC that we hadn't seen in a very, very long time....HOPE.
I used the ACC as an example only to represent any other lesser conference. You can pick your own and fill in the blank. I'm not talking about joining the ACC either.
| Average Team Payout | |||
| ACC | SEC | Delta | |
| 2015 | 26.0 | 33.0 | 7.0 |
| 2016 | 23.8 | 40.4 | 16.6 |
| 2017 | 27.0 | 40.9 | 13.9 |
| 2018 | 29.5 | 43.7 | 14.2 |
| 2019 | 33.0 | 45.3 | 12.3 |
| 2020 | 35.0 | 52.0 | 17.0 |
| 2021 | 37 | 59.5 | 22.5 |
| 2022 | 30.9 | 54.3 | 23.4 |
| 2023 | 36.3 | 56 | 19.7 |
| 2024 | 37.9 | 57.6 | 19.7 |
| 2025 | 39.6 | 74.9 | 35.3 |
| 2026 | 48.6 | 96.4 | 47.8 |
| 2027 | 50.7 | 99.3 | 48.6 |
| 2028 | 52.9 | 102.3 | 49.4 |
| 2029 | 55.3 | 105.3 | 50 |
You said it led to a boost in winning. I say it led to a dramatic boost in revenue and that will only increase. Such a revenue increase is a huge deal. It is up to the university to use it properly by selecting the right coaches and spending appropriately on facilities. The fact is that without the sec money and cachet we would be highly irrelevant forever. And even good decisions by the university would not have a large impact due to the lack resources and importance.
Kentucky, Mis. St.,, Ole Miss, and some other schools have ben in the SEC for longer than us and struggle to get out of the mid tier level with the exception of a few years.
We were in the ACC for 18 years. We've been in the SEC 32 years and counting. I'd say we're clearly an SEC school at this point.
Hyman had the plans drawn up....which was a big step. The building really didn't start until the new baseball stadium and the Dodie where Mrs. Anderson simply asked what the HBC wanted. After that it was Tanner's responsibility to cajole private donors to give the seed money and then go to the legislature to increase our cap on deficit spending for athletic facilities. The increased SEC money simply allows us to service the long term debt financing from the issuance of state bonds. Unlike many other states, SC has a cap on financing athletic facilities and getting the legislature to increase that cap is no small task.
And vice versa for Georgia Tech.
What if you went to Disney and didn’t get to ride anything. And was left thinking if you had gone to Carowinds you would’ve gotten to ride stuff.
They don't. They try and watch us play, hoping we'll lose. They get up for Florida State and maybe a non conference Notre Dame game but they'll admit that their schedule is about as exciting as the WAC.
Exactly. Frame the question about an SEC boost that you define as more wins and dare someone to show you are wrong. The record is known. The revenue is known also. No sane AD would leave the SEC. Bringing in more teams may dilute it though.
We have been in the SEC longer than we were in the ACC. Look if you want to be treated and screwed like we were in the ACC that is your right. My viewpoint is we are an SEC school and that is where we are belong and will never go back to the ACC. That my friend is not my opinion but it is a fact.
We screwed ourselves vis a vis the ACC, Notwithstanding the foolish decision to leave almost 52 years ago, of course we're not going back. That ship sailed in 1990. Not a fact, but an opinion shared by well over 99% of the universe.
