This is true. And I'm not disagreeing with that. I do think the SEC is making a mistake with this though. Adding Florida State and Texas for example increases the product more than adding new tv markets imo. Plus those teams have a much larger fan following and those two states have way more population than a Virginia or Oklahoma do. It's about new markets but at the end of the day it's truly about tv viewers for advertisers or tv ratings.
With Texas and Florida combined it's 45+ million in population. Already have teams in those states, fine lets divide that in half to get 23 million (although rivals of teams watch those other teams almost as much as their team, just look how many of us watch Ole Miss and I can bet it's the same with Auburn and Bama etc...). You'd have to add the states of North Carolina (10mill), Virginia (8mill), Oklahoma (4mill) and/or Kansas (3mill) West Virginia (2mill) just to get to HALF of the populations of Texas and Florida combined.
We've been told over and over that the SEC only wants new markets in states that don't already have SEC teams. But why though? In order to get to HALF of the populations of Texas and Florida the SEC would have to add 3 schools in new markets not just 2. Why is the SEC limiting itself for single members? It shouldn't be about 1 school but instead about all 16 members and what a maxed out SEC can bring to all 16 members. To me the two schools the SEC should be drooling to get are Texas and Florida State. This would fuel huge rivalries between aTm/Texas and Florida/Florida State. If its about creating the best SEC and best product then Texas and Florida State are by far the best two schools for the SEC to add. Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, aTm and Kentucky are being selfish imo and the SEC should remind them just exactly how much money they are passing up each year by not adding Texas and FSU. I'm just guessing but I'd say it's an extra 10-15 million every year in additional income for each school.
