I'm lost on your logic that conferences need the SEC for ratings? -- Michigan/Iowa had 1 million more viewers than Bama/Auburn. Michigan/Ohio State had 4 million more viewers than Alabama/Georgia in the SEC championship game. Michigan/Michigan State had 2 million more viewers than Alabama/Florida and 1 million more viewers than Georgia/Clemson. These were all in 2021.
If what you are saying was actually fact -- the SEC would hold every spot in the most watched games of 2021 and it isn't even remotely true. 3 of the top 5 were B1G matchups and 6 of the top 12 had B1G teams involved. UM/OSU was, by far, the most watched game in the regular season -- to put it in perspective -- the Iron Bowl is a huge matchup -- UM/OSU had 6+ million more viewers than Bama/Auburn had.
There is a reason why the B1G has the largest television deal. It isn't because they need another conference to boost ratings.
Pretty sure that when he said "other conferences" he was referring to the ACC and PAC part of the Alliance. We all know that the B1G does fine with their TV contract. It's one of the things that makes the Alliance odd ... the B1G doesn't need the other 2, the other 2 need the B1G ... the PAC in particular. The ACC is fucked with a bad contract that goes through 2036 ... what idiots. That's why the PAC wants the B1G to drop a game and play the PAC. The B1G said "no thanks."
As for why the B1G has the largest TV contract for now, it's because they (1) have by far the largest alumni base of all the conferences, and are still good enough in football to have fans interested; and (2) they have been very smart in going with shorter term contracts that they renegotiated more often. There was risk to that, but it worked out great for the B1G.
As to no. 1 above, the B1G has had very large student bodies for 50+ years. The SEC, on the other hand, was relatively small until recently. For example, Vandy only had 2500 undergrads when I was there in 77-81. Even schools like UGA and Bama and UF that are now in the 40,000 range were at 20,000 for decades. It's as simple as the B1G having more than double the eyeballs from alumni. I have no numbers on non-alumni followers, but would imagine the SEC has more just because "it means more" in the south. Think of all the cousin-fucking Alabama fans who can't even read but call into Finebaum every day (I kid, I kid). We are more CFB states than NFL states. Can't back that up with numbers but that seems right, although not enough to make up for the B1G's large alumni base, who also have non-Alumni fans.
As for no. 2 above, The SEC and B1G basically jump each other in contract value the minute that the new contracts are signed. So, the B1G will go ahead of the SEC next year, the SEC will go ahead of the B1G in 2024. What the B1G did right was negotiate in 2012, then 2016, then 2023. The SEC missed out on the 2016 renegotiations. We tried, CBS said nah, we told CBS to go fuck themselves in 2023. Both have gone with multiple partners in the past, but the SEC is going all-in with ESPN on the next contract.
For the SEC they have two major advantages ... (1) they just added TX and OU. That brings huge value to the SEC, not just because of who those teams are, but because of how it affects the inventory of games. And (2) because we are likely going to go to 9 IC games and pods for the 2024 contract, we will have a better inventory of games. I can't understate the value of the move to 9 IC games, and pods where we play each school every 2 years instead of every 6 years. Think about that. You now get OU/TX v. half of Bama, UGA, LSU, UF, Auburn, ATM, UTjr every other year. And, in a 6 year period you get games like UGA/UF/UTjr v. Bama/ATM/LSU every other year instead of every 6 years.
For those interested, here is a great article on 2021 viewership. This shows why the B1G and the SEC get paid like they do.
