SEC Football: The ACC's New TV Deal Signifies That the SEC Is About to Cash-in

Things are going to be different in the SEC next year. Seeing those Texas A&M and Missouri helmets in SEC stadiums will certainly be outside the comfort level of SEC traditionalists, some of whom are still upset that the two are coming to the conference.

Wednesday afternoon was further proof of that conference realignment.

The ACC and ESPN announced a new 15-year deal worth $240 million. That's a lot of money, no doubt. But as my colleague Michael Felder over at Your Best 11 points out, in the landscape of the current era of college football, it's not exactly ground-breaking—about $4 million more per school, per year.

But still, for the ACC—which has become more of a punchline than a gridiron power—it's nice. But what does it mean for the SEC?

It means that the SEC is about to back up the Brinks truck to the corporate headquarters of both ESPN and CBS.

The primary reason for the ACC's new deal is the addition of Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the conference. The addition of Texas A&M and Missouri allows the SEC to "look in" and discusses television contract amendments now that the landscape of the conference has changed.

Translation? Cha-ching.

Conferences expanded in order to gain television markets. Texas A&M brings Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, which are market Nos. 5, 10 and 36, respectively. Missouri expands the SEC footprint to St. Louis (No. 21) and Kansas City (No. 31). In other words, the SEC added 14 percent of the top 36 television markets in the United States just by adding two teams.

For perspective purposes, Pittsburgh is No. 23 on the most recent Nielsen Market Universe estimates. Syracuse is way down at No. 84; and nearby markets Buffalo, N.Y. (No. 51) and Rochester, N.Y. (No. 79) don't exactly translate into major advertising dollars.

Texas A&M and Missouri may not seem like they fit now, but when the SEC announces its revised television deal and the money starts to trickle down to the schools, those concerns should go flying out the window.

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