Seems to me the move to stop the SEC is to limit
by MarkinSeattle (2021-07-31 16:18:33)
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the total number of playoff spots from any league each year. I am not sure of the number, but if each conference is limited to something like 3-4 spots, the incentive to join the SEC becomes a lot less. An expanded playoff is going to reduce the emphasis of regular season games, so that the focus becomes getting to and through the playoffs. Being in a hyper competitive league would no longer be a big advantage to getting to the playoffs.

ESPN has stupidly played their cards on this early, and I will be surprised if a maximum number of teams per conference isn’t introduced. I will also be surprised if now there isn’t a groundswell to make sure the playoff games are broken up among multiple channels as well.

Playoff expansion is on hold for the time-being. That became
by VaDblDmr  (2021-07-31 16:49:46)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

evident as soon as the SEC acquisition news came out, and various quotes this week, the Pac-12 commissioner's for one, confirm it.
I was under the impression that playoff expansion was a
by RoccoGlobboSchoolForWomen  (2021-07-31 17:12:24)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

prerequisite for OU/UT joining the SEC. I’ve been wrong before though.

Nothing's been confirmed, but yes
by gordonbombay  (2021-08-02 11:37:41)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I think Sankey would've been pushing for more than 8 anyway for the at-large bids, but Texas and Oklahoma probably weren't going to come without it.
Negative. The formal invitation from the SEC has been made,
by VaDblDmr  (2021-07-31 19:48:50)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

but playoff expansion is nothing more than an idea at this point.

That said, some believe that the SEC was trying to keep this move under wraps until expansion was much further along, and maybe even official, but that's not what happened.
The expansion is not yet approved
by 3AONEILL08  (2021-07-31 17:59:14)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

And incentives have changed with the move. Other (non-SEC) conferences may get a higher proportion of the playoff field in a 4-team playoff. And if there is a 12-team field, it's definitely not in the SEC's interest to require a conference championship to earn a first-round bye.