Conference Expansions!!!!

[klunky]

Pretty interesting conversation I heard on talk radio the other day "indicting" ESPN as a driving force behind these moves, The motivation? Money!
According to one of the talking heads involved in the show, a lawsuit may be imminent.

[waygone]

I don't understand why ESPN would be pushing any of this?

The Big Ten Network is most certainly the driving force that started this mess.
Please fill me in a little more about ESPN Klunky.

[klunky]

Not being smart alecked, but have you ever noticed how many games that ESPN televises during the bowl season alone?
As I understood it, ESPN is pushing for a format of their own to determine a bowl championship series, and it involves 8 different 'super' conferences.
They are supposedly working behind the scenes for realignment, all because they are making obscene amounts of money on all of these games (advertising) and throwing it at the conferences to gain telecast rights. I'm not sure if the big 10 network is a off shoot of ESPN or if they have a hand in it, but the exclusive big 10 television rights, and their tie in with the Rose Bowl make it very attractive. They have some impressive markets, but are looking to get into the NYC area. That is the reason for some of the odd (geographic area) teams mentioned.
If successful, it also drives up the market prices for rights to other conferences like SEC, PAC 10, etc. The other players (NBC, CBS, etc.) will be forced to pay more for their exclusive rights packages.
The realignments are to gain metropolitan TV markets, but the work behind the scenes by ESPN to create their own national championship series has school presidents, athletic directors and even the NFL supposedly pulling their hair out and threatening lawsuits.
That's my understanding of what I heard.