The Blue Board

It's very hard to measure "national brand". You can throw TV deals out there, but those reflect the whole conference. You could talk about merchandise sales, but that's mostly regional. There would be almost no way to argue either side with facts. Both are very well known programs. Alabama has a better tradition (according to most) and ranks higher all time (according to most), but that doesn't necessarily mean bigger national brand. Interesting topic, though.

Cowherds stance is that "Alabama will not leave the region to play an OOC game on the west coast or west of the Mississippi."

My thoughts are that Alabama really does not need to open new recruiting areas by traveling - so there is no benefit to going west IMO.

Does that hurt their national brand - probably

But it also hurts bamas national brand that other SEC average teams ride Alabama's coat tail of success by associating Alabama's success as the conferences success.

I'm guessing he meant non-neutral site OOC game since we just got back from Dallas (a purposeful move by Saban to open up Texas btw).

I'd love for us to have home-and-aways with USC,Texas,Oklahoma,Ohio State etc. but I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the costs.

I like your style..We have played games on the west coast in the past but who does travel all over the country on a yearly basis to play good teams.. ND is the only school that I know for sure will play anybody anywhere.

OSU is probably a better national brand but it seems that Bama is doing okay. Why do they need a national brand when they get most of who they want from the most fertile recruiting region in the country? National brand is an overrated concept. How's ND's national brand been helping them lately? LSU barely leaves the state of LA and does fine. National brand is a discussion that talking heads use. Fans and coaches overall don't give a damn. The best teams have the ability to go anywhere and get recruits. Bama may not get a ton of recruits from outside the southeast but they get kids they really press for. See Trey Depriest. OSU obviously should've worried more about home than the national brand

New York Times did the study

If you add up these results across all 210 markets, the three most popular teams are the three that also usually have the largest home attendance: Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. (Ohio State is ranked first in the country with about 3.1 million fans.)

http://blogs.denverpost.com/colleges/2011/09/21/20653/20653/

That study can't be right because they are missing about 1 million Alabama residents who didn't choose a side.

Why, because OSU has a bunch of tatooed students looking smoked out, walking up and down a strip filled bars that is basically on campus. Or is it because you may see an ocasional movie star on the strip.

Need a hug?

I am lost on this. Not even being mean. I'm just completely missing your point.

Is it just to jab at OSU campus life or the students? If so, step your game up. If not, please explain further.

Who wore the tux from 92 until Saban got there?

Florida, Tennessee, LSU, Florida again