significantly bigger that all the other schools. Alumni matters, but not as much as some think. After all, look at the numbers for vanderbuilt, purdue, etc. They draw well, but when they aren't playing the top teams, they don't draw much better than top non sec/big10 teams.

So what is driving this? Decades of being in the spot light. before streaming, there wasn't many opportunities to play on national tv. So the networks played the teams that were good. Over time, that brand recognition matters.

So, if this is true, you'd think that if the non sec/big10 broke off and formed their own league, etc they'd eventually become as dominant, right? Maybe 20 years ago. but now that the big brands are established, they will always be on the major channels and times that give them the big numbers.

The only way the non's will break this strangle hold is if they can consistently deliver winners. Just look at clemson, fsu, miami. At least for fsu and miami, they were nobodies till they captured lightening in a bottle.