wardly

I think that the BIG 12 had an opportunity to absorb all or most of PAC 12 after UCLA and USC left but the financial numbers didn't work.

Correct. Cal might want to do the same but I don't know if they can afford to.

I looked into my crystal ball this morning and saw Stanford and Cal going independent, the MWC voting to abolish their poison pill for leaving their conference, and 8 of their 11 members joining the new PAC 10. New Mexico ,SJSU, and a third school were left behind. My crystal ball clouded up because of global warming and I was unable to determine the 3 rd program.

Stanford supports 36 athletic teams. I think UT supports about 18. As a result of bad decisions and poor management by the PAC 12 , Stanford will probably have to drop some and a number of athletes will lose their scholarships . College football and basketball tote the note for all other sports.

It doesn't really seem that hard. Seven MWC schools change the rules and leave without any exit fee. Stanford will probably go independent so the other 3 PAC 12 schools form a new PAC 12. If Cal decides to go independent then grab 1 of the 4 MWC schools still available. The other 3 can move to WAC or CUSA.

Please, anyone but the Spartans . Their nickname is a reflection of their budget and fan base. SJSU fits CUSA or WAC much better.

So if the PAC 12 invites Fresno ST.,UNLV, AFA, Colorado State,Boise St. , Utah State, and SDSU , and they cancel out the exit fees then , move to the PAC hopefully taking SMU with them and they have 12 programs. The " left behind" programs can join the WAC or CUSA. However, like any divorce, the PAC 4 are going to learn to live on a lot less than $30 million a year and cut their other athletic programs to the bone

It may be their last prayer to survive.

OPPS! It appears that the MWC members took a poison pill a few years AGO AND IT WOULD COST A MEMBER $34 MILLION to leave. Looks like the "forgotten four' might be best served by putting all sports other than football in the West Coast Conference and work out some MWC affiliation for football only.

Let's look at the PAC options from a different perspective. Oregon and Washington to the BIG 10, the Four Corner Schools to the BIG 12, leaving Cal, Stanford, OSU and WSU. These 4 programs keep the PAC 12 alive and reload with programs from the MWC plus SMU. Lets give them SDSU, Fresno St. ,Colorado State, Boise St., AFA, UNLV, and Utah St. It's quite a fall from grace for the 4 Pac 12 "left behinds" but better than a poke in the eye. SJSU, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada Reno, and Wyoming poach from the WAC and Big Sky or combine with CUSA ot the AAC. I don't see anything attractive for the AAC but CUSA would take Ft. Worth Paschal High School if they could.

My understanding is that the Arizona BOR can't dictate that Arizona and Arizona State must be a package deal but they strongly prefer that they stay together. Again, all I know is what I read.

David, thanks for all you do for Bleed Green and UNT. It is appreciated!

When the smoke clears it looks like only Washing State and Oregon State will be left in the PAC 12. It's really not a merger with the MWC as much as a lifeline for the "left behinds" unless they go independent. I wonder how many fans would show up in Spokane to watch their football team play New Mexico or San Jose State?

USF plays in the Bucs stadium and Memphis in the Liberty Bowl, although the Bulls are trying to build an on campus football stadium. As long as attendance is good I don't see what difference it makes.

Why? Just asking.

Our average home attendance during the Hayden Fry era was a little over 13,000.

A friend from Louisiana asked me "who dat?"

Thanks for the post! I hadn't seen this article. Looks like a mess.

So I am watching College Football News a few hours ago and here is what they said it would cost FSU to leave the ACC. First, $100 million buy out. Second, loss of their Grant of Rights money which is $30 million per year for the next 13 years,or $390 million. The total cost for them to break their contract is $490 million and no media broadcast for any of their sports for 13 years.

A friend of mine is highly connected at Tulsa and according to him there is no way they have applied to PAC 12.

My understanding, again based only upon what I read, is FSU and Clemson can't break the contract. If fact, I think that Notre Dame is prohibited from joining any other conference for football other than the ACC until the existing contract expires. However since I am not an attorney nor have seen or read the contract my comments are pure conjecture.

Arizona, Arizona State, and Northern Arizona have the same Board Of Regents . From what I have read the Wildcats and Sun Devils are not necessarily joined at the hip and the University of Arizona could move to Big 12 on their own. At only $20 million guaranteed from Apple Plus I don't believe that Oregon on Washington will commit to any long tern Grant of Rights Agreement as they have hope that the BIG 10 will invite them after they digest USC and UCLA. In addition, the ACC contract is iron clad and will have to run its course. This leaves the PAC 12 having to back fill with MWC and AAC programs. With either Arizona, Arizona State, or Utah [ or all 3] moving to the Big 12 and both Oregon and Washington not committing to the PAC 12 , this conference is on life support.

It's my understanding that if you fail to protect a trademark that you would lose it. I don't think we have a choice except to require schools to cease and desist whether they are Michigan State or E.M. Daggett Junior High

Granted that whatever the PAC media money turns out to be it will be far greater than the MWC. However schools like Oregon are looking at long term . If the PAC 12 gets $25 million to $30 million its half of what the BIG 10 schools are receiving. As the disparity between SEC and BIG 10 media money continues to widen from the PAC 12, AAC, and BIG 12 receive the ability to compete with the two "BIGS" widens as well. Regardless of what the PAC 12 final financial numbers are Oregon must move to the BIG 10 in order to continue to be a national brand. The remaining "4 Corners Schools " would be best served by moving to the BIG 12 and let the remaining PAC 12 programs merge with some but probably not all of the MWC. The BIG 12 is playing musical chairs by telling Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah that they only have one seat available. Lets see who blinks first and jumps ship.

SDSU can't afford the $34 million it would owe the MWC. It would have been $17 million but the "double your buy out date" came and went with no offer from the PAC 12, which left the Aztecs hanging in the wind.