USC and UCLA to the Big 10

[Rudy]

23 hours ago, southsideguy said:

UNLV to the PAC 12-after all it is little California now.

Plus maybe people won't notice the difference between UNLV and UCLA.  They both have a U and L in the name.

The Rajun Cajuns hope they won't notice the difference too.

[outoftown]

1 minute ago, Hunter Green said:

It's a great idea.

Not so sure. What can anyone in houston gain from travelling to corvallis? Why merge with the hole conference if you can leave the dregs behind? In a merger you can't in a pickoff war you absolutely can. If I am the Big12 I add the Arizona schools, and -if they are still on the board whoever is left of Stanford, Cal, Colorado and Utah. They are not gonna get the money SEC/B1G is, no need to make it 18-20 team unwieldy. 14-16 is better.

[rcade]

31 minutes ago, Rudy said:

Its going to happen.  The elite of the elite are the only ones with a real shot at the title already.  Eventually they will form their own league with 20 or so teams, then everyone left out will have to reorganize a new FBS/D1. 

If two superconferences achieve total domination, do the fans of other schools keep watching their games as much as we do now? The bigger the moat between them and everybody else, the less interest I have in swimming across.

[Green Otaku]

1 hour ago, keith said:

I think it would be a toss-up between Baylor and SMU.  SMU grades slightly higher than Baylor on the academic front, but from an all sports success, spending, etc. Baylor is ahead.  I think either school may have the same problem that BYU might have.  Let's face it, the west coast leans to the left politically.  Does the PAC## want right leaning, religion-affiliated institutions as part of the conference makeup?  I think they would probably consider that as part of the "fit" equation.    

For years many have groaned about UNT's left leaning student body. So UNT to the Pac? What irony that would be. 😂

[untjim1995]

I think the B1G and USC/UCLA only made this deal with the reality that other teams in the West are gonna be there, too. I believe that Oregon/Washington/Stanford are in for sure, while adding in some combo of Notre Dame, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Kansas. All are AAU research institutions, main schools in their states, and all are connected to bigger TV markets. That's 24 teams. 

The SEC will then add in the following from the ACC when they can: Miami, FSU, Clemson, UNC, Duke, UVa, Va Tech, and either Louisville, Georgia Tech, or NC State.

 

[wardly]

1 hour ago, Hunter Green said:

It's a great idea.

It seems like a no brainer but I heard on ESPN news that the BIG 12 has no interest in whats left of the PAC 12. This could change.

[UNTLifer]

23 hours ago, SMU2006 said:

Players have been getting paid for decades.  Only difference now is that its out in the open.

Maybe at other schools, but your little slice of heaven has been doing it out in the open forever.

[El Paso Eagle]

Follow the money path from FOX

The are the key player in the Big10

The PAC12 contract is coming up. They (FOX) are primarily interested in the LA area schools. They do not want to pay a massive deal to the Pac12

USC and UCLA (for a start) takes care of that. So we are headed for the ESPN Conference (SEC) versus the FOX Sports Conference (BIG10) and everyone will be schedule filler for the various services.

[NT80]

1 hour ago, untjim1995 said:

I think the B1G and USC/UCLA only made this deal with the reality that other teams in the West are gonna be there, too. I believe that Oregon/Washington/Stanford are in for sure, while adding in some combo of Notre Dame, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Kansas. All are AAU research institutions, main schools in their states, and all are connected to bigger TV markets. That's 24 teams. 

The SEC will then add in the following from the ACC when they can: Miami, FSU, Clemson, UNC, Duke, UVa, Va Tech, and either Louisville, Georgia Tech, or NC State.

 

This is about TV $$ and athletics and I doubt much consideration, if any, was given to AAU status.

This is also about quality, and not quantity.   Some of those schools add nothing to value for ESPN trying to have elite conferences.

[El Paso Eagle]

1 hour ago, NT80 said:

This is about TV $$ and athletics and I doubt much consideration, if any, was given to AAU status.

This is also about quality, and not quantity.   Some of those schools add nothing to value for ESPN trying to have elite conferences.

The AAU status is often mentioned when the Big10 has talked about expansion after the issues with Nebraska. If I remember correctly, they were AAU certified at the time but lost it about the time they joined. There was talk at the time of resending the invite. But hey, that was when they were actually worried about educating the athletes.  

Edited July 2, 2022 by El Paso Eagle

[NT80]

Latest rumblings:

The Pac-12 is exploring expansion while the Big Ten is reportedly awaiting a decision from Notre Dame and has told Oregon and Washington it’s holding at 16 teams for now.

https://www.oregonlive.com/collegefootball/2022/07/pac-12-exploring-all-expansion-options-as-big-ten-reportedly-awaiting-notre-dame-oregon-washington-on-hold.html

Also heard Stanford, Cal, Colo, and Utah were possibly next after Oregon and Washington.  Nothing for Ore St, Wash St, Ariz, and Ariz St. as far as B1G is concerned.

[Ken14]

On 6/30/2022 at 1:45 PM, El Paso Eagle said:

Let's guess

• If the ACC makes a move they could go after WVU and Kansas(for B-Ball)
• PAC12 pulls Texas Tech and Okie State (Just don't think the Cali and Oregon schools will go for "Church" schools)
• SMU, Memphis, Colorodo State, and South Floridia backfill the big12
• American adds LaTech
• UTEP to the MWC
• CUSA adds SFA

 

UTEP belongs in the MWC...

 

[97and03]

8 hours ago, SMU2006 said:

PAC desperately needs exposure in the CST to survive.  Academically it fits well with the PAC.  From a football perspective we've been ranked in the Top 20 in each of the last three seasons and will break ground on a $100m renovation and expansion of Ford.

Tons of PAC alums live in DFW.  Is it a slam dunk?  No.  But I'd wager SMU is higher on the food chain for the PAC than Baylor, UH, Tech and the other academic space cadets of the Big 12.

Both Tech and Baylor have recent basketball national championships. 

[Jonnyeagle]

32 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

Both Tech and Baylor have recent basketball national championships. 

Yes but the main question is who does the poaching PAC or Big 12?  I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that other than the networks.  Why again are we letting the networks call the shots here?  This country is a mess.

Edited July 2, 2022 by Jonnyeagle

[DentonLurker]

50 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

Both Tech and Baylor have recent basketball national championships. 

The year Tech played for the championship in MBB, they lost. Honestly, Tech has been riding coattails of the big Texas schools for a long time. Aside from a WBB national championship almost 30 years ago, they’ve not been a real national power in anything.

[NT80]

1 hour ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Why again are we letting the networks call the shots here?  

The conference TV deals are up for renewal soon.  The more TVs a conference appeals to (ie better schools it has) the more $$ they will receive in their contract with the networks.  Every UT/OU/USC/UCLA a conference signs up adds million$ more to the conference pot to be divided.

The conference floats an idea past ESPN or Fox about adding certain schools, and the networks crunch numbers and tell them how that would generally impact their new future TV contracts...

[Wag Tag]

3 hours ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Yes but the main question is who does the poaching PAC or Big 12?  I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that other than the networks.  Why again are we letting the networks call the shots here?  This country is a mess.

$$$$$

[El Paso Eagle]

9 hours ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Yes but the main question is who does the poaching PAC or Big 12?  I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that other than the networks.  Why again are we letting the networks call the shots here?  This country is a mess.

I think that depends a lot on what happens with Oregon and Washington. At this point if I was Colorado, Utah, and the Arizona schools I would still be making an aggressive move to join the Big 12

[ADLER]

11 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

At this point if I was Colorado, Utah, and the Arizona schools I would still be making an aggressive move to join the Big 12

I don't foresee this happening, at least not in the stated order.

1) Follow the money trail, 2) Follow the whims and required appeasement of the "Golden Child", 3) See what concessions will be wanted by USC and UCLA.

The BIG is attempting to set itself to be unquestionably the nation's premier college football conference, and this is all an attempt to form a more marketable alliance than the SEC. TV money steers this competition.

Notre Dame has it's sports parked in the ACC for scheduling but football is still independent, and would stay that way unless sufficiently pressured to change. Their big football rivalries are with BIG schools, USC, Stanford, and the service academies. Notre Dame can actually be pressured to move to the BIG now that all of their major rivals, outside of the service academies, are potentially joining that league. Even Notre Dame cannot risk losing all their rivals.

For political reasons it would be extremely difficult for UCLA to outright ditch Cal. Notre Dame will want Stanford added. USC also wants to maintain their longstanding rivalries with Notre Dame, Stanford and Cal. They all get what they want. Washington and Oregon will both be included because of their strong sports programs and national following.

All this leaves the BIG as the most marketable, and potentially most dominant, athletics conference with these 21 members, and other open spots to be eventually filled by potential candidates among Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Virginia. (yes, Missouri would jump at the opportunity, and the BIG would relish the slap to the SEC)

The SEC will be forced to counteract with the additions of among Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia, Miami, and maybe a Big XII leftover. Notre Dame would be their ultimate victory but I don't see that happening.

The rest of us, locked out of the two "Super Conferences" are relegated to second tier status and will all make the best of the situation presented.

 

 

 

[Mean Green 93-98]

17 minutes ago, texx2818 said:

All of this realignment, megaconference speculation + transfer portal + NIL stuff…

I’m just seriously losing interest in college football completely. We’ll see how I feel when September rolls around.

Honesty, why have college football fans loved college football over the NFL?  Tradition, rivalries, watching players develop over their 4-year college careers, the fact that these are amateur students playing primarily for the love of the game rather than mercenaries playing for a paycheck.  All of that seems to be going out the window in a very short span of time.

[Mean Green 93-98]

5 minutes ago, ADLER said:

Washington and Oregon will both be included because of their strong sports programs and national following. . . .

 (yes, Missouri would jump at the opportunity, and the BIG would relish the slap to the SEC)

The B1G has already told these three schools, "No."

Edited July 2, 2022 by Mean Green 93-98

[ADLER]

8 minutes ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

The B1G has already told these three schools, "No."

Wrong, they've been told, "No, not now" while the BIG tries to force Notre Dame's decision. Only then will those dominos start falling into place.

[Rudy]

10 hours ago, NT80 said:

The conference TV deals are up for renewal soon.  The more TVs a conference appeals to (ie better schools it has) the more $$ they will receive in their contract with the networks.  Every UT/OU/USC/UCLA a conference signs up adds million$ more to the conference pot to be divided.

The conference floats an idea past ESPN or Fox about adding certain schools, and the networks crunch numbers and tell them how that would generally impact their new future TV contracts...

They should just create 4 conferences, ESPN Conference, the Fox Conference, the NBC, and the CBS.  the winners play in the "playoff"

[Rudy]

17 minutes ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

Honesty, why have college football fans loved college football over the NFL?  Tradition, rivalries, watching players develop over their 4-year college careers, the fact that these are amateur students playing primarily for the love of the game rather than mercenaries playing for a paycheck.  All of that seems to be going out the window in a very short span of time.

Yep.  It all started a few years ago when Northwestern started bitching.  Then the dominoes began to fall.

[El Paso Eagle]

28 minutes ago, ADLER said:

I don't foresee this happening, at least not in the stated order.

1) Follow the money trail, 2) Follow the whims and required appeasement of the "Golden Child", 3) See what concessions will be wanted by USC and UCLA.

The BIG is attempting to set itself to be unquestionably the nation's premier college football conference, and this is all an attempt to form a more marketable alliance than the SEC. TV money steers this competition.

Notre Dame has it's sports parked in the ACC for scheduling but football is still independent, and would stay that way unless sufficiently pressured to change. Their big football rivalries are with BIG schools, USC, Stanford, and the service academies. Notre Dame can actually be pressured to move to the BIG now that all of their major rivals, outside of the service academies, are potentially joining that league. Even Notre Dame cannot risk losing all their rivals.

For political reasons it would be extremely difficult for UCLA to outright ditch Cal. Notre Dame will want Stanford added. USC also wants to maintain their longstanding rivalries with Notre Dame, Stanford and Cal. They all get what they want. Washington and Oregon will both be included because of their strong sports programs and national following.

All this leaves the BIG as the most marketable, and potentially most dominant, athletics conference with these 21 members, and other open spots to be eventually filled by potential candidates among Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Virginia. (yes, Missouri would jump at the opportunity, and the BIG would relish the slap to the SEC)

The SEC will be forced to counteract with the additions of among Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia, Miami, and maybe a Big XII leftover. Notre Dame would be their ultimate victory but I don't see that happening.

The rest of us, locked out of the two "Super Conferences" are relegated to second tier status and will all make the best of the situation presented.

 

 

 

Have a feeling the TV contract for the Pac12 will not be as good as the Big12. Fox Sports is the main player and their love for the Pac12 was directly aimed at USC/UCLA. Oregon and maybe Washington and Stanford were OK, and the rest marked up as cost of business. Oregon will be gone. To big of a risk that the SEC and Big10 do their on thing and they are left out. And, you have to be the powers that be at Nike are calling in every favor they have. The remaining conference will be no where are good/valuable as the Big12. 

Can not believe the SEC is going to stand by and make no additional moves. If they raid the ACC, then you set up an opportunity for the Big12 and ACC to combine, and then the PACXX is basically a leftover.

As for ND, the money will have to be great for them to make the move and break away from NBC, and even more face the reality that they will be the 3rd-4th  best team in the Big10 or SEC in most years.