Pac-12 reportedly has nine finalists for next add

[ipd054]

 

https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/morning-download

John Canzano reported Wednesday the Pac-12 essentially has nine finalists for its next addition to the conference, that list including Nevada, UNLV, Memphis, Tulane, Rice, Texas State, USF, UTSA and North Texas. The Pac-12 is one football program short of being FBS compliant and was stymied last fall both by the American Athletic Conference and Mountain West after its initial poach of five MW schools, including Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Fresno State and Utah State, plus the WCC's Gonzaga. Canzano writes: “UNLV and Nevada would be a geographically logical next step, but I’m told by multiple sources that the Pac-12 has been weighing an assortment of other factors. Among those factors are brand, athletic success, the will to invest, travel expenses, geography and economics. At least one of the potential candidates on the list has offered to take zero media rights distributions in the early years of membership, per a source." UNLV and Nevada have been trendy names over the last several months, but there's a major contractual issue there as both Silver State schools signed a grant of media rights with the MW, which hold the media rights for the Wolf Pack and Rebels home games through 2032. Texas State still seems like the most likely addition because of its placement in the Sun Belt, which has a less onerous exit fee than the MW and AAC.

https://www.johncanzano.com/p/canzano-sorting-out-pac-12-expansion?utm_campaign=email-post&r=2t3w8&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

 

The Pac-12 Conference athletic directors gathered for a morning meeting on the conference level at Park MGM Las Vegas early last week. The event lasted a few hours. The university presidents joined for a second meeting later that afternoon.

Several of the presidents appeared in person, per sources. Others participated via Zoom. The decision-makers of the new-world Pac-12 received updates on the conference’s media rights negotiations and discussed expansion, among other topics.

What’s the Pac-12’s expansion move?

Adding UNLV? Or maybe wooing Memphis? Texas State and/or Tulane? South Florida? How about UTSA, Rice, Nevada, or North Texas?

Said one campus source: “If someone emerges outside that list, it would be a surprise.”

[Mean Green 93-98]

Quote

At least one of the potential candidates on the list has offered to take zero media rights distributions in the early years of membership.

I'm assuming that's Texas State?

It's a little misleading to refer to Memphis, Tulane, and USF as "finalists" when they already turned the new PAC down.

[NT80]

46 minutes ago, Mean Green 93-98 said:

I'm assuming that's Texas State?

It's a little misleading to refer to Memphis, Tulane, and USF as "finalists" when they already turned the new PAC down.

It’s also misleading to refer to UNLV and Nevada as finalists when they have already signed over their Media rights to the MWC thru 2032. 
 

I doubt any invites happen before a media deal is confirmed and the MWC poaching lawsuit is settled. 

[GMG_Dallas]

Colorado STATE, Utah STATE, San Diego STATE, Boise STATE, Fresno STATE, Washington STATE, Oregon STATE, North Texas (state)... seems like a perfect fit to me. Truly though, if they're looking at being a basketball conference, the best fits in that list if looking at recent history are Memphis, us, and UNLV. Nevada has been good at times so they're not a bad fit either. Everybody else on the list would drag the conference.

[Stix]

35 minutes ago, GMG_Dallas said:

Colorado STATE, Utah STATE, San Diego STATE, Boise STATE, Fresno STATE, Washington STATE, Oregon STATE, North Texas (state)...

Memphis (State)...

Texas State?

[GMG_Dallas]

36 minutes ago, Stix said:

Memphis (State)...

Texas State?

Never heard of them

[GMG_Dallas]

Also, swap UNLV and Nevada in my list of good fits based on recent history. Got them switched up. Nevada has been very good for some time now.