PAC-12 Expansion

[Roy Rangum]

The PAC is apparently looking at SMU and San Diego State as expansion candidates to get back to 12 schools.

While both schools are fine and all, I kind of wish we would poach B12 schools instead. While playoff expansion has helped calm the waters in terms of a kill or be killed mentality between conferences, I feel like it is still the case that one day it will be either the PAC that lasts, or the B12 that lasts, and I would prefer it to be the PAC that comes out on top.

PAC eyes SMU and SDS

[MineralUte]

Won’t be able to poach BIG12 with their GOR unfortunately. Yeah SDSU and SMU really don’t move the needle for me either

[Roy Rangum]

That’s a good point. Do we know if all the teams in the BIG12 have already signed the new GOR? (I’m not sure how quickly or slowly that happens)

[Mason]

They signed their 99 year GOR when they join the conference.

[Roy Rangum]

It seems like there is still some conflict between the old GOR that expires in 2025 and the new GOR that would accompany the media deal announced last October.

The B12 is still holding on to trying to keep Texas and OU until 2025, but the 4 new teams start in 2023.

I’m hoping somebody on here is more expert than me on this, but it seems like it’s possible that despite the announcement of their new deal, that not everything is set in stone in the B12.

[dystopiamembrane]

That’s not as bad as the Sea Org agreement.

[Ted Lasso]

I guess the bright side is that San Diego and Dallas are fun locations to travel to for road games. At least they’re not adding Boise State. 

But I agree I think the PAC-12 and B12 should be trying to poach each other right now. As a biased BYU fan, I, of course, would be ecstatic if the B12 were somehow able to poach UW and Oregon. The problem I see with the B12 right now is they have a bunch of above average and average programs but no marquee program like Oregon.

And obviously for recruiting reasons I want the P12 to implode and for Utah to not join a major conference. But it would be a lot of fun if BYU and Utah were able to be in the same conference again for the rivalry’s sake.

[Yergensen]

The SD and DFW markets are the driver, but few in those markets are watching these teams play. Market size presents opportunity, but doesn’t amount to anything with tv and advertisers if nobody in those markets is watching.

These are stopgap moves, conference still hangs in the balance, one or two more teams leave and it’s over. Poor leadership from commissioners, certain presidents and AD has ruined this conference.

[Utah]

This is where people are misinformed. Technically, you don’t need people watching as long as you get on local cable packages. 

If adding SMU gets the P12 on Comcast and generates $0.50 per cable subscriber in Dallas…that’s the goal. 

[Rick]

Exactly.  San Diego is a very transient market due to the high military presence and SMU is a rich kid school in the DFW metroplex that no one cares about at all.  Both are in large TV markets but their ratings will absolutely suck.  

[dystopiamembrane]

I think we have different definitions of the word ‘fun’.

[Central Coast Ute]

The big 12 has a lot of below average programs too.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

Not a fan either, but for what it’s worth, at least SMU garnered higher ratings than Houston last year.

Meh.

[Utah]

What!?!?  Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha. That’s awesome. 

Go Birds!!!

[NashvilleUte]

This is just history repeating itself and while we reportedly have continued to commit to our affiliation with the PAC12, we need to stay aware of what the ramifications are of what other teams are doing. And we need to be careful about who we’re inviting to the conference.

Once upon a time we were in the WAC. Then we along with other better teams at the time left the WAC to start the MWC. As we know, from there the WAC was continually marginalized until they were gone and the MWC started losing its best teams and is now basically the WAC again. I don’t think the PAC will collapse and go away, but I am worried about more top teams leaving and only being replaced by “great group of five teams” until the PAC becomes the next WAC replacement full of MWC teams.

And regarding our friends down south, the Big12 is leaning in that direction as well by saving themselves for now with a bunch of group of five teams.

Now that the Big12 (supposedly) have a new contract it might be too late, but since both the PAC AND Big12 were expiring at roughly the same time, it would have been the right time for the best teams from both conferences to break away and start a new conference much like with the creation of the MWC to stay ahead it. But of course the liberal northeastern schools would NEVER affiliate themselves with those crazy southern schools (that’s also why there’s ZERO chance of those schools moving to the Big12).

Oklahoma, Texas, USC and UCLA have been proactive in securing their future. We have to make sure that we’re not so committed to the PAC12 the we get left behind.

[dystopiamembrane]

I’d love to see us lure a couple of NESCAC teams instead.

[dystopiamembrane]

Some anti-NESCAC feelings here on the board. 😉

[Author]

Posts