Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[MUBuck]

RE: Pac12 expansion

As was previously mentioned, there don't seem to be many options out west that match up academically (BYU, UNLV, SDSU, etc). However, there are plenty of top-notch schools with large student populations that would fit, except for athletics. I'm talking about the branch schools (Irvine, Davis, Santa Barbara, San Diego).

The biggest question is how long until they could field competitive teams? Also, I have no idea if taking some of them would be acceptable while leaving others out (Riverside, Santa Cruz, Merced).

Given that I have absolutely no knowledge of the UC system, any thoughts from others? With the new partnership between the B1G-Pac12, I'm hoping that they can find a creative way to grow.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

RE: Pac12 expansion

As was previously mentioned, there don't seem to be many options out west that match up academically (BYU, UNLV, SDSU, etc). However, there are plenty of top-notch schools with large student populations that would fit, except for athletics. I'm talking about the branch schools (Irvine, Davis, Santa Barbara, San Diego).

The biggest question is how long until they could field competitive teams? Also, I have no idea if taking some of them would be acceptable while leaving others out (Riverside, Santa Cruz, Merced).

Given that I have absolutely no knowledge of the UC system, any thoughts from others? With the new partnership between the B1G-Pac12, I'm hoping that they can find a creative way to grow.

The other UC schools are good schools and all, but they would never be viable candidates. They don't have the infrastructure, money, alumni base, wherewithall to join a major conference even if the non-UC schools would let in more UC schools, which I doubt. Colorado and Utah are great flagship schools for the Pac-12, and I think to expand they would want more of the same, which, I agree, is slim pickins out there. I could see Nevada (with some conformity to Pac 12 standards), and perhaps another of the Catholics like Gonzaga or St. Mary's before a UC Davis. Hawaii is, to me, a decent fit, but I have no idea what its academic situation is like. Like you, I have a hard time seeing where they get growth from. UT would have been a decent fit for the Pac 12, as much as I would hate to see it... yeah, not sure.

 

[Woody1968]

The other UC schools are good schools and all, but they would never be viable candidates. They don't have the infrastructure, money, alumni base, wherewithall to join a major conference even if the non-UC schools would let in more UC schools, which I doubt. Colorado and Utah are great flagship schools for the Pac-12, and I think to expand they would want more of the same, which, I agree, is slim pickins out there. I could see Nevada (with some conformity to Pac 12 standards), and perhaps another of the Catholics like Gonzaga or St. Mary's before a UC Davis. Hawaii is, to me, a decent fit, but I have no idea what its academic situation is like. Like you, I have a hard time seeing where they get growth from. UT would have been a decent fit for the Pac 12, as much as I would hate to see it... yeah, not sure.

Idaho was an Original Member of the Pacific Coast Conference, but their facilities and Athletics would need to drastically improve. The other big drawback is that they are Idaho.

 

[LovelandBuckeye]

Idaho was an Original Member of the Pacific Coast Conference, but their facilities and Athletics would need to drastically improve. The other big drawback is that they are Idaho.

That would be hilarious to watch Truck Driver U lose it though.

 

[Muck]

UC system schools are very unlikely primarily because of a lack of interest on their part with UCLA & Cal already being represented as a secondary factor.

Barring a miracle sectarian schools are not going to be invited (Presidents have flat out stated as much).

With a strong commitment to build the necessary facilities New Mexico & Nevada could be options in a generation or so.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

UC system schools are very unlikely primarily because of a lack of interest on their part with UCLA & Cal already being represented as a secondary factor.

Barring a miracle sectarian schools are not going to be invited (Presidents have flat out stated as much).

With a strong commitment to build the necessary facilities New Mexico & Nevada could be options in a generation or so.

For some reason I thought UW was Jesuit... yeah, nevermind on Zaga or St. Mary. Nevada and UH are my best guess for next, but I'm 99.9999% sure I wont be proven right anytime soon.

 

[Muck]

I'm 99.9999% sure I wont be proven right anytime soon.

Agreed.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

RE: Pac12 expansion

As was previously mentioned, there don't seem to be many options out west that match up academically (BYU, UNLV, SDSU, etc). However, there are plenty of top-notch schools with large student populations that would fit, except for athletics. I'm talking about the branch schools (Irvine, Davis, Santa Barbara, San Diego).

The biggest question is how long until they could field competitive teams? Also, I have no idea if taking some of them would be acceptable while leaving others out (Riverside, Santa Cruz, Merced).

Given that I have absolutely no knowledge of the UC system, any thoughts from others? With the new partnership between the B1G-Pac12, I'm hoping that they can find a creative way to grow.

SDSU is highly unlikely to ever get a PAC-12 invite because of USC and UCLA. Those two programs do not want to invite another SoCal school to compete against. It is unlikely that it has to do with academics, though I imagine that we'd be the lowest school in the conference, we are on our way up though.

We do already compete in the PAC-12 for Men's Soccer.

 

[broken24]

RE: Pac12 expansion

I was reading the Bevo thread about FSU and Clemson going to the BIG 12. A USC fan had a post explaining how if the PAC 12 had to go to 16, they could pickup the remains of the Big East and ACC. Put those 4 teams in a football only pod. Because they would play each other 3 games a year and 3 of the remaining conf. games would be at home, they would only have to play 3 west coast games a year.

It is an interesting idea. The Pac 12 wouldn't have to pickup small no name Univ's just the east coast schools no one else wants. The Rutgers of the world. It would add large TV markets and since neither coast really cares about college football the cultures would fit perfectly.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

RE: Pac12 expansion

It would add large TV markets and since neither coast really cares about college football the cultures would fit perfectly.

So it would have a large TV market with very low ratings? How would that add to the PAC's bottom line? Adding the dregs of the Big East and the ACC is not a good selling point. Why would Rutgers or NCST want to spend the money to fly to the west coast three times a year?

 

[Roundabout]

Its really worse then that

So it would have a large TV market with very low ratings? How would that add to the PAC's bottom line? Adding the dregs of the Big East and the ACC is not a good selling point. Why would Rutgers or NCST want to spend the money to fly to the west coast three times a year?

You only have the football flight cost, think of all the non revenue sports... that would be just plain stupid move for the them...

 

[UpNorth_Buckeye]

You only have the football flight cost, think of all the non revenue sports... that would be just plain stupid move for the them...

I think the post he was replying to was talking about making a four team expansion for football only. I still not sure if it would make much sense, but it would at least be possible. You're right though, it'd make absolutely zero sense to make them full members.

 

[broken24]

So it would have a large TV market with very low ratings? How would that add to the PAC's bottom line? Adding the dregs of the Big East and the ACC is not a good selling point.

The pros and cons of adding Rutgers and any of the other B or C quality schools from the Big East or ACC have been discussed many times in this thread.

Pro: Academics, Large state schools, Large alumni, Large state population wise, near NY.

Con: Not great football, Apathetic fan base, NYC and the rest of the east coast are pro sports towns.

How does the PAC 12 (or B1G for that matter) make money by adding them?

1) Larger market with low ratings can be as good or better then small market with great rating. Getting 5% of NY and NJ to watch Rutgers play football is equal to 90% of Nebraska watching the huskers game.

2) Getting Pac 12 TV (or BTN) on basic cable is where the money is. Also, Supposedly the PAC12 owns all or most of Pac12 TV vs. the 50/50 split that BTN has.

Bear in mind, this is all based on the Mega-Conferences coming and that the PAC12's other options for addition (Hawaii, SDSU, Idaho, NM, Nevada) would really be money losers.

Why would Rutgers or NCST want to spend the money to fly to the west coast three times a year?

It is better than the alternative. If the Mega-Conferences happen (4 conferences of 16 teams) and you are not in those conferences you basically joined the MAC.

 

[jwinslow]

No, it's not about NYC watching Rutgers, which they refuse to do now before an extreme uptick in competition by switching leagues.

It is about TV revenue

The BTN gets about 10 cents from a small chunk of NYC subscribers that pay for the sports tier with the BTN.

If Rutgers joined the B1G, not only would the B1G get 80 cents instead of 10 from NYC and NJ subscribers, bye they would get it for every DirecTV and dish subscriber, not just sports package subscribers, because those are base package channels in B1G footprint states.

It also puts pressure on cable providers to do the same or risk losing B1G fans living there (PSU OSU Michigan).

I would suspect that DirecTV may take it a step further and offer it as a base channel for the rest of NYC but that is a guess whereas the rest is based on precedent

 

[buck1973]

No, it's not about NYC watching Rutgers, which they refuse to do now before an extreme uptick in competition by switching leagues.

It is about TV revenue

The BTN gets about 10 cents from a small chunk of NYC subscribers that pay for the sports tier with the BTN.

If Rutgers joined the B1G, not only would the B1G get 80 cents instead of 10 from NYC and NJ subscribers, bye they would get it for every DirecTV and dish subscriber, not just sports package subscribers, because those are base package channels in B1G footprint states.

It also puts pressure on cable providers to do the same or risk losing B1G fans living there (PSU OSU Michigan).

I would suspect that DirecTV may take it a step further and offer it as a base channel for the rest of NYC but that is a guess whereas the rest is based on precedent

DIRECTV already carries BTN as a base channel nationwide.