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Big 12 Pac 12 Merger...
- Thread starter FullbackSympathy
- Start date
We all have been thinking about this and discussing this. So I’m 100% certain every athletic director, commissioner, and program are also thinking about this. Notre Dame is very happy as an independent and will stay that way unless their hand is forced. They have to be thinking that Clemson or Florida St. could bolt the ACC. The money is going to eventually break up that conference. The PAC is in the same situation. No one is giving them more money for their product. Adding the little eight will divide that pot not add to it. The BIG is right there with the SEC in negotiating power, however the addition of Texas and Oklahoma pushes the SEC well into the lead. If the BIG stays Pat they will be relegated to number two. USC , Oregon, and others have to be looking around thinking they could get left out. It wouldn’t shock me at all if they try to bolt. The SEc and ESPN are in control unless some other conference steps up. It’s just the way it is. If no one does anything and the SEC expands again it’s all over. So if you love Nebraska you better hope the BIG steps up. Unfortunately tge BIG is Ohio St. and a bunch of schools that haven’t been relevant for over a decade. Looking at you Penn St, Michigan, and Nebraska. Iowa and Wisconsin are nice but not able to compete with the top of the SEC.
All that gains for the PAC is a couple of new time zones, which may be all they care about.
The PAC maybe scrambling. If the rumors are true they could be losing anywhere from two to six of their biggest revenue schools. I can’t fathom any other reason for a merger. Plus a merger kills the Big12. I really doubt Bolsby is negotiating the death of his own conference a week after saying they want Texas and Oklahoma to pay the full amount for media rights.
I get the money angle completely, but I believe the next moves of the B1G and PAC will have to be a numbers game--as in, number of teams. I say this because it would give them legislative voting power to keep the SEC in check while still making a lot of money for their conferences. Think about playoff expansion, for example. Ohio State already put in a motion to put it on hold with this latest realignment. Three superconferences might try and keep those playoff numbers low just to screw the SEC, and they'd have the power to do it.
The goal of the SEC is to take over all of the major brands of college football, but I don't think universities like Ohio State or Michigan will ever cowtow to them. So what do you do? Save enough teams to have massive legislative power and prevent ESPN and the SEC from taking over college football entirely. This has as much to do with Fox as it does the B12. If you're the commissioner for the B1G or PAC, your job is to make sure your big dogs don't jump ship. You need to be able to say, "Oh, the SEC wants to break away from the NCAA? Go for it. We have 34 power conference teams in the west plus independents and midmajors. We still have the real national championship. Have fun with your 20 team semi pro league." You can't make this threat if you play the poach game because you'll kill the PAC/B1G alliance. The B12 doesn't count. It's as good as dead. If you don't give the majority of those teams a home between the B1G and PAC, you risk losing the big brands to the SEC and putting everyone else out to pasture.
What needs to happen is a three year plan between the PAC and B1G with the remaining B12 schools. We would make that realignment happen in 2025 so UT and OU have to make the maximum payout to the Angry Eight if/when they leave early. If the B12 falls apart before then, there won't be a penalty for UT and OU.
The goal of the SEC is to take over all of the major brands of college football, but I don't think universities like Ohio State or Michigan will ever cowtow to them. So what do you do? Save enough teams to have massive legislative power and prevent ESPN and the SEC from taking over college football entirely. This has as much to do with Fox as it does the B12. If you're the commissioner for the B1G or PAC, your job is to make sure your big dogs don't jump ship. You need to be able to say, "Oh, the SEC wants to break away from the NCAA? Go for it. We have 34 power conference teams in the west plus independents and midmajors. We still have the real national championship. Have fun with your 20 team semi pro league." You can't make this threat if you play the poach game because you'll kill the PAC/B1G alliance. The B12 doesn't count. It's as good as dead. If you don't give the majority of those teams a home between the B1G and PAC, you risk losing the big brands to the SEC and putting everyone else out to pasture.
What needs to happen is a three year plan between the PAC and B1G with the remaining B12 schools. We would make that realignment happen in 2025 so UT and OU have to make the maximum payout to the Angry Eight if/when they leave early. If the B12 falls apart before then, there won't be a penalty for UT and OU.
I have to think this is Alvarez’s top priority right now, and that KW will let him handle the bulk of the work. Alvarez has the football connections already in place anyway.
(Oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please let that be true!)
Utah?
IMO, 12 Pac doesn't have to make any moves. In some ways, it's in a very similar position to the B1G Ten. No move might be better than adding teams for the sake of adding teams and further splitting up media rights revenues.
That being said, if the Pac 12 wanted to expand, it should be interested in Texas A&M and Baylor. The Aggies have to be unhappy after their fellow SEC members voted to admit Texas & Oklahoma. A&M left the Big XII to escape being overshadowed (and bullied) by Texas. So much for the "Gentlemen's Agreement" not to admit Texas that was purportedly negotiated with then Commissioner Mike Slive prior to joining the SEC. Baylor is a decent academic school and it would give existing Pac 12 members another football game in Texas for recruiting purposes. Oh, and a NCAA men's basketball championship from a school not named UCLA.
That being said, if the Pac 12 wanted to expand, it should be interested in Texas A&M and Baylor. The Aggies have to be unhappy after their fellow SEC members voted to admit Texas & Oklahoma. A&M left the Big XII to escape being overshadowed (and bullied) by Texas. So much for the "Gentlemen's Agreement" not to admit Texas that was purportedly negotiated with then Commissioner Mike Slive prior to joining the SEC. Baylor is a decent academic school and it would give existing Pac 12 members another football game in Texas for recruiting purposes. Oh, and a NCAA men's basketball championship from a school not named UCLA.
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I'll just leave this right here.......
