CU Board of Regents calls Special Meeting for March 8th.

[DuckTownHusker]

RESOLVED that the Board of Regents go into executive session. As permitted by section 24-6-402 (3), Colorado Revised Statutes, the board will discuss the following matter as announced and pursuant to the subsection as listed below: - (a)(II), Legal advice on a specific matter - athletics update on PAC 12


The BoR typically doesn't discuss the minutia of college conferences, other than reviewing membership and navigating legal waters. The day-to-day stuff like scheduling, fielding different athletic teams, etc, typically falls to the AD office. The fact that they mention legal advice in regards to a Pac-12 update tells me they're looking at how to navigate any fees, penalties, and impact of lost/gained revenue with a conference switch.

So, place your bets, folks.
Big XII or Big Ten?

Special Board Meeting

Meeting schedule and agenda are posted prior to the meeting at: https://go.boarddocs.com/co/cu/Board.nsf/Public The public portion of the meeting will begin after executive session is over.

regents.cu.edu

BoardDocs® Agenda Item: A.1 Action Item: Executive Session for Regents (APPROVED)

go.boarddocs.com

 

[DuckTownHusker]

At this point, it's all but guaranteed that every single Pac-12 school has at least put out feelers to the Big XII or Big Ten, and possibly some other creative options like the Mountain West.

It really feels like the Pac-12 is going to implode, and fans should likely blame former commissioner Larry Scott. He was the "genius" behind the fractured Pac-12 Network which doomed his conference's teams to declining revenues. You may remember while the SEC, B1G and ACC launched conference-wide networks, Scott launched the Pac-12 Network(s) as a series of six smaller regional networks, pairing up the schools in the league (the "Oregon Network" covered Ducks+Beavers). His thinking was that they could piecemeal out their inventory and trigger several smaller bidding wars, giving local fans only the teams they wanted to see, and keeping dollars (somewhat) local to a market.

Colossal failure. By comparison, the SEC and B1G (and somewhat ACC) wielded their massive, conference-wide networks as a club, forcing Fox, ESPN, and others to pony-up big time money (billions) to acquire broadcast rights. You want Ohio State football? You gotta pay a price that includes Maryland tennis. You want Alabama football? Be ready to broadcast Vandy golf.

The other downside of this decision was the regional fracturing of broadcasting. Here in Eugene, for example, it was relatively easy to get the Ducks and Beaver sports, but somewhat harder to watch USC, UCLA, Washington, Colorado, etc. Eventually, they've fixed this initial misstep, but it was a case of too little, too late. The annual Pac-12 Network revenue is somewhere around $250 million, which breaks down to about $20 million per school. Compare that against the $50-60 million that B1G and SEC teams make. It's 2-3x more. Let that sink in. Rutgers makes 2-3x more TV money than USC.

It's no wonder that USC and UCLA flipped. And the same is brewing in the ACC to a lesser extent with FSU and Clemson at the moment. They make $400 million, but split 14 ways (maybe 15-ish for a chunk of Notre Dame?) it comes out to $30 million per school.

The chickens are coming home to roost on the Pac-12's disastrous media deals. Meanwhile, the decisions Jim Delaney (and Nebraska, and Maryland + Rutgers) made over a decade ago are paying massive dividends.

 

[NU_Alum]

Not the Big Ten. They aren't even close to qualified. It's a move to the Big12 or at least the right to explore that option.

 

[DuckTownHusker]

Not the Big Ten. They aren't even close to qualified. It's a move to the Big12 or at least the right to explore that option.

Yes they are.

Academically, the Big Ten has said that AAU Membership is not a firm requirement, although it's definitely a nice-to-have. Colorado is an AAU Member. FWIW, so are Arizona, Cal, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, and Washington (and USC + UCLA).

In terms of football, Winsipedia's Average Ranking, which combines things like National Titles, Conference Titles, Winning %, Heisman Winners, etc., places Colorado #28 All-Time in their power rankings. That would be 11th in the Big Ten. After Penn State at #12, there's a sold band of B-Tier teams in the 20s, including Wisconsin, UCLA, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado.

Here's the Top 10, plus every Big Ten team (and Colorado). The Buffs would be a solid (albeit not elite) addition to the conference.

• 1 Alabama
• 2 USC
• 3 Oklahoma
• 4 Ohio State
• 5 Notre Dame
• 6 Texas
• 7 Michigan
• 8 Nebraska
• 9 Georgia
• 10 LSU
• 12 Penn State
• 20 Wisconsin
• 21 UCLA
• 22 Michigan State
• 23 Iowa
• 24 Minnesota
• 28 Colorado
• 40 Purdue
• 44 Maryland
• 48 Illinois
• 73 Northwestern
• 86 Rutgers
• 96 Indiana

In terms of basketball, Colorado isn't exactly Indiana or Michigan State, but they're leaps and bounds ahead of anything Nebraska has ever accomplished. They've cracked into the Final Four and Elite Eight a number of times, but have never won a March Madness title.

NCAA team championships
Colorado has won 27 national championships:

• Men's Football (1): 1990
  
  
• Men's Cross Country (5): 2001, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2014
• Women's Cross Country (3): 2000, 2004, 2018
  
  
• Men's Skiing (11): 1959, 1960, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982
• Women's Skiing (1): 1982 (AIAW)
• Co-ed Skiing (8): 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2015

I'm going to go wash my mouth out with soap for having said all this nice stuff about Colorado. But they're easily qualified for Big Ten membership, IMO.

Plus, it would be pretty cool to have the opportunity to play CU and Iowa annually. It almost makes up for not playing Oklahoma anymore. Almost. I'm not sure which team I'd prefer an annual Black Friday game against, honestly. We have history with both, but I think I lean towards Iowa. Maybe throw Colorado in as our annual Halloween weekend opponent?

 

[NU_Alum]

Yes they are.

Academically, the Big Ten has said that AAU Membership is not a firm requirement, although it's definitely a nice-to-have. Colorado is an AAU Member. FWIW, so are Arizona, Cal, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, and Washington (and USC + UCLA).

In terms of football, Winsipedia's Average Ranking, which combines things like National Titles, Conference Titles, Winning %, Heisman Winners, etc., places Colorado #28 All-Time in their power rankings. That's within striking distance of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and ahead of Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern, etc. In terms of historical strength, Colorado would easily be a upper-middle tier Big Ten team.

In terms of basketball, Colorado isn't exactly Indiana or Michigan State, but they're leaps and bounds ahead of anything Nebraska has ever accomplished. They've cracked into the Final Four and Elite Eight a number of times, but have never won a March Madness title.

NCAA team championships
Colorado has won 27 national championships:

• Men's Football (1): 1990
  
  
• Men's Cross Country (5): 2001, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2014
• Women's Cross Country (3): 2000, 2004, 2018
  
  
• Men's Skiing (11): 1959, 1960, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982
• Women's Skiing (1): 1982 (AIAW)
• Co-ed Skiing (8): 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2015

I'm going to go wash my mouth out with soap for having said all this nice stuff about Colorado. But they're easily qualified for Big Ten membership, IMO.

Do revenue they'll add to the conference. It's a net loss for every school already in the conference. There is ZERO percent chance they are coming to the Big 10 and I think even that's high.

If Oregon can't get in due to financials, CO has no chance at all.

 

[CrabHusker]

Not the Big Ten. They aren't even close to qualified. It's a move to the Big12 or at least the right to explore that option.

Mountain West.

They can finish in the middle of the pack there as well.

 

[DuckTownHusker]

Do revenue they'll add to the conference. It's a net loss for every school already in the conference. There is ZERO percent chance they are coming to the Big 10 and I think even that's high.

If Oregon can't get in due to financials, CO has no chance at all.

That's a fair point, although I think we may at a tipping point on financials.

If the Big Ten and SEC expand to 20-24 teams each, we're into new Super League territory. There's no longer a Power 5 at that point. Instead of regional conferences, we're talking about two world super powers. Instead of the mess of World War I, where everybody and their brother was allied (and against!) everyone else at the same time, we're into Cold War territory with the B1G and SEC representing the USA and USSR. Nobody cared much about China or India when the Americans and Soviets had enough firepower to destroy the planet 16 times over.

And at that point, the B1G and SEC can command whatever the hell price they want.

When that day comes, it's not so much about who can bring money and fans to the table (Nebraska, USC, OU+UT), but it's about strong national brands. Schools like Colorado and Oregon have that recognition. Despite whatever shortcomings CU might have on the field as of late, they're still a well-known brand. When you're stocking up your conference of available teams, do you pick a brand like Colorado or a brand like Oregon State?

If you're a wrestling fan, this is akin to the WCW-vs-WWF wars of the 2000s. Sure, there was TNA, ECW, and other leagues around the country, but the only thing anyone cared about was Hulk Hogan and Goldberg (WCW) fighting for viewership against Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock (WWF). When Ted Turner and Vince McMahon got their leagues into that position, it was a literal goldmine. For networks, if you bid on WCW (and lost) you'd better hope you could land that WWF contract, or you're just out of the game.

Same thing is about to happen to college football. There's essentially four traditional players here: ESPN/ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. I can see them pairing up and looping in two major streaming services (Amazon and.... AppleTV? Hulu?) for complete ownership of B1G + SEC coverage. In one corner, you'll have some NBC+Fox+Amazon alliance against a ESPN/ABC+CBS+AppleTV alliance.

In five years, you'll get wall-to-wall weekend coverage of the B1G and SEC on major networks. The remnants of the Pac-12, Big XII and ACC will be relegated to Thursday and Friday night games like the MAC or Mountain West, or whatever Saturday coverage is available will be stepped down to FSN Regional, ESPN 2, and so forth.

 

[Huskermonsta]

That's a fair point, although I think we may at a tipping point on financials.

If the Big Ten and SEC expand to 20-24 teams each, we're into new Super League territory. There's no longer a Power 5 at that point. Instead of regional conferences, we're talking about two world super powers. Instead of the mess of World War I, where everybody and their brother was allied (and against!) everyone else at the same time, we're into Cold War territory with the B1G and SEC representing the USA and USSR. Nobody cared much about China or India when the Americans and Soviets had enough firepower to destroy the planet 16 times over.

And at that point, the B1G and SEC can command whatever the hell price they want.

When that day comes, it's not so much about who can bring money and fans to the table (Nebraska, USC, OU+UT), but it's about strong national brands. Schools like Colorado and Oregon have that recognition. Despite whatever shortcomings CU might have on the field as of late, they're still a well-known brand. When you're stocking up your conference of available teams, do you pick a brand like Colorado or a brand like Oregon State?

If you're a wrestling fan, this is akin to the WCW-vs-WWF wars of the 2000s. Sure, there was TNA, ECW, and other leagues around the country, but the only thing anyone cared about was Hulk Hogan and Goldberg (WCW) fighting for viewership against Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock (WWF). When Ted Turner and Vince McMahon got their leagues into that position, it was a literal goldmine. For networks, if you bid on WCW (and lost) you'd better hope you could land that WWF contract, or you're just out of the game.

Same thing is about to happen to college football. There's essentially four traditional players here: ESPN/ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. I can see them pairing up and looping in two major streaming services (Amazon and.... AppleTV? Hulu?) for complete ownership of B1G + SEC coverage. In one corner, you'll have some NBC+Fox+Amazon alliance against a ESPN/ABC+CBS+AppleTV alliance.

In five years, you'll get wall-to-wall weekend coverage of the B1G and SEC on major networks. The remnants of the Pac-12, Big XII and ACC will be relegated to Thursday and Friday night games like the MAC or Mountain West, or whatever Saturday coverage is available will be stepped down to FSN Regional, ESPN 2, and so forth.

Sigh…

I hate the direction of all that, but the process has already begun.

 

[wcbsas]

I'm going to go wash my mouth out with soap for having said all this nice stuff about Colorado. But they're easily qualified for Big Ten membership, IMO.

Plus, it would be pretty cool to have the opportunity to play CU and Iowa annually. It almost makes up for not playing Oklahoma anymore. Almost. I'm not sure which team I'd prefer an annual Black Friday game against, honestly. We have history with both, but I think I lean towards Iowa. Maybe throw Colorado in as our annual Halloween weekend opponent?

The one area they do not qualify for the B1G is Streaming/TV viewership.
CU does not bring more eyeballs to the media partners

All those other things are nice and can/would make a difference between the B12 and the B1G but this is all about viewership, eyeballs and added value to their TV contracts.

Oregon would be a much better choice than CU. Adding CU would be like adding Rutgers!

 

[2010sAreNeverComingBack]

They leavin'!

 

[Cornjob]

Yes they are.

Academically, the Big Ten has said that AAU Membership is not a firm requirement, although it's definitely a nice-to-have. Colorado is an AAU Member. FWIW, so are Arizona, Cal, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, and Washington (and USC + UCLA).

In terms of football, Winsipedia's Average Ranking, which combines things like National Titles, Conference Titles, Winning %, Heisman Winners, etc., places Colorado #28 All-Time in their power rankings. That would be 11th in the Big Ten. After Penn State at #12, there's a sold band of B-Tier teams in the 20s, including Wisconsin, UCLA, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado.

Here's the Top 10, plus every Big Ten team (and Colorado). The Buffs would be a solid (albeit not elite) addition to the conference.

• 1 Alabama
• 2 USC
• 3 Oklahoma
• 4 Ohio State
• 5 Notre Dame
• 6 Texas
• 7 Michigan
• 8 Nebraska
• 9 Georgia
• 10 LSU
• 12 Penn State
• 20 Wisconsin
• 21 UCLA
• 22 Michigan State
• 23 Iowa
• 24 Minnesota
• 28 Colorado
• 40 Purdue
• 44 Maryland
• 48 Illinois
• 73 Northwestern
• 86 Rutgers
• 96 Indiana

In terms of basketball, Colorado isn't exactly Indiana or Michigan State, but they're leaps and bounds ahead of anything Nebraska has ever accomplished. They've cracked into the Final Four and Elite Eight a number of times, but have never won a March Madness title.

NCAA team championships
Colorado has won 27 national championships:

• Men's Football (1): 1990
  
  
• Men's Cross Country (5): 2001, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2014
• Women's Cross Country (3): 2000, 2004, 2018
  
  
• Men's Skiing (11): 1959, 1960, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982
• Women's Skiing (1): 1982 (AIAW)
• Co-ed Skiing (8): 1991, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2011, 2013, 2015

I'm going to go wash my mouth out with soap for having said all this nice stuff about Colorado. But they're easily qualified for Big Ten membership, IMO.

Plus, it would be pretty cool to have the opportunity to play CU and Iowa annually. It almost makes up for not playing Oklahoma anymore. Almost. I'm not sure which team I'd prefer an annual Black Friday game against, honestly. We have history with both, but I think I lean towards Iowa. Maybe throw Colorado in as our annual Halloween weekend opponent?

You have posted nothing that would support the notion that Colorado would bring additional revenue anywhere close to a share of the Big 10. And you won’t, because there is nothing to support such a ludicrous assertion.

They can’t deliver a market big enough to matter. If they (and their peers) could, the Pac12 would be fielding better offers.

I view this as a preliminary move toward accepting (with Utah, ASU and Arizona) an invitation to the Big 12. Since the media rights deal with the P12 is expiring, the legal extrication is not complicated.

 

[Cornjob]

That's a fair point, although I think we may at a tipping point on financials.

If the Big Ten and SEC expand to 20-24 teams each, we're into new Super League territory. There's no longer a Power 5 at that point. Instead of regional conferences, we're talking about two world super powers. Instead of the mess of World War I, where everybody and their brother was allied (and against!) everyone else at the same time, we're into Cold War territory with the B1G and SEC representing the USA and USSR. Nobody cared much about China or India when the Americans and Soviets had enough firepower to destroy the planet 16 times over.

And at that point, the B1G and SEC can command whatever the hell price they want.

When that day comes, it's not so much about who can bring money and fans to the table (Nebraska, USC, OU+UT), but it's about strong national brands. Schools like Colorado and Oregon have that recognition. Despite whatever shortcomings CU might have on the field as of late, they're still a well-known brand. When you're stocking up your conference of available teams, do you pick a brand like Colorado or a brand like Oregon State?

If you're a wrestling fan, this is akin to the WCW-vs-WWF wars of the 2000s. Sure, there was TNA, ECW, and other leagues around the country, but the only thing anyone cared about was Hulk Hogan and Goldberg (WCW) fighting for viewership against Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock (WWF). When Ted Turner and Vince McMahon got their leagues into that position, it was a literal goldmine. For networks, if you bid on WCW (and lost) you'd better hope you could land that WWF contract, or you're just out of the game.

Same thing is about to happen to college football. There's essentially four traditional players here: ESPN/ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. I can see them pairing up and looping in two major streaming services (Amazon and.... AppleTV? Hulu?) for complete ownership of B1G + SEC coverage. In one corner, you'll have some NBC+Fox+Amazon alliance against a ESPN/ABC+CBS+AppleTV alliance.

In five years, you'll get wall-to-wall weekend coverage of the B1G and SEC on major networks. The remnants of the Pac-12, Big XII and ACC will be relegated to Thursday and Friday night games like the MAC or Mountain West, or whatever Saturday coverage is available will be stepped down to FSN Regional, ESPN 2, and so forth.

There are several fallacies to respond to here, but the one that bothers me the most is your bizarre description of World War I.

 

[DuckTownHusker]

If I had to bet, I'd say Oregon and Washington to the Big 10 is pretty much a done deal. I also think the league would prefer to expand to 20 or more.

The Big Ten could go crazy and try to snatch up FSU and Clemson, but something tells me that they go more after some combination of Stanford, Cal, Colorado or Utah. Maybe Notre Dame, but I really think the Irish ship has sunk already.

 

[cthusker]

Last thing I want to see is the sCUm back in the same conference with Nebraska. If there is any justice let them crawl on their belly like a reptile back to the B12. They deserve nothing from the BIG and would bring NOTHING to the BIG imo. I was happy when we got away from 2 teams in the Big 12 and the sCUm was one of them!

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

Colorado isn't exactly Indiana or Michigan State, but they're leaps and bounds ahead of anything Nebraska has ever accomplished. They've cracked into the Final Four and Elite Eight a number of times, but have never won a March Madness title.

It's been 60 years since Colorado last went to the Elite 8 or beyond. 60 years. Yes, Minnesota has won several football national championships as well -- well before either of us were born.

Literally every DI basketball program from a major conference has had more success than Nebraska in hoops. But CU isn't that special. They won't make the Dance this season -- so they've been there 1 time in the past 7 years. Definitely better than Nebraska -- but so is everyone. Fortunately, Fred seems to have this Husker team moving in the right direction.

Anyhow, Colorado basketball is a non-factor in determining value in joining the Big Ten. I hope they stick with co-ed skiing and rot away elsewhere.