Yeah. We were hoping that we'd get KU. OSU is a repeat market that does nothing to move the financial needle. It's also sub-par on academics. KU would get us the solid Kansas City market plus the decent number of homes on the Topeka and Wichita cable systems. Plus, with KU, UCLA and Arizona and Tad Boyle's Buffs it would immediately put us in the conversation with the ACC and Big East for hoops supremacy.
I kind of get Texas Tech. It helps us bridge New Mexico as a fly-over state with confidence that Tech from the east, UA and ASU from the west, and CU from the north would ensure that the Pac-16 network got coverage in the pretty good and growing Albuquerque/Santa Fe market. There's also a bit of a history with the Arizona schools.
Finally, I know this is about athletics, but when we're talking Pac-12 we have to acknowledge that bringing something to the table as a graduate research university is important. KU is a great fit on that criteria. TTU has at least gotten the funding, state legislative backing, and has a plan in place to achieve Tier 1 status and AAU membership. OSU? If they sent an AAU application, it was written in crayon.
Our only hope is that the Big 10 grabs Missouri and that the SEC makes a play for OSU before the Pac-12 is able to move on this. Then, as long as the Big 10 doesn't make a play for Kansas we are looking at KU-OU-UT-TT for Pac-12 expansion. That is our ideal scenario as long as there isn't a demand for special UT benefits/status in the conference. However, if they do go down that road the conference is fully prepared to move to its Plan B of KU-MU-OU-OSU.