The Big 12, Texas and the Longhorn Network...a failed path.

[lawdogg]

I think we're overlooking the obvious first choice in any talks of expanding the Pac-12, the CSU Rams of course.

 

[Buffs@5345']

Let's say that expansion is inevitable, just to play the hypothetical.

For those of you who want to avoid the Big 12, especially UT, coming into the Pac...

Would you prefer focusing on Western/Pacific cultural fits even if the money was less?

As an example, going to 14 through New Mexico and UNLV. That would make the basketball fans ecstatic, but would it dilute football too much?

Started after the initial post - I hadn't gotten to see the other responses until just now:

Yes to western/Pacific!

Nope to money! My looooong take:

TX and OK (4) are the football side of whatever the fourth super conference becomes. There will ultimately be an SEC, Big10, and Pac.....and something else, something hideous and godless that will make sports fans wish for an athletic version of Roe v. Wade. If those 4 did role to the PAC there would be such a competitive vacuum of suckitude in what is left of the MWC, ACC, Big East, Big12 etc that it would not be financially viable anyway, and three superconferences don't balance well for competition. Right now the Big12 +leavings stands as an automatic path to the playoffs/national championships - and Texas can surround itself with 10-12 willing fluffers, keeping themselves fat on a system that will probably kill their exclusive tv network, but allow it to expand as the core of a conference network program where they have 14 little conflettes sucking at the teat.

Why would they give that up to take an equal share of Pac 12 money? Why would we cave to their expectation of a larger chunk of ours when we already have a stable position and can continue to grow our footprint in logical,(albeit smaller) markets?

If we ultimately felt the need was there for expansion I would push for New Mexico, UNLV, Boise St. and Fresno St. I am not sure how well any of those four match the academic and cultural expectations - but they have to be a hell of a lot closer than Texas!

I do think there are going to be 4 superconferences ultimately. The Pac 12 already has a solid foundation, we are set for the foreseeable future with what appears to be a sustainable media revenue plan, (and the digital version is still in the planning/vision phase). Do 4 more non-TX/OK schools dilute that share a bit, sure - but the schools that the Big 10 and SEC would have to add will do the same for theirs. TX has had its nuts snipped with the stinking turd that is the longwhore'n network - that model doesn't work, conference networks do. The SEC isn't going to let TX join with that anchor (and neither should we). - so they (TX) would have to leverage their relevance with schools that are fighting for their existence, and live with a favorable conference network, much like.......oh yeah the system they worked flawlessly with the Big12.


Would the TX tv market bring more revenue, sure – but unless they are splitting equally, the now reduced (I would imagine) net after they retained a higher percentage and then split across 15 other programs wouldn’t be worth breaking the model that is set to drive itself.

Once the dust settles in a 4 superpack, I think there is going to be a reflex reshuffle where the illogical grabs are swapped back into places that make sense in the super four. Costs for travel and low attendance at games no one cares much about will make win wins when everyone is splitting out conference network revenues. Since no one will want the TX teat spot TX will over time be forced to incentivize membership. At that point things will level off a bit, or zombies will rise up and college sports will become those memories we enjoy when there is a moment to relax.

In my pre-zombie apocalypse crystal ball, with 64 in mind, I look at who those could be (if not New Mexico, UNLV, Boise St. and Fresno St.) and pick 4 that make the most sense in all aspects. If there are 4 that can hold their own for keeping each of our $ takes in line with whatever the other conferences will be getting at the end of a decade and are good adds then so be it. If we have to break out of the western/pacific options remember that when the two games in town are an equal stake in the Pac12 or sticky sixteenths on texas’ by then ravaged and raw leavings I dare say we can gain a receptive audience in any of the remaining markets.

 

[rolandftw]

In the immediate future, the odds of the Pac-12 getting teams from the Big XII to join them is very, very low.

With the conference having a Grant of Rights through 2025, I wouldn't expect any University to even entertain the possibility of leaving the conference until 2022 or so. Their conference will have time to try to add Universities closer to West Virginia, to further increase stability of the conference.

 

[TDbuff]

With the conference having a Grant of Rights through 2025, I wouldn't expect any University to even entertain the possibility of leaving the conference until 2022 or so. Their conference will have time to try to add Universities closer to West Virginia, to further increase stability of the conference.

The Pac 12 will have to make sure the Big 12 doesn't come into their territory as well. UNLV might look like a nice addition to the Big 12 after that proposed stadium gets built. In that case the Pac 12 might have to play defense just to keep another conference out of our region.

 

[rolandftw]

If the Big XII wishes to add UNLV, when they have no other members in a close geographic proximity, let them. The conference can't make decisions that will hurt its current members out of fear that it might make another conference potentially slightly stronger.

 

[gobuffs58]

i like the pac 12 as it sits.... no ones leaving, thinking of leaving ...etc etc... stay a rock solid 12 teaams with all the large tv markets covered from Denver to the coast

 

[Lt.Col.FrankSlade]

If the Big XII wishes to add UNLV, when they have no other members in a close geographic proximity, let them. The conference can't make decisions that will hurt its current members out of fear that it might make another conference potentially slightly stronger.

Can you imagine the road trip from West Virginia (Morgantown) to Las Vegas?

It was interesting listening to the basketball game last night and how West Virginia was not scheduled for two-game road trips. The current Big 12 schedule just has West Virginia travel to every Big 12 team throughout the season (the Big 12 plays round-robin, everybody plays everybody else both home and away). The commentators were suggesting that the Big 12 had to revise their scheduling so that WVU could pick up two road games at a time, similar to how the Pac 12 schedules their road games.