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Big 10 expansion -- will Pac 10 be forced to expand?

Sportsfan101

Well-Known Member
Interesting article on the possibility of CU to the Pac-10. The most ineresting part of the article is that the author believes the Pac-10 needs to act now to attract CU -- before the new Big 12 tv contract is negotiated.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/308870-will-recession-lead-to-pac-ten-expansion

I've got some issues with the article (why would CU leave the B12?), but it's fun to speculate about conference realignments.
 
I would ****ing love CU to move, therefor this has a zero % chance of happening.
 
oh, please let this come to pass.

it would actually do something to mitigate my historic level of discontent.

CU would do better in the p10. there is no sports-superpower, let alone several, like there are in the b12. and they actually care a little bit about academics.

we'd be done for awhile no matter what but at least i could make a case for light at the end of the tunnel.
 
I'd like this simply to see CU on tv more as well as be able to go to more games here in socal. That being said I doubt it happens. Would you guys say CU has more alumni in the Arizona/California areas than the Texas/Oklahoma areas?
 
That's probably the case, Rabbit.

Even so, I'm a history nut and I would hate losing our ties to our Big Eight brothers. But I guess you go H2H with NU every year and it could work.

I'd be against this move, personally.
 
Are there any schools in the Pac-10 with as FEW sports as CU has?

Not that I am aware of.

But expansion is solely about football and championship games and the $10-12 million that can be generated annually from playing such a game.....no? OK, fine -- it's about the TV markets and the TV contracts. Denver is the 16th largest market in the country, and that is why CU is desirable. Sure as hell isn't for our football program right now.
 
There are so many Pac-area programs (UNLV, Nev, Fresno) that could give more fodder for non-USC types to push into the cellar, though. Boise State is probably thinking seriously about finding a BCS conference themselves. They're not going to go a lot further until they increase their TV and conf-shared revenues consistently. Will NBC give them an ND type contract? Make them America's Perenial Cinderella team?

For the last 8 seasons, I think the Big 12's got considerably more revenues for sharing than the Pac-10 has. This would be a drop-off for CU's financial fortunes, therefore. But, maybe that'd be a good excuse for the CU Admin to keep Hawkins around. They can keep saying, "One more year, one more year."
 
If Nebraska goes to B10 (which I think is possible, although not probable) -- then CU should run to the Pac 10. More interesting question is what happens to Big 12 if Mizzou leaves. Utah? TCU? Conference realignment?

And what's the deal with the TV money -- Pac 10 has massive media markets compared to B12 (LA, SF, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, etc.) but I think B12 TV deal is worth much more money. If you add Denver and, say, Salt Lake City to the Pac 10 TV market, it would have greater marketability.
 
I don't think so. Maybe this would bring back a baseball team. I'd be first in line to get season tickets to CU baseball. I might even go to CU Softball games.


CU has 12 varsity sports.


Arizona has 18 sports.
Arizona State has 19 sports.
Cal has 27 sports.
Oregon has 18 sports.
Oregon State has 16 sports.
Stanford has 34 sports.
Southern Cal has 19 sports.
UCLA has 22 sports.
Washington has 19 sports.
Washington State has 15 sports.
 
In the comments folks are saying that travel expenses for CU would be markedly increased. Is that really the case? I wouldn't think flights to LA, Phoenix, Oakland, Seattle, San Diego, and San Diego would be much more expensive than to podunk big 12 towns.

And perhaps my perspective is skewed, but I'm pretty sure we would 'travel' much better in the pac-10 than we do in the big 12. First, the alumni base is pretty strong in PAC10 land and second, the destinations are a bit more desirable.
 
CU has 12 varsity sports.


Arizona has 18 sports.
Arizona State has 19 sports.
Cal has 27 sports.
Oregon has 18 sports.
Oregon State has 16 sports.
Stanford has 34 sports.
Southern Cal has 19 sports.
UCLA has 22 sports.
Washington has 19 sports.
Washington State has 15 sports.

Of those, only Wazzu might possibly be without a baseball program (not sure about that, but I'm pretty sure everybody else has one...). But unless the move to the Pac-10 generated a lot more money, I don't think the CU AD is in a position to be looking to add more programs any time soon... :sad1:

EDIT: And it really is sad to see the CU AD stuck at the minimum 12 sports. Just looked it up, and it looks like Mesa State will be at 18 intercollegiate teams next fall when Lacrosse comes on line. Granted, they're competing at a totally different level, but there's just no reason that CU should be sponsoring fewer intercollegiate teams than a small D-II school...
 
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I would love to see the Pac 10 expand jsut so we would have a conference known as the 12 Pac.
 
Assuming Nebraska leaves B12 and IF CU could cut a sweetheart deal with the conference (ie, a guaranty that conference payout equals or exceeds B12 conference payout), then this seems to be a no-brainer. The academics would love being associated with the Pac-10 (or 12 Pac). Plus, better road trips.
 
The only down side is having Hawkins lead the charge, we would need a new coach in order to enter the 12 Pac the right way.
 
Screw the Pac-10. CU should come on over to the Mtn West with Boise State this offseason. We'd love to have you both in the fold with an automatic BCS bid.

Seriously though, rumors of Boise State to the Mtn West have picked up serious steam. Some are saying it is a done deal and will be announced in the spring. It makes too much sense not to happen and I imagine that case is only strengthened if one of the Big 3 (Utah, TCU, BYU) were to move on.
 
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Screw the Pac-10. CU should come on over to the Mtn West with Boise State this offseason. We'd love to have you both in the fold with an automatic BCS bid.


Arrrggg!!! Can't say we are above Mountain West caliber anymore. :sad1: ANd who knows if we ever will be.
 
Start with I don't think it will be happening soon. The Big XII makes a lot more money off TV than the PAC 10 and other revenues that are shared is higher as well. The PAC 10 has a higher population base than the Big XII region does but they end up playing in a late slot for the Eastern Time Zone so national games are fewer. This is why we end up with 12:00 and 1:00 starts instead of 2:00 starts to games, allows us to fit into more time slots for TV.

If it did happen with CU going to the PAC 10 and kNU or Mizzery going to the Big 10 then it could spell huge problems for the MWC. The PAC 10 would very likely want to go to an even 12 teams and take BYU or much more likely Utah with the SLC market. The Big XII would likely grab TCU (an old SWC member with the Texas schools) along with one other from the WAC. TCU, BYU, and Utah are a combined 36-0 against the rest of the MWC the past two years so there goes the top of the conference. They could add Boise and potentially Nevada or Fresno but they would still take a big hit in prestige and that would drop the WAC to close to Sun Belt level.
 
I think the travel costs might be more prohibitive than most think. Cost of hotels, food, ground transport, etc, are higher in and around the larger Cali towns. And consider that this would impact all sports - not just football.
 
If Nebraska goes to B10 (which I think is possible, although not probable) -- then CU should run to the Pac 10. More interesting question is what happens to Big 12 if Mizzou leaves. Utah? TCU? Conference realignment?

And what's the deal with the TV money -- Pac 10 has massive media markets compared to B12 (LA, SF, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, etc.) but I think B12 TV deal is worth much more money. If you add Denver and, say, Salt Lake City to the Pac 10 TV market, it would have greater marketability.

Nebraska wouldn't go to the Big Televen. They would have no natural rivals, sans iowa, and recruiting would be far more difficult.

Aside from that, the Big Televen network isn't availbale in the NU area so fans would have to PPV anyway, the massive fan travel would be difficult, etc...the move makes -0- sense for NU. There will always be a Midwest group of teams to make a decent Conference even if CU and maybe Mizz were to go to the P10 and B10.

CSU(ugh), TCU, Houston, Tulsa and a few others could fill the void. Even the New Mexico schools may be a decent match just due to their proximity to Texas.

Unfortunately, Texas is gonna have a ton of say in Conference Realingment regarding the B12.
 
Screw the Pac-10. CU should come on over to the Mtn West with Boise State this offseason. We'd love to have you both in the fold with an automatic BCS bid.

Seriously though, rumors of Boise State to the Mtn West have picked up serious steam. Some are saying it is a done deal and will be announced in the spring. It makes too much sense not to happen and I imagine that case is only strengthened if one of the Big 3 (Utah, TCU, BYU) were to move on.

I'd rather fall on a rusty pitchfork.
 
Nebraska would go to the B10, IMHO. Why? $$$$. Big 10 schools get more than B12, in large part because of markets in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.
 
Interesting article on the possibility of CU to the Pac-10. The most ineresting part of the article is that the author believes the Pac-10 needs to act now to attract CU -- before the new Big 12 tv contract is negotiated.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/308870-will-recession-lead-to-pac-ten-expansion

I've got some issues with the article (why would CU leave the B12?), but it's fun to speculate about conference realignments.

This would be a tough move for CU unless there was a way to take Utah or BYU along. From an atheltic standpoint alone, the travel would be difficult for most and the distance from home would still leave recruiting a difficult proposition. Maybe Arizona could be recruited better.

I don't see the revenue generation possibilities in this move that would offset the probable costs. Geographically, CU seems to be in kind of a tough spot without a number of top athletic schools close by.
 
Nebraska would go to the B10, IMHO. Why? $$$$. Big 10 schools get more than B12, in large part because of markets in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.


In all honesty, I don't think the Big 10 has eyes for any of the Big 12 schools. They have been angling for a larger cut of the East Coast TV market ever since they brought in Penn State a few years back. I honestly see Pitt as the logical choice. Natural rival with Penn State. East coast television market. Solid football and basketball tradition.
 
This would be a tough move for CU unless there was a way to take Utah or BYU along. From an atheltic standpoint alone, the travel would be difficult for most and the distance from home would still leave recruiting a difficult proposition. Maybe Arizona could be recruited better.

I don't see the revenue generation possibilities in this move that would offset the probable costs. Geographically, CU seems to be in kind of a tough spot without a number of top athletic schools close by.

I'd think California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona would all be more easily recruited if kids knew their families and friends could see them play in person at least once a year and on TV all the time. Since Boulder is such a special place, we could continue to recruit from around the nation as well.
 
I see Utah coming on board if Missouri leaves (although I don't think Missouri is going to leave)..



CU to the Pac 10 would be a bad fit.. Yeah it would be nice to see them out here in the Bay Area every year but we don't really border any Pac 10 state(with the exception of Arizona in the 4 corners and have no rivalry with anyone in the Pac 10.. I think it would be a bad move.. Plus I'm not sure that we at the present time with an administration that doesn't seem very keen on improving their facilities or actually have winning programs to offer the Pac 10.. I think Utah and BYU might be ahead of us.. When you expand you want teams that actually want to win.. Like the ACC bringing in FSU look ago, Miami, VA TEch and BC(although it can be said that ACC really just wanted Miami and could have cared less about the other 2 teams), the Big 10 bringing in Penn State years ago.. Those programs were winners in something.. Exactly what the hell are we at the present time? All we have going for us is the Denver TV market which is a city that is lukewarm at the present time.. Are people in Denver that excited about Pac 10 football? I doubt it..
 
In all honesty, I don't think the Big 10 has eyes for any of the Big 12 schools. They have been angling for a larger cut of the East Coast TV market ever since they brought in Penn State a few years back. I honestly see Pitt as the logical choice. Natural rival with Penn State. East coast television market. Solid football and basketball tradition.


Agreed. It would seem they would lean towards Rutgers or Syracuse to get a market they don't already cover. I don't think Pitt brings as much as the other 2.
 
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