Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[aeroclone]

Taking money out of the equation, I could see how a fan feels this way. OU/UW would be on an island out there in the Big12 without really any driveable road games. The competition would be lower, but as long as the CFP continue to have the top 6 conference champs as qualifiers, they or Oregon could essentially buy their tickets in August if they were in the MWC.

But, money is still a thing and college athletics haven’t cared about geography or the fans for a long time now.

Let's be honest, the number of fans who actually travel to road games is a trivial concern. In a 60k seat stadium the visitors sit in an area that is what, 2-3k? Those ticket sales are a rounding error in the game day revenue.

Then I bet as you look into those fans, a good percentage of them are probably fans and alums who now live near the host school. Look at all the ISU people living in Colorado who are already chiming in on attending games since CUs move was announced. Many more probably flew to the game anyway so the distance would be far less of a concern. The number of them that drive to a game just because they want to go to the road game and the distance is drivable just isn't enough to matter.

 

[KidSilverhair]

Uconn will be added if no more PAC teams join.
BY wants uconn. the ADs don't, but BY gets his way ( I predict).

Id rather az, or if fox agrees to pony up fpor 2 more, az, wash, and oregon.

Problem is fox wont pony up 1 penny for oregon and washington to go to BIG. why would they pony up 12 million a piece for oregon/wash to big 12?

I dont think people fully appreciate our new TV deal. it is MORE than what we received with texas and ou. predictions a year ago from the national media was the new big 12 deal would be 20 or less, with most saying less. BY should have his way when it comes to marketing the future big 12.

If UConn is the 14th that turns this move from a triumph to a “meh.”

It can’t be UConn. Football is driving realignment, football is driving the media deals, basketball has almost zero to do with it. Adding a member for its basketball power on the East Coast 1200 miles from Ames, 2300 miles from Provo, and 1700 miles from the B12 football championship site ain’t it, Chief.

Plus somebody tell Yormark that UConn football fans broke Cy’s arm.

 

[KidSilverhair]

I mean, UConn is always gonna be there. Who else is taking them? The B1G? The SEC? When basketball and football kinda get severed in media deals, like we’re being told will happen, then you can go after UConn and Gonzaga. Not now. Plus by that point the ACC will likely be fracturing, the PAC will be scraping by on their media deal buoyed by SDSU and SMU … there’ll be plenty of options then.

I can’t see filling a conference spot with UConn at this time, it makes zero sense. Then again, I still am awaiting an offer from Yormark to consult, so I don’t actually have any real inside info …

 

[AttackOfTheClones]

"For the first time in the last six seasons, the Mountain West saw an uptick in year-over-year attendance. The conference averaged 23,970 fans per home game — not including Hawaii, which is playing in a 9,000-capacity stadium as its new home field is being built — which marked its highest figure since 2017"
~Dec 13, 2022

wow that guy is nuts

 

[PickSix]

If UConn is the 14th that turns this move from a triumph to a “meh.”

It can’t be UConn. Football is driving realignment, football is driving the media deals, basketball has almost zero to do with it. Adding a member for its basketball power on the East Coast 1200 miles from Ames, 2300 miles from Provo, and 1700 miles from the B12 football championship site ain’t it, Chief.

Plus somebody tell Yormark that UConn football fans broke Cy’s arm.

I don’t understand why we just don’t go after Gonzaga and St. John’s if he really wants basketball and the NY market. Those two will give you comparable benefits without the baggage of a flailing football program. And St. John’s is actually in New York as opposed to 2+ hours away in a different state.

 

[isucy86]

Is that in the contract? If so, very interesting.

Yes. There was talk in media last summer/fall that if Big10 further expanded Amazon would like a Big10 Friday night game to compliment it's Th night NFL game.

Something to remember is FOX owns majority of BTN, so they have voice and equity stake in Big10 media rights. So if inventory is added, they benefit also from "new" money added to the Big10 media deal.

And the existing 16 aren't going to split the same dollars over 18 vs 16 schools. Pretty standard for a contract to spell out contingencies if there is additional inventory. The media reported the Big10 deal specified if Notre Dame joined. The Big12 deal has a pro-rata which stipulates EXACT payments to new schools. It could also simply be existing partners have Rights of First Refusal.

 

[LLCoolCY]

Tramel weighs in on UCONN.

 

[Nolaeer]

Uconn delivers the NYC market better than St. Johns. There are media statistics that support that. People love a winner.

And are we sure Uconn will "always" be there. What if the ACC wants to put a stop to the big 12 has the best basketball conference talk.

What if we want Uconn now so they can build their football team in time for the 2031 negotiations? What if BY wants nova and georgetown hoops only in 2031, and they see a conference with Uconn, cinn, pitt, louisville, WVU cinn in the east?

BY has been playing chess, while everyone else is playing checkers.
The east coast and hoops and marketing are his DNA. None of us, or the ADs should lightly dismiss what he thinks will be best longterm for the Big 12.

And, hoops is rising. Football may be done growing and starting a slow decline.

I have no idea what will happen next, but I think we're in the best hands we could possibly ask for. The Big 12 hired BY. He has delivered! We just need to let him do the job he was hired for.

 

[heitclone]

An Oregon summary of their options

Where do the Ducks go now? Assessing all options for Oregon and the Pac-12

Almost 400 days ago, the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins turned the Pac-12 world upside down with the announcement they were skipping town and heading to the Big Ten Conference. Since then, chaos and uncertainty have become the norm. Both of those characteristics were

duckswire.usatoday.com

 

[cmjh10]

We aren’t going to touch the B1G and SEC, so might as well continue to become the best basketball conference. Plus, we need some more cupcakes. Works for the B1G and SEC.

 

[isucy86]

Sorry if this was already posted, but Fox, unlike ESPN, has promised to pony up additional money for just 2, not 4 more.

Unless Fox changes its position, it may just be Az and call it a day.

Everything is a negotiation.

There are some people who say the Yormark 14 statement is just a negotiating ploy.

But even if FOX only agreed to 14, if all 4 corner schools want to join, I have a tough time believing FOX won't invest another $25M (2x$12M) to allow Big12 to expand to 16 teams.

And if FOX isn't willing to invest, maybe ESPN has desire to have 4 corner schools in Big12 to maximize choices for After Dark or other time slots.

Plus if FOX isn't interested Yormark could always approach a 3rd partner. Who knows he might have already floated that to an Amazon, Apple, NBC, etc. And has that in his backpocket.

 

[BCClone]

One side thought on this, the MW could really take a hit even if they don't lose any teams. If the Big 12 gets 1-3 more PAC teams and the Big ten has the LA schools, that could drive their angle of being the other late night option out the window. It could hold their value down. Boise could be the big loser in this

 

[OnlyCyclones]

Oh wow! I don't really know anything about that. (Seriously) - DM me the link, I'd love to read.

FWIW - Here is the list of other schools that store their conferences "private" documents.

Big 10 - Northwestern
SEC - Vandy
Big 12 - Baylor
ACC - Duke
Pac-12 - Stanford

******* Baylor.

I’d trust TCU much more.

 

[OnlyCyclones]

One side thought on this, the MW could really take a hit even if they don't lose any teams. If the Big 12 gets 1-3 more PAC teams and the Big ten has the LA schools, that could drive their angle of being the other late night option out the window. It could hold their value down. Boise could be the big loser in this

Might push Boise to make a similar move to what is happening further up the chain. A move east to the AAC or even Sun Belt. Assuming the Pac is still too arrogant for Boise State.

 

[Clonehomer]

Everything is a negotiation.

There are some people who say the Yormark 14 statement is just a negotiating ploy.

But even if FOX only agreed to 14, if all 4 corner schools want to join, I have a tough time believing FOX won't invest another $25M (2x$12M) to allow Big12 to expand to 16 teams.

And if FOX isn't willing to invest, maybe ESPN has desire to have 4 corner schools in Big12 to maximize choices for After Dark or other time slots.

Plus if FOX isn't interested Yormark could always approach a 3rd partner. Who knows he might have already floated that to an Amazon, Apple, NBC, etc. And has that in his backpocket.

Agreed. That contract was also signed with the thought that the PAC would still exist as a power conference. If 4 come over, they’re done. So some of those time slots reserved for them could be used to expand our TV package. I believe Fox has an evening slot available still?

 

[Acylum]

Kinda look at it like in 2021. Michigan and OSU would have been playing in the championship but sparty with a 10 win season (11 after the bowl) and win over Michigan would probably have gotten in with a 12 team playoff birth. I could routinely see Penn state not making the championship game but still getting some regular playoff love in a 12 team format

The problem is scheduling can get so out of whack in theses 16 team conferences. Is the b1g going to continue to prop up Iowa through scheduling? Without divisions they don’t need to manufacture a conceived rival for Wisconsin anymore.

 

[ClonerJams]

Wait until they find out that's the actual number of people that show up to the games. I know it's a wild concept coming from the Pac 12.

 

[OnlyCyclones]

Tramel weighs in on UCONN.

Gotta think that this is one of Tramel’s Big 12 AD sources letting getting his opinion out there by proxy. The league sounds divided on UConn.

 

[CascadeClone]

Lets all please realize that UConn is the emergency backup plan for team #14, IF AND ONLY IF the PAC sticks together and no further defections.

So no need to crap on UConn, and argue others are better- of course they are. But in the worst case scenario, UConn gets an invite. And long term they have value for bball and an east coast presence. Its fine.

 

[OnlyCyclones]

How dare they short us 500!