Cracks are forming in the Pac-12: Will they be patched before it's too late?

[huskymedic]

 

[CL82]

Sooo, UConn to the PAC 12?

The P5 will look to grab power wherever it can. It's no surprise that it will further consolidate power. Conference realignment isn't over, but it may be over for UConn

 

[Exit 4]

So who were the four B12 schools the PAC was going to poach; UT, TT, Ok and OKst?

And oh boo hoo, there stilll not a G5 school that wouldn’t love to be in the PAC12.

But there commish is way over paid.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Yes, the P5 will eventually become the P4, and Yes, the power conference dream is over and has been over for UConn for several years now. UConn will survive in the AAC. It may not be "big time" college athletics but it is close enough. We need to stop worrying about the Power Conferences and just enjoy UConn athletics for what they are.

 

[Kemba429]

Yes, the P5 will eventually become the P4, and Yes, the power conference dream is over and has been over for UConn for several years now. UConn will survive in the AAC. It may not be "big time" college athletics but it is close enough. We need to stop worrying about the Power Conferences and just enjoy UConn athletics for what they are.

I think there is a possibility that we could get a P4/5 invite as theres still 2-3 years before the next big shift (I think at least), but im not holding my breath. If it comes, it comes, if it doesnt im fine with the AAC. But if the p5 does turn in to the p4 and The American adds whoever doesnt get scooped up, thatll be great for the conf.

 

[whaler11]

The time zone argument is always my favorite. It’s probably their biggest strength. Can you imagine how invisible the league would be if they didn’t have late night exclusivity?

BTW - the bigger your relationship is with ESPN is the healthier you are.

Watch the Big East try and claw their way back on.

 

[c29328]

Yes, the P5 will eventually become the P4, and Yes, the power conference dream is over and has been over for UConn for several years now. UConn will survive in the AAC. It may not be "big time" college athletics but it is close enough. We need to stop worrying about the Power Conferences and just enjoy UConn athletics for what they are.

I agree. I said this a few years ago and I still think its the end game. A top level, nationwide conference of 36-48 teams in Division I "super" that own all their own rights. It will start with the weakest P5 conferences (B12 and Pac12) getting poached. Then when Michigan and Alabama see how much they support the non competitive schools they will winnow out the Iowas, Georgia techs, and Vanderbilt level schools. As this happens and the list of the have-nots keeps growing a healthy second tier football league can form that still has regional market value. Football and the P5 looks to be less inclusive to me long term, not more so. We are out I think forever but I am less bothered by that than I was a while ago.

 

[Exit 4]

I agree. I said this a few years ago and I still think its the end game. A top level, nationwide conference of 36-48 teams in Division I "super" that own all their own rights. It will start with the weakest P5 conferences (B12 and Pac12) getting poached. Then when Michigan and Alabama see how much they support the non competitive schools they will winnow out the Iowas, Georgia techs, and Vanderbilt level schools. As this happens and the list of the have-nots keeps growing a healthy second tier football league can form that still has regional market value. Football and the P5 looks to be less inclusive to me long term, not more so. We are out I think forever but I am less bothered by that than I was a while ago.

A P4 world maybe the 20 year end game, but if its a P4 world with less than 64 teams (16x4), then I think the appeal of the product will suffer. Maybe I am off base, but I feel like a big part of the appeal of college sports is the shear number of teams. A really a bold new P4 world would be 80 teams (20x4). Save your rebuttals, I understand the scheduling issues and the revenue dilution issues that make anything between a 64 and 80 team p4 world a fantasy.

 

[SportsPageMike]

At some point the big boys are going to jump to 16 teams each. Where will the SEC steal two teams? Will it be Florida State and a Big 12 school. Or possibly two Big 12 schools. The Big 10 will follow. Will they rob both Virginia schools or Iowa State and West Virginia? In the long run the Big 12 will fold just like the SWC did. The PAC 12 will grab more Big 12 schools. At some point there will only be four POWER Conferences. Just my though...

 

[dayooper]

At some point the big boys are going to jump to 16 teams each. Where will the SEC steal two teams? Will it be Florida State and a Big 12 school. Or possibly two Big 12 schools. The Big 10 will follow. Will they rob both Virginia schools or Iowa State and West Virginia? In the long run the Big 12 will fold just like the SWC did. The PAC 12 will grab more Big 12 schools. At some point there will only be four POWER Conferences. Just my though...

Not quite sure I agree with who the Big10 would take. Unless it’s as a hanger on to get Texas, ISU does nothing for the Big10. WVU? Not sure they fit at all. Even two Virginia schools is a little redundant.

 

[huskymedic]

Dallas Morning News: Add Arizona, Arizona State in expansion? Why, for Big 12, it's a plus sometimes to be smaller

 

[huskyrob1]

I think the B-12 implodes before any other P5. Nebraska jumping ship to the B1G is a bigger crack than the San Andreas Fault. The PAC 12 has some issues but the ice is pretty thick for them IMO.

 

[huskyrob1]

Not quite sure I agree with who the Big10 would take. Unless it’s as a hanger on to get Texas, ISU does nothing for the Big10. WVU? Not sure they fit at all. Even two Virginia schools is a little redundant.

Don't WVU's academics suck? I can't see the B1G taking that school seriously, and Morgantown isn't exactly in same ballpark as NYC, the northern half of Jersey, or the Fairfield County to Boston corridor.

 

[Mokum]

Don't WVU's academics suck? I can't see the B1G taking that school seriously, and Morgantown isn't exactly in same ballpark as NYC, the northern half of Jersey, or the Fairfield County to Boston corridor.

I really wonder how much of a factor academics is. A school might have a great academic reputation but the guys recruited for big time sports are for the most part taking courses that are a joke. They are not studying quantum physics and playing FB. Doesn't matter if it is WVU or Michigan.

 

[Drew]

I really wonder how much of a factor academics is. A school might have a great academic reputation but the guys recruited for big time sports are for the most part taking courses that are a joke. They are not studying quantum physics and playing FB. Doesn't matter if it is WVU or Michigan.

For the B1G, academics matter. They have all sorts of collaborations with each other and academic alliances.

 

[Adios]

We might as well join the MAC with UMass for a better geographical fit.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The time zone argument is always my favorite. It’s probably their biggest strength. Can you imagine how invisible the league would be if they didn’t have late night exclusivity?

BTW - the bigger your relationship is with ESPN is the healthier you are.

Watch the Big East try and claw their way back on.

Unless you have a time machine lying around, ESPN is increasingly irrelevant.

 

[whaler11]

Unless you have a time machine lying around, ESPN is increasingly irrelevant.

Yet they still fund the entire college sports universe and their ratings still lap the field.

Somehow, the two P5 leagues that have the smallest relationship are the two weakest leagues.

Weird.

Lemme guess. Amazon! Netflix! Their entire model is the antithesis of live sports programming. Their success is based on untethering the programming from the clock/calendar. So not only are they going to do that - they are going to do it with the regular season college basketball and football that isn’t already spoken for by BTN, SEC network, ACC Network and Pac 12 network?

The second you take college sports off general interest sports channels they are DOA. An almost bottomless pit of supply with weak demand. If non-viewers aren’t subsidizing in an ESPN like fashion the revenue doesn’t exist.

 

[huskyrob1]

I really wonder how much of a factor academics is. A school might have a great academic reputation but the guys recruited for big time sports are for the most part taking courses that are a joke. They are not studying quantum physics and playing FB. Doesn't matter if it is WVU or Michigan.

Bad academics is a huge factor, don't kid yourself. Try researching the cumulative QPA or GPA of the WVU or Cincinnati football team vs Michigan's team or Notre Dame or Stanfords team.

 

[buddy]

Bad academics is a huge factor, don't kid yourself. Try researching the cumulative QPA or GPA of the WVU or Cincinnati football team vs Michigan's team or Notre Dame or Stanfords team.

What about Louisville? Bad academics meant nothing to conference realignment and still don't.

 

[huskyrob1]

Louisville was a big mistake and everyone in the ACC knows that now, the ACC schools that wanted UCONN instead have been saying we told you so ever since.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[XOVERX]

The B1G should consider a big move in the 2023-2025 time-frame.

USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, UW, UO, Texas, OU, KU, and, to finish off the NE Corridor, UConn.

 

[Austin316]

I didn’t read the article but I’m just assuming it has something to do with California falling into the Pacific Ocean.

 

[huskymedic]