Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[upstater]

So, are you saying that somehow athletic directors have seen secretly snuck in the bank accounts and stolen tens of millions of dollars? Of course not.

Here is the unavoidable fact that you keep trying, and in my opinion failing, to dance around. The relevant decision makers of the universities have decided that funding athletics at the highest level is in the best interest of their universities. If it makes you feel better that those decision makers are the board, rather than presidents, so be it. It really doesn't matter one way or another to the analysis.

In the end, universities are "voting with their dollars" to continue to support athletics. You may find that to be an inconvenient truth, but it is an absolute and undeniable truth.

Does that help?

No, you ignored what I wrote earlier.

When Presidents don't fully reimburse the athletic deficits, ADs have gone around their backs to trustees and alumni, forcing the issue.

Let's only talk about UConn. There are budget cuts coming. The President is so upset she goes to the media. The academic side will certainly be degraded. She's making public stink about it. She's risking p...ing off the people who pay her. Why? Because she knows the deficit is an intenable burden.

You keep talking about the president who have decided funding sports is in the best interest of the university, yet you don't even notice UConn's president who publicly notes the school might not honor its Hartford sports contracts if the state cuts funding to the academic side.

This tells me the new President is actually very concerned with the athletic deficit and the academic deficit, and that she's not afraid to cause a ruckus when it comes to the damaging impact of one deficit on the other.

 

[uchusky32]

B12 going to 20. CT, AZ, AZST, Utah, OR, WA, Cal.

 

[djct1999]

I think it's safe to say that isn't what is going on here.

It’s what I actually think. That said, it makes as much sense as any other interpretation. Right or wrong.

Let’s see. USC is adamant on Oregon and Washington not joining. The big 10 says sure come at an extremely discounted rate. Oregon says we are worth more. This is all noise. That’s it.

 

[CL82]

Destabilizing the conference isn't creating leverage. It's creating a risk for whoever owns the rights to the conference.

Call it Solomon-esque negotiating then. For what it's worth, I have seen this tactic in the real world where people say they would prefer to keep an organization together, but recognize they can make more money if they carve it up. The notion is that the buyer doesn't have to pay the carved up value if he is going to keep the organization intact, but he hast to close the gap between the existing offer and the collective value of the individual pieces.

 

[upstater]

There are certainly some flaws in our current system but overall I think you can get a great education if you put in the time and effort.
That requires support from family, institutions and resources. Kids can come out of UConn with a world class education and unlimited opportunities but it's like everything else in life- you have to make the investment in time and effort.

??

I'm talking about what the school is offering, not what the kids can do. If you shutter programs, replace faculty with people teaching 7 classes at the same time at other places, there will be a degradation. And kids notice this. It's a lesser product they pay more for. Students notice this when they can't take requirements to graduate. And it translates into MORE time to degree, which is now a national phenomenon. This is well documented.

 

[XStorrsion]

B12 going to 20. CT, AZ, AZST, Utah, OR, WA, Cal.

UConn still left out, they go to 20 with Stanford

 

[JMick]

Call it Solomon-esque negotiating then. For what it's worth, I have seen this tactic in the real world where people say they would prefer to keep an organization together, but recognize they can make more money if they carve it up. The notion is that the buyer doesn't have to pay the carved up value if he is going to keep the organization intact, but he hast to close the gap between the existing offer and the collective value of the individual pieces.

I think that can work when someone owns all of the brands, but in this case, they don't. From apples pov they might be spending money on a PAC-12 that doesn't exist in its current state by the time their contract is over. That's a huge risk. I just don't see how a bunch of schools considering leaving the conference results in more money for the conference.

 

[2UCONN04]

My work productivity has plummeted during the last week or so. Can someone write me a letter I can present to my boss explaining how invested I am in this mess????

 

[djct1999]

I think that can work when someone owns all of the brands, but in this case, they don't. From apples pov they might be spending money on a PAC-12 that doesn't exist in its current state by the time their contract is over. That's a huge risk. I just don't see how a bunch of schools considering leaving the conference results in more money for the conference.

They were offered a baseline of 15-20. What if Apple comes in and says if you sign a 5 year gor we will increase the baseline 5-7 mil and lower the escalators if all 9 sign. Apple wins, pac 9 wins. The ball right now is Apple’s court. If the remaining schools truly wanted to leave, they would be gone already.

 

[uchusky32]

UConn still left out, they go to 20 with Stanford

Stanford no go.

 

[Chin Diesel]

That’s what you’re not getting. Most don’t want to jump ship. They want a better deal.

They may not want to jump ship but when the alternative is to stay on a sinking ship, jumping ship becomes awfully attractive. BATNA.

 

[CL82]

No, you ignored what I wrote earlier.

No, I disagreed with what you wrote earlier. That's different

When Presidents don't fully reimburse the athletic deficits, ADs have gone around their backs to trustees and alumni, forcing the issue.

Then the board, and or the influential alumni are the relevant decision makers. And they are the ones who are deciding that there is value in athletics.

Let's only talk about UConn. There are budget cuts coming. The President is so upset she goes to the media. The academic side will certainly be degraded. She's making public stink about it. She's risking p...ing off the people who pay her. Why? Because she knows the deficit is an intenable burden.

I have a different characterization of that event. I think Maric, though undeniably brilliant in her field, is an inexperienced negotiator who utilized a point in a very tone deaf and poorly timed manner. Back to the reoccurring theme she was immediately corrected by, wait for it, the relevant decision makers.

( For what it's worth, the point she made is a valid one in that the state of Connecticut pays the university of Connecticut who's relevant decision makers have decided to take a portion of that payment and support athletics, and as a consequence a portion of the state of Connecticut's funds getting returned to, wait for it again, the state of Connecticut. All that does is move the accounting loss from the CDRA's to the athletic department. Effectively just masking the CDRA's consistent in ability to turn a profit.)

You keep talking about the president who have decided funding sports is in the best interest of the university, yet you don't even notice UConn's president who publicly notes the school might not honor its Hartford sports contracts if the state cuts funding to the academic side.

Wait, you just made the argument over several posts that the president was irrelevant. I disagree, but at least you should be consistent if that's your position. In any event I know that our president did not propose eliminating athletics, rather she proposed eliminating what is unarguably a poor lease deal for the university.

This tells me the new President is actually very concerned with the athletic deficit and the academic deficit, and that she's not afraid to cause a ruckus when it comes to the damaging impact of one deficit on the other.

Lol, I love how you switch back and forth between university presidents being a powerless stooges and crusaders for right as you find it convenient. As noted above, the situation described "tells me" that we have an inexperienced negotiator echoing some of her what she has been told is potential leverage in an in efficient, untimely, and novice like manner. It's OK she'll learn to let professionals do the talking for her.

 

[WestHartHusk]

They may not want to jump ship but when the alternative is to stay on a sinking ship, jumping ship becomes awfully attractive. BATNA.

I come on boards like these to avoid jargon like BATNA.

 

[Chin Diesel]

PAC12 @ night!

Currently working second shift with a customer on the west coast. This should make the post-work hotel room beer cool down time more interesting.

 

[CL82]

I think that can work when someone owns all of the brands, but in this case, they don't. From apples pov they might be spending money on a PAC-12 that doesn't exist in its current state by the time their contract is over. That's a huge risk. I just don't see how a bunch of schools considering leaving the conference results in more money for the conference.

Remember Apple isn't going to pull the trigger without a GOR in place. If the Pac 12 accepts the deal, then Apple doesn't need to worry about dissolution.

 

[Vowelguy]

Why?

why add Wyoming and New Mexico (or San Jose or Fresno) when you could just add the top 6 from the MW?

 

[CL82]

My work productivity has plummeted during the last week or so. Can someone write me a letter I can present to my boss explaining how invested I am in this mess????

I would do it, but I don't have time because I am checking the conference realignment board like every five minutes or so.

 

[superjohn]

U of A is a basketball and market play like us. Men's bb is a solid program. Second best game I attended was U of A at Gampel. Second only to Kansas at the Civic Center.

They're good in basketball and a pretty big basketball name. Once upon a time when Calhoun and Lute were coming up the two programs were considered on equal footing but UConn has blown their doors off since. One title and haven't been back to the final four since 2001. Their football pretty much stinks and how much is their market footprint really? It's a big state, double CT's population but they share the state fanbase with ASU. It's also just another team from the region they have covered when Yormark says he wants the Big 12 to be a national conference and to expand East. They're good in baseball but baseball doesn't really matter in all of this.

 

[JMick]

Remember Apple isn't going to pull the trigger without a GOR in place. If the Pac 12 accepts the deal, then Apple doesn't need to worry about dissolution.

I mean until it doesn't work out, they don't hit their targets, and all the deal has done is delay the inevitable for 3-5 years. So Apples investment is just gone.

 

[CL82]

I mean until it doesn't work out, they don't hit their targets, and all the deal has done is delay the inevitable for 3-5 years. So Apples investment is just gone.

And then they split up and go to more lucrative offers. It isn't a bad tactic if you believe that the existing Apple offer is unacceptable. It really is a no lose move.

 

[djct1999]

I mean until it doesn't work out, they don't hit their targets, and all the deal has done is delay the inevitable for 3-5 years. So Apples investment is just gone.

and you know this how? I could easily argue in 5 years Apple is a major player in sports broadcasting and they dictate the terms. Why do you think Fox is desperately trying to block them from entering? Maybe its because, if they do, they will be a game changer.

 

[JeepCSC]

It’s what I actually think. That said, it makes as much sense as any other interpretation. Right or wrong.

Having multiple groups of university boards playing hardball with Apple is a recipe for disaster. It would take an iron clad willpower for any of the other boards to trust that the other's aren't cutting side deals ala Colorado. Beyond that, I haven't seen anyone leaking anything about another round of Apple meetings. The universities are going into bunker mentality where everyone is out for themselves.

 

[djct1999]

In before its tweeted. My guess is in 72 hours, the Pac 9 stays in tact, adds 1-3 schools, FSU is stuck in ACC purgatory, and UConn joins Colorado in the Big 12.

 

[djct1999]

Having multiple groups of university boards playing hardball with Apple is a recipe for disaster. It would take an iron clad willpower for any of the other boards to trust that the other's aren't cutting side deals ala Colorado. Beyond that, I haven't seen anyone leaking anything about another round of Apple meetings. The universities are going into bunker mentality where everyone is out for themselves.

Most deals happen in secrecy, not in a social square. Thats why this back and forth is frustrating. Stop taking tweets as face value. Much more is going on underneath that we arent privy to.

Who accepts the first bid anwyay? Apple purposely low balled them to test the waters. The schools are responding predicatably by going public threatening to leave. Apple is back up at the plate.

 

[JeepCSC]

Most deals happen in secrecy, not in a social square. Thats why this back and forth is frustrating. Stop taking tweets as face value. Much more is going on underneath that we arent privy to.

It takes months to put these media deals together. Apple's offer wasn't meant as the opening round of haggling, and the schools aren't acting like they would if it was.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Why does anyone think the PAC-9 is staying together? The Arizonas have no reason to stay for less money and stability?

 

[JeepCSC]

Most deals happen in secrecy, not in a social square. Thats why this back and forth is frustrating. Stop taking tweets as face value. Much more is going on underneath that we arent privy to.

Who accepts the first bid anwyay? Apple purposely low balled them to test the waters. The schools are responding predicatably by going public threatening to leave. Apple is back up at the plate.

Sorry, you think the Pac wanted Colorado to leave and that things are going according to plan? But also there were other bids for the Pac, Apple's bid was just arguably the most attractive one. Apple isn't going to bid against itself.

 

[djct1999]

Sadly, I am a New York Jets fan. If I believed the media, and I actually chose to, I was convinced Dalvin Cook was going to sign with Jets when he visited Sunday. Turns out he left without a deal. Why? Because he was trying to use them as levarage for a better deal with the Dolphins. He never intended to sign. So many on here and on twitter are saying Yormark is playing the Pac 12. Maybe its the other way around. Maybe the Pac 12 is Dalvin Cook and Yormark and Big 12 are the New York Jets. Maybe they are the ones being used.

 

[businesslawyer]

I guess I'll just rerite everything I wrote before.

Out of curiosity, when you typed this did it occur to you to stop?

 

[JeepCSC]

But the Apple Pac deal doesn't even really sound like an acceptable rate. It starts out less than they were making last decade. Visibility is low, the money is bad, and the one major caveat is if they meet arbitrary goals that Pac sports never seem to do good with, they might be competitive with the Big XII and ACC at a future point.

Again, there were competitive bids sent out, Apple's was likely the best. They aren't going to re-bid on themselves. The Pac schools saw their numbers, and acted accordingly. One has already left, the others with options are making moves if they can.