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

[NEforceUConn]

Colorado AD abruptly left the PAC-12 media days immediately following the commissioners talk. Speculation is rebuilding about them leaving now.

Hope so. What a dog show the PAC is.

How can the main PAC schools sign a GOR maturing in excess of 5 years? Coupled with what University wants to stay in a conference that has had a terrible time trying to get a short term media deal? Yipes.

As public institutions I wonder if they can be sued for stupid business decisions.

 

[HuskyHoosier]

Colorado is trying not to burn bridges. With the PAC stringing them along they must feel a fiduciary and due diligence responsibility not to act before they have all the facts. My assumption is that their patience is limited and they will eventually conclude either a satisfactory media deal is real or smoke and mirrors. No matter how you look at it, the trajectory of the 2 leagues are polar opposites. And it's highly unlikely any PAC deal matches the Big 12 in terms of exposure or revenue. Remember one of the main reasons they left was the power Texas wielded over the league. The other was west coast exposure that came largely out of 2 teams that are no longer in the league after this year. I think these whispers of them patiently waiting forever are inaccurate. The question they need to ask right now isn't just why should we leave. It's why should we stay?

 

[Ldandy]

Hope so. What a dog show the PAC is.

How can the main PAC schools sign a GOR maturing in excess of 5 years? Coupled with what University wants to stay in a conference that has had a terrible time trying to get a short term media deal? Yipes.

As public institutions I wonder if they can be sued for stupid business decisions.

The real issue is that The Big 12 is not an attractive option to anyone in The PAC outside of The Colorado Football Building. The rest of the schools have been together for a long time and would likely choose less money and staying together over more money and aligning with what they believe to be inferior academic institutions, city schools and religious universities. Its why they're willing to wait on whatever crap deal their president is trying to sell them on.

The true strength of the Big 12 is that it is the best option for everyone in it. Outside of Kansas every team has zero shot at The P2. They are in the best place they can ever hope to be. They'll sign any GOR because where are they going to go? The fallacy was this idea that they needed PAC Schools. That's bull. The conference can make the teams just as much as the teams can make the conferece. They could add UConn and SDSU tomorrow and return far more value in terms of competing for championships, recruiting territories added for football and basketball, and assistance with the conference's initiatives in both NYC(Uconn) and Mexico(SDSU) Instead they hold a candle for underwhelming Colorado and Arizona.

 

[Muddler]

The real issue is that The Big 12 is not an attractive option to anyone in The PAC outside of The Colorado Football Building. The rest of the schools have been together for a long time and would likely choose less money and staying together over more money and aligning with what they believe to be inferior academic institutions, city schools and religious universities. Its why they're willing to wait on whatever crap deal their president is trying to sell them on.

The true strength of the Big 12 is that it is the best option for everyone in it. Outside of Kansas every team has zero shot at The P2. They are in the best place they can ever hope to be. They'll sign any GOR because where are they going to go? The fallacy was this idea that they needed PAC Schools. That's bull. The conference can make the teams just as much as the teams can make the conferece. They could add UConn and SDSU tomorrow and return far more value in terms of competing for championships, recruiting territories added for football and basketball, and assistance with the conference's initiatives in both NYC(Uconn) and Mexico(SDSU) Instead they hold a candle for underwhelming Colorado and Arizona.

So true! Nailed it.

 

[dayooper]

The real issue is that The Big 12 is not an attractive option to anyone in The PAC outside of The Colorado Football Building. The rest of the schools have been together for a long time and would likely choose less money and staying together over more money and aligning with what they believe to be inferior academic institutions, city schools and religious universities. Its why they're willing to wait on whatever crap deal their president is trying to sell them on.

The true strength of the Big 12 is that it is the best option for everyone in it. Outside of Kansas every team has zero shot at The P2. They are in the best place they can ever hope to be. They'll sign any GOR because where are they going to go? The fallacy was this idea that they needed PAC Schools. That's bull. The conference can make the teams just as much as the teams can make the conferece. They could add UConn and SDSU tomorrow and return far more value in terms of competing for championships, recruiting territories added for football and basketball, and assistance with the conference's initiatives in both NYC(Uconn) and Mexico(SDSU) Instead they hold a candle for underwhelming Colorado and Arizona.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[NEforceUConn]

The real issue is that The Big 12 is not an attractive option to anyone in The PAC outside of The Colorado Football Building. The rest of the schools have been together for a long time and would likely choose less money and staying together over more money and aligning with what they believe to be inferior academic institutions, city schools and religious universities. Its why they're willing to wait on whatever crap deal their president is trying to sell them on.

The true strength of the Big 12 is that it is the best option for everyone in it. Outside of Kansas every team has zero shot at The P2. They are in the best place they can ever hope to be. They'll sign any GOR because where are they going to go? The fallacy was this idea that they needed PAC Schools. That's bull. The conference can make the teams just as much as the teams can make the conferece. They could add UConn and SDSU tomorrow and return far more value in terms of competing for championships, recruiting territories added for football and basketball, and assistance with the conference's initiatives in both NYC(Uconn) and Mexico(SDSU) Instead they hold a candle for underwhelming Colorado and Arizona.

Great post.

So to revise a quote from Kevin Millar (Cowboy Up) I think it’s time to Buffalo Up

 

[Bongo Fury]

Colorado fits the Big 12 more than the other PAC schools. Texas would be a preferred recruiting area now that the southern cal schools are gone.

 

[mikeinmanila]

The real issue is that The Big 12 is not an attractive option to anyone in The PAC outside of The Colorado Football Building. The rest of the schools have been together for a long time and would likely choose less money and staying together over more money and aligning with what they believe to be inferior academic institutions, city schools and religious universities. Its why they're willing to wait on whatever crap deal their president is trying to sell them on.

The true strength of the Big 12 is that it is the best option for everyone in it. Outside of Kansas every team has zero shot at The P2. They are in the best place they can ever hope to be. They'll sign any GOR because where are they going to go? The fallacy was this idea that they needed PAC Schools. That's bull. The conference can make the teams just as much as the teams can make the conferece. They could add UConn and SDSU tomorrow and return far more value in terms of competing for championships, recruiting territories added for football and basketball, and assistance with the conference's initiatives in both NYC(Uconn) and Mexico(SDSU) Instead they hold a candle for underwhelming Colorado and Arizona.

Best summary to date.

 

[Stinger92860]

The true strength of the Big 12 is that it is the best option for everyone in it. Outside of Kansas every team has zero shot at The P2. They are in the best place they can ever hope to be.

That may be true of us too.

 

[Dizzy21]

Colorado is trying not to burn bridges. With the PAC stringing them along they must feel a fiduciary and due diligence responsibility not to act before they have all the facts. My assumption is that their patience is limited and they will eventually conclude either a satisfactory media deal is real or smoke and mirrors. No matter how you look at it, the trajectory of the 2 leagues are polar opposites. And it's highly unlikely any PAC deal matches the Big 12 in terms of exposure or revenue. Remember one of the main reasons they left was the power Texas wielded over the league. The other was west coast exposure that came largely out of 2 teams that are no longer in the league after this year. I think these whispers of them patiently waiting forever are inaccurate. The question they need to ask right now isn't just why should we leave. It's why should we stay?

Colorado left the Big 12 before the Big 12 announced a better TV deal than the PAC. Over the decade it cost them a large amount of money. They probably do not want to repeat that.

 

[How Sway?!]

Wrong thread

 

[UConn Dan]

It could be true but I unfortunately Swaim throws a bunch of scenarios out and most never happen so he’s non-key.

 

[metsfan2323]

reading the tea leaves:

1) Colorado president leaves PAC conference early yesterday
2) Tweet from Swaim that Colorado is leaving
3) our KU insider/poster says UConn is in if Colorado leaves PAC.
4) Tweet from Yale golfer today claiming he knows a guy and UConn will be announced this week.

I would say Lucy has the ball teed-up pretty well for us right now and we are charging at it.

 

[Muddler]

Two weeks ago Colorado/UConn to the Big 12 seemed like a sure thing. Now Colorado is wavering. The Big12 thought they were coming, but 50% chance now. I guess the bottom line is this....crap PAC media deal Colorado/UConn in the Big 12. Decent media deal probably no expansion. No other PAC school is coming. Makes no sense, but that's what I'm hearing.

There are plenty of reasons why Colorado would prefer the PAC 12, but the only question they truly need to answer is, are we better leaving now or in a few years when 2-4 more schools are gone to the Big 10? If you believe that is going to happen, is there any other option but leaving now? I’m sure they are disappointed to be in this situation, but they’ve been an irrelevant athletic department for a few decades. If not for Denver and solid academics, they’d be a good fit in the Mountain West.

 

[huskypantz]

There are plenty of reasons why Colorado would prefer the PAC 12, but the only question they truly need to answer is, are we better leaving now or in a few years when 2-4 more schools are gone to the Big 10? If you believe that is going to happen, is there any other option but leaving now? I’m sure they are disappointed to be in this situation, but they’ve been an irrelevant athletic department for a few decades. If not for Denver and solid academics, they’d be a good fit in the Mountain West.

I’m guessing that the general consensus here is that Colorado is willing to stick around pending a fair TV deal. If the PAC gets something reasonably close to the B12, they stay put and wait. They know the B1G may be grabbing a few schools and if that causes the PAC to implode, they believe they have a life raft via the B12.

Not sure what the number is that will spook CU to bolt but I have to imagine that anything less than $20m/yr is going to be tough to swallow.

 

[RSTuthill]

There are plenty of reasons why Colorado would prefer the PAC 12, but the only question they truly need to answer is, are we better leaving now or in a few years when 2-4 more schools are gone to the Big 10? If you believe that is going to happen, is there any other option but leaving now? I’m sure they are disappointed to be in this situation, but they’ve been an irrelevant athletic department for a few decades. If not for Denver and solid academics, they’d be a good fit in the Mountain West.

That is not a question that any serious person needs to answer. Like the person who has waited for a promotion for years turning it down because he wants to take an internal transfer to another department and he thinks that would make it less likely. In the history of corporate HR worldwide that has never happened. Only in idle speculation has it ever occurred.

 

[uconnyankee]

Arggggghhhh! I just want off this rollercoaster.

 

[RSTuthill]

Arggggghhhh! I just want off this rollercoaster.

Yeah, the only way to win is not to play. But personally I will give it another week. I do think it would be more effective to announce at the half at the NCST game though.

 

[Forte]

...

 

[GG]

I’m guessing that the general consensus here is that Colorado is willing to stick around pending a fair TV deal. If the PAC gets something reasonably close to the B12, they stay put and wait. They know the B1G may be grabbing a few schools and if that causes the PAC to implode, they believe they have a life raft via the B12.

Not sure what the number is that will spook CU to bolt but I have to imagine that anything less than $20m/yr is going to be tough to swallow.

Would have to think the linear partner and linear v paid streaming will be a big factor.

 

[Muddler]

That is not a question that any serious person needs to answer. Like the person who has waited for a promotion for years turning it down because he wants to take an internal transfer to another department and he thinks that would make it less likely. In the history of corporate HR worldwide that has never happened. Only in idle speculation has it ever occurred.

 

[Muddler]

It’s ok to be a contrarian, but you should make some sense. 1/100 would be an improvement.

 

[aburks41]

There are plenty of reasons why Colorado would prefer the PAC 12, but the only question they truly need to answer is, are we better leaving now or in a few years when 2-4 more schools are gone to the Big 10? If you believe that is going to happen, is there any other option but leaving now? I’m sure they are disappointed to be in this situation, but they’ve been an irrelevant athletic department for a few decades. If not for Denver and solid academics, they’d be a good fit in the Mountain West.

Washington and Oregon to the B10 seems like an inevitability at some point. Once that happens, what is the incentive for the AZ schools to stick around? If I was CU, I’d be making the leap to the Big 12 and trying to get some others to follow

 

[shizzle787]

Washington and Oregon to the B10 seems like an inevitability at some point. Once that happens, what is the incentive for the AZ schools to stick around? If I was CU, I’d be making the leap to the Big 12 and trying to get some others to follow

Not really. Conferences can only grow as large as TV partners are willing to pay, and Notre Dame and North Carolina are the Big 10's top two targets. Why settle if you don't have to?

 

[NEforceUConn]

I’m excited and relaxed until 8/1. So this is a pleasant week with no anxiety.

Now after 8/1 it might be a bender that would make Bob Huggins proud (no driving though).

So Big XII, please save my liver.