New PAC-12 Forming

[ZooCougar]

No doubt Louisville undergrad’s not a great school, but even Boise State and Fresno State are bottom barrel scum by comparison. With no clear alternative, CalFord joined the nACC’s higher regarded universities despite Louisville.

They joined the ACC because it was their only option.

 

[UCFBfan]

So the only remaining G5 conference that hasn't had any defections is the MAC? Glad to see MACtion will still be strong with the same teams! Hold strong MAC!!

 

[WrenchFan69]

So the only remaining G5 conference that hasn't had any defections is the MAC? Glad to see MACtion will still be strong with the same teams! Hold strong MAC!!

They've had no defections because their schools are undesirable

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

They joined the ACC because it was their only option.

Exactly, “no clear alternative” despite having to associate with Louisville.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

1) brand
2) drop dead weight (Wyoming)
3) cherry pick others (Memphis, Texas schools)

1) A conference brand name has virtually no value to anyone that matters.
2) I would have said CSU is dead weight, although they are mostly mediocre. It isn't like there are teams in the MWC that are clearly at the bottom of the league every year and drive its national perception down.
3) I guess. Is adding Memphis worth $110 million for a conference?

Why couldn't the Pac 2 and MWC have just merged, and put all members on a performance plan so the schools that didn't want to play at a high level could self-select? The MWC is clearly the 5th best conference, so it would have gotten the G5 playoff bid most years anyway.

$110 million would have been better spent by WSU and OSU on staying competitive with the P4 by spending on players for a few more years and hope there was another shakeup. Paying it on Fresno State's and Colorado State's exit fees seems like a waste of money, especially considering the Pac 2 created these obligations to the MWC a year ago. Having signed an expansion penalty contract a year ago that results in the P2 having a $43 million payment now should be people's jobs at OSU and WSU.

 

[ScottVib]

UNLV and UTEP are possibilities.

UTEP is highly unlikely, they may even struggle to beat the Dakota's to a backfill invite in the MWC (although they and NMSU would love to get a lifeline out of C-USA). I do think UNLV is probably the last current MWC member being considered; but they would cost the Pac-12 $12M to add prior to expiration of their scheduling arrangement (so not before 2027-28, I believe) and it's been reported the Pac-12 is also helping the schools with their exit fees to the MWC (~$18M per school).

I do think that Army/Navy for football affiliation is possible if they have a Texas presence to go along with California. The AAC without Texas isn't overly attractive to the military academies from a candidate recruitment perspective and as federal institutions are likely less sensitive to increased travel costs for football. That would keep room for a non-football member (say Gonzaga) if the money was right.

The AAC schools in Texas are only getting half-shares of the AAC deal (to keep Memphis, Temple, etc at their full $7M share) which increases their willingness to make a move west, while the legacy schools (i.e. Memphis) face the same prisoners dilemma UConn faced in the AAC (if we don't move first what will be left if Houston/Cincinnati move). Memphis, Tulane, USF are now dealing with that scenario (although I think USF knows it's too far afield), which may make even a largely flat move revenue-wise worth consideration to them.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

If Nevada had only one FBS program, the idea of that one as a PAC addition could have some substance.

A decade from now, UTSA and Texas State could be significant enough to warrant consideration. At the moment it would be quite a leap.

I really don't believe that there are any legitimate candidates unless they are willing to throw geography out the window.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If they're going to do it, UNLV makes too much sense not to be a part of it. They've had PAC-12 events in Vegas, that's a hot, exciting market and would signal some semblance of vibrancy, which they badly need.

But then who else? I can't see much value to adding the 10th best school in California. Maybe a Utah State? There's basically no one else in Arizona. Nevada maybe?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Pac12 will get it's auto qualifier to the CFP back. UConn should definitely try a FB-only deal if Memphis and Tulane are on the table

Seems pretty ridiculous that P12-in-name-only gets to keep an auto-bid. This is a real Ship of Theseus situation that the CFP folks can't be happy about.

 

[huskymedic]

(Free)

 

[huskymedic]

Pac12 will get it's auto qualifier to the CFP back.

Nah… the teams will just get better access because they are part of a FBS Conference.



(Shortcut)

-> But slapping a Pac-12 logo on Fresno State’s helmet does not mean Fresno State is now a Power 5 school. No one should be under any delusion that this new conference will be viewed in the same orbit as the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC.

It doesn’t particularly matter because the 12-team College Football Playoff includes automatic berths for five conference champions. Simply by being in a conference — any conference — Washington State and Oregon State have a more viable path to the Playoff than they do in their current state as independents that have to finish high enough to earn an at-large berth. And that, frankly, is far more important than a few extra million dollars per year in television revenue. <-

 

[ConnMotors]

The Mountain West Conference is about to gain a shitload of cash. The PAC 2 has to pay millions for each school that they poach from the MWC. Plus, each school that leaves the conference has to pay an exit fee. If I read correctly just for the four schools leaving so far that’s around $100,000,000 dollars. Not a bad get for the MWC. Now the conference can start poaching teams from CUSA and the AAC.

 

[Luna]

Conference name matters..the PAC 12 name is very important.. I think the Big East giving up its name to the catholic 7 was a big mistake for the aac

 

[Hoophound]

Conference name matters..the PAC 12 name is very important.. I think the Big East giving up its name to the catholic 7 was a big mistake for the aac

The AAC never did the Big East name justice. I was more comfortable with them keeping it. I’d hate to sully the name with some of the schools that are in the AAC. If there is ever an opportunity to rebuild a BE football conference with Cuse, BC etc, then we can use the name.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

The AAC never did the Big East name justice. I was more comfortable with them keeping it. I’d hate to sully the name with some of the schools that are in the AAC. If there is ever an opportunity to rebuild a BE football conference with Cuse, BC etc, then we can use the name.

Yes but there’s no doubt it had a major impact. If the NBE was called the Big North I’m not so sure people would feel so nostalgic about it.

 

[Drew]

 

[Kolumbo]

Autonomy
Moving from the MWC to PAC 12 didn't make sense to me and there appears to be some debate here. @noeynox posted elsewhere that the PAC 12 will get autonomy status back automatically if it patches a conference together. So if that is the case, then I fully understand it.

"Multi-sport conferences are required to have at least eight members, but in the event they drop below that number, they are allowed a two-year grace period to get back up. The Pac-12 will lose 10 schools to the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC this summer, leaving only Oregon State and Washington State. The board’s determinations on Monday apply to conferences in that grace period."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5437109/2024/04/22/pac-12-nonautonomous-conference/

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The only way adding us would be feasible would be if they created an eastern (including central) wing of six schools (kind of like Zissou's dream proposal).

Are there five other possibilities from the AAC/MAC/CUSA?

 

[UConnTrumbull]

View attachment 103518

Football only sure. Anything else lol come on

 

[baggerbob]

I wonder if the acc loses enough teams that the buyouts stop. They can vote to dissolve the agreement/league. If 75% agree to leave, then maybe that gets the GOR broken.

Just remember that the Big 12 has a contract coming up long before the ACC, and they lost their 2 best football schools.
With streaming becoming the new media service their upcoming contract will probably be less.

 

[Drew]

Football only sure. Anything else lol come on

I really need UConn fans to stop thinking UConn football only anywhere is a serious option. Nobody on Earth thinks it’s realistic except us. It’s a complete and total non-starter.

 

[MKH2317]

View attachment 103518

UConn stays in Big East for all sports except football, but agrees to a scheduling alliance with the PAC12. Meanwhile football becomes full member along with USF, Memphis and Tulane. That’d be a nice line-up of non conference teams for BBall, baseball etc. and a great G6 conference for football until the ACC or B12 comes calling. Would be even cooler if once the ACC implodes, all remaining schools join the PAC12 with UConn football already there.

Just dreaming

 

[noeynox]

Autonomy
Moving from the MWC to PAC 12 didn't make sense to me and there appears to be some debate here. @noeynox posted elsewhere that the PAC 12 will get autonomy status back automatically if it patches a conference together. So if that is the case, then I fully understand it.nom

"Multi-sport conferences are required to have at least eight members, but in the event they drop below that number, they are allowed a two-year grace period to get back up. The Pac-12 will lose 10 schools to the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC this summer, leaving only Oregon State and Washington State. The board’s determinations on Monday apply to conferences in that grace period."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5437109/2024/04/22/pac-12-nonautonomous-conference/

If i said that i was wrong, i meant to say they WOULDN'T automatically be given Autonomy conference status.

Power5/Autonomy is an official designation given to 5 conferences. The PAC had their's removed.