The Big East needs to invite Gonzaga, Stanford, and Cal

[shizzle787]

With the Pac-12 likely to lose its place at the big boy table just in time for the 2026 CFP and the possibility that the new format simply takes the top-12 teams, I would not be stunned if Cal and Stanford both went independent in football (ala BYU in the 2010s) to avoid playing a steady diet of MW teams. If they were to do so, the Big East would be in prime position to grab them up. With Gonzaga being a top brand and Stanford and Cal being two of the best ADs in the country, I think the move would need to be made, especially given the other major basketball conferences are now at a minimum of 15 teams.

 

[CashewCrew]

No

 

[WrenchFan69]

I don't think we should do that but we should be looking into the PAC remnants' appetites for football scheduling opportunities and even a football-only conference

 

[djct1999]

This is just silly. Cal and Stanford arent joining the Big East for 4 mil a year. They would lose a ton of money just to compete.

 

[Stinger92860]

Maybe this is the start of a football only conference. Invite the academies, add the PAC 4, and UConn. Thats 8 to start. I am hoping the Academies come with political clout.

Any other ideas? Maybe a similar concept with MBB and WBB. I know this works for Hockey.

Everything else is regional. Not sure where baseball goes though.

 

[Stinger92860]

This is just silly. Cal and Stanford arent joining the Big East for 4 mil a year. They would lose a ton of money just to compete.

Post breakup, what options will they have if they are not in the P4?

 

[metsfan2323]

Post breakup, what options will they have if they are not in the P4?

They likely have a B12 offer on the table now, if not I'm sure they would prefer a full merger with the MWC over the Big East.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

While this was a massive blow to the four remaining PAC schools, it may not necessarily be a terminal blow to Stanford and Cal. How each responds will determine how terminal it ends up being.

Stanford is in a position many schools envy in that quite a few of their non revenue sports are supported by endowments, specified for those sports. They will have far less overhead to cover than most schools. Cal's respond will determine whether they do or do not really care about where they fall in the intercollegiate athletic world. This could be the impetus to move them to take high profile sports (football, basketball) seriously, for more than a stray stretch here and there or this will move them to drop to where their competition will be UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, UC Davis.

While it is sad in the overall scheme of things to see the PAC get torn apart as it did and to see schools like the four who got left behind get dealt a fate such as this, my energy will be focused on the fate of my school.

 

[shizzle787]

This is just silly. Cal and Stanford arent joining the Big East for 4 mil a year. They would lose a ton of money just to compete.

They won't be making 4 million per year. A new TV contract is coming up. With these three the league will likely get 7 million + for TV rights. If ESPN wants late night programming, Cal and Stanford should bundle their football rights together for around 10 million per year each. That's 17 million. Yes, there is a travel expense component. However, that beats being in a rebuilt Pac-12 for 10 million per year total. The Pac-12 will lose its autonomy status and there is still a $70 million debt to be paid to Comcast.

 

[Patman]

What a bad idea, just no.

 

[BlueandOG]

I'd prefer trying to forge a football-only deal with those schools rather than invite them to join the Big East.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Gonzaga is possible. Stanford and Cal likely would not take part.

 

[UC1995]

With the Pac-12 likely to lose its place at the big boy table just in time for the 2026 CFP and the possibility that the new format simply takes the top-12 teams, I would not be stunned if Cal and Stanford both went independent in football (ala BYU in the 2010s) to avoid playing a steady diet of MW teams. If they were to do so, the Big East would be in prime position to grab them up. With Gonzaga being a top brand and Stanford and Cal being two of the best ADs in the country, I think the move would need to be made, especially given the other major basketball conferences are now at a minimum of 15 teams.

Why do you keep coming up with these scenarios? Stanford and Cal are less fits then we are in the Big East based.

 

[Vowelguy]

There’s a better chance that Stanford joins the WCC than the big East.

 

[Storrs South]

 

[Kolumbo]

No better fit than Gonzaga? Might as well merge with the WCC. Meanwhile:

 

[Vowelguy]

Factually true.
If it were 1000 miles east of its current location, it would've been added a decade+ ago.

 

[Luna]

I hope the big east doesn’t invite Gonzaga

 

[GoConn]

The Big East should invite Temple, Umass, South Florida.

 

[CL82]

No better fit than Gonzaga? Might as well merge with the WCC. Meanwhile:

And yet she says that Gonzaga's a good fit?

 

[CL82]

The Big East should invite Temple, Umass, South Florida.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

If Big East is going to expand, it might as well do it right before the next media deal negotiation like every other conference.

Big East should look into what kind of media deal it can get it if it can add top WCC schools.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Big East is so damn slow, again, to move. Should grab Gonzaga right now. Hell, take St Mary’s too.

If acc can have Stanford /call, big east can have Gonzaga, st mary

 

[John]

Big East is so damn slow, again, to move. Should grab Gonzaga right now. Hell, take St Mary’s too.

If acc can have Stanford /call, big east can have Gonzaga, st mary

the Big 12 was too much travel but now we're taking those schools?

 

[CL82]

The Big East's charm is that it was once actually a northeast conference. It still sort of is. Adding West Coast teams dilutes that.

Why would a Gonzaga want to join the Big East? It would be a logistical nightmare for them, for very little return.