Had a niece who played a "minor" sport and travel, especially mid-week, can be problematic. Hope the Pac10 members tell USC/UCLA to stick it if they propose a hybrid conference solely for minor sports because they tire of traveling east. You sow what your wrought. Maybe the Mt. West will take their minor sports teams, or maybe UCLA will eventually want out of Big Ten.
“We have good options”. Hear me out (this coming from a young Oregon State fan): The PAC-12 and ACC combine to form the PAC (Pacific-Atlantic Conference) and pick off the Big-12 school and spread them between two “divisions”. The west has the current PAC-12 schools plus Kansas, K-State, Baylor, OK State, Texas Tech, BYU, Houston, and TCU. The East division is the ACC schools plus the remaining Big-12 schools. Then each “division” has 18 schools, with north and south sub-divisions, plus Notre Dame can do their own scheduling thing in a special central division… That would give each team (except Notre Dame) a set 8-game lineup each year plus 4 games to play teams not in their set sub-division. Let’s just do away with out-of-conference scheduling. I’m all for the banding together and forming an NFL-esque league with a 8-team secluded postseason.
when I first heard about this that is exactly what I said...the travel costs for non revenue sports will be a killer. Remember...USC hasn't exactly been the USC of old in any sport. Adding huge travel costs while remaining in your losing ways will not endear this move to donors or fans. Good Luck with that USC...UCLA does not operate heavily in the black as it is...the NON revenue sports won't help their bottom line going forward.
Just a thought. Football and basketball are the money makers for most schools. Why not let football and maybe basketball be in a separate conference from the other sports? In other words form a super conference for football and maybe the same one for basketball or it could even be a different super conference for basketball. Invite top tier teams from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 to join. I know the ACC is locked in till 2036 in a media deal so that might not work for them. I would think ESPN and Fox would be interested in the football super conference, and most likely the basketball super conference. The other sports at a school could be in a conference that is more geographically located and suitable for travel. Football games usually are just once a week. Basketball is twice a week and usually in the last few days of the week. For example Notre Dame is in the ACC for all Sports except football and hockey.
There have been some excellent thoughts presented in the comments and I really do enjoy them. I am an Oregon duck fan living just outside Eugene Oregon. I look forward to hearing your views on this idea.
Sometimes your responses are like being a "fly on the wall in the room." I like your insider views. So much has been said and written, but EVERY insider, after stating their views, agree after about 15 minutes, that they just don't know how this is going to shake out... W/o the LA schools the league has lost some glitz and glamor for sure. I don't think the league can stand on its own with the remaining 10. So, be PROACTIVE and go BIG: hook up with the Big 12 and then form an alliance with the ACC and play that league championship game in LV in December. One more thing, if the Big 10 had wanted OR and WA, wouldn't the offer have come by now?
The adrenaline must be flowing in Uncle Phil's veins right about now...
Call me a contrarian, or maybe my being a UCLA grad is enough, but I think the Trojans and Bruins made the right call.
I don’t worry at all about a drop off in recruiting. If I were a remaining PAC school, I’d be concerned. I think (finally) UCLA will be able to compete against Oregon for recruits due to the better conference. I think kids (football and basketball) will be attracted to playing in packed stadiums and arenas. (Sorry to say but there aren’t places on the West Coast that have incredible football atmosphere.)
And given that bb is played indoors, I don’t think the cold weather of the Upper Midwest will discourage recruits. Playing against better competitors will help recruiting. (I bet Mick Cronin is thrilled.)
I would be interested in the back story of the shift to the B1G. How did rivals like USC and UCLA, with 2 relatively new ADs, trust one another to secretly discuss and pursue a new conference? Did UCLA’s Jarmond’s B1G history at Michigan State and Ohio State factor into it?
Dear John, a couple things. Wilner and you are watch dogs. That’s good. Before this debacle, Wilner spent months, even years, writing about Pac-12 financing yet couldn’t rake out what was coming. Still, there were telling clues. The NCAA men’s tournament rolled around. Teams like Indiana scraped in. The Hoosiers basically got a home game against a tough small-market Wyoming. The Texas A&M coach, meanwhile, went ballistic. He wanted to say more. Instead, he cried at the microphone. My point: Secret deals are made in oak-paneled piano bars in NYC and Chicago, sans IPhones. Reporters are out of the loop. It’s all about TV cash. Therefore, the finger should be pointed at ESPN, which promotes big schools. I am in Italy but, through messages written before the BB bracket was revealed, warned my friends that journalists are not digging deep enough. Darth Vader has to be confronted. The Networks are the Wizard of Oz. Get at corporate greed and find a way to penetrate the dark “oak-paneled” side. The clues have been there. Gonzaga, formerly the speck, doesn’t have to worry now. It has become a brand. But ask the Wyoming’s of the world. They worry. Therefore, ask ESPN the hard questions, please. Take them to task and find disgruntled former VP’s who haven’t signed non-disclosure agreements. Dig, dig, dig.
(1) There are serious negatives associated with selling out to an equity firm. (If it is such a great idea, then why is no one else doing it?!!) Nonetheless, USC and UCLA are no longer constraints so the Pac-10 can now move forward with the plan if everyone else genuinely thinks it is a good idea.
(2) No university is obligated to stay in the Pac-12 against their wishes. USC and UCLA are free to do whatever they choose to do regardless of their reason(s) and the fact that they did not choose to solicit the opinions of the other ten universities prior to making their decision.
(3) If the travel demands of the Big Ten are so awful, then why does every remaining Pac-12 team desire admittance to the Big Ten?!!
Yes! Glad to hear it. Hope they stay unified. From my perspective this keeps me, and I am guessing a lot of other fans in the game. Do something rash and stupid and many of us walk, being completely disenchanted with all the bull shit.
SC and UCLA will live to regret this decision for many reasons, but one of the main one's may be how it affects their non-football/basketball sports.
Any word on the future of the CFB playoffs governing body? I wonder whether the non-SEC, non-B1G members will be able to retain any power and how they'll exercise that. Just in terms of membership they currently dominate. Certainly the media will weigh in heavily against them.
Had a niece who played a "minor" sport and travel, especially mid-week, can be problematic. Hope the Pac10 members tell USC/UCLA to stick it if they propose a hybrid conference solely for minor sports because they tire of traveling east. You sow what your wrought. Maybe the Mt. West will take their minor sports teams, or maybe UCLA will eventually want out of Big Ten.
Oregon AD: "The Pac10 is galvanized!"
Oregon AD secretary: "Uh, excuse me sir, but the Big 10 is on the phone--they've changed their mind and wants to talk to you about joining."
Oregon AD: "Uh, I meant 'Compromised'! Gotta run...later."
“We have good options”. Hear me out (this coming from a young Oregon State fan): The PAC-12 and ACC combine to form the PAC (Pacific-Atlantic Conference) and pick off the Big-12 school and spread them between two “divisions”. The west has the current PAC-12 schools plus Kansas, K-State, Baylor, OK State, Texas Tech, BYU, Houston, and TCU. The East division is the ACC schools plus the remaining Big-12 schools. Then each “division” has 18 schools, with north and south sub-divisions, plus Notre Dame can do their own scheduling thing in a special central division… That would give each team (except Notre Dame) a set 8-game lineup each year plus 4 games to play teams not in their set sub-division. Let’s just do away with out-of-conference scheduling. I’m all for the banding together and forming an NFL-esque league with a 8-team secluded postseason.
I think you're right. The Pac-12 is galvanized right now and I expect it to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
For the defectors, the non-football sports (especially women's sports) effects will be very interesting. Recruiting might be a challenge.
when I first heard about this that is exactly what I said...the travel costs for non revenue sports will be a killer. Remember...USC hasn't exactly been the USC of old in any sport. Adding huge travel costs while remaining in your losing ways will not endear this move to donors or fans. Good Luck with that USC...UCLA does not operate heavily in the black as it is...the NON revenue sports won't help their bottom line going forward.
Just a thought. Football and basketball are the money makers for most schools. Why not let football and maybe basketball be in a separate conference from the other sports? In other words form a super conference for football and maybe the same one for basketball or it could even be a different super conference for basketball. Invite top tier teams from the ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 to join. I know the ACC is locked in till 2036 in a media deal so that might not work for them. I would think ESPN and Fox would be interested in the football super conference, and most likely the basketball super conference. The other sports at a school could be in a conference that is more geographically located and suitable for travel. Football games usually are just once a week. Basketball is twice a week and usually in the last few days of the week. For example Notre Dame is in the ACC for all Sports except football and hockey.
There have been some excellent thoughts presented in the comments and I really do enjoy them. I am an Oregon duck fan living just outside Eugene Oregon. I look forward to hearing your views on this idea.
Oregon needs to buy time, which requires placating conference mates. Oregon will eventually leave the Pac10 behind.
Sometimes your responses are like being a "fly on the wall in the room." I like your insider views. So much has been said and written, but EVERY insider, after stating their views, agree after about 15 minutes, that they just don't know how this is going to shake out... W/o the LA schools the league has lost some glitz and glamor for sure. I don't think the league can stand on its own with the remaining 10. So, be PROACTIVE and go BIG: hook up with the Big 12 and then form an alliance with the ACC and play that league championship game in LV in December. One more thing, if the Big 10 had wanted OR and WA, wouldn't the offer have come by now?
The adrenaline must be flowing in Uncle Phil's veins right about now...
Call me a contrarian, or maybe my being a UCLA grad is enough, but I think the Trojans and Bruins made the right call.
I don’t worry at all about a drop off in recruiting. If I were a remaining PAC school, I’d be concerned. I think (finally) UCLA will be able to compete against Oregon for recruits due to the better conference. I think kids (football and basketball) will be attracted to playing in packed stadiums and arenas. (Sorry to say but there aren’t places on the West Coast that have incredible football atmosphere.)
And given that bb is played indoors, I don’t think the cold weather of the Upper Midwest will discourage recruits. Playing against better competitors will help recruiting. (I bet Mick Cronin is thrilled.)
I would be interested in the back story of the shift to the B1G. How did rivals like USC and UCLA, with 2 relatively new ADs, trust one another to secretly discuss and pursue a new conference? Did UCLA’s Jarmond’s B1G history at Michigan State and Ohio State factor into it?
PS, John: Colin Cowherd might be a good place to start. They fired him years back. He holds a grudge. He might shed light.
Dear John, a couple things. Wilner and you are watch dogs. That’s good. Before this debacle, Wilner spent months, even years, writing about Pac-12 financing yet couldn’t rake out what was coming. Still, there were telling clues. The NCAA men’s tournament rolled around. Teams like Indiana scraped in. The Hoosiers basically got a home game against a tough small-market Wyoming. The Texas A&M coach, meanwhile, went ballistic. He wanted to say more. Instead, he cried at the microphone. My point: Secret deals are made in oak-paneled piano bars in NYC and Chicago, sans IPhones. Reporters are out of the loop. It’s all about TV cash. Therefore, the finger should be pointed at ESPN, which promotes big schools. I am in Italy but, through messages written before the BB bracket was revealed, warned my friends that journalists are not digging deep enough. Darth Vader has to be confronted. The Networks are the Wizard of Oz. Get at corporate greed and find a way to penetrate the dark “oak-paneled” side. The clues have been there. Gonzaga, formerly the speck, doesn’t have to worry now. It has become a brand. But ask the Wyoming’s of the world. They worry. Therefore, ask ESPN the hard questions, please. Take them to task and find disgruntled former VP’s who haven’t signed non-disclosure agreements. Dig, dig, dig.
(1) There are serious negatives associated with selling out to an equity firm. (If it is such a great idea, then why is no one else doing it?!!) Nonetheless, USC and UCLA are no longer constraints so the Pac-10 can now move forward with the plan if everyone else genuinely thinks it is a good idea.
(2) No university is obligated to stay in the Pac-12 against their wishes. USC and UCLA are free to do whatever they choose to do regardless of their reason(s) and the fact that they did not choose to solicit the opinions of the other ten universities prior to making their decision.
(3) If the travel demands of the Big Ten are so awful, then why does every remaining Pac-12 team desire admittance to the Big Ten?!!
Yes! Glad to hear it. Hope they stay unified. From my perspective this keeps me, and I am guessing a lot of other fans in the game. Do something rash and stupid and many of us walk, being completely disenchanted with all the bull shit.
SC and UCLA will live to regret this decision for many reasons, but one of the main one's may be how it affects their non-football/basketball sports.
Hey kids we gotta play basketball in Wisconsin, penn state and Michigan and it’s -10. Jet lag and strange hours should be fun for usc and ucla.
I still would like to see the big pac super conference.
Any word on the future of the CFB playoffs governing body? I wonder whether the non-SEC, non-B1G members will be able to retain any power and how they'll exercise that. Just in terms of membership they currently dominate. Certainly the media will weigh in heavily against them.