Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[rams80]

The Pac-10 goes for Texas and Oklahoma and gets Colorado and Utah? That's like going out for champaigne and coming home with flat diet Sprite.

Did the conference get some magic beans too?

Considering how they've pretty much done irreparable damage to the Big XII, scored the Denver and Salt Lake City markets, and set up the money-winning Conference Championship Game, I think they got the champagne they were looking for. They achieved all of their goals with expansion, and set things up to nab Texas and Oklahoma in the future when Texas gets their beloved TV channel running and then proceeds to immediately blow up the Big XII Conference.

AGREED, I would've preferred Hawaii http://bleacherreport.com/articles/407042-the-pac-10-would-be-wise-to-add-hawaii-not-utah-as-12. What about colorado state for the big 12?

Travel hurts for adding Hawaii (especially since there is no travel partner for them), not enough people live in the islands to make it worth while financially, oh...and the athletic department is one of the most debt-ridden in the country. That's why anybody with greater journalistic integrity than the bleacher report (read "everybody") immediately discounted Hawaii is a possible add for the Pac 10.

[FiddySicks]

My initial response to adding Utah was, "Eh." I'm a Pac 10 fan and wanted to see the likes of Texas and Oklahoma on a yearly basis. I know distance and all, was an issue, but purely on the competition side, to see those two in football alone would give credence (media-wise) to the Pac 10. The fact of the matter is the the Pac 10, no matter how good it is, will always be looked down upon because it's west of the Mississippi and the media is centered around NYC. It's not whining, it's just stating a fact. Heck, if the SEC schools all went 1-11 and the Pac 10 schools went 11-1, the media would crown the SEC the toughest conference. I realize that's actually impossible, but you get my point.

I'm not bashing Utah, which is a quality school all around, but Utah's not as sexy as Texas or Oklahoma. If it was up to me, I'd still rather see BYU replace Colorado and keep that rivalry going in a conference. I'm a BYU fan, until someone tells me I have to be because I'm a member of the Church, and then when the do that, I root for BYU to lose. Then again, I root for BYU to lose, just to piss people off! I just am not sold on Colorado, or should I say Berkley in the Mountains? We've already got one liberally nut-case for a school in Berkley, why add another? If you got Colorado from the late 80's, that to me would've been a better fit, but today they are a middle of the road school in everything.

So because Berkeley and Colorado embrace counterculture lifestyles they're just a bunch of liberal nut cases? You do realize that, despite their acceptance of other lifestyles, they're still two of the top schools in the country, right?

[Geoff]

My initial response to adding Utah was, "Eh." I'm a Pac 10 fan and wanted to see the likes of Texas and Oklahoma on a yearly basis. I know distance and all, was an issue, but purely on the competition side, to see those two in football alone would give credence (media-wise) to the Pac 10. The fact of the matter is the the Pac 10, no matter how good it is, will always be looked down upon because it's west of the Mississippi and the media is centered around NYC. It's not whining, it's just stating a fact. Heck, if the SEC schools all went 1-11 and the Pac 10 schools went 11-1, the media would crown the SEC the toughest conference. I realize that's actually impossible, but you get my point.

I'm not bashing Utah, which is a quality school all around, but Utah's not as sexy as Texas or Oklahoma. If it was up to me, I'd still rather see BYU replace Colorado and keep that rivalry going in a conference. I'm a BYU fan, until someone tells me I have to be because I'm a member of the Church, and then when the do that, I root for BYU to lose. Then again, I root for BYU to lose, just to piss people off! I just am not sold on Colorado, or should I say Berkley in the Mountains? We've already got one liberally nut-case for a school in Berkley, why add another? If you got Colorado from the late 80's, that to me would've been a better fit, but today they are a middle of the road school in everything.

So because Berkeley and Colorado embrace counterculture lifestyles they're just a bunch of liberal nut cases? You do realize that, despite their acceptance of other lifestyles, they're still two of the top schools in the country, right?

lol Bigotry meet logic.

[dfwabel]

You know, the Big East is being extremely proactive in all this expansion stuff.....

http://www.clickorlando.com/knights/23927913/detail.html

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/06/16/big-east-commissioner-john-marinatto-thanks-big-12-with-roses/

This story blew up on some USF forums I visited yesterday. Problem is, there really has been no proof so far. Memphis is a good choice, probably the best "available" option, "available" in the sense that they'd probably accept. Central FL on the other hand I'm semi-questionable on. I know, I may sound biased as a USF fan, but I really think there are some better options to make a splash before inviting Central FL (Maryland, TCU, E. Carolina, Houston, Navy, Army - all are extreme stretches, but the worst they can say is NO)

Considering the basketball schools' insistence on preserving the Big East's "delicate balance" I'll believe this when I see it.

The Big East has some issues as they have only eight teams in football, but also need to protect the interest of the basketball schools. In addition, they have TV contracts all over the place with ESPN/ABC family, CBS, CBS college, and SNY.

Overall, former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who is now a consultant for the Big East explained their issues pretty well days following his hire.

"Our assumption right now is, No. 1, we've got 16 members and we're looking at the common and collective interest of those 16 members.

No. 2, the fundamentals are changing, technology is changing, the network arrangements are changing, the business models underlying those network arrangements are changing. Congress is going to be interested in all of this and so, within that kind of a framework, the [No. 3] assumption is, you're a hell of a lot better being proactive in shaping the future rather than reactive and just having it delivered to you by somebody else.

You have 11 members of the Big East in nine of the top 30 or 35 largest media markets. You're talking about a section of the country which is 25 percent of the households in the country when you have schools in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, you have to put Hartford in there, which picks up a big chunk of New England. Then you say, OK we have those markets, how do we develop our product?"

[TBGKon]

New Pac-12 division alignment?

PAC-12 NORTH

California

Oregon

Oregon State

Stanford

Washington

Washington State

PAC-12 SOUTH

Arizona

Arizona State

Colorado

UCLA

USC

Utah

However, I could see Colorado/Utah being swapped for Cal/Stanford to keep the California rivalries intact.

Maybe an Eastern/Western:

Eastern:

Colorado

Utah

AZ State

Arizona

Wash St

Wash

Western:

Oregon

Oregon St

Stanford

Cal

USC

UCLA

[rams80]

You know, the Big East is being extremely proactive in all this expansion stuff.....

http://www.clickorlando.com/knights/23927913/detail.html

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/06/16/big-east-commissioner-john-marinatto-thanks-big-12-with-roses/

This story blew up on some USF forums I visited yesterday. Problem is, there really has been no proof so far. Memphis is a good choice, probably the best "available" option, "available" in the sense that they'd probably accept. Central FL on the other hand I'm semi-questionable on. I know, I may sound biased as a USF fan, but I really think there are some better options to make a splash before inviting Central FL (Maryland, TCU, E. Carolina, Houston, Navy, Army - all are extreme stretches, but the worst they can say is NO)

Considering the basketball schools' insistence on preserving the Big East's "delicate balance" I'll believe this when I see it.

The Big East has some issues as they have only eight teams in football, but also need to protect the interest of the basketball schools. In addition, they have TV contracts all over the place with ESPN/ABC family, CBS, CBS college, and SNY.

Overall, former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who is now a consultant for the Big East explained their issues pretty well days following his hire.

"Our assumption right now is, No. 1, we've got 16 members and we're looking at the common and collective interest of those 16 members.

No. 2, the fundamentals are changing, technology is changing, the network arrangements are changing, the business models underlying those network arrangements are changing. Congress is going to be interested in all of this and so, within that kind of a framework, the [No. 3] assumption is, you're a hell of a lot better being proactive in shaping the future rather than reactive and just having it delivered to you by somebody else.

You have 11 members of the Big East in nine of the top 30 or 35 largest media markets. You're talking about a section of the country which is 25 percent of the households in the country when you have schools in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, you have to put Hartford in there, which picks up a big chunk of New England. Then you say, OK we have those markets, how do we develop our product?"

By jettisoning some of the low performers or make enough threatening comments about them to get an improvement. DePaul hasn't done anything to give you Chicago and is a failure in every sense of the word, St. John's and Seton Hall seem very much content to rest on past and rapidly fading laurels, and what, precisely, has Providence done since the Reagan Administration to justify their death grip on the league Presidency?

[rams80]

New Pac-12 division alignment?

PAC-12 NORTH

California

Oregon

Oregon State

Stanford

Washington

Washington State

PAC-12 SOUTH

Arizona

Arizona State

Colorado

UCLA

USC

Utah

However, I could see Colorado/Utah being swapped for Cal/Stanford to keep the California rivalries intact.

Maybe an Eastern/Western:

Eastern:

Colorado

Utah

AZ State

Arizona

Wash St

Wash

Western:

Oregon

Oregon St

Stanford

Cal

USC

UCLA

I'm pretty sure USC and UCLA are the furthest east of the old Pac 8 Schools. Or at least the easternmost "travel pair"

[FiddySicks]

New Pac-12 division alignment?

PAC-12 NORTH

California

Oregon

Oregon State

Stanford

Washington

Washington State

PAC-12 SOUTH

Arizona

Arizona State

Colorado

UCLA

USC

Utah

However, I could see Colorado/Utah being swapped for Cal/Stanford to keep the California rivalries intact.

Maybe an Eastern/Western:

Eastern:

Colorado

Utah

AZ State

Arizona

Wash St

Wash

Western:

Oregon

Oregon St

Stanford

Cal

USC

UCLA

I'm pretty sure USC and UCLA are the furthest east of the old Pac 8 Schools. Or at least the easternmost "travel pair"

It also seems kind of funny to put Washington in the east and UCLA and USC in the west, when Seattle is actually further west than Los Angeles.

[TBGKon]

New Pac-12 division alignment?

PAC-12 NORTH

California

Oregon

Oregon State

Stanford

Washington

Washington State

PAC-12 SOUTH

Arizona

Arizona State

Colorado

UCLA

USC

Utah

However, I could see Colorado/Utah being swapped for Cal/Stanford to keep the California rivalries intact.

Maybe an Eastern/Western:

Eastern:

Colorado

Utah

AZ State

Arizona

Wash St

Wash

Western:

Oregon

Oregon St

Stanford

Cal

USC

UCLA

I'm pretty sure USC and UCLA are the furthest east of the old Pac 8 Schools. Or at least the easternmost "travel pair"

It also seems kind of funny to put Washington in the east and UCLA and USC in the west, when Seattle is actually further west than Los Angeles.

True, you're right...the map I was looking at was skewed a little and not flush with the Equator.

[dfwabel]

The 16 team intent was to have the Arizona schools move, so those two are probably locks to join CU and Utah. The others set of teams may be dependent on number of flights to DEN and SLC, easy to know that LAX, SFO/SJC/OAK have flights so it may depend on the flights out of SEA and PDX.

[crashcarson15]

The 16 team intent was to have the Arizona schools move, so those two are probably locks to join CU and Utah. The others set of teams may be dependent on number of flights to DEN and SLC, easy to know that LAX, SFO/SJC/OAK have flights so it may depend on the flights out of SEA and PDX.

Well I'd assume that pretty much everywhere in the western US can fly into SLC, a Delta hub and the same goes for Denver, primarily having United flights.

[Brian in Boston]

Eastern:

Colorado

Utah

AZ State

Arizona

Wash St

Wash

Western:

Oregon

Oregon St

Stanford

Cal

USC

UCLA

If Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn is to be believed, such an alignment is unlikely.

On Wednesday, the Denver Post reported that Bohn claims to have been promised placement in a division with UCLA, USC, Arizona and Arizona State. In part, the story reads:

Playing in a south division instead of a north with the Bay Area, Oregon and Washington was a must for Colorado to accept an invitation. Its largest out-of-state alumni base is in Southern California.

"That is a huge boost for us," Bohn said. "The southern division for the University of Colorado provides many opportunities that are keys to reaching our alumni, to our recruiting and to enhance media exposure that connects best to the Denver market."

Now that Utah has accepted an invitation to join the conference, it is expected that they would join Colorado as part of a Mountain Time Zone-based "travel pair".

[Cujo]

New Pac-12 division alignment?

PAC-12 NORTH

California

Oregon

Oregon State

Stanford

Washington

Washington State

PAC-12 SOUTH

Arizona

Arizona State

Colorado

UCLA

USC

Utah

However, I could see Colorado/Utah being swapped for Cal/Stanford to keep the California rivalries intact.

Maybe an Eastern/Western:

Eastern:

Colorado

Utah

AZ State

Arizona

Wash St

Wash

Western:

Oregon

Oregon St

Stanford

Cal

USC

UCLA

I'm pretty sure USC and UCLA are the furthest east of the old Pac 8 Schools. Or at least the easternmost "travel pair"

It also seems kind of funny to put Washington in the east and UCLA and USC in the west, when Seattle is actually further west than Los Angeles.

True, you're right...the map I was looking at was skewed a little and not flush with the Equator.

There is ZREO chance the Pac-12 will dub their divisions 'East' and 'West'. We're talking about the Pacific Coast -- which happens to run NORTH and SOUTH.

[Sport]

they could go the route of the ACC, the other coastal conference, and align their divisions with no rhyme or reason whatsoever.

[rams80]

they could go the route of the ACC, the other coastal conference, and align their divisions with no rhyme or reason whatsoever.

Or they could keep their travel pairs together, have some geographic rhyme and reason, and remember that nobody remembers who is in a given ACC Division.

[Geoff]

So true. I follow FSU closely and cant even remember

[tBBP]

So true. I follow FSU closely and cant even remember

I don't, either.

Is that a problem?

[dfwabel]

From the weekend:

1-With Utah's intent to play in the Pac-10 in the 2011 season, Colorado has told the Big XII that they intend to leave a year earlier along with Nebraska. Big XII officials say the penalty for leaving with one year's notice is an 80% forfeiture of TV revenue for two years. The total of forfeited TV money by both Nebraska and Colorado is expected to be about $40 million, sources said. Now, how will that money be distributed among the remaining schools and will Nebraska even pay them a dime?

2-On expansion, Dan Beebe said the following: "At this point in time, and based upon all the feedback from our membership, it's dead on both levels. The first level is there's no interest in looking at expansion. The second level is ? that in the remote chance we would consider expansion and that would be a few years in the future ? there seems to be no interest and really no motivation to look at expansion with institutions that are already within the five-state region."

[rams80]

2-On expansion, Dan Beebe said the following: "At this point in time, and based upon all the feedback from our membership, it's dead on both levels. The first level is there's no interest in looking at expansion. The second level is ? that in the remote chance we would consider expansion and that would be a few years in the future ? there seems to be no interest and really no motivation to look at expansion with institutions that are already within the five-state region."

"Anyway, expansion is pointless because Texas will be pulling the rug out from under this Conference in 2-3 years anyway." Beebe continued.

[Spearhead]

Colorado is a short-run loser in this. By jumping the gun (they thought Texas was on its way) they will have to give up Big 12 TV money for two or three years which their athletic department can hardly afford in light of the fact that the school couldn't raise $3 million to buy out Hawkins' contract.

But saying the Pac-12 got its champaign is a stretch at best. CU has a faltering football program, a weak-as-water basketball program and zero baseball. Fan support is casual in Boulder and the Denver market is more NFL-oriented. To say getting CU was good enough just isn't so.