Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[NatsFan2004]

Andy Katz reporting PAC-12 NOT expanding.

If the PAC is not expanding and OU is genuine about staying in the Big 12 with conditions to be met and the Big East is going to solder on minus Pitt/Syracuse + 2 new members...does this mean that conference armageddon has largely been averted?

[Dexter Morgan]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6998751/pac-12-conference-decides-expand-further

Pac-12 decides against expansion

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference is standing pat for now.

The league's presidents and chancellors voted late Tuesday night to reaffirm their decision to stay at a dozen members. Commissioner Larry Scott says "after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference."

Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were among those considering a potential move from the Big 12. After expanding from the Pac-10 with new members Utah and Colorado last year, members of the new Pac-12 won't give them the chance.

The league already negotiated a landmark 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN worth about $3 billion. And it appears plenty happy at a dozen.

[Dexter Morgan]

How about Butler going to the Big East?

St. Joes? Temple? UCF? ECU?

[BigMac12]

How about Butler going to the Big East?

St. Joes? Temple?

I know it's too soon, but someday, I hope UMass goes from the MAC to the Big East, if the latter conference survives...

[RyanMcD29]

I know the Big East is talking about sticking together, but I have a funny feeling that's not gonna last too long (*cough*UConn*cough*)

14's a good round number for now, and it's better than 16, but I'd like to have UConn join Syracuse and Pitt to the ACC. Granted, considering it's looking more and more likely we're staying in the Big East for, again, three lame duck basketball seasons, a lot can change from now to then. I know it would bring it to a bulky and uneven 15, but I just feel like the Huskies would be a natural fit in the new ACC. Rutgers.... eh they can stay in the Big East for all I care.

[DCDuck]

How about Butler going to the Big East?

St. Joes? Temple?

Butler football plays in the Pioneer League - which is pretty much the equivalent of table scraps for FCS teams.

[DCDuck]

I know the Big East is talking about sticking together, but I have a funny feeling that's not gonna last too long (*cough*UConn*cough*)

14's a good round number for now, and it's better than 16, but I'd like to have UConn join Syracuse and Pitt to the ACC. Granted, considering it's looking more and more likely we're staying in the Big East for, again, three lame duck basketball seasons, a lot can change from now to then. I know it would bring it to a bulky and uneven 15, but I just feel like the Huskies would be a natural fit in the new ACC. Rutgers.... eh they can stay in the Big East for all I care.

I don't see Jim Calhoun sticking around for three more years. Not even with him bullying players into giving up their scholarships for more highly-touted recruits encouraging players to be selfless for the sake of the team.

[thespleenenator]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6998751/pac-12-conference-decides-expand-further

Pac-12 decides against expansion

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference is standing pat for now.

The league's presidents and chancellors voted late Tuesday night to reaffirm their decision to stay at a dozen members. Commissioner Larry Scott says "after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference."

Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were among those considering a potential move from the Big 12. After expanding from the Pac-10 with new members Utah and Colorado last year, members of the new Pac-12 won't give them the chance.

The league already negotiated a landmark 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN worth about $3 billion. And it appears plenty happy at a dozen.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!

[pcgd]

So... Does the Big XII return to being the big eight when/if mizzou leaves and now Texas and OU have no where to go? Just switch the roman numerals: Big IIX

Well not nowhere, maybe the ACC takes them? Or someone else?

What a cluster...if all this is out in the open what's going on behind closed doors??

Why would you want to stay in a conference (Big XII) where 2 members publically say they want out, 2 others basically want out, another is on its way out, and the rest are suing each other? Nebraska, Colorado, and A&M (maybe mizzou) were smart to get out.

[DCDuck]

Hey, at least Dan Beebe can go become head of Linens n' Things, KB Toys, Borders, Lehman Bros. or Circuit City.

Wait, what? He can't?

... oh.

[Chicageaux]

Andy Katz reporting PAC-12 NOT expanding.

If the PAC is not expanding and OU is genuine about staying in the Big 12 with conditions to be met and the Big East is going to solder on minus Pitt/Syracuse + 2 new members...does this mean that conference armageddon has largely been averted?

I have a feeling conference armageddon has just been postponed. The ACC has added two teams with still possibly more, the SEC is still looking for a 14th, and we're not sure if Oklahoma's conditions will be met. If anything, OU and OK State could jump to the Big 10 now.

[DCDuck]

Andy Katz reporting PAC-12 NOT expanding.

If the PAC is not expanding and OU is genuine about staying in the Big 12 with conditions to be met and the Big East is going to solder on minus Pitt/Syracuse + 2 new members...does this mean that conference armageddon has largely been averted?

I have a feeling conference armageddon has just been postponed. The ACC has added two teams with still possibly more, the SEC is still looking for a 14th, and we're not sure if Oklahoma's conditions will be met. If anything, OU and OK State could jump to the Big 10 now.

Oklahoma State's academics are not very good, and that's putting it mildly.

[dfwabel]

http://espn.go.com/c...-expand-further

Pac-12 decides against expansion

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference is standing pat for now.

The league's presidents and chancellors voted late Tuesday night to reaffirm their decision to stay at a dozen members. Commissioner Larry Scott says "after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference."

Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were among those considering a potential move from the Big 12. After expanding from the Pac-10 with new members Utah and Colorado last year, members of the new Pac-12 won't give them the chance.

The league already negotiated a landmark 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN worth about $3 billion. And it appears plenty happy at a dozen.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!

You illustrate your maturity (or lack of it) once again. Bravo!

The conference's official statement tonight is related to the news out of Oklahoma earlier this afternoon. They did not want to play around with OU knowing that the pie would be cut up 14 to 16 ways as opposed to just 12. In this case, Mark Cuban could be right. Now, I also don't believe the B1G will expand either. Those two will stay at 12 as long as they can, and try to keep the Rose Bowl Pac-12/B1G as a separate event.

[DCDuck]

Those two will stay at 12 as long as they can, and try to keep the Rose Bowl Pac-12/B1G as a separate event.

Once again ensuring future generations of the ability to watch a completely undeserving B1G team play in a BCS bowl against a much superior Pac-12 opponent, a la Illinois/USC 2007.

[dfwabel]

Service academies have huge national followings. Certainly larger than Boise State. No matter where they play, there's a base within a couple hours' drive full of servicemen that'll come see their team play, no matter their record.

True, but what about ratings? Sure, plenty of servicemen will be watching every week, but how do you convince a general nationwide audience to watch Air Force, as opposed to non-AQ's that have actually won high-profile games and BCS bowls but still might get left out in the cold?

Any team can get ratings when they are placed in a situation to garner ratings. Having games on CBS College and The. Mtn., do not garner ratings, period. This is something which Boise State will have to now deal with the rest of their season. They will no longer get the audience which they got from being in the WAC's crazy scheduling or on ESPN/ABC national showcase games. They are not going to get 2M+ viewers anymore this season but for a bowl game.

Even the games now shown on FX get double the ratings on where the MWC. The networks which air MWC games do not draw because of where they can be seen.

\If you want to track your point that Boise=Ratings, I recommend that you give us monthly updates via The Voice of TV.

[BigMac12]

UNC-Charlotte/Charlotte 49ers have a 15,000 seat stadium being bulit that they claim can be expanded to 40,000. I know it's too early to speculate, but maybe in a few years, the 49ers could be in the mix.

[DCDuck]

My basic cable package includes FX, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNews, along with Comcast Sports Net and MASN (Mid Atlantic Sports Network) which has a contract with the Big East. So I can see games from most all of the BCS AQ conferences.

My basic cable does NOT include Versus or CBS College Sports. As such, I'm unable to see any Mountain West conference game. Ever.

I'm sure many other people are in a similar situation. I don't want to have to pay $15 a month just to watch The Mtn. football games for four months - then keep paying the cost even when football season is over until my contract is up. I guess I have to do without being able to watch Air Force ever. Or Boise State. Ever.

That is why I hate the Mtn. with a fiery passion and wished that it was the conference getting picked apart instead of the Big XII and the Big East.

[dfwabel]

From SJ Mercury News' John Wilner:

9:10 p.m. update: Been on the phone for last 30 minutes. Here?s why league did not expand, in a nutshell:

It determined that a 14-school conference was awkward and it would not bow to Texas? revenue demands.

According to a source, Larry Scott walked away from weekend meeting with Texas knowing the Longhorn Network and the Pac-12 revenue model could not work together.

It was zero or four and the four was too problematic ? no interest in meeting UT?s revenue demands ? so it?s at zero, which is where the CEOs wanted to be all along.

[thespleenenator]

Wow, it seems like nobody wants Texas, which is shocking. They'll almost certainly go indy now, unless the Big XII somehow survives.

[DCDuck]

The Longhorn Network is the 800-pound gorilla in the room. The B1G and SEC won't take Texas with that baggage, and evidently neither will the Pac-12. How Texas is still hanging onto it is beyond me. Maybe because it was UT's and Dan Beebe's love child?

So I guess now TLN is just for Texas's olympic sports?