More Conference Movement Coming

[Aargh]

cowboys.jpg

[The Truth]

Here's my prediction for the PAC. They add.....

SMU- Dallas market
Rice- Houston market
Tulane- strong football and New Orleans market
USF- Tampa Bay market
Memphis- strong hoops and football
San Diego State- to stay in So Cal
*All of these schools also have strong academics which is something Stanford and Cal will care about since they will hold all of the power here.

They add the 5 AAC schools for 2024 and SDSU for 2025. The MWC has an exit fee of $34M for less than a year notice, while the 3 defectors to the B12 only paid $18M each for their less than a year notice.

The question is what does a conference of (see below) do?
Wichita State
N Texas
UTSA
Temple
ECU
FAU
UAB
Charlotte
Tulsa

If we wanted to get back to 14 I'd think the following schools would be the top candidates.
Georgia State (Atlanta)
Middle TN (Nashville)
Old Dominion (VA Beach / Hampton region)
FIU (doubles down on Miami)
Buffalo or UTEP

[SubGod22]

I've seen reports that if an AAC school ends up leaving it'll probably end up north of $20M to do so.

I also don't think Memphis would get into the PAC under this scenario because they're not looked highly upon academically.

I really think the most likely scenario is a full on merger of some sort, either under the PAC banner or AAC or even a tweaked name like the Pan American Conference, which would keep the American involved but allow the PAC logo, with maybe the star the American uses incorporated.

The thing with that, is nobody from the AAC gets left behind and Stanford and Cal have to accept a few schools that don't have the academic chops they prefer. But the trade off is they get Tulane, Rice, Navy and SMU. UAB and USF are some pretty respectable public schools as well that they wouldn't mind being associated with. This would put the conference at 18, then they could add SDSU and one other (AFA/CSU/Nevada) when the MWC exit fee comes down.

The question is, what would ESPN be willing to pay for this alignment? I'm pretty sure they'd prefer this as they keep the American, which has done pretty well for them, and add some west coast time slots with a couple of name brand schools.

[SubGod22]

We have reports on who the four ACC schools who strongly opposed adding Stanford and Cal.

ESPN - Source: Florida State among 4 ACC schools against adding Cal, Stanford

Four ACC schools are opposed to adding Cal and Stanford, a source confirmed to ESPN, but expansion discussions are not completely over as of Friday night.

Though there is no call currently scheduled for the presidents to talk about expansion again, the discussions continue in the hopes that perhaps they can get to 12 "yes" votes, the required number to add teams. Florida State, North Carolina, Clemson and NC State are opposed, a source said, confirming news first reported by Sports Illustrated.

One source described the expansion discussion as being "on life support," two days after ESPN reported the talks among the presidents hit "significant roadblocks" following a call among presidents Wednesday night.

Multiple sources indicated there is no deadline to make any decision for the ACC, and a presidents call could be scheduled at any time. A vote will be taken only if there are enough yes votes. One source believed a decision should have been made during the Wednesday call: "I would imagine that there's not much more for them to discuss. I would think that the next item on the agenda is to make a decision."

It should be noted the four schools that are opposed are among a group of seven schools that have had separate discussions looking at the ACC grant of rights and a path forward. The ACC grant of rights ties the league together through the end of its television contract with ESPN in 2036 and gives the conference control over member schools' media revenue and broadcast rights.

Sounds like a number of ACC athletic directors also oppose adding them because neither brings strong football and they're looking to drive up revenue, and Stanford and Cal don't do that. Though I still think some of that is also because ESPN knows they have a chance at landing both schools for less if they can get them into the AAC.

[SubGod22]

ESPN - Big 12 held talks with Gonzaga, UConn, commissioner says

"I did have conversations with UConn and Gonzaga, and unfortunately, things didn't work out, only because the dream scenario unfolded for us, so those conversations are no longer," Yormark said on the podcast. "I'm a big admirer of both of those programs. They're fantastic for all the right reasons, but I'm focused on the transition of those four [new schools] right now."

Yormark's moves have not only enhanced the league's football strength -- despite Oklahoma and Texas being set to leave for the SEC in 2024 -- but also increased the power of America's best men's basketball league. The Big 12 has finished first in KenPom's conference rankings in eight of the past 10 seasons and captured two of the past three national championships. The addition of Arizona and Houston should allow the Big 12 to maintain that crown for the foreseeable future.

Yormark said he believes basketball is "undervalued" in the expansion conversation.

Nice to see someone talk about basketball being undervalued in expansion talk.

Glad to see UCon still has no home for football.

[SubGod22]

Hopefully this wraps up the ACC portion of the conversation, one way or the other.

[SubGod22]

ESPN - Oregon State, Washington State file complaint against Pac-12

Oregon State and Washington State filed a legal complaint against the Pac-12 and commissioner George Kliavkoff on Friday, seeking an emergency temporary restraining order to protect what the schools see as an "imminent and existential threat" to the future of the conference.

With the intent of "exploring opportunities to sustain the Pac-12," the schools are asking for a board meeting of all 12 members Wednesday to be canceled and legal clarity be given on who has voting rights to control the future of the league.

With 10 of the conference's 12 members announcing their departures within the past 18 months, Pac-12 bylaws indicate that the presidents at Oregon State and Washington State -- the only members that have not given notification of withdrawal -- should comprise the league's board of directors.

The legal filing by the two schools and its presidents was made in state court in Whitman County, Washington, which is where Washington State is located. The filings include a request for a hearing on the temporary restraining order on Monday, which could give clarity before the scheduled meeting two days later.
.....
At the heart of the dispute is the distribution of the Pac-12's remaining assets. The filing states that the Pac-12 ended the 2022 fiscal year with $42.7 million in total net assets, a figure that does not include the equity value of the conference's ownership of the Pac-12 Network. For the 2021-22 financial year, the Pac-12 Network reported revenues of $117 million and expenses of $77 million.

There are multiple other revenue streams, such as bowl contracts and College Football Playoff payouts, and substantial payments incoming on the existing television contracts. The Pac-12 is also expecting $50.2 million in men's basketball NCAA tournament units, which would be paid out over the next six years. The Pac-12's name brand is also considered to have significant value.

This could get interesting as it seems to be hinted at that the other 10 schools may still try to dissolve and distribute monies that OSU and WSU feel they're the only ones that should have any voting rights as they're the only ones with a vested interest in the Pac-12.

Also makes me wonder if they might actually try to save the conference by adding some MWC schools. Would that make sense? Is there money there for it? Would they add someone else? Could they?

[Aargh]

they might try to save the conference by inviting the ENTIRE MWC to join. That would make it a 13-team basketball league.and a 14-team football league.

It seems reasonable that OSU and WSU should now have control of the entire assets of the Pac-12. The "new look" PAC-12 would definitely not be in the power group, and probably have a smaller TV buy than the AAC. That 4 hour time difference to the entire population of the east coast is a HUGE negative for TV $$.

[SubGod22]

ESPN - Judge grants temporary restraining order to prevent Pac-12 from meeting

A state judge in Washington granted a temporary restraining order Monday to prevent the Pac-12 conference from meeting as a board later this week.

Judge Gary Libey ruled in favor of Oregon State and Washington State in Whitman County Superior Court after they jointly filed a complaint Friday that saw the potential of the Pac-12 meeting as a board and voting as an "imminent and existential threat" to the future of the conference.

The ruling for the temporary restraining order prevents a Pac-12 board meeting scheduled for Wednesday and sets up a preliminary injunction hearing that is expected to determine who makes up the voting members of the Pac-12 board of directors.

That hearing has not been set but would likely be scheduled in October. It could include document and email discovery from the Pac-12 and member schools and live witness testimony from prominent officials in and around the Pac-12.

"Today's ruling is an important first step to bring clarity and fairness to Pac-12 governance," said Drew Tulumello, counsel to Washington State and school president Kirk Schulz. "The future of the Pac-12 should be controlled by the schools who stay, not those who go."

Oregon State and Washington State have argued that they should be the only voting members remaining in the conference, citing precedent that previous members who've notified the Pac-12 of their withdrawal from the league have lost voting rights.

[WstateU]

Boosters raise 'unprecedented' sum to help SMU with move to ACC (msn.com)

[pogo]

They gonna need more

[WstateU]

4 ACC Schools Linked To The SEC As Conference Realignment Talks Heat Back Up (msn.com)

[SubGod22]

So Clemson, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida State are looking to be a block to either the SEC or B1G?

This will eventually be interesting.

[ShockTalk]

Let me get this right.

NCAA football controls college sports.

The SEC, Big 10, and Big 12 are the strongest powers, thus, controls the realignment.

Currently, the SEC is the big dog with 7 teams in the Top 20 but have only 1 in the Top 10.

The Big 10 has only 3 in the Top 20, but all are in the Top 10.

The Big 12 has only 2 Top 20 teams.

On the other hand, the ACC which seems to be at the bottom of the pecking order of the 4 remaining major conferences has 5 Top 20 teams.

The "soon to be defunct" PAC 12 has 6 Top 20 teams, 3 in the Top 10 and that includes the 2 "leftovers" Oregon St and Washington St.

[1972Shocker]

Let me get this right.

NCAA football controls college sports.

Perhaps one slight correction.

The companies holding the broadcast rights and writing the big checks for football control college sports.