(06-09-2014 03:53 PM)XLance Wrote: (06-04-2014 02:27 PM)JRsec Wrote: (06-04-2014 07:57 AM)XLance Wrote: (06-04-2014 07:16 AM)vandiver49 Wrote: (06-03-2014 08:24 PM)XLance Wrote: I found it too hard to try to grade the Big 12 schools re: the SEC, PAC and B1G because I just don't know enough about those conferences. I really can't say I know that much about the Big 12 schools, but I can say that the only two that I see ever joining the ACC are Texas and Kansas. I think that Oklahoma somehow ends up in the SEC.
I agree with OliveandBlue in that Oklahoma is not a good fit for the ACC.
If Texas does not go to the PAC we won't get 4 x 16.
I used to believe that as well, but I've now come around to H1 position of the PAC adding 4 Central Time Zone schools to get the value necessary for a P4 to come to fruition.
I think that way too much is made about trying to keep up dollar wise with the B1G especially when it comes to the PAC. Why would they (PAC) want schools that don't fit their profile just to get mid-western coverage for their network. If it weren't for increased revenue the PAC would NEVER consider Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Baylor or TCU!
And so what if they make 10 million less than the SEC or the B1G, how can that really hurt them. UCLA is not ever going to join the B1G just to get $10M a year.
The Big 12 has some great schools that just don't fit in anywhere else. And the PAC schools are so isolated from the rest of the country that they are untouchable.
Unless some schools want to move around to get a better "fit", I'm beginning to think that we might be done for a while.
Why? Corporate Network money and the desire for further advertising incentives for higher rates have been behind it all and those motivations are still with us. The tinkering by corporate influences has is only paused as they figure out the legal entanglements before moving on.
JR, I think what you are seeing is some push back from the PAC not legal entanglements.
The PAC controls two time zones and to alter their schedules to accomodate a third TZ is quite a bit to think about.
If, for instance, the PAC takes four schools in the central TZ, will the west coast get out of bed to watch a 10AM TV start in Austin or Lubbock? Will the folks in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas or Iowa willing to give good numbers on a late start in Pullman or LA?
Why would anyone try to run a conference spread over three time zones? But if I'm the PAC, my four central teams would have to be blockbuster to get me to move to 16.
You may have to focus in on 3 x 18 + 1 x 12.
While I think it's very unlikely, one of the most appealing potential scenarios I've seen for a conference going to 18 is actually the PAC expanding to 18 by taking 6 Big 12 schools - KU, KSU, OU, OSU, UT, and TT.
By going to 18, they also setup 3 geographically sensible divisions:
KU, KSU, OU, OSU, UT, TT
ASU, UA, CU, UU, USC, UCLA
Stan, Cal, Oregon, Oregon St, UW, WSU
In football, you play a 5-2-2 schedule. 5 games in your division, and 2 against teams from each of the other 2 divisions, with one home game and one road game. With that setup, the Central time zone teams would only have to travel to the Mountain or Central time zone twice a year, and the Pacific time zone teams would only have to travel all the way to the Central time zone once apiece. Most of a team's conference games (either home or away) would be played within their home time zone or just one over.
For the PAC 12 schools: Sure, they'd be doubling down on the small markets of Kansas and Oklahoma. But in the process they'd be adding two huge "helmet" programs in football, an elite basketball brand, and adding 2 of the 3 largest schools in Texas. For their network deals, they now have inventory based in the Central time zone in addition to their Pacific base. Most of their games would continue to be played relatively close to home. Each of the divisions made up of "legacy" PAC teams would still have 2 CA teams in it, and in return for less frequent play against the other legacy PAC CA schools they'd have games against schools from the recruit-rich land of Texas.
For the Big 12 schools: Yes, they'd be going West, but they'd also be staying close to home for the most part. There aren't any compelling options remaining for expansion of the Big 12, so this would be a way for those schools to solidify their place in a major conference rather than wait for others to try to poach them. It would give them a core group of schools with whom they have some history while adding regular visits to and from schools in California.
So if you look at a sample schedule for UT, for example, their schedule could look like this in a given year:
Wyoming (Home) (season opener against a G5 school)
TCU (Home) (I could see them rotate TCU/SMU/Rice in this slot)
Notre Dame (Home) (Marquee out-of-conference game)
Conference:
KU (Home)
KSU (Road)
Oklahoma (Neutral)
Oklahoma State (Home)
TT (Road)
UCLA (Home)
UA (Road)
Oregon State (Home)
UW (Road)
I don't think that the B1G or SEC (not to mention TV networks) would stand by and let the PAC swoop in and get all of the most appealing brands available in the Big 12 - but if the PAC really wanted to get into the Central time zone, I think that 18 would be better than 16.
