Has anyone addressed the question about whether OSU and WSU are going to get a media rights deal for their home games? They are paying the MWC for a scheduling alliance for two-years. I'm assuming that will come out of the PAC warchest. But what about the home inventory for 2024-2025 and 2025-2026?

OSU and WSU will look for a regional deal. Think ESPN+ with a local Sea-Tac, Spokane and Portland over air/cable access (your channel 47 type) using the Pac-12 Network equipment the two schools have. CBSSN is another possibility, given the MWC connection.

Think low budget regional.

(12-04-2023 01:05 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  OSU and WSU will look for a regional deal. Think ESPN+ with a local Sea-Tac, Spokane and Portland over air/cable access (your channel 47 type) using the Pac-12 Network equipment the two schools have. CBSSN is another possibility, given the MWC connection.

Think low budget regional.

If WSU football does their own regional media deal it will be on real broadcast TV in Washington. We'll see where exactly they'd end up in Seattle but it won't be secondary cable (OK, conceivably CW), and there's no chance in the world they'll be relegated to channel 47 in the Spokane media market or Yakima/Tri Cities.

(12-04-2023 01:21 PM)LatahCounty Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 01:05 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  OSU and WSU will look for a regional deal. Think ESPN+ with a local Sea-Tac, Spokane and Portland over air/cable access (your channel 47 type) using the Pac-12 Network equipment the two schools have. CBSSN is another possibility, given the MWC connection.

Think low budget regional.

If WSU football does their own regional media deal it will be on real broadcast TV in Washington. We'll see where exactly they'd end up in Seattle but it won't be secondary cable (OK, conceivably CW), and there's no chance in the world they'll be relegated to channel 47 in the Spokane media market or Yakima/Tri Cities.

It won't be an ABC, FOX, CBS or NBC affiliate. Think something similar to what the Montana schools have.

Thompson's take on the TV situation:

Here is what he expects (he was in the industry and knows the players personally)

(12-04-2023 01:47 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  It won't be an ABC, FOX, CBS or NBC affiliate. Think something similar to what the Montana schools have.

I might agree with you if the northwest's regional sports cable network wasn't dying.

Every Gonzaga basketball game is on broadcast network TV in Spokane. WSU is Eastern Washington's football team and we're only talking a few dates a year. They'd absolutely have a broadcast network in Eastern WA. Spokane and Yakima.

Seattle is tougher but there are more than enough alumni on that side of the state to fill a Saturday network niche.

(12-04-2023 02:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Thompson's take on the TV situation:

Here is what he expects (he was in the industry and knows the players personally)

Sure, as I said CW is a distinct possibility in Seattle or Portland. Not so in Spokane or Yakima.

I would figure Root sports would be interested in a packaging of WSU and OSU games since that RSN isnt going anywhere

(12-04-2023 02:33 PM)solohawks Wrote:  I would figure Root sports would be interested in a packaging of WSU and OSU games since that RSN isnt going anywhere

So, no matter how this is ultimately packaged, OSU and WSU will be forced to drop down to G5 status.

(12-04-2023 02:33 PM)solohawks Wrote:  I would figure Root sports would be interested in a packaging of WSU and OSU games since that RSN isnt going anywhere

It's going out of everyone's cable package. I have to believe they wouldn't go that route if the money is anywhere near comparable on OTA local TV.

But I guess maybe Root has more money to throw at something like this than I think. I kinda doubt it.

(12-04-2023 02:42 PM)LatahCounty Wrote:  

(12-04-2023 02:33 PM)solohawks Wrote:  I would figure Root sports would be interested in a packaging of WSU and OSU games since that RSN isnt going anywhere

It's going out of everyone's cable package. I have to believe they wouldn't go that route if the money is anywhere near comparable on OTA local TV.

But I guess maybe Root has more money to throw at something like this than I think. I kinda doubt it.

I figure Root would pay more than OTA. But if the money is close you definitely go OTA

(12-04-2023 10:50 AM)Crayton Wrote:  

(12-03-2023 04:35 PM)Glenn360 Wrote:  Also doesn't today's committee show that there's no guarantee the MWC rebuild is the best of the rest?

Liberty played the worst schedule and got the GO5 bid.

Even if you shuffle the best of the AAC + MWC + P2 is the CFB actually going to treat them as the 5th best conference or just another Group of 5.

F around and have San Jose State steal a Group of 5 bid.

It is a good point but I suspect the “best of the rest” idea is primarily for TV money not the CFP lottery.

The biggest issue I see with current G5 alignment is the recent AAC additions... I've questioned if some "old-guard" members are satisfied with the Texas/UAB/et al. additions and could see some of them willing to pay a penalty to leave for a better setup, and Oregon St./Wazzu are sexier than UAB/Coastal Carolina/UNT.

I regret to say that I still think the idea that makes the most sense is for the Pac-2 to grab four AAC schools, announcing as soon as possible so the teams can join in the 2026 season. I would guess Rice, Memphis, USF and either Tulane/ECU (or both). Then grab SDSU, Boise, CSU, UNLV, Fresno, and either Air Force (If they are willing to join, preferred) or ECU. I could also see a play if Gonzaga doesn't get grabbed by the B12 for a Gonzaga (all sports) and UCONN (football only) combo and adding another MWC school (Utah St.?/San Jose?) as the 14th.

It would be the best money play (compared to a MWC merger), could set itself up as a pretty decent conference, and could be a power play for both Oregon State and Wazzu. It could set itself up to be decently competitive as well.

I still think it goes...

Pac-12 West
Boise State
Fresno State
Oregon State
San Diego State
UNLV
Washington State

Pac-12 East
Colorado State
Memphis
Rice
Tulane
Utah State
UTSA

That makes the most sense to me.

(12-04-2023 03:44 PM)Realignment Wrote:  I still think it goes...

Pac-12 West
Boise State
Fresno State
Oregon State
San Diego State
UNLV
Washington State

Pac-12 East
Colorado State
Memphis
Rice
Tulane
Utah State
UTSA

That makes the most sense to me.

That configuration makes a ton of sense as well. I know it seems like there will be an MWC/P2 merger right now, but it any configuration does not look as good from a money perspective without the top of the AAC in it.

Wilner is saying:

"Is there a penalty for teams to leave the Mountain West after 2026, when the media deal expires? — @fakepaulblood

Not that we are aware."

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/01/m...-and-more/

Anyone else know, for sure, if there are exit fees in the MW after summer 2026? The MW document online?

(12-05-2023 09:40 AM)PlayBall! Wrote:  Wilner is saying:

"Is there a penalty for teams to leave the Mountain West after 2026, when the media deal expires? — @fakepaulblood

Not that we are aware."

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/01/m...-and-more/

Anyone else know, for sure, if there are exit fees in the MW after summer 2026? The MW document online?

https://storage.googleapis.com/themw-com...bylaws.pdf
MWC publishes their bylaws and unlike the PAC aren't a hot mess. Section 1.04 deals with exiting members. Exit fees are completely separate from the media deal.

(12-04-2023 03:44 PM)Realignment Wrote:  I still think it goes...

Pac-12 West
Boise State
Fresno State
Oregon State
San Diego State
UNLV
Washington State

Pac-12 East
Colorado State
Memphis
Rice
Tulane
Utah State
UTSA

That makes the most sense to me.

AFA over Utah St. Even better if AFA is football only paired with Wichita St.

Would be fine adding Hawaii(FB) with Gonzaga in the West. A conference with SDSU, Memphis, Wichita St. would be very attractive for Gonzaga, especially seeing how well the MWC is doing this year in the sport. Could pair that with Navy(FB)/Wichita St. with AFA or Utah St. as full members.

(12-05-2023 09:40 AM)PlayBall! Wrote:  Wilner is saying:

"Is there a penalty for teams to leave the Mountain West after 2026, when the media deal expires? — @fakepaulblood

Not that we are aware."

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/12/01/m...-and-more/

Anyone else know, for sure, if there are exit fees in the MW after summer 2026? The MW document online?

Not sure. The MWC's position is that those fees occur in perpetuity but that sounds a bit aggressive to me. The question is whether institutions are obligated to stay in the conference after the current deal if 9 members vote to renew the contract. That in itself raises questions as to how that can be enforced. Basically, Hotel California scenario of "you can check out, but you can never leave." To me, the MWC won't have the 9 votes, at least 5, likely 6, schools would likely be leaving.

What is more important, however, is if the schools can leave with no financial penalty come 2026. That would provide a huge bargaining chip for the MWC to accept a $2-3M exit fee from the departing schools in 2025 rather than getting nothing in 2026.

The PAC 2 wants SDSU, BSU, Fresno, UNLV, CSU and AFA from the MWC. They don't want the rest though I would make an argument for Hawaii(FB)/Gonzaga paired with Navy(FB)/Wichita St for the East. They want to leave space for bring Calford back into the fold. They would also like to bring in schools like Memphis, UTSA, Tulane and Rice or North Texas. This is an attempt to create a best of the rest conference that makes geographical sense.

West

OSU
WSU
SDSU
Fresno
BSU
UNLV
(Hawaii(FB)/Gonzaga

East/Southwest

CSU
AFA
Tulane
UTSA
Rice/North Tx
Memphis
(Navy(FB)/Wichita St.

Now tell me if you can come up with a better conference than that?

WSU and OSU will choose the best of schools from ACC and Mountain West to join the new PAC12.

(12-05-2023 06:37 PM)Aztecgolfer Wrote:  West

OSU
WSU
SDSU
Fresno
BSU
UNLV
(Hawaii(FB)/Gonzaga

East/Southwest

CSU
AFA
Tulane
UTSA
Rice/North Tx
Memphis
(Navy(FB)/Wichita St.

Now tell me if you can come up with a better conference than that?

I personally would change a few things because the only way they're going to convince schools to separate from their MWC and AAC brethren is if the $$ is worth it, to do that you need Markets and Brands, my breakdown:

-From the MWC they add Boise, Fresno, SDSU, UNLV, CSU, SJSU (Bay Area Market) and Hawaii (Football only = they won't receive a full share/save money, could pair with Gonzaga or Wichita State, additional TZ/TV slot)

-From the AAC they add UTSA, NT and Rice giving you a presence in San Antonio, DFW and Houston Markets to get to 12. If $$ is there add Tulane and Memphis to get to 14. If they went with Divisions:

WEST:

OSU, Wazzu, SDSU, SJSU, Fresno, Boise, Hawaii

(STATES: WA, OR, CA, HI, ID)

EAST:

UNLV, CSU, UTSA, RICE, UNT, Tulane, Memphis

(STATES: NV, CO, TX, LA, TN)

OLYMPICS to Offset Hawaii: Gonzaga or Wichita State

This I feel would give you the best Market, TV Slots and Brands available to get the most $$ out of the Conference. More importantly for the MWC it would allow them to rebuild rather easily:

-The MWC adds NMSU and UTEP from C-USA and adds Montana, MSU, and Idaho from the Big Sky. At that point they could go either into CA for Markets/recruiting or East for more TZs and Brands, I personally would gpnwith the 2nd:

New MWC:

Nevada, Idaho, Montana, MSU, Wyoming, USU, New Mexico, Air Force, NMSU, UTEP, NDSU, SDSU

(STATES: NV, ID, MT, UT, WY, NM, TX, ND, SD)

In my mind this would be a decently regional (by Western standards) competitive and overall fun Conference. 8 Mountain teams book ended by 2 Pacific and 2 Central TZ teams. Also think they could keep the same current rate or only slightly less $$ then they get now.