(06-25-2019 04:38 AM)Transic_nyc Wrote: https://johnwallstreet.com/early-entrant...l-digital/
Quote:Sources tell JohnWallStreet that UCLA mega donor Casey Wasserman “is advising the school not to re-up with the Pac-12 [beyond the conference’s existing Grant of Rights agreement, which expires in 2023].” Logic says that Wasserman is trying to steer his alma-mater to the Atlantic Coast Conference where he serves as an advisor, but it doesn’t seem feasible for the school’s non-revenue generating sports to play half their schedule 3,000 miles from campus (and they wouldn’t be welcomed to stay in the Pac-12 without football and basketball). Geographically speaking, the Big-12 Conference makes the most sense, but as one P5 athletic director suggested “do not underestimate the academic arrogance of the California schools. Joining open-access state schools like Iowa State and Texas Tech is and has always been a non-starter for them.” Heavy money remains on UCLA sticking with Cal, Stanford, USC and the Pac-12 Conference.
No idea how credible are the rumors about the ACC being seriously looked at by UCLA. However, if the distance between West and East is not going to be a real issue then I would think the Big Ten should be seriously preparing to talk to them. Second-largest market in U.S., AAU, located in prime recruiting market in the West, basketball legacy, Rose Bowl, ticks off a ton of boxes. Pair them off with Cal, USC, Arizona or Colorado (whoever bites first).
Look, money is the name of the game. As long as there is an SEC there's no reason for the Big 10 to sacrifice their academic standing. And a partnership in scheduling is not a binding association of academic institutions. But it would be lucrative.
The SEC and Big 10 can make oodles of money between them, have enormous leverage for marketing our combined product, if we think in terms of two conferences of 4 divisions of 6.
Big 10:
California, Cal Los Angeles, Oregon, Southern Cal, Stanford, Washington
Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Rutgers
Maryland, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Purdue, Virginia
SEC:
Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech
Arkansas, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Tennessee
Clemson, Florida, Florida State, N.C. State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech
That essentially covers the national market. It cuts down the pie by 17 schools from the present P5, but without losing the essence of each region or major rivalries.
Absent:
PAC 12: Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, Utah, Washington State
Big 12: Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, T.C.U., West Virginia
ACC: Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Wake Forest
Add to those: Houston, Cincinnati, Brigham Young, Army, Navy, Air Force, and possibly Boise State and you have exactly what we need, a true Tweener Conference paid much more than the AAC, but not quite at the big table of the Big 10 or SEC.
These schools could make for some great bowl match-ups.
I don't see anyone in the Big 10 that doesn't meet your AAU standards except for Notre Dame and Nebraska one of which you picked and the other which you have sought.
The SEC is reasonably cohesive and both of us get into North Carolina and Virginia.
You get the West Coast academic stalwarts and market and the SEC solidifies Texas and its region while picking up a hoops rep with Kansas. Iowa State I picked to keep the Cy-Hawk thing going and because they are AAU and Arizona is too far and doesn't really have a rabid following.