(12-31-2020 08:01 AM)MWC Tex Wrote: (12-31-2020 03:01 AM)AllTideUp Wrote: (12-30-2020 05:23 PM)Attackcoog Wrote: (12-30-2020 02:55 PM)AllTideUp Wrote: (12-30-2020 02:38 PM)SDHornet Wrote: Does ESPN care where Boise parks their Olys if they get their FB product? My guess is "no".
Most likely correct, however, unless ESPN is paying Boise State for those Olympic sports rights then Boise doesn't really have a motivation to put them somewhere they deem inferior.
ESPN currently has no rights to Boise sports of any kind, and if Boise joined the AAC as a "football only" member---Boise olympic sports would still not be part of the ESPN package. The WAC has a ESPN+ deal...so that could potentially come into play I suppose.
Correct, but that is a recent development. More to the point, if Boise State changes leagues then it is likely ESPN is paying the bill to make it happen.
Not likely they end up as a full member of the AAC, but ESPN money would be involved in ensuring the Olympic sports have a home somewhere...whether that is through subsidy or inducement.
If Disney wanted Boise State in the AAC bad enough then they might induce a basketball league to take them for Olympic sports. I know the board disagrees, but I still think the WCC might be workable. If ESPN pays them a little extra to add Boise State(just to facilitate a move of football to the AAC) and maybe one more Western school then I think that is something the WCC would have to consider. Especially if that school was San Diego State.
The WCC isn’t going to take a public school. They are a full fledged private religious conference and they like it that way.
The Big West is set with UCSD and CSUB in the conference. I doubt they want to deal with Boise again.
The Big Sky and the WAC are the only option Boise has. If they don’t like either one of them, they need to just shut up and enjoy the conference they are in.
They've actually had public members before, but it's been a few decades. In fact, San Jose State was a founding member in 1952. They left in 69. Fresno State left in 57. UCSB left in 69. Nevada left in 79. UNLV left in 75. Seattle, a Jesuit school, left in 1980
The WCC is in an interesting position. There were rumors of Gonzaga leaving a while back and joining the Mountain West. Obviously, that was averted and was probably posturing on the part of the Zags to get a better deal. Nonetheless, it revealed a crack in the league structure.
Now, it's possible most of the membership doesn't want to fool with the discomfort of growing pains, but it's also possible they see the potential that is front of them.
ESPN has lost the Mountain West which means 2 things. 1) They have some content for that time zone in the PAC 12, but it's relatively expensive compared to the WCC. 2) ESPN will likely try to get a chunk of the MWC again in the future, but there are some pieces more desirable than others.
The WCC is a good league and has proven to be pretty good content for ESPN especially since BYU joined up. Gonzaga is the brand everyone recognizes, but BYU and St. Mary's tend to produce quality teams.
In my opinion, the league is perfectly positioned for a growth spurt. What do they gain? Greater notoriety in their own sphere, but adding a few more stalwart programs could really give them some attention back East beyond just everyone tuning in for Gonzaga. Boise State basketball has been getting better and they're a recognizable brand. San Diego State would be in the same category...assuming there's a way to get them into the AAC as well for a football deal. What if Seattle could be talked into going back?
The WCC is in a position to become a more recognizable force in basketball.