Start a negotiation with FOX, CBS and Washington State to bring them in.

Oregon State is trying to marry San Diego State to make a move to the Big 12. But it won't work, can't see either ESPN or FOX ponying up money for this; Fox has ponied up over $100M for XII and B1G expansion, while ESPN has been socked for over $150M in XII and ACC expansion. Still, it shows that OSU is willing to throw WSU under the bus.

Knowing this, I'd work with WSU.

I would suspect a scheduling pact between the PAC 12-10 and the Mountain West.

In football, WSU and OSU play 6 Mountain West opponents each. Each MW team gives up one conference opponent. The TV rights belong to the MW even if WSU and OSU are the home team, which maintains inventory (14 x 7 ÷ 2 = 49 games, less one for WSU-OSU) compared to the current contract (12 x 8 ÷ 2 = 48 games).

In basketball, WSU and OSU play everyone once, which gives them 11 games each. Obviously with their two conference games that makes 13 games, which means they still need 5-9 games. I guess if Chicago State is still on the hoof they can do a home-and-home with them and even have a "Pac 3".

For men's soccer, they hook up with the WAC. Pac 12 women's soccer "borrows" the 3 California schools and Boise State as affiliates to effectively get a second autobid. The eight remaining Mountain West schools (7 full plus Colorado College)

Baseball and softball join the Mountain West as affiliates since multiple Mountain West members do not sponsor the sport. Oregon State women's gymnastics also affiliates with the Mountain West, effectively replacing the single-sport Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference.

For wrestling, the Pac only needs 2 more schools to maintain the autobid. They could grab Tarleton State and Lindenwood. Little Rock is already an affiliate, so you actually have a somewhat rational eastern block.

Only Washington State has women's tennis, so they just become the stand-in for Hawaii in the Mountain West. This might be an opportunity to essentially get a free autobid if you take the 3 California schools, Nevada, and UNLV.

Women's volleyball also has the PAC 12 borrowing 4 Mountain West schools - Boise State and the 3 California schools work here. This process could be repeated for Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track.

(09-02-2023 10:36 AM)jacksfan29! Wrote:  

(09-01-2023 10:37 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think either the MVFC or the ASUN/WAC will lobby to be the 10th FBS conference to replace the one gone.

There should only be 6 FBS leagues. B1G, SEC, ACC, Big 12, AAC, MWC/PAC. The rest are pretenders.

Awfully convenient that you drew the line low enough that both your teams made the cut.

(09-02-2023 03:34 PM)Aztecgolfer Wrote:  

(09-02-2023 02:38 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  The reverse merger idea makes the most sense just for the sake of finances.

The Mountain West schools could join the PAC 2. Personally, I would rename the league the Pacific Western Conference, but that doesn't really matter. As long as the NCAA credits and whatnot remain with the league then they're better off in the short term.

Washington State, Oregon State, San Jose State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Hawaii, UNLV, Nevada, Utah State, Boise State, New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming.

That's 14.

They should try to get Gonzaga to join too.

That's not a bad league. Maybe they could get some AAC schools to join up, but with the distances, I don't know if that would make sense for the money.

For the AAC, I would add Georgia State to replace SMU.

The goal should be putting the best conference for FB and BB they can.

For 12 Members

West Division

OSU
SDSU
WSU or Boise St.
Fresno
Hawaii FB/Gonzaga
UNLV*

Mid Division

WSU or Boise St
AFA FB/Wichita St
UTSA
Tulane
Memphis
Rice* or UNT*

This gives you about the best you can do for football while bringing in 2 of the 4 best BB programs in the West with Midwest powers in Memphis and WSU. I think it would take this to get Gonzaga to leave the WCC. Puts you in some of the better markets in San Diego, Las Vegas, Central Cal, Houston or Dallas, San Antonio, and New Orleans.

* Could be left out initially if a 10 team conference is favored initially.

Unless the MWC is dissolving then I don't see any of their schools getting left behind. With the exit fees they have, no real reason to leave and join another league. I guess they could wait a couple of years to put all this together, but OSU and WSU need something next season.

I think some AAC schools could be vulnerable to be snapped up once Oregon State and Washington State are in...especially if Gonzaga joins as well...but I think at that point we're talking about the potential for an 18-20 team league.

You could just take whatever's in the middle...UTSA, Rice, North Texas, Tulane, Memphis, and Tulsa

That's 20 football members(Hawaii as FB only) and 20 basketball members(with Gonzaga added)

(09-02-2023 08:03 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(09-02-2023 10:36 AM)jacksfan29! Wrote:  

(09-01-2023 10:37 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think either the MVFC or the ASUN/WAC will lobby to be the 10th FBS conference to replace the one gone.

There should only be 6 FBS leagues. B1G, SEC, ACC, Big 12, AAC, MWC/PAC. The rest are pretenders.

Awfully convent that you drew the line low enough that both your teams made the cut.

His team is South Dakota State. I thought he would love to his team go to the playoffs in FBS to go far. They are good enough to be an FBS team.

(09-02-2023 10:42 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(09-02-2023 03:34 PM)Aztecgolfer Wrote:  

(09-02-2023 02:38 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  The reverse merger idea makes the most sense just for the sake of finances.

The Mountain West schools could join the PAC 2. Personally, I would rename the league the Pacific Western Conference, but that doesn't really matter. As long as the NCAA credits and whatnot remain with the league then they're better off in the short term.

Washington State, Oregon State, San Jose State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Hawaii, UNLV, Nevada, Utah State, Boise State, New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming.

That's 14.

They should try to get Gonzaga to join too.

That's not a bad league. Maybe they could get some AAC schools to join up, but with the distances, I don't know if that would make sense for the money.

For the AAC, I would add Georgia State to replace SMU.

The goal should be putting the best conference for FB and BB they can.

For 12 Members

West Division

OSU
SDSU
WSU or Boise St.
Fresno
Hawaii FB/Gonzaga
UNLV*

Mid Division

WSU or Boise St
AFA FB/Wichita St
UTSA
Tulane
Memphis
Rice* or UNT*

This gives you about the best you can do for football while bringing in 2 of the 4 best BB programs in the West with Midwest powers in Memphis and WSU. I think it would take this to get Gonzaga to leave the WCC. Puts you in some of the better markets in San Diego, Las Vegas, Central Cal, Houston or Dallas, San Antonio, and New Orleans.

* Could be left out initially if a 10 team conference is favored initially.

Unless the MWC is dissolving then I don't see any of their schools getting left behind. With the exit fees they have, no real reason to leave and join another league. I guess they could wait a couple of years to put all this together, but OSU and WSU need something next season.

I think some AAC schools could be vulnerable to be snapped up once Oregon State and Washington State are in...especially if Gonzaga joins as well...but I think at that point we're talking about the potential for an 18-20 team league.

You could just take whatever's in the middle...UTSA, Rice, North Texas, Tulane, Memphis, and Tulsa

That's 20 football members(Hawaii as FB only) and 20 basketball members(with Gonzaga added)

Those schools will take a pay cut to join a conference they probably could have joined some time ago just because Washington State and Oregon State join that conference? Sorry, but I don't see it happening.

(09-02-2023 08:03 PM)bryanw1995 Wrote:  

(09-02-2023 10:36 AM)jacksfan29! Wrote:  

(09-01-2023 10:37 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I think either the MVFC or the ASUN/WAC will lobby to be the 10th FBS conference to replace the one gone.

There should only be 6 FBS leagues. B1G, SEC, ACC, Big 12, AAC, MWC/PAC. The rest are pretenders.

Awfully convenient that you drew the line low enough that both your teams made the cut.

Well its the same line the CFA drew in the 80s and the NCAA did when restructuring in the late 90s. And it is a line ESPN has drawn. Below that line you play on T/W if you want exposure.

MWC Commissioner Gloria Nevarez just appeared as a guest on the Oregon St.-San Jose St. CBS telecast and she seems confident and upbeat concerning the MWC and potential expansion with Oregon St. and Washington St.

(09-02-2023 02:38 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  The reverse merger idea makes the most sense just for the sake of finances.

The Mountain West schools could join the PAC 2. Personally, I would rename the league the Pacific Western Conference, but that doesn't really matter. As long as the NCAA credits and whatnot remain with the league then they're better off in the short term.

Washington State, Oregon State, San Jose State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Hawaii, UNLV, Nevada, Utah State, Boise State, New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming.

That's 14.

They should try to get Gonzaga to join too.

That's not a bad league. Maybe they could get some AAC schools to join up, but with the distances, I don't know if that would make sense for the money.

For the AAC, I would add Georgia State to replace SMU.

Two things:

The merger between Pac-12 and MWC is the only thing that makes any sense. Keep both sets of assets (MWC TV partners/contract, commish/HQ; Pac-12 IP, MBB tourney site, P5 status for now; all NCAA revenue and bowl ties).... The merged conference called the Pac-14 is the best option from a monetary/brand standpoint.


But "reverse merger" is not a phrase that makes any sense. A "reverse merger" would be splitting up (?). What makes it "reverse" ? The details of the merger? That's just a merger.

The term reverse merger is intended for when a private company trades its shares for shares of a publicly held company, making it a publicly held company.

If the Pac 12 and Mountain West tie the knot, either entity could be referred to as the surviving entity. Given the Pac's status as an autonomous conference and contracts with the CFP, they certainly will choose the Pac 12 as the legal survivor even if they use the Mountain West name.

Their basketball and football programs will become bottom feeders.