Realignment talk not going away

[Laxtonto 12080]

1 minute ago, bullet said:

The Big 10 ADs didn't know about the Penn St. addition until after the papers had been signed.  Presidents make these decisions.  So its possible the ASU AD is in the dark on how serious it is.

When you are seeing ADs pop off about any move pretty much blow them off as either trying to CYA or being a pure smoke screen. These moves are way over their pay grade.

[CycleTex87 2967]

On 7/21/2021 at 2:41 PM, UncleSonny said:

I really doubt Nahlin has any insider knowledge he's basing this on, but:

 

 

On 7/21/2021 at 2:43 PM, mdmost said:

 

Today is the one year anniversary of this incredible day, so PAC12 rumors are on par for the day.

[66BUFF 2562]

47 minutes ago, Uncle Nate said:

Tennis will lead the way. 

Larry Scott long game?

[The Dog 44020]

 

[Steelers Roll Left 1168]

When it comes to realignment, most of the time things feel imminently not imminent so when I see all these Pac 12, Big 12 moves rumored to occur, possibly even later today, I definitely take them with a grain of salt, but I'll outright call BS on any rumor that the Pac 12 is seriously considering Fresno State as a USC/UCLA replacement.  To loosely quote the king in "Braveheart" on sending his weakling son to negotiate with William Wallace, "The mere sight of Fresno State would only encourage an enemy to take over the whole conference".  

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Steelers Roll Left

[notre dame joe 187]

2 hours ago, 'stache said:

I hate this piecemeal approach so goddamned much. If we had known that westward expansion would be available a year later, we could have held off on adding four mid-majors, including 3 to the east. If we were still at 8, this would be so much simpler.

UCF to the great plains conference was the dumbest move since that year UCF played in the MAC.

2 hours ago, statsman said:

The question you have to ask for every school, regardless of conference is- where do they get recruits?

In this nation, there are four major recruiting reservoirs: the southeast, Texas, Southern California and the Ohio Valley. Yes, the mid-Atlantic has players, as does Northern California. Yes, Samoa is a wonderful resource. The fact remains- the talent is wide and deep in four locations. 
 

The PAC schools all recruited Southern California. Now, it’s closed off. That BSU and Fresno rumor makes no sense at all. 

 

1 hour ago, clapclapclap said:

Gotta save the 16th spot for Notre Dame.  This is why that SidelinesShowBob129613623 report is wrong.

 

Naw, Pepperdine will save the Pac.

Pacific University?  Ave Maria?  I recall names from a black and white movie where John Wayne coaches college football in a fictitious private school league.  This could be a wedge for the largely imaginary idea of getting into the LA Market. 

[Eugene11 379]

so to sum up this thread...

according to my sources and what i think will happen...🐙🤙🔞🎭🍻🔄🐒🔪

[BachelorTrek 2967]

3 hours ago, Shhhh said:

Is that south Austin’s mom

No, because I don't see the accompanying line of guys waiting their turn.  Lulz.

[closetohumping 17438]

10 minutes ago, BachelorTrek said:

No, because I don't see the accompanying line of guys waiting their turn.  Lulz.

Y’all need to get off south Austin’s mom

 

 

 

 

 

 

wait for it 

 

wait for it

 

 

 

i just did

[markstanco 12574]

2 hours ago, theaveragejon said:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Texas-Oklahoma-reach-out-to-SEC-about-joining-16330080.php?utm_campaign=CMS Sharing Tools (Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

 

Just a year ago this aggy loser tried to nuke the inevitable. 
 

Paywall jumper: https://12ft.io/

Rep for the paywall link.  Thanks and bookmarked!

[Trey3216 15346]

2 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

that’s a helluva callback 

[Trey3216 15346]

2 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

AZ and Utah know that they could end up like ORSU and WSU, easily left out by the B12 should the Pac breakup.  ASU is in a market 5 times the size of Tucson and BYU is already in the B12, so their best chance of getting an invite is to act now and be the first dominoes to fall.

That said, message boarders should Google "Inertia".  Any $$$ difference between future Pac and future B12 is likely not significant enough to warrant the upheaval of a conference jump.  Probably other factors would have to swing the decision.

 

Along with former Pepperdine Law dean Ken Starr.

Actually, the $$ difference between the PAC and BxII will be significant strictly because of time zone concentration. 

[Huckleberry 32851]

7 hours ago, Gidnik said:

wonder how full of shit these guys are

 

Well they spell rumor like they follow the other football more so there's that. 

[maninblack 7974]

UCF already printing B12 shirts

[Azbadlands 109]

4 hours ago, 'stache said:

I hate this piecemeal approach so goddamned much. If we had known that westward expansion would be available a year later, we could have held off on adding four mid-majors, including 3 to the east. If we were still at 8, this would be so much simpler.

Wouldn't the Big 12 at 8 members be more likey to get poached by the PAC than do the poaching?  It would only take the PAC poaching 1 of the 8 to make the whole thing crumble...

[thunderlounge 7816]

Forget it. He’s rolling. 
 

[closetohumping 17438]

30 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

Wouldn't the Big 12 at 8 members be more likey to get poached by the PAC than do the poaching?  It would only take the PAC poaching 1 of the 8 to make the whole thing crumble...

They seem united 

['stache 21802]

31 minutes ago, Azbadlands said:

Wouldn't the Big 12 at 8 members be more likey to get poached by the PAC than do the poaching?  It would only take the PAC poaching 1 of the 8 to make the whole thing crumble...

No, the PAC ratings even with USC and UCLA have been dogshit compared to the remaining 8. UCF, UH, BYU, and Cincy don't add to it at all. Once the LA market is gone with the lone blueblood gone, the remaining 8 were far better positioned than the remaining PAC. 

[SimonBolivar 10958]

Saw this in the Baylor board yesterday and it really does look nice for those of us remaining.

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St

[Vertigo 20276]

3 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

Saw this in the Baylor board yesterday and it really does look nice for those of us remaining.

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St

I spy three TV deals that have yet to be struck. 

[clapclapclap 9000]

54 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

Saw this in the Baylor board yesterday and it really does look nice for those of us remaining.

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah 

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy 
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU  
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St  
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV  
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St 
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU  
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St  

Updated:

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah (Beth Mowins & Katie Nolan)

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy (Jac Collinsworth & Jason Garrett)
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU (Phil Liggett & Bob Roll)
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St (Nick Burleson, Noah Eagle, & Gabrielle Nevaeh Green)
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV (Seton, McLovin, & Johnny Weir)
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St (Mike Florio & Keith Olberman)
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU (Pam Ward & Booger McFarland)
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St (Tony Kornheiser & Chris Childers)

Rumors that USA will get half of the ESPN B16 After Dark slots (Rob Estes and Mitzi Kapture)

Edited July 21, 2022 by clapclapclap

[IDIOTsavant 8483]

12 minutes ago, clapclapclap said:

Updated:

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah (Beth Mowins & Katie Nolan)

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy (Jac Collinsworth & Jason Garrett)
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU (Phil Liggett & Bob Roll)
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St (Nick Burleson, Noah Eagle, & Gabrielle Nevaeh Green)
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV (Seton, McLovin, & Johnny Weir)
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St (Mike Florio & Keith Olberman)
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU (Pam Ward & Booger McFarland)
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St (Tony Kornheiser & Chris Childers)

Rumors that USA will get half of the ESPN B16 After Dark slots (Rob Estes and Mitzi Kapture)

 

[Francisco 2.0 32389]

1 hour ago, SimonBolivar said:

Saw this in the Baylor board yesterday and it really does look nice for those of us remaining.

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St

 

Honest question; does the USA network still exist?

Have they ever broadcast college football?   Sure, Apple hasn't, but they print money, so they can just buy whatever tv production folks and whatnot to pull it off.

[mdmost 43001]

1 hour ago, SimonBolivar said:

Saw this in the Baylor board yesterday and it really does look nice for those of us remaining.

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St

You'll get one game on one of the networks, one on an ESPN, and the rest on ESPN+ and like it. 

[DCLonghorn 244]

20 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

Honest question; does the USA network still exist?

Have they ever broadcast college football?   Sure, Apple hasn't, but they print money, so they can just buy whatever tv production folks and whatnot to pull it off.

NBC merged/shut down NBC Sports Network earlier this year and moved their key sports properties to USA. They are mirroring TNT.  They figured out they can demand more money for their flagship cable channel with sports than they could with USA and NBCSN. To be determined if that will bear out as true. They also moved much of what doesn't make it to USA to Peacock to bolster the streaming offer. They never had any college football on NBCSN as far as I recall because Comcast only has ND home games. And those go on Big NBC. I think I recall one, maybe two Domer games were on Peacock this past season. Joe can correct. 

For those of us that watch stuff that was on NBCSN/now on USA, it's relatively seamless, but a lot less pregame and replays. EPL, golf, Tour de France, NASCAR, etc. 

So if they got more CFB content beyond ND, it'd go on Big NBC, USA, and Peacock. They probably won't get enough CFB inventory to need to use their other channels. Golf, Univision, CNBC, MSNBC, Olympic, etc.  For the last day of the EPL season, when every team starts at the same time to alleviate tanking and cheating, they will air them all across these networks and try to make a big deal out of it.  But I'd guess they will stop doing that and push it all to Peacock.

[BachelorTrek 2967]

1 hour ago, clapclapclap said:

Updated:

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah (Beth Mowins & Katie Nolan)

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy (Jac Collinsworth & Jason Garrett)
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU (Phil Liggett & Bob Roll)
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St (Nick Burleson, Noah Eagle, & Gabrielle Nevaeh Green)
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV (Seton, McLovin, & Johnny Weir)
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St (Mike Florio & Keith Olberman)
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU (Pam Ward & Booger McFarland)
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St (Tony Kornheiser & Chris Childers)

Rumors that USA will get half of the ESPN B16 After Dark slots (Rob Estes and Mitzi Kapture)

 

Where's "Mike & Mike" at? (Golic & "Greenie" Greenberg)

Where's "The Fabulous Sports Whale" and Heather Dinich at?

Lulz.

--RIP Paul Sherwen

[thunderlounge 7816]

“As a reminder, coming up on the Golf Channel after our early round coverage of the Shriner’s Children's Open, it’s Az St @ Kansas.”

 

 

[statsman 5457]

I saw a Baylor board where the main content writer assured the Bears that no matter what, Baylor would be fine after realignment. 
 

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

They have one chance- for the B12 to hold together as a power conference. Anything else and they are screwed. They have a real weird culture of self righteous hypocrisy, an academic rep surpassed by several schools within 100 miles of them, and offer no competitive benefit. Beating them helps no one’s season; losing to them hurts. 
 

History has shown that if Baylor is one of your conference’s headline teams, your conference is in trouble. 

[HtownHorn 14676]

9 hours ago, Laxtonto said:

The SDSU/Fresno adds might be what is pushing the rumored UW application. They know that Cal and Stanford may take SDSU with a few grumbles but Fresno with be like the Clampetts moving to Beverly Hills to the academic elite leftovers in the Pac12. The writing is on the wall if that is the backfill options. This also means that all the B12 schools said "no thanks"...

It appears the new Big 12 commish is smart. The Pac 12 was dead man walking in minute it was announced USC/UCLA were leaving. It was smart if he got the remaining 8 + 4 to go all in on expanding with some of the remaining Pac 12 teams. Their TV contracts are worse than the Big 12's, and that is with a conference network. Bill Walton will be the most miffed by this movement.

[camel at sea 589]

37 minutes ago, statsman said:

History has shown that if Baylor is one of your conference’s headline teams, your conference is in trouble. 

When has Baylor been any conference's headline team?  Or are you referring to rape and murder headlines?

[tx ind 7012]

3 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

Updated:

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah (Beth Mowins & Katie Nolan)

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy (Jac Collinsworth & Jason Garrett)
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU (Phil Liggett & Bob Roll)
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St (Nick Burleson, Noah Eagle, & Gabrielle Nevaeh Green)
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV (Seton, McLovin, & Johnny Weir)
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St (Mike Florio & Keith Olberman)
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU (Pam Ward & Booger McFarland)
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St (Tony Kornheiser & Chris Childers)

Rumors that USA will get half of the ESPN B16 After Dark slots (Rob Estes and Mitzi Kapture)

In for the USA 11 am game, Bobke is the best.

[Hurtlocker 2212]

4 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

Saw this in the Baylor board yesterday and it really does look nice for those of us remaining.

Fri:
7:30 (AppleTV+): Houston at Utah

Sat:
11 AM (NBC): Tech at Cincy
11 AM (USA): UCF at KU
2:30 (CBS): Baylor at Okla St
2:30 (USA): Arizona at WV
6:30 (NBC): Iowa St at K-St
9:30 (ESPN2): TCU at BYU
9:30 (ESPNU): Colorado at Arizona St

That actually is ok.   Though no one will casually find a football game on USA. 

[statsman 5457]

44 minutes ago, camel at sea said:

When has Baylor been any conference's headline team?  Or are you referring to rape and murder headlines?

“One of the headliners”- I was thinking mainly of times when Baylor was up and Texas was down. Early ‘90s and last ten years. Baylor fans really enjoy those/these times, but it’ll kill a conference. 

[iamjethro 98]

PAC 12 teams joining the Big12 immediately become more exciting to casual fans and the media, just due to the time changes in their games.  At least initially.  It would be up to them to maintain the interest.

The luckiest group is the 4 who already signed up.  Those schools still do not conjure up the "importance" of the schools leaving a P5 conference, even if they have fielded more competitive teams for a good while.

The 8 remaining + the 4 corner schools + the 4 step ups, make a group that could put fun, competitive teams out in the 3 major sports, The Norhtwest schools deciding to tag along would be like adding rich icing on top of a good cake.

[Dirk X West 772]

5 minutes ago, iamjethro said:

PAC 12 teams joining the Big12 immediately become more exciting to casual fans and the media, just due to the time changes in their games.  At least initially.  It would be up to them to maintain the interest.

The luckiest group is the 4 who already signed up.  Those schools still do not conjure up the "importance" of the schools leaving a P5 conference, even if they have fielded more competitive teams for a good while.

The 8 remaining + the 4 corner schools + the 4 step ups, make a group that could put fun, competitive teams out in the 3 major sports, The Norhtwest schools deciding to tag along would be like adding rich icing on top of a good cake.

I was with you up until the cake metaphor.

[iamjethro 98]

Well, just meant as of really recent history, Oregon is the most optic catching name.  Icing.  Who knows after Knight if they are unveiled as just a lot of spun sugar, though?

[Hurtlocker 2212]

25 minutes ago, Dirk X West said:

I was with you up until the cake metaphor.

I like cake.   Who doesn't like cake?   Commies, that's who.

[Gidnik 3268]

https://www.denverpost.com/2022/07/21/cu-buffs-big-12-pac-12-ncaa-realignment/

Quote

The two biggest football programs in your conference demand more television revenue than the rest of the league, including you, if they’re to stick around.

They’re also a constant target of poaching rumors, the most desirable brands to the bigger fish circling the Power 5 pond. And they know it.

Despite a unified public front, despite promises of unity, deep down, half the schools don’t trust the other half.

Big 12, circa 2009, meet the Pac-12, circa 2022.

And the Buffs are right back where they started.

Get out, CU.

If the Big Ten won’t return your calls, and the Big 12 does, along with a lifeline, you’d be crazy not to take it.

Two weeks after USC and UCLA announced they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, sticking daggers in the backs of old pals and kicking a century of history to the curb for television cash, the Pac-12 has vowed to roll up its sleeves and fight on.

At least, until somebody waves better money in front of the noses of the Universities of Oregon and Washington, respectively, two good football brands who feel rightly snubbed.

You don’t want to go back to Ames? Or Stillwater? We get it. Granola and brisket don’t always mix.

But the Pac-12 you signed up for is gone. It’s over, financially and competitively.

To put it another way, if push came to shove, in six years, would you rather be in a league with San Diego State, Boise State and Fresno State? Or in a conference with Iowa State, Kansas State, West Virginia and Cincinnati?

Because if the whispers of Big 12 continuing to look west while reportedly rejecting offers of a Pac-12 merger outright are true, it might well be the more appealing of two less-than-ideal paths going forward.

Even if Oregon and Washington aren’t next on the Big Ten’s want list, they’re still the biggest dogs left in the Pac-Whatever. It’s a dead league walking without them.

It stands to reason, and to market demands, that the Ducks (Phil Knight, Nike, new money) and Huskies (Seattle, tradition, old money) are going to demand more of a cut of what’s left of the league’s future revenue to stay.

It’s potentially Texas and Oklahoma all over again, one of the political pratfalls that rankled CU brass — and the brass at Nebraska, Missouri and Texas A&M, let’s be real — two decades ago.

No option short of a Big Ten escape pod is a step up for CU.  A Pac-10 with Oregon, Washington and Utah as its leading brands can talk all day about unity and togetherness, but without the Los Angeles television eyeballs, that broadcast revenue is only going one direction: Downward.

A Big 12 without the Sooners and Longhorns isn’t what it once was, either. But with an ESPN contract and schools situated in the Central and Eastern time zones, the new-look league also has the potential to get you off a conference network no one can see and into television windows in which two-thirds of the country — two-thirds of which your coaches can recruit to — are actually awake.

Get out, CU.

Look east. Look south. Look to Texas, where your donors aren’t but the talent is. Look to Florida. Look to the future.

As the NCAA gets battered into submission through litigation and TV networks have grabbed the wheel, big-time college football isn’t just saying the quiet parts out loud anymore. It’s screaming them.

The wingtips in Indy moved one step closer Thursday to allowing student-athletes to transfer multiple times without penalty. Name, Image and Likeness opportunities have created an almost unfettered free market for the most desired collegiate talent.

It’s also turned the system, in many cases, into a bidding war for stars among university booster groups. The parity created by scholarship limitations and the explosion of television opportunities for programs large and small — or college football as we’ve known it for three decades— is on the verge of being eviscerated on three fronts. Networks are poaching the best brands. Universities are poaching the best coaches. Boosters are poaching the top players.

Those same market forces have always pulled the strings, even in recent decades. It’s just those forces have a greater reach, and fewer guardrails, than they have at any point since perhaps the early 1980s.

For years, the argument for a CU or a Stanford or a Cal was that the combination of an undergraduate degree and that school’s alumni network would assure a prospective recruit, and their parents, that their son or daughter would be well-paid at age 30 — even if they don’t “go pro” in their respective sport.

To heck with that. In a world of unregulated NIL collectives, recruits these days want to be well-paid at 19 or 20. Why sweat a degree when the owner of a car dealership or restaurant just cut me a check for six figures?

“We used to have a wonderful scholarship model,” Todd Berry, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, lamented to me earlier this year. “With the NIL, now, it’s kind of more about, ‘How much money can I risk to buy (a player) from another team?’”

Get out, CU. Is it worth the risk for this kind of déjà vu, all over again?

 

[statsman 5457]

It’s too late for CU. 20 years ago, they were one of the big boys, measured by accomplishments and revenue. Now, they aren’t. 

[Hurtlocker 2212]

The Story Behind USC and UCLA’s Shift to the Big 10

Quote

When potential buyers from the old media guard of CBS, NBC, ESPN, and Turner, along with new kids on the block Apple and Amazon, met this spring with the Big 10 Conference—the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the country—to discuss future sports rights, some were surprised to also be faced with two executives from Fox Sports.

There they sat, beside the conference sellers, in place of the consultants who typically give advice to the powerful decision-makers. This was extremely rare.

“[Network] Executives say they’ve never encountered this type of situation before where they have had to make their pitch not only in front of a competitive network but actually to its executives,” John Ourand reported in Sports Business Journal in April.

What few realized at the time was that Fox Sports had gone from being not simply a buyer, but also a partner. In 2021, the network had extended a deal boosting its ownership of the Big 10 Network to 61 percent—ensuring the Murdoch Empire the broadcast rights to about half the conference’s college football games, including the first game pick (used to lock in Ohio State vs. Michigan) and the Big 10 Championship.

The influence of Fox in the Big 10 hen house seems to have also been a significant factor in the surprise July 1 announcement of the decision by the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles to leave their historic media home in the Pac-12 for the Big 10 in August 2024. That change, which was decided in mere weeks and under a veil of secrecy, is expected to enrich a multi-billion-dollar Big 10 rights deal and create college football’s second super-conference. The first was created when Texas and Oklahoma jumped to the ratings-dominant Southeastern Conference, of which ESPN controls the broadcast rights.

Ultimately, this deal is a sign of the rapidly changing world of big-time collegiate sports.

“If you’ve got schools in California now in the Big 10, as well as on the East Coast, you wind up with more viewers, and you can charge more,” says David Deninger, professor of sports communications and media at Syracuse University and the author of Live Sports Media. “What it comes down to is that big-time college sports is very much a business and has very little these days to do with the quote-unquote student-athlete.”

Success not only brings riches and greater exposure but also better players and ways to reach alumni donors.

“If USC or UCLA are successful at all, then they get much better rankings, more eyes on them from the East Coast media, as well as the West Coast media, it just makes life a lot better in the chase for national championships,” says Daniel Durbin, a USC professor and the director of the Institute of Sports, Media and Society.  “And that makes Fox Sports’ life better because they’re presenting not just a team, but a star team….It’s a huge win for Fox Sports in terms of the product that they’re able to put forward.”

Meanwhile, every other collegiate conference is left to scramble for exposure, money, top players, publicity, and college player playoff berths.

A Fox Sports spokesman declined to comment when LAMag reached out for comment, citing pending Big 10 negotiations; both USC and UCLA would not go beyond their initial statements. But it is clear that there is a lot at stake for both universities, broadcasters, and the shape of college sports.

Durbin says one factor may be the Trojan connection at Fox Sports.

“I know for a fact, Fox is loaded with USC alumni…throughout their business,” he says. “They have taken swarms of USC interns. They have had a very positive relationship with USC for a very long time and a love affair with the USC football program.”

ESPN reporter Kyle Bonagura said that he does not have first-hand knowledge of how Fox Sports was involved but said that there were prior conversations makes sense.

“Before any of these moves are made it absolutely makes sense for the schools involved to have those discussions with their media partners, because these moves are ultimately made for financial reasons, right?” says Bonagura. “They had to look to see how much more they would be able to bring in on an annual basis if they moved to the Big 10.

William Mao, vice president of Global Media Rights for Octagon Consulting, points to the established inroads as well.

“It’s probably likely Fox had a greater voice in this realignment than maybe others because of the fact that they have this long-standing relationship with the Big 10,” Mao told LAMag. “Versus, if it were another conference where they aren’t a rights holder. Because of the macro relationship that these conferences and networks have, I imagine they wouldn’t make these types of moves without awareness on the part of both parties.”

According to a viewership analysis by Octagon’s global media rights team, between 2018 and 2021, USC represented 14 percent of TV viewing of Pac-12 football games while UCLA represented 10 percent. Oregon was the actual leader in the Pac, with 16 percent.

In 2022, a team in the Pac-12 will be paid $34.4 million for its TV sports rights, according to the data firm Navigate, while a Big 10 school receives $57.2 million and an SEC school $54.3 million. Navigate projects that by 2025, a Pac 10 school will receive $42.6 million while a Big 10 institution gets $75.2 million and an SEC college $74.9 million. By 2029, that should go up to $56.5 million for the Pac-12 and soar to $94.5 million for the Big 10 and $105.3 million for the SEC.

In the case of the Big 10, that estimate is probably conservative. Before the addition of USC and UCLA, the rights package was widely anticipated to soar to about $1 billion a year, compared to about $440 million (from Fox and ESPN combined) in the current six-year contract. With the addition of the Western schools, that’s likely to climb above a billion dollars a year for the schools to split.

Mao estimates USC and UCLA will each receive at least 15 percent to 20 percent more revenue per year in the Big 10 than they would have in the Pac-12, beginning in 2024-25.

UCLA has not been shy about admitting money motivated this shift, which it said will save it from cutting a number of sports beyond football and basketball that run a deficit annually, even with the added cost of cross-country travel to reach Midwestern and East Coast schools.

“Joining the Big 10 ensures that our student-athletes on all 25 teams have the best competition, the biggest exposure, and financial stability, now and in the future,” wrote UCLA’s Sr. Associate Athletic Director of Communications Scott Markley.

The landmark decision, made in only a few weeks and in total secrecy, isn’t getting rave reviews from everyone. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, also head of the state university Board of Regents, told Fox 11 Los Angeles that he was furious.

“The Regents were not consulted, never asked for an opinion, and not even the decency to provide a heads up,” the governor said. “We are looking into it.”

Sports Illustrated reported it appears to be legal, despite Newsom calling foul. That doesn’t mean there may not be other future threats to Fox Sports and ESPN’s cozy arrangements.

Recall that in the room this spring were deep-pocket streaming service representatives from Amazon and Apple, who could pose a new challenge. For now, streamers seem satisfied to grab selective high-profile opportunities, as Amazon has done with Thursday night NFL football.

“If I’m Fox, even as big as I am, I’ve got to look at these guys with their unlimited checkbook and technical ability and recognize they are coming,” says Professor Deninger. “That is why I think this is a maneuver by Fox that helps position them going forward. Nobody’s bulletproof. But I think that Fox has an edge—not only with the Big 10 but in remaining a force to be reckoned with.”

Fox was in the room, as a partner to the Big Ten, when media companies were pitching for the Big Ten's deal

[Hagbard Celine 10853]

 

Quote

It stands to reason, and to market demands, that the Ducks (Phil Knight, Nike, new money) and Huskies (Seattle, tradition, old money) are going to demand more of a cut of what’s left of the league’s future revenue to stay.

It’s potentially Texas and Oklahoma all over again, one of the political pratfalls that rankled CU brass — and the brass at Nebraska, Missouri and Texas A&M, let’s be real — two decades ago.

this part of the ralphie article is confusing to me.  we never demanded unequal revenue sharing.  corn did.  aggy did.  i don't remember ralph or tigger making that demand either.  maybe 0u did.

[clapclapclap 9000]

11 hours ago, Hurtlocker said:

Who the fuck is this guy?

Used to be with the Jets.

Doubled down, so his 15 minutes of fame probably end tomorrow afternoon:

I tried checking some message boards.  Claims to be ISU fan and Des Moines journo but nothing on his tweets today in ISU's realignment thread.  247 writer for FSU said 2 hours ago that he hasn't heard any rumblings and nothing seems imminent with the Pac.  'Strong' expansion candidate SD St doesn't even have a 247 message board...

In other news reported by that Flagstaff 'journo' who tweeted this morning AZ, WA, and Utah to B12:

@name having no visible relation to the claimed name is always a good sign.

From a blue check:

Boise St Jobs Corps coming across as maybe not an optimal academic, cultural fit...

 

Quote

William Mao, vice president of Global Media Rights for Octagon Consulting,

He's got future Chairman written all over him.

Edited July 22, 2022 by clapclapclap

[Burnt_Orange_Texan 2]

If the SEC goes with the system of each school having three teams they play every year, I'm thinking our three should be Oklahoma, Arkansas and either A&M or LSU.

[notre dame joe 187]

4 hours ago, Hurtlocker said:

The Story Behind USC and UCLA’s Shift to the Big 10

Fox was in the room, as a partner to the Big Ten, when media companies were pitching for the Big Ten's deal

I wonder whom they picked.

[TrashMaster G 17551]

8 hours ago, HtownHorn said:

It appears the new Big 12 commish is smart. The Pac 12 was dead man walking in minute it was announced USC/UCLA were leaving. It was smart if he got the remaining 8 + 4 to go all in on expanding with some of the remaining Pac 12 teams. Their TV contracts are worse than the Big 12's, and that is with a conference network. Bill Walton will be the most miffed by this movement.

I love college sports.  LOVE them.

But there is a short list of things that I truly hate about college sports. Two things very high on that list are Baylor and Bill Walton.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

Honest question; does the USA network still exist?

Have they ever broadcast college football?   Sure, Apple hasn't, but they print money, so they can just buy whatever tv production folks and whatnot to pull it off.

quality of announcers isn't a prerequisite, and that's no different from the past.  I just need to see the fucking game.

[Bama Llama 1450]

49 minutes ago, slorch said:

quality of announcers isn't a prerequisite, and that's no different from the past.  I just need to see the fucking game.

Exactly.  Innovate while still bringing us the actual plays, i.e.:

Less replays of routine stuff and more local, ah, “color;”

Less noisy CGI logo orgasms and such merde; and

Never, never ever ever fucking NEVER make us miss a new play while you are showing a replay.

Now bring it on.

 

[BurntOrange&White 39931]

7 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

Used to be with the Jets.

Doubled down, so his 15 minutes of fame probably end tomorrow afternoon:

I tried checking some message boards.  Claims to be ISU fan and Des Moines journo but nothing on his tweets today in ISU's realignment thread.  247 writer for FSU said 2 hours ago that he hasn't heard any rumblings and nothing seems imminent with the Pac.  'Strong' expansion candidate SD St doesn't even have a 247 message board...

In other news reported by that Flagstaff 'journo' who tweeted this morning AZ, WA, and Utah to B12:

@name having no visible relation to the claimed name is always a good sign.

From a blue check:

Boise St Jobs Corps coming across as maybe not an optimal academic, cultural fit...

 

He's got future Chairman written all over him.

That quote is why the PAC will fail. 

[Texzilla58 4733]

Eh, San Diego State is a great add and has been for awhile. Academics are improving, and they are the only show in a great area. No comment on Fresno, but at least they provide away games in Cali. I'd add SDSU and either UNLV or UNM

That’s a west coast version of the Missouri valley conference. Add contra Costa community college and mater dei while you’re at it.

[Texzilla58 4733]

If the SEC goes with the system of each school having three teams they play every year, I'm thinking our three should be Oklahoma, Arkansas and either A&M or LSU.

I agree but I think the fourth will be mizzou. Which sucks as they’re not a fit for the sec. UT, OU, UA, Aggy makes a nice group of traditional rivals. LSU gives a legacy sec team. Either way it’s a tough fucking group. Pittman is doing big things to bring Arkansas back.