Pac-10 expansion will get earnest consideration

[dbackjon]

Debating Pac-10 expansion is no longer idle chit-chat. Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott made that clear during a teleconference with reporters Tuesday.

"It really is over the next six to 12 months that we'll start having serious analysis and serious conversations," Scott said about potential expansion.

Scott was joined on the conference call by Kevin Weiberg, his new right-hand man. Weiberg, the former Big 12 commissioner and Big Ten executive, was named deputy commissioner and chief operating officer this week.

Scott said he spent the first six months of his tenure listening to administrators throughout the conference. Now he's turning his focus toward action.

"The announcement of Kevin is really the start of changes and repositioning you'll see for the conference over the next 12 to 18 months," he said.

That time period is vital because the conference's TV and media contracts expire after the 2011-12 academic year. The conference needs a significant upgrade in revenue if it is going to keep up with the other BCS conferences, particularly the SEC and Big Ten.

And expansion could make the conference more alluring during negotiations.

"It makes sense [to consider expansion], if you are going to do it, to do it when you can monetize it and get value for it commercially," Scott said.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/ ... sideration

[dbackjon]

Colorado, Utah, Texas, and Texas A&M are the top targets, IMHO

[dgreco]

Colorado, Utah, Texas, and Texas A&M are the top targets, IMHO

idk why Big 12 schools would leave the Big 12. I think Utah, BYU, Boise State (long shot), Colorado St., maybe Colorado, UNLV, UNR etc... would be more logical. I think the Big12 outside of Colorado would be hard to pull away.

[dbackjon]

Colorado, Utah, Texas, and Texas A&M are the top targets, IMHO

idk why Big 12 schools would leave the Big 12. I think Utah, BYU, Boise State (long shot), Colorado St., maybe Colorado, UNLV, UNR etc... would be more logical. I think the Big12 outside of Colorado would be hard to pull away.

Money. Academic Prestige. Like-minded institutions.


BYU - nope. Sunday issue. Not a research school.
Boise - nope.
CSU/UNLV/UNR - nope - not the right academic profile, doesn't add enough revenue.

[dgreco]

idk why Big 12 schools would leave the Big 12. I think Utah, BYU, Boise State (long shot), Colorado St., maybe Colorado, UNLV, UNR etc... would be more logical. I think the Big12 outside of Colorado would be hard to pull away.

Money. Academic Prestige. Like-minded institutions.


BYU - nope. Sunday issue. Not a research school.
Boise - nope.
CSU/UNLV/UNR - nope - not the right academic profile, doesn't add enough revenue.

I agree with the academic profile and BYU with the sunday issue, but they are a research university. According to Carnegie Classification they are RU-II and are on par with DU-I with amount of research link http://orca.byu.edu/Reports/2001Scholar ... P_2001.pdf (2001) and by 2004 their research intensified http://orca.byu.edu/Reports/2004Scholar/report.pdf (trying to find 2007/8/or 9 report.)

I just have a hard time Texas moving to the Pac-10 plus the Texas schools are very far east compared to the other schools. In olympic sports it will be a budget strain. Unless the Pac-10 gets another TV contract and revenues go up I don't see the TX schools.

I could see Utah and Colorado and then seeing a school like TCU moving "back" to the Big 12 and maybe the MWC picking up some other schools or the MWC dissolves into a few other conferences.

[dgreco]

current CC profile for BYU... Couldn't find an institutional report for specifics.

http://classifications.carnegiefoundati ... %22B%22%7D

[dbackjon]

BYU is not a research I school
http://www.washington.edu/tools/universities.html

They are at a level even with NAU.

[dbackjon]

current CC profile for BYU... Couldn't find an institutional report for specifics.

http://classifications.carnegiefoundati ... %22B%22%7D

Pac-10 schools, UofUtah are a level above that

NAU is the same level as BYU, research wise.

[dgreco]

Of course very high research activity vs. high research activity is different and BYU is a level below. But over a 9 year span they have increased each year and I am sure if Pac-10 said increase they would. But I agree and think that no sundays is probably what keeps them out.

[collegesportsinfo]

I got an article up on the subject on my site and working on another.

My stance is simple:
If you expand, it's got to be worth it from a revenue perspective.
So what matters on top of academics is the market and revenue that could be made via a new Pac-10 TV network or new TV deal.

There's no reason to complicate the issue with a ton of candidates because there aren't many. You can count out any WAC schools because they fair to offer all the basics: high academic standards and large new market.

1) Texas: got to get a formal rejection from them before turning to other candidates. If Texas says "yes, but only if Texas A&M is involved, then do it...it's worth it. Texas alone is more valuable than any combination of schools that don't include Texas.

2) Colorado: they weren't interested in the early 90's but might consider it now. It's still no lock that they'd accept though.

3) Utah: clear fit and would accept.

Combos in order of preference:
1) Texas & Colorado: both could reject the Pac-10
2) Texas & Texas A&M: A&M only a candidate here is Texas demands they are included
3) Colorado & Utah: The best bet if Colorado would accept
4) no expansion: if you can't get Texas or Colorado, there is no reason to go to 12
5) Utah & BYU: BYU is not a good fit

[dbackjon]

Good article.

Agreed - Pac 10 will only expand if it helps Revenue, and is a good institutional fit.

[collegesportsinfo]

I already did 1 radio interview on KPUG-AM, sports radio in Bellingham, WA to talk about Pac-10 expansion.

I have another at 4:42PT on ESPN Seattle (http://espnseattle.com) and another at 5:07PT on KJR-AM Seattle (http://kjram.com).

If anyone is bored and wants to listen via streaming about the Pac-10 expansion topic, take a listen...

[collegesportsinfo]

Good article.

Agreed - Pac 10 will only expand if it helps Revenue, and is a good institutional fit.

Here's the follow-up. Pretty much the same as my post in this thread:

http://news.collegesportsinfo.com/2010/ ... dates.html


The Pac-10 drama is limited since there are so few options...really just 3 schools and 1 of those, Texas, is an extreme longshot and certain to pass on. But it could very well be a non-BCS school in Utah join the BCS out of this.

[collegesportsinfo]

Money. Academic Prestige. Like-minded institutions.


BYU - nope. Sunday issue. Not a research school.
Boise - nope.
CSU/UNLV/UNR - nope - not the right academic profile, doesn't add enough revenue.

I agree with the academic profile and BYU with the sunday issue, but they are a research university. According to Carnegie Classification they are RU-II and are on par with DU-I with amount of research link http://orca.byu.edu/Reports/2001Scholar ... P_2001.pdf (2001) and by 2004 their research intensified http://orca.byu.edu/Reports/2004Scholar/report.pdf (trying to find 2007/8/or 9 report.)

I just have a hard time Texas moving to the Pac-10 plus the Texas schools are very far east compared to the other schools. In olympic sports it will be a budget strain. Unless the Pac-10 gets another TV contract and revenues go up I don't see the TX schools.

I could see Utah and Colorado and then seeing a school like TCU moving "back" to the Big 12 and maybe the MWC picking up some other schools or the MWC dissolves into a few other conferences.

Both Texas and Colorado have already been approached by the Pac-10, back in the 90's. Colorado rejected. Texas did as well and did not seem to have all the votes anyways to get in (Stanford would have voted "no").

So it's not a stretch for those same 2 schools to be looked at again. It just will take a P10 TV network to make it at all possible.

[SuperHornet]

My bets: Boise and Montana will at least get an invite unless UOP brings back football. A lot of the schools on the lists are too far from the WA-AZ axis to be a good fit. On the UOP board today, someone brought up UNLV and Fresneck (though he qualified Fresneck by saying that it would only happen if the Pac were "desperate"). Personally, I think that neither UNLV (since their rather short glory era in MBB ended after they bolted from the PCAA) nor Fresneck have been good enough at ANYTHING to justify an invite. UOP MIGHT get in due to their location IF they bring back football (a moonshot at best) and IF the Pac wants a second private school (highly doubtful). That would probably be at Montana's expense. But barring any of that, IF the Pac chooses to expand, location and academic concerns would make Boise and Montana the best choices. That said, there are a ton of anti-FBS folk at Montana, so that might weigh it down somewhat.

[Fresno St. Alum]

My bets: Boise and Montana will at least get an invite unless UOP brings back football. A lot of the schools on the lists are too far from the WA-AZ axis to be a good fit. On the UOP board today, someone brought up UNLV and Fresneck (though he qualified Fresneck by saying that it would only happen if the Pac were "desperate"). Personally, I think that neither UNLV (since their rather short glory era in MBB ended after they bolted from the PCAA) nor Fresneck have been good enough at ANYTHING to justify an invite. UOP MIGHT get in due to their location IF they bring back football (a moonshot at best) and IF the Pac wants a second private school (highly doubtful). That would probably be at Montana's expense. But barring any of that, IF the Pac chooses to expand, location and academic concerns would make Boise and Montana the best choices. That said, there are a ton of anti-FBS folk at Montana, so that might weigh it down somewhat.

might be the dumbest post ever. I hope you're still doing the off the wall posts for attention. If not, you should seriously lose your posting rights on this board. The list for the PAC 10 is Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Utah, maybe BYU although the former AD said no way for BYU to be Pac 10 or Big 12 because of the Sun. thing. Utah & Colorado most likely to bite. Even if UOP had football, no way they even get a sniff. They have Stanford and Cal close by anyway. Fresno St., UNLV, Montana, Boise St. never! Have you seen the WAC? The PAC 10 doesn't care that Texas is far because they are Texas, as in the school that just played for the title. Anyway I don't think they'll leave the Big 12.

[EPJr]

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

[collegesportsinfo]

We don't get alot of radio shows dedicating segments to the topic of Conference Realignment. But I was able to do a few call-ins today to discuss the topic, specifically the Pac-10.

Here are the podcasts from (2) call-ins I did today on Pac 10 expansion:


2/10/10: KJR-AM Seattle, WA podcast stream (download)

2/10/10: 1170 KPUG - Bellingham, WA podcast stream (download)


Nothing ground breaking. Pretty much the same talk...Pac 10 needs to get rejected by Texas and then move on the the Colorado & Utah scenario...and if you can't get Colorado, stay at 10. I haven't listened to these so I'm assuming the worst with incessant babble and factual incorrectness.

[BlackFalkin]

I gotta hunned dolla bill on Utah & BYU

[Fresno St. Alum]

I'll take that bet. Utah could be 1 but not BYU. Their former ad said no and they don't play on sunday. Utah & Colorado is my bet.

[EPJr]

I'll take that bet. Utah could be 1 but not BYU. Their former ad said no and they don't play on sunday. Utah & Colorado is my bet.

...but don't Utah have as many Mormons as BYU?

[dbackjon]

I'll take that bet. Utah could be 1 but not BYU. Their former ad said no and they don't play on sunday. Utah & Colorado is my bet.

...but don't Utah have as many Mormons as BYU?

No - still a majority, but UoU has a lot of non-Mormons.

Plus, as a State school, doesn't follow Mormon rules, like BYU does.

[collegesportsinfo]

I gotta hunned dolla bill on Utah & BYU

I'll take that bet too. But let's make it $1000. There is zero logic behind such a move (same markets so it would mean minimal viewership increase, would add 2 mouths to feed with a minimal economic boost...current Pac-10 schools would get less money per school).

[JMU DJ]

I gotta hunned dolla bill on Utah & BYU

It would make the most sense for these schools (along with TCU) to try to jump all over this. They're never going to get the recognition they deserve playing in the MWC. Same goes for Boise St. They can win all they want in their conferences, go undefeated... but the fact is that the BCS isn't going to recognize their accomplishments over an undefeated Alabama or Texas. Moving to a "power conference" will bolster their credibility when it comes down to bowl selections and they won't get "snubbed" or questioned based off of their conference play.


These schools (as CSI mentioned... nice acronym Collegesportsinfo ) don't enhance the Pac-10 as much as a program like Texas would, especially if Texas Tech comes with them. Taps into a new market with millions? of fans/alumni, and don't they have their own TV network or are partnered with one?

[BlackFalkin]

I gotta hunned dolla bill on Utah & BYU

I'll take that bet too. But let's make it $1000. There is zero logic behind such a move (same markets so it would mean minimal viewership increase, would add 2 mouths to feed with a minimal economic boost...current Pac-10 schools would get less money per school).

You've been wrong before.