Possible Big 10 and Pac 10 scenarios...

[leftybuff]

Big 10. I think they should just go right to 14 teams. Rutgers, MU and ISU are right on the edges of their current footprint and capture three decent TV markets NY/Newark, St. Louis and KC. ISU is the stretch because they don't bring much but a good wrastlin' team. Maybe you could add Pitt instead of ISU, but I just don't see UT/aTm in that conference. I also don't see the Nubs, although they can cut it athletically, they bring not much to the TV equation and academically, the Big 10 is probably chuckling.

Pac 10 is a harder one to call. CU, IMO is a natural fit, but you need at least one more team. Utah makes the most sense, but BYU is whining and has some pull in the Utah Legislature. AFA is a possibility, but the move doesn't make a lot of sense for the AFA IMO. After that, you really have to dig deep. UT and aTm are such outliers geographically, I have a hard time seeing that. Plus if you take one TX school (UT), you at least have to take one more (aTm), which means abandoning the Denver TV market and CU or adding a 14th team, which brings you back to the Utah/BYU bitch fest. UNM, Nevada, UNLV, CSU or WY are really not Pac 10 schools at any level. Nor are Fresno, SJSU, SDSU, Hawaii or Boise.

I hope CU ends up in the Pac 10. If they don't it could be MWC/WAC leftovers if UT and aTm get a gig somewhere else, or a TX dominated conference which is the problem that got CU looking around in the first place.

 

[dio]

Honest question - Where are people hearing these rumors? I haven't seen anything... are there really concrete plans and deals being made proposed right now?

 

[leftybuff]

Honest question - Where are people hearing these rumors? I haven't seen anything... are there really concrete plans and deals being made proposed right now?

MOstly I've been seeing different scenarios from sportswriters. I don't know of any formal statements other than the Big 10 and Pac 10 commisioners saying they would explore expansion. IMO, it's all pretty specualtive right now, but there is a tonof chatter, and there are TV contracts coming up on the expiration dates.

 

[sackman]

At the end of the day, I think the Pac 10 does not want to go to 14 teams. The BYU/Air Force scenario doesn't add substantially to their market share, and would decrease their per-team payouts.

The Big 11, however, may elect to go to 14. Rutgers is not going to go, though. Rutgers geographically well located, but doesn't really bring that many TV sets. Folks in the NYC/Philly area are pro-sports fans. College sports don't get much play in that area. Pitt, Louisville, and Mizzou would be the logical choices for the Big 11.

 

[Razorbuff]

At the end of the day, I think the Pac 10 does not want to go to 14 teams. The BYU/Air Force scenario doesn't add substantially to their market share, and would decrease their per-team payouts.

The Big 11, however, may elect to go to 14. Rutgers is not going to go, though. Rutgers geographically well located, but doesn't really bring that many TV sets. Folks in the NYC/Philly area are pro-sports fans. College sports don't get much play in that area. Pitt, Louisville, and Mizzou would be the logical choices for the Big 11.

Issue is would Pitt or Louisville leave the Big East? I know the Big 10 would bring more football money, but I see basketball as being an issue with both of these schools, especially since they are both basketball schools. However, I am sure the Big 10 TV contract would definitely be enticing for them.

 

[66BUFF]

wonder if the big 10 would look at KU along with mizzou (get the KC and st louis markets)

 

[BuffNut99]

Pac 10 Commish was on ESPN Radio this morning w/ Colin Cowherd, only caught the tail end of it, will attempt to listen to the whole conversation. Did anyone else catch it?

 

[leftybuff]

wonder if the big 10 would look at KU along with mizzou (get the KC and st louis markets)

Some have suggested KU doesn't have the academic HP for the Big 10. IMO, MU KU and a theft of a high profile Big East team would be a coup for the Big 10, but I leave KU out because of the academics...but I could be wrong, it's just what I heard from the guy installing the Big 10 commisioner's cable.....

 

[UrbanaBuff]

Let's say the state government bans U of Utah from leaving the MWC. Given no true viable replacements, does the Pac 10 take on CU alone? The Big Ten expanded to 11 with Penn State. Worked out fine for the conference and PSU. I know it throws off the Pac 10's natural partner / geographic pairing system, but why add a 12th if it is the weakest link, just to get to an even number?

If push came to shove, I'd think that CSU or New Mexico would vie for that 12th spot, but those two would be a stretch.

 

[UrbanaBuff]

Regarding the Big Ten, many potential names are thrown out there. But you can probably eliminate Cincinnati, Louisville, Iowa State... simply because they don't bring enough to the table to offset academics. Schools like Mizzou, Nebraska, Kansas and Rutgers have some academic deficiencies as well, but they bring either athletic success or TV markets to bear. So who provides the best combos? I'd say Texas, Notre Dame, Pitt & Syracuse.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

Honest question - Where are people hearing these rumors? I haven't seen anything... are there really concrete plans and deals being made proposed right now?

The Pac-10 commish has come out and said they're going to consider expansion. And it makes sense that now is the time with the Pac-10's current TV deal about to expire, and they would be in a much better bargaining position if they were to first grab a couple more big TV markets. Other conferences are seeing all this money the SEC is getting from their recent TV deal with ESPN and they're gonna try to do all they can to at least somewhat keep up.

@Big 10 expansion
When the Big 10 finally adds that 12th team I think the first school they'd look to would be Pitt. The Pittsburgh market ranks almost the same as St. Louis and it's a natural fit with OSU and PSU nearby.

 

[PhillyBuff]

Let's say the state government bans U of Utah from leaving the MWC. Given no true viable replacements, does the Pac 10 take on CU alone? The Big Ten expanded to 11 with Penn State. Worked out fine for the conference and PSU. I know it throws off the Pac 10's natural partner / geographic pairing system, but why add a 12th if it is the weakest link, just to get to an even number?

If push came to shove, I'd think that CSU or New Mexico would vie for that 12th spot, but those two would be a stretch.

The financial windfall is the conference championship game. NCAA rules only allow it with a 12 team conference. I don't see any reason that 1 team would be taken.

 

[Razorbuff]

The financial windfall is the conference championship game. NCAA rules only allow it with a 12 team conference. I don't see any reason that 1 team would be taken.

Agree with this. If the PAC-10 expands it will take two teams for the purpose of the conference championship game. It's all about the money that would be generated. The Big 11 has done alright, but they want another member so they can have the conference title game, just like the pac-10

 

[OKCBuff]

I'd throw out there that, if Utah was barred by their state to join, a visionary, 25-year-down-the-road pick would be UNM. Albuquerque is growing nicely and the Lobos have a solid hoops program and are committing money to upgrade facilities. Utah would definitely be better, but I think a CU/UNM combo would be good for the Pac-12, as it would net it its title game and open the league into two new markets -- one big one in Denver and one growing one in Albuquerque.

In my mind, I see the top three being CU, Utah and then UNM. Again, I realize that, right now, UNM doesn't make a ton of sense, but I'm sure the additions of Arizona and Arizona State seemed odd to some back in the 70s and that was just before the state really exploded in population. The same could happen in Alb.

 

[Deleted member 807]

Not surprising, but Canada Western University Athletic Association is left out of these conference reallignment discussions.

CU is a natural fit in the CWUAA. Both Calgary and Boulder are front range cities with similar histories in agriculture, energy, and outdoor lifestyles. The socialized healthcare in Canada fits well with the agenda supported by the People's Republic of Boulder. The CWUAA blends the mid continental sensibilities of Manitoba with the Pacific coast and universities like Vancouver, making the perfect blend of B12 and Pac10, but without the annoying influence of a Texas or USC. Like Colorado, the Canadians are also not engaged in a high dollar arms race for ultra-modern stadiums and training facilities. Colorado might even be a contender instead of a pretender so long as they can figure out how many downs are permitted to move the chains. The Colorado fan base has some followers in Canada. And most Coloradoans would enjoy visiting Brittish Columbia or Bamff or Lake Louise during the autumn months.

 

[Johnny Juzang]

Regarding the Big Ten, many potential names are thrown out there. But you can probably eliminate Cincinnati, Louisville, Iowa State... simply because they don't bring enough to the table to offset academics. Schools like Mizzou, Nebraska, Kansas and Rutgers have some academic deficiencies as well, but they bring either athletic success or TV markets to bear. So who provides the best combos? I'd say Texas, Notre Dame, Pitt & Syracuse.

That makes the most sense from the Big 10 point of view, certainly. Although a 14 team conference would be more balanced than 15.

Hey, is the Jumers in downtown Urbana still there?

 

[Buffarino]

Even though I realize the likelihood is very very low, here is what I would love to see happen:

CU goes to the Pac 10 along with UNLV. UT bolts to the Big Televen. NU and OU are left to pick up the scraps in the B12 and add BYU (or Utah) and TCU. CSU goes back to the WAC and the MWC folds.

CU fans get roadies to Vegas every other year, and the teams we don't like get screwed. :thumbsup:

 

[sackman]

Even though I realize the likelihood is very very low, here is what I would love to see happen:

CU goes to the Pac 10 along with UNLV. UT bolts to the Big Televen. NU and OU are left to pick up the scraps in the B12 and add BYU (or Utah) and TCU. CSU goes back to the WAC and the MWC folds.

CU fans get roadies to Vegas every other year, and the teams we don't like get screwed. :thumbsup:

Heh.

TheUNLV thing still has me intrigued. I'd love to see them in the conference, too. The roadies, as you say, would be epic. They'd have to build a bigger stadium just to hold the opposing teams' fans.

 

[Darth Snow]

Heh.

TheUNLV thing still has me intrigued. I'd love to see them in the conference, too. The roadies, as you say, would be epic. They'd have to build a bigger stadium just to hold the opposing teams' fans.

Your wives are gonna LOVE it if UNLV gets in with us. :lol:

 

[92Buff]

Been a proponent of getting UNLV on our OOC for years. Would be even better if we could pencil in a Vegas trip every other year for many years to come...

 

[dio]

Jens - Can we have a vBookie bet on whether the Buffs actually join the Pac-10?

I give it a 5% chance of happening

 

[Liver]

unlv is not going into the pac 10 as part of this proposed expansion. ... maybe 30 years from now...

but, let me just state for the record and unequivocally: unlv will not be permitted to join the p10.

shall we start with just the high level stuff?

first off, there is the gambling issue. did you know that you can't bet unlv games in vegas because of the sensitivity around gambling and college athletics? do you really think the p10 wants any part of that issue? do you think that vegas wants to take all the p10 games off the board or some other draconian measure to address the perceived problem around gambling?

second, have you reviewed their academics? they are not even close to being a good fit academically with the p10.

third, are you all aware of the history of jerry tarkanian? the tark hated ucla with a passion. he repeatedly thumbed his nose at the ncaa and one of his favorite methods was him "revealing" alleged recruiting violations at ucla (and yet they were never sanctioned) while he was being treated "differently" at unlv. the tark single-handedly created a huge level of animosity toward unlv from the west coast. don't discount this piece of the puzzle. there is no way that ucla will vote to let unlv into the conference. no way.

that's just the big stuff off the top of my head. it ain't happening.

 

[Buffarino]

Liver, I don't care about reality. I want road games in Vegas. What part of that are you not understanding? :lol:

 

[Liver]

Liver, I don't care about reality. I want road games in Vegas. What part of that are you not understanding? :lol:

:rofl:

maybe we could just play one game a year there? move the fusker game there! that would be epic. booze, strippers, gambling, and a sea of pasty fat fuskers clothed in red polyester! what could possibly go wrong? and vegas thought hosting the nba all-star game there a few years back was off the hook... this would a bigger spectacle.

 

[buff4bcs1985]

why wouldnt boise go?

 

[CarolinaBuff]

Vegas is already a Big 10 market when it comes to ABC regional games, therefore UNLV isn't of much interest to the Pac-10 for that reason alone. Same reason they wouldn't be interested in schools like SDSU, Fresno, or San Jose State. Academics aside.

why wouldnt boise go?

Their TV market is 112th and they would bring almost nothing in basketball.

 

[OUBuff]

:rofl:

maybe we could just play one game a year there? move the fusker game there! that would be epic. booze, strippers, gambling, and a sea of pasty fat fuskers clothed in red polyester! what could possibly go wrong? and vegas thought hosting the nba all-star game there a few years back was off the hook... this would a bigger spectacle.

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

 

[UrbanaBuff]

Sorry, I should have used "or" instead of "&" as I was only advocating for one of those four. Not a huge fan of the 14-16 member superconferences.

And yes I believe Jumers is still there, at least it was when I graduated a few years back. Sounds like you are familiar with C/U??

That makes the most sense from the Big 10 point of view, certainly. Although a 14 team conference would be more balanced than 15.

Hey, is the Jumers in downtown Urbana still there?

 

[Ruckus]

:rofl:

maybe we could just play one game a year there? move the fusker game there! that would be epic. booze, strippers, gambling, and a sea of pasty fat fuskers clothed in red polyester! what could possibly go wrong? and vegas thought hosting the nba all-star game there a few years back was off the hook... this would a bigger spectacle.

There were a ton of Nebraska folk in Vegas when I was there in Septemeber...the holy Toledo weekend...wearing Buff stuff....getting laughed at by everyone who walked by...****ing ****.

 

[92Buff]

unlv is not going into the pac 10 as part of this proposed expansion. ... maybe 30 years from now...

All of us were definitely joking...we know it would never happen. You do, however, hit on what we would all love - a regular game in Vegas...you paint a "perty" picture of the kNU game in Vegas...LOL

Heck, maybe we could schedule the regular meeting of our "new" rival in Vegas to get it kicked off in style. A kind of get to know your new "friend" weekend of heavy drinking and debauchery.