PAC-12 Chaos

[Jimdish255]

With the Big 12 having it's media days this week and the PAC12 not until the end of the month I'm wondering whether any announcements related to team(s) leaving the PAC12 might be held off until after their media days. Would "professional" courtesy exist in this circumstance? I'm kind of thinking it should and that the PAC has done their best to buy enough time to at least put on a stiff upper lip for a few more weeks.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

With the Big 12 having it's media days this week and the PAC12 not until the end of the month I'm wondering whether any announcements related to team(s) leaving the PAC12 might be held off until after their media days. Would "professional" courtesy exist in this circumstance? I'm kind of thinking it should and that the PAC has done their best to buy enough time to at least put on a stiff upper lip for a few more weeks.

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I'd be shocked if anything was announced in July

 

[Rufus]

With the Big 12 having it's media days this week and the PAC12 not until the end of the month I'm wondering whether any announcements related to team(s) leaving the PAC12 might be held off until after their media days. Would "professional" courtesy exist in this circumstance? I'm kind of thinking it should and that the PAC has done their best to buy enough time to at least put on a stiff upper lip for a few more weeks.

View attachment 89607

This has been my conspiracy theory for a few weeks now. It makes sense. The PAC-12 doesn’t want the Big 12 to gloat about taking PAC schools during Big 12 Media Days. Likewise, the PAC-12 does not want to field questions about losing members during PAC-12 Media Day.

The PAC-12 is the only P5 to not have a multiple day media day event, as has been the case for a few years now. That tells you all you need to know about their football priorities.

 

[Ldandy]

In that regard, I think Connecticut would be a good fit in the Big 10. I think we had five or six different sports that were ranked in the top 15 at some point last year. Men's basketball, women's basketball, men's hockey, woman's hockey, baseball and softball are all consistently very good teams. That's a lot of content. I can honestly say I have watched games of four of the six pretty consistently and watched at least one game of 5 off the six sports.

I don't think that the Big Ten is currently interested in Connecticut, but the number of sports that we are good at consistently, the schools academics and status as a C1 research institution makes me believe would be a pretty good fit. The glaring omission is the lack of AAU used status, but as we've seen this year, that could change pretty quickly.

I've always contended that Connecticut would be a great addition to the B1G. You have very good academics, are a state flagship that profiles similarly to other members, and you would bring top tier basketball programs to the conference. As you pointed out, The Huskies would also provide plenty of additional content including hockey, baseball, and soccer which are regularly aired on BTN.

Unfortunately, much like some of The PAC Schools are finding out the money just isn't there. The TV Deals in The SEC and B1G have become so ridiculously large that only a small handful of programs can be viewed as being additive to their deals. If I'm AD Dave, I'm all in on The Big 12. Lie, cheat and steal your way in. My back up plan would be to join a reformed ACC once the P2 Vultures pick its bones clean in 10 years.

 

[Ldandy]

Yes. The trio of UM, OSU and PSU really drive the ratings. Even playing the meh schools like Rutgers and Purdue bring very good numbers. There are alumni all over country and sports, especially football are an integral part of the student experience. I know groups of Michigan alumni that follow many of UofM’s teams, including women’s sports. They will watch volleyball, women’s basketball, Lacrosse.

I don’t know how other conferences alumni consume sports, but Big10 fans do have a passion for their teams.

Engagement with Olympic Sports is very strong at Penn State as well. In particular Wrestling, Hockey, Lacrosse, and Women's Volleyball all have dedicated followings. I suspect that this is a product of having both huge alumni networks and ongoing success in a wide variety of sports over time. Support at schools like PSU, OSU, UM and UNL is incredible. However, you don't see the same level of support at RU, NW, Purdue etc.

 

[CL82]

This has been my conspiracy theory for a few weeks now. It makes sense. The PAC-12 doesn’t want the Big 12 to gloat about taking PAC schools during Big 12 Media Days. Likewise, the PAC-12 does not want to field questions about losing members during PAC-12 Media Day.

The PAC-12 is the only P5 to not have a multiple day media day event, as has been the case for a few years now. That tells you all you need to know about their football priorities.

I think it may be simpler than that. When you're in a precarious position without a viable way out, the best thing you can do is buy yourself time. That's what I think the Pac 12 is doing, buying time and hoping that they can pull a rabbit out of the hat at the last moment.

The four corners schools' indecision is an unintended slap in the face to the big 12. I think that's what Brett Yormark's comment about being all in was aimed at. Eventually, that hesitancy may end up being costly to some of them.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think it may be simpler than that. When you're in a precarious position without a viable way out, the best thing you can do is buy yourself time. That's what I think the Pac 12 is doing, buying time and hoping that they can pull a rabbit out of the hat at the last moment.

The four corners schools' indecision is an unintended slap in the face to the big 12. I think that's what Brett Yormark's comment about being all in was aimed at. Eventually, that hesitancy may end up being costly to some of them.

They just don't know what they are comparing the B12 against. There's no Pac deal so they can't know. Nothing can happen until the schools see what a Pac12 media deal looks like. But the risk of schools leaving has made it harder to get such a deal. I think the current quiet is to help the conference find a media partner, when they do, and the schools see the numbers and the GOR commitment, they'll make their decision.

My guess remains the same. Colorado will say nope and leave. UConn and Colorado join the Big XII. Utah may try to condition staying on Utah State getting Colorado's spot. Don't know what the Arizona schools will do. If the money is close, and only Colorado is leaving they would probably stay.

 

[huskymedic]

Assisted access <<

-> Meanwhile, the conference faces a fast-approaching, albeit informal, deadline. Its mid-summer media showcase, designed to promote the players and coaches powering the most anticipated football season in years, is scheduled for July 21 at Resorts World Las Vegas.

If commissioner George Kliavkoff doesn’t provide clarity on the contract negotiations over the next 10 days, the existential crisis could dominate the Las Vegas event and create unseemly optics. (The tangible impact of not having a media deal in place by July 21 would be negligible, however. The Pac-12’s negotiating partners are discussing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually and don’t care about bad press from a single media event.)

How should Pac-12 fans define clarity on the negotiations? The conference doesn’t need to unveil a finalized long-form contract, which could take months to complete. But it cannot simply offer another “statement of unity” from the presidents, akin to the one issued in February. Nor can it hide behind optimistic but vague comments by Kliavkoff.

After so many months of silence, it must offer concrete evidence that a satisfactory deal is on the table and resolution is close on three tracks:

— The media rights contract. The annual valuation matters immensely, but so does the means of delivery. How many football games will be placed on a streaming platform and how many will be available on linear television?
— The grant-of-rights agreement. There is no collective security without this document, which is signed by the schools and binds their media revenue to the conference. (The Pac-12 likely is targeting a medium-term agreement that covers five or six years.)
— The decision on expansion. Should the conference add two members — SMU and San Diego State are the favorites — or move forward with 10? <-

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This has been my conspiracy theory for a few weeks now. It makes sense. The PAC-12 doesn’t want the Big 12 to gloat about taking PAC schools during Big 12 Media Days. Likewise, the PAC-12 does not want to field questions about losing members during PAC-12 Media Day.

The PAC-12 is the only P5 to not have a multiple day media day event, as has been the case for a few years now. That tells you all you need to know about their football priorities.

You have been predicting the Pac 12's demise for months now, yet not a single Pac 12 school has headed for the exit. What do you know that no person at any Pac 12 school knows? Put another way, wow did you get smarter than everyone at Stanford?

 

[Jimdish255]

You have been predicting the Pac 12's demise for months now, yet not a single Pac 12 school has headed for the exit. What do you know that no person at any Pac 12 school knows? Put another way, wow did you get smarter than everyone at Stanford?

Did everyone at Stanford know USC and UCLA were leaving?

 

[gioff2323]

Frankly, we should be empathizing with PAC. We’ve been there. It sucks. Someone could/will get left behind. If any fan base should know how much their situation sucks, it’s us.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Frankly, we should be empathizing with PAC. We’ve been there. It sucks. Someone could/will get left behind. If any fan base should know how much their situation sucks, it’s us.

I’m post-empathy.

 

[UConnJim]

Frankly, we should be empathizing with PAC. We’ve been there. It sucks. Someone could/will get left behind. If any fan base should know how much their situation sucks, it’s us.

I don't think it's comparable. The Pac 12 could have raided the Big 12 and grabbed Oklahoma and a few other schools and maybe even Texas. They would have been the clear #3 conference. And, the Pac12 Network debacle is clearly on the conference. Their mismanagement and hubris has resulted in a collapsing conference that doesn't appear to have a future.

 

[Skiblets]

I don't think it's comparable. The Pac 12 could have raided the Big 12 and grabbed Oklahoma and a few other schools and maybe even Texas. They would have been the clear #3 conference. And, the Pac12 Network debacle is clearly on the conference. Their mismanagement and hubris has resulted in a collapsing conference that doesn't appear to have a future.

And they owe Comcast big $$ as part of their settlement

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Frankly, we should be empathizing with PAC. We’ve been there. It sucks. Someone could/will get left behind. If any fan base should know how much their situation sucks, it’s us.

Instead, somehow over half of the CR board is rooting against the Pac 12, including making up an alternate reality without providing a shred of evidence or even a logical fact pattern that supports this Pac 12 doomsday scenario. And, if these posters are somehow correct about this doomsday scenario, it would be devastating for UConn's athletic program, but these same posters are actually rooting for it to happen yet claiming to be UConn fans.

This board has left reality.

 

[uconnyankee]

Instead, somehow over half of the CR board is rooting against the Pac 12, including making up an alternate reality without providing a shred of evidence or even a logical fact pattern that supports this Pac 12 doomsday scenario. And, if these posters are somehow correct about this doomsday scenario, it would be devastating for UConn's athletic program, but these same posters are actually rooting for it to happen yet claiming to be UConn fans.

This board has left reality.

Well there are a significant amount of basketball only fans that don’t want to leave the Big East so it’s not surprising they would root for a scenario that would essentially kill UConn’s P5 ambitions.

 

[Ldandy]

I’m post-empathy.

I feel you. No fanbase shed a tear for your program when it got left behind in The AAC. Its more likely that fans of the schools that got the call pointed fingers and snickered at your turn of events. Now a number of them want to close the door behind them as they move into nicer digs. Hopefully the Big 12 Invite materializes as I'll enjoy watching your school repay their "kindness."

 

[Jimdish255]

Instead, somehow over half of the CR board is rooting against the Pac 12, including making up an alternate reality without providing a shred of evidence or even a logical fact pattern that supports this Pac 12 doomsday scenario. And, if these posters are somehow correct about this doomsday scenario, it would be devastating for UConn's athletic program, but these same posters are actually rooting for it to happen yet claiming to be UConn fans.

This board has left reality.

I'm not sure who you are referring to or what poll you've taken on the subject but there's a couple of things you seem to willfully misinterpret. First is the fact that nothing posted on this board will impact the future of the PAC 12. The damage was done by the B1G taking their 2 marquis programs. Second is the fact that we probably need a partner and Colorado is a strong lean to leave the PAC with a pay raise from the Big12. The Big12 would probably like AZ and another school of value to join them and shooting the messenger doesn't change that reality. We can all get on our knees and pray for the PAC12 and as much as I liked staying up until 2am watching those games it won't change a thing. My take is that the Big12 will take between 1 and 3 PAC teams and UConn. Our chances MAY be slightly better if it's just CU, but not by much. And most of the other schools stay either because they prefer the geography and fit, or don't want to disrupt their situation while they wait on the B1G. We are a plug and play option without the drama and that works in our favor. The PAC will survive in some form but it's out of our control.

Most on this board root for UConn, then UConn, then UConn, with a few nostalgists who root for the old Big East to reform.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I'm not sure who you are referring to or what poll you've taken on the subject but there's a couple of things you seem to willfully misinterpret. First is the fact that nothing posted on this board will impact the future of the PAC 12. The damage was done by the B1G taking their 2 marquis programs. Second is the fact that we probably need a partner and Colorado is a strong lean to leave the PAC with a pay raise from the Big12. The Big12 would probably like AZ and another school of value to join them and shooting the messenger doesn't change that reality. We can all get on our knees and pray for the PAC12 and as much as I liked staying up until 2am watching those games it won't change a thing. My take is that the Big12 will take between 1 and 3 PAC teams and UConn. Our chances MAY be slightly better if it's just CU, but not by much. And most of the other schools stay either because they prefer the geography and fit, or don't want to disrupt their situation while they wait on the B1G. We are a plug and play option without the drama and that works in our favor. The PAC will survive in some form but it's out of our control.

Most on this board root for UConn, then UConn, then UConn, with a few nostalgists who root for the old Big East to reform.

I think a lot of posters, yourself included, would rather dance on someone else's grave than have UConn succeed. Or maybe you just don't realize what you are advocating.

This "Pac 12 is collapsing" narrative, pushed by Big 12 Twitter posters and amplified by Big 10 posters like the OP of this thread, is an example. There is NO SCENARIO in which The Pac 12 comes apart and it is good for UConn. I have seen a few posters like yourself argue that the Big 12 needs a Pac 12 school to go with UConn. If that is the case, UConn is in trouble, because there is no way just one school leaves the Pac 12. If Colorado heads for the door, they will all be heading for the door, and UConn loses to Washington, Oregon, Arizona, ASU, Colorado, California, and Stanford in that situation. I think we are ahead of Utah, although we are not a lock, and I believe UConn is ahead of Washington State and Oregon State.

The other issue with a Pac 12 collapse scenario is that it would signal that the market for college sports is consolidating, in which case UConn is also dead.

So back to the original question. Why are you rooting for something that would be bad for UConn? Whether you can make anything happen or not, you are advocating for an event on a UConn board that would be very, very bad for UConn if it happened? Are you trolling us? Or do you not realize that the OP has trolled you into rooting for something that would be bad for UConn?

 

[AzHusky]

Some people on here like to point out that the Big12 can't be very good cause they lost two of their best teams, but ignore that the PAC lost two of their best teams also. So how is the PAC in a better position?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Did everyone at Stanford know USC and UCLA were leaving?

Not even close to the correct analogy.

The key difference is that there was not an obvious next step for Stanford when USC and UCLA left the league. So whether Stanford and the other schools knew the LA schools were leaving or not (I expect that they had an inkling well before it happened) was not going to change anyone's actions. But now, if the Pac 12 has no TV contract, as you and the 5 posters that liked the post above believe, then there is a very clear next step for Stanford. Be the first to abandon ship. Every other school can reach the same conclusion. Yet no one is trying to leave.

You are arguing that the Pac 12 administrators are too stupid to see what you and thousands of message board posters and Twitter "experts" blather about every day. Why are the Pac 12 administrators too stupid to see this but you do?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Assisted access <<

-> Meanwhile, the conference faces a fast-approaching, albeit informal, deadline. Its mid-summer media showcase, designed to promote the players and coaches powering the most anticipated football season in years, is scheduled for July 21 at Resorts World Las Vegas.

If commissioner George Kliavkoff doesn’t provide clarity on the contract negotiations over the next 10 days, the existential crisis could dominate the Las Vegas event and create unseemly optics. (The tangible impact of not having a media deal in place by July 21 would be negligible, however. The Pac-12’s negotiating partners are discussing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually and don’t care about bad press from a single media event.)

How should Pac-12 fans define clarity on the negotiations? The conference doesn’t need to unveil a finalized long-form contract, which could take months to complete. But it cannot simply offer another “statement of unity” from the presidents, akin to the one issued in February. Nor can it hide behind optimistic but vague comments by Kliavkoff.

After so many months of silence, it must offer concrete evidence that a satisfactory deal is on the table and resolution is close on three tracks:

— The media rights contract. The annual valuation matters immensely, but so does the means of delivery. How many football games will be placed on a streaming platform and how many will be available on linear television?
— The grant-of-rights agreement. There is no collective security without this document, which is signed by the schools and binds their media revenue to the conference. (The Pac-12 likely is targeting a medium-term agreement that covers five or six years.)
— The decision on expansion. Should the conference add two members — SMU and San Diego State are the favorites — or move forward with 10? <-

I agree that getting a media contract to a term sheet should not take this long. That is a bad sign, but none of the Pac 12 schools are heading for the door, so they must think something good is going to happen. One scenario that could fit the fact pattern we are seeing from the Pac 12 is if they are in advanced discussions with the ACC for a merger. That would be a much more complicated deal that a simple media contract, and would take more time. It would result in a good outcome, so if the Pac 12 schools thought it was going to happen, then they would stick around to see it through. And, that scenario would enable the ACC to revisit its undermarket TV contract with ESPN at a time when ESPN has to be nervous about losing a big content provider like the ACC if the ACC did something like merged into the Pac 12.

There was a lot of discussion of a merger in May, and then it quieted down. But a merger, if it was happening, would be on lockdown in terms of communications. Most of the Pac 12 Administrators have been quiet for the last month or so.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I agree that getting a media contract to a term sheet should not take this long. That is a bad sign, but none of the Pac 12 schools are heading for the door, so they must think something good is going to happen. One scenario that could fit the fact pattern we are seeing from the Pac 12 is if they are in advanced discussions with the ACC for a merger. That would be a much more complicated deal that a simple media contract, and would take more time. It would result in a good outcome, so if the Pac 12 schools thought it was going to happen, then they would stick around to see it through. And, that scenario would enable the ACC to revisit its undermarket TV contract with ESPN at a time when ESPN has to be nervous about losing a big content provider like the ACC if the ACC did something like merged into the Pac 12.

There was a lot of discussion of a merger in May, and then it quieted down. But a merger, if it was happening, would be on lockdown in terms of communications. Most of the Pac 12 Administrators have been quiet for the last month or so.

This would be the right move for the ACC and the PAC-12. However, it probably won't happen due to all the complexities of a merger. It would make a 22 team conference plus ND. This can make things much more interesting.