WVU AD in favor of B12 expansion for the 'right teams'

[tcf15]

“There's a presidential committee that's kind of looking at that as well, but as athletic directors, we try to look at the bigger picture of what actual teams and partners we could bring in that would add value to the conference and that's still being explored,” Lyons said.

"I'm in favor of expansion if it's the right two teams to bring in,” he continued. “Obviously for us, it would be nice to have more of an eastern partner, but at the same time, I want to make sure it's the right partner and from a revenue standpoint it doesn't impact us negatively as well by bringing additional partners in.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf...-12-expansion-if--right--teams-132435050.html

 

[NYUConn]

From the article:

Who could be an eastern team? That's a great question. If we're making a list off the top of our heads, our top three – Memphis, Cincinnati and UCF – all are in the American Athletic Conference.

Someone should Mr. Bromberg a map because last I checked Memphis was 743 miles west (Storrs is 540 miles by comparison) and 11 hours away from West Virginia and UCF was 900 miles South. Not exactly ideal, eastern travelling partners.

 

[Drumguy]

Cin is about the only school that makes sense from an "eastern" perspective. We're a long way from everybody else. Not that I wouldn't take it at this point.

 

[noeynox]

We are eastern and we bring in about as much value as anyone outside the P5. Who brings more?

 

[CallMeBruce]

We are eastern and we bring in about as much value as anyone outside the P5. Who brings more?

From the Big 12's perspective, maybe BYU, maybe UCF because it gets you into Florida, but we're definitely one of the few obviously P5 caliber schools really left on the board.

 

[Kolumbo]

Perhaps the Big 12 is looking to go extra grande and introduce football to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Autonomous_University_of_Mexico

325k students in a city of 9 million.

 

[Drimple]

I'm nice men.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

The right reason is 'keeping WVU' in a P5 Conference because if the XII falls apart, it is questionable if the ACC or SEC would save the Mountaineers. Texas, Oklahoma, and likely Kansas do not have to worry about such. Thus, if expanding keeps that XII together, than WVU is all for it. If not expanding keeps the XII from falling apart, then WVU is all for it.

 

[UConn Dan]

Does anyone know what constitutes a supermajority in the Big 12 bylaw on conference dissolution? Since they are currently at 10 members it could take anywhere from 7 to 9 members to dissolve the conf, but I didn't see anywhere in the bylaws what the supermajority percentage was for the conf.

Reagardless, I can't come up with 7 members that could find a better landing spot.

Best I could surmise:
Texas, Oklahoma (and little sisters TT and OSU) to PAC
Kansas to B1G
WVU to ACC (maybe)

The rest would be AAC 2.0. So, I don't think even Texas believes they get out of the conference without fighting the GOR or waiting it out until the end of current TV contract.

So if money is there to expand, big if, there should be more expansion coming.

 

[jostar1]

Does anyone know what constitutes a supermajority in the Big 12 bylaw on conference dissolution? Since they are currently at 10 members it could take anywhere from 7 to 9 members to dissolve the conf, but I didn't see anywhere in the bylaws what the supermajority percentage was for the conf.

Reagardless, I can't come up with 7 members that could find a better landing spot.

Best I could surmise:
Texas, Oklahoma (and little sisters TT and OSU) to PAC
Kansas to B1G
WVU to ACC (maybe)

The rest would be AAC 2.0. So, I don't think even Texas believes they get out of the conference without fighting the GOR or waiting it out until the end of current TV contract.

So if money is there to expand, big if, there should be more expansion coming.

It looks like it's 75%, so 8 members.

(f) The term “Supermajority of Disinterested Directors” with respect to any
issue shall mean seventy-five percent (75%) or more of all persons who are
Disinterested Directors with respect to such issue, whether or not each is
Present at a meeting considering such issue or signs as written consent
with respect to such issue.

As used in these Bylaws, the following terms shall apply:
(a) The term “Disinterested Director(s)” with respect to any issue shall mean each
person who: (i) is then duly qualified and serving as a member of the Board
of Directors pursuant to Sections 1.5.3 and 1.5.4 below; (ii) is the Director
representative of a Member that has not Withdrawn and has not been precluded
from voting on the matter in question as a Sanctioned Member; and (iii) is not
an Interested Director (as defined below) with respect to such issue.


The number of members of the Board of Directors of the
Conference (the “Board of Directors”) shall equal the number of Members in the Conference that
have not Withdrawn or are subject to Sanctions that preclude representation on the Board of
Directors, consisting of one (1) representative for each such Member, who shall be the most
senior campus executive officer (President or Chancellor) (the “Chief Executive Officer”) of each
Member. Prior to each Annual Meeting (as defined below) held pursuant to Section 1.6.1, each
Member shall certify to the Conference the name of its Chief Executive Officer and such person
shall be automatically appointed as a Director as provided in these Bylaws and shall hold office
until his or her successor has been appointed;
http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/handbook/ConferenceHandbook.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=10410

 

[IMind]

If you're looking at pure value.. There's UConn, Cinci, and BYU... then a big jump and probably USF/UCF/Memphis.

Of course history has shown us that the tragically clueless conferences ACC/Big 12... probably wont look at pure value.

 

[SAMCRO]

If you're looking at pure value.. There's UConn, Cinci, and BYU... then a big jump and probably USF/UCF/Memphis.

Of course history has shown us that the tragically clueless conferences ACC/Big 12... probably wont look at pure value.

Defining value, and what is deemed "valuable" is where we have missed out. Seems like the B12 and recently the ACC value things that we are less valuable in...football history, present football success, recruiting territory.
If they shift their value to market, TV, total athletic department success, and projected potential, we are the most valuable remaining property.

 

[Sea Goat]

Put your hand up if you're pi$$ed off that we are given to hanging on the pronouncements from anyone affiliated with WVU.

 

[IMind]

Defining value, and what is deemed "valuable" is where we have missed out. Seems like the B12 and recently the ACC value things that we are less valuable in...football history, present football success, recruiting territory.
If they shift their value to market, TV, total athletic department success, and projected potential, we are the most valuable remaining property.

I was thinking strictly monetarily... The ACC has never gotten this right. They've added programs largely based on what their football programs did in the 70s and early 80s rather than actual value. The Big 12 expansion made slightly more sense than the ACC... I honestly have no idea what they value though...

 

[Hoophound]

I'm pretty sure that we are the most valuable program left, with BYU either being a little ahead or a little behind us. I still have my doubts that UCF has become a realistic front runner for a P5 slot. The Florida directionals are not prestigious in any way nationally. Cincy brings decent sports credibility in both football and basketball, however I'm not sure how valuable they are considered in terms of delivering a TV audience.

Still, I think it's fair to say that all four schools would help keep the big 12 together. If only two would be invited, BYU and UConn provide the best television product and the most captive audiences. I realize that UCF offers great Florida recruiting grounds as does Ohio, but if it's all about money, Uconn has the market cornered, and BYU has a huge audience spread out across the country.

 

[B1GEast]

as much as WVU would love a local rival, it's not going to happen, at least anytime soon. WVU was told that when they joined the conference that there would be further expansion down the road, now the big 12 commish has changed his tune, and WVU appears to be on an island for a while. I predict that the NCAA will allow conferences the ability to have a conf champ with 10 teams, which would suit the big 12 just fine.

 

[MemphisBlues]

If you're looking at pure value.. There's UConn, Cinci, and BYU... then a big jump and probably USF/UCF/Memphis.

Of course history has shown us that the tragically clueless conferences ACC/Big 12... probably wont look at pure value.

There's a quote from Bowlsby, that I can get if necessary, where he lists TV partners, new recruiting, and 'sports important to the conference' as three factors when looking at potential expansion candidates. Statement made soon after playoff selections.

 

[junglehusky]

First rule of conference realignment...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

as much as WVU would love a local rival, it's not going to happen, at least anytime soon. WVU was told that when they joined the conference that there would be further expansion down the road, now the big 12 commish has changed his tune, and WVU appears to be on an island for a while. I predict that the NCAA will allow conferences the ability to have a conf champ with 10 teams, which would suit the big 12 just fine.

The NCAA will likely change how the conference championship teams are selected by conference since everyone is clamoring for it. But, 4 of the 5 P5 conferences worked to get to 12+ teams to get to a conference championship game and the XII did not. Plus, without a championship game, the XII is handicapped trying to get into the football 4 team playoff, which makes the XII more vulnerable to be raided by one of the others. No way will the XII will be allowed to have a championship with 10 teams.

 

[Fishy]

I tend to agree - every other conference had to get to 12 members to have a championship game....there is no incentive for the other conferences to let the Big 12 change the rule just to keep their individual pieces of pie that much larger.

I'm not sure even the deregulation of how the conference game match-ups are decided is such a slam dunk.

 

[Doggie Style]

First rule of conference realignment...

Uhhhhh... We don't talk about conference realignment???

 

[UCFBfan]

Defining value, and what is deemed "valuable" is where we have missed out. Seems like the B12 and recently the ACC value things that we are less valuable in...football history, present football success, recruiting territory.
If they shift their value to market, TV, total athletic department success, and projected potential, we are the most valuable remaining property.

This is where I get lost in all this. Success in sports can easily change and by having a P5 affiliation, it's likely any G5 school would flourish. So why exclude a school that brings things that are more fixed like market size and athletic success across the board just because they are new to the football game (relatively speaking).

UCONN had quick success when we joined a BCS conference. There's no reason they couldn't repeat that and add football interest and success if given the chance.

The amount of increased exposure would bring a decent amount more revenue to whatever conference comes calling. Why they'd just consider the good old boys of CFB is beyond me.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I tend to agree - every other conference had to get to 12 members to have a championship game....there is no incentive for the other conferences to let the Big 12 change the rule just to keep their individual pieces of pie that much larger.

I'm not sure even the deregulation of how the conference game match-ups are decided is such a slam dunk.

Sure there is. If I'm the ACC, I don't want the Big 12 feeling like it needs to expand. But the SEC, B1G, and PAC-12 aren't going to be worried about that, and I'd imagine will vote against it.

 

[Fishy]

Sure there is. If I'm the ACC, I don't want the Big 12 feeling like it needs to expand. But the SEC, B1G, and PAC-12 aren't going to be worried about that, and I'd imagine will vote against it.

How does the Big 12 expanding hurt the ACC?

It dilutes football, lowers SOS ratings...forcing the Big 12 to expand should be a priority for the ACC.

 

[gioff23]

The distance we are to WVU is secondary to the differnce a new partner is from WVU and the rest of the conference. Why we are a few hundred miles closer to WVU, we are a lot further away then say a Cincy or a Memphis. The term "eastern" in the context of the B12 is differnt than east of Morgantown.