A blog reader asked me my take on the Pac-16 expansion plans. I’ve been following it as things change hour-to-hour and have commented on twitter.com/cliffgt.
My first thoughts are I’m not a fan of big super conferences, but it’s going to happen so we better deal with it. I like smaller conferences with bowl tie-ins. I’m old-school that way.
All the reasons for expansion of more money with TV contracts from bigger TV markets, conference title games and so on are valid. Schools are looking to improve the big business they are in.
Football teams have to pay the bills of entire athletic departments. OSU AD Bob De Carolis is banking on the new TV contract to pay off the $4 million deficit.
As for who should be in or out, basically how the dominoes fall, we’ll have to see how it shakes out. I hope the Pac-16 adds Colorado for the Denver market and Texas, since the Longhorns are the premier program in that state.
After that it doesn’t matter. There are arguments for all the other teams.
Conference matchups will be more interesting. After playing teams in your eight-team division there will be at least two games from the other division.
Then the problem will be finding enough cream puffs, like the SEC does, to fill out the schedule. There are not enough of those on the West Coast.
As for the other sports, particularly basketball and baseball, competition should be interesting. Expenses, however, will escalate due to travel.
And yes, a football playoff could be in the future with all these big conferences.
So basically, I feel it’s time to jump in and don’t look back. Hell might be starting to freeze over.
Also, here’s an AP video look at Colorado moving to the Pac-10.
17 comments
angrybeaver says:
May 21, 2013
"As for the other sports, particularly basketball and baseball, competition should be interesting. Expenses, however, will escalate due to travel."
Cliff, do the Beavs own a charter jet?
ckirkpatrick says:
Jun 10, 2010
No, but it was talked about a while back.
angrybeaver says:
Jun 10, 2010
Seems much much cheaper over the long term.
aaron_ says:
Jun 10, 2010
I am with you Cliif, i like the Pac-10 and the "old school" way. But this is inevitable. So if it is going to happen may as well try and get the best schools available. I like Texas and Texas A&M, I like OU and OSU and I do like Colorado. But i don’t like Texas Tech, nor do i like Baylor. If I had my choice of that sixth team it would be Utah. Salt Lake is 31st as far as television markets go and Waco is 89th and Lubbock is 143rd. I also believe that as far as all major sports Utah has the best programs; baseball, football, basketball. But it would also bring in a more geographic "rival" for Colorado. I like that this would help get the Beavers out of the hole too
aaron_ says:
Jun 10, 2010
As far as the cupcakes go for non-conference games there are still some teams out there that the Pac-16 could play the Utah States, San Jose States, Sacramento State, Idaho's. But they could also travel out of the region to play teams such teams that the SEC and ACC do. It would be more expensive as far as travel, but it could also lead to more exposure as far as recruiting if they played teams such as Florida Atlantic, UCF or teams up in the Midwest like Bowling Green or other MAC teams.
ckirkpatrick says:
Jun 10, 2010
Utah's market is good, but they are not on the list. The rival, travel partner in reality, will be interesting.
Cupcakes come to OSU. OSU doesn't go to Florida Atlantic or Bowling Green. OSU has to bring them and they are all picked up by the SEC and Big Ten.
There are enough cupcakes on the West Coast for one or two teams, but not for the entire Pac-8, Arizona schools, top MWC and top WAC teams.
aaron_ says:
Jun 10, 2010
Half the WAC and the MWC are cupcakes though. But i hear you, there are not as many out west.
What, if anything will happen to the schedules that are already set (futures). Will those contracts still be honored, would they be cleared or would they have to buy the other team out?
ckirkpatrick says:
Jun 10, 2010
They should be able to honor them. The Pac-16 will play nine conference games, just like the Pac-10. The difference will be the harder conference schedule. Arizona and ASU are off, but you add Oklahoma and Texas. Two games OSU should win turn into games it probably will lose.
OSU has made bowl games by winning in conference. Now they need cupcakes early to get enough wins to make bowl games. Instead of 5-6 wins in conference, they'll have 3-4. The three nonconference wins are vital.
ean says:
Jun 10, 2010
I don't think it will make a huge difference. I mean wont the Beavers still play the 7 other teams in there division (UCLA, USC, UO, UW, WSU, Cal, & Stan)? If they play 9 Pac-16 games that would leave the other 8 on a rotating basis I assume. That is not a whole lot different than the way it is now is it?
Also when would the new conference start. Is it business as usual this fall? Or are my tickets going to change?
ckirkpatrick says:
Jun 10, 2010
2012 is when all this would kick in.
WebTraveler says:
Jun 12, 2010
On one of the sports radio channels today in Portland (not sure which one) they had the Colorado AD on the phone and he said that today Nebraska stated they are gone after 2010 season, so he said there may not be a Big 12 to go back to in 2011 to delay and they'd have to figure something out.
mxpx5678 says:
Jun 10, 2010
Well Colorado is in. Let's see how long it takes for the rest of the chips to fall.
I am all for this, more exposure, harder schedule for OSU but that isn't necessarily bad, and they wont have to play Oklahoma and Texas every year, it would actually be pretty rare, only every 3 – 4 years.
coachtk9 says:
Jun 10, 2010
id say that Nebraska is gonna officially move next, then it is only a matter of time before the rest jump ship.
im also all for it, the deficit at OSU isnt gonna go away any time soon without expansion. and if it helps keep Craig Robinson, with building the practice facility, its even better. the future sure will be interesting, maybe its time for Riley to nab one or two more 4 star recruits….
GO BEAVS!
beavfan05 says:
Jun 11, 2010
This is huge for OSU……running a 4 million deficit and now looking at gaining 20+ million dollars. It would be a huge win for the athletic dept.
JackBeav says:
Jun 12, 2010
Technically it's running a $4m debt, not deficit. Revised budgets have committed us to add no more to that debt. And larger revenue streams from new TV and apparel contracts were expected to remove the debt in 2012 before all this began last week.
JackBeav says:
Jun 12, 2010
Our schedule will never be more difficult than it will be in 2010.
Bring it on!
WebTraveler says:
Jun 12, 2010
With A & M toying in all of this, it could create a good opening for Utah, which would be a good fit. I am worried about Texas Tech and Oklahoma State's academics, but all in all we'll do just fine.