The Pac-12 originally chose to be patient with the expansion. I thought he could wait and find the perfect fit or hold. In the wake of USC and UCLA Departure to the Big Tenthe conference lost that luxury.
The Pac-12 Board of Directors met Friday morning and Conference authorized to explore expansion. The future of the conference is at stake. The former conference director of . said the athlete“I don’t know if they recover from this.”
The obvious hitch: The Pac-12’s expansion options aren’t great. Despite its unsuccessful football and low media payments, the conference has always offered a certain level of stability. This is no longer the case. USC And the University of CaliforniaFoundation exits cracked.
The first task of Commissioner George Klyavkov is to continue Washington Oregon is in place. Without Trojans and Bruins, Pacific Northwest Schools Hold Conference Together. This will not be easy. The second is to find the right schools that not only fit the Pac-12 profile but also assist the conference in its upcoming negotiations over media rights. lets take alook.
first calls
San Diego State: the athlete I asked a couple of industry sources about the Pac-12 expansion candidates, and they each started here. The Pac-12 didn’t seem to take San Diego seriously, mostly because it operates in the California State University system, but it’s time to give Mountain West School a hard look. San Diego has the 28th largest TV market, which isn’t ideal, but the addition of the Aztecs would give the Pac-12 a presence in some part of Southern California. This cannot be ignored. Sportsly, San Diego State recently outperformed several Pac-12 schools in men’s soccer and basketball, so that’s not an issue. The football show has published five seasons of 10+ wins over the past seven years. The men’s basketball team has won the NCAA Championship nine times since the 2009-10 season. Most importantly, the Aztecs showed a commitment to taking the next step. This fall, they’re set to open a $310 million Snapdragon Stadium as their next home for soccer. There is some momentum here.
Boise State: Another Mountain West program, Boise State has always been a popular candidate for expansion simply because of its football success. It’s a nice starting point. The Broncos will compete in the Pac-12. Plus, the men’s basketball team just won the Mountain West title and played in the NCAA Championship. Geographically, the Boise also fits into the Pac-12 footprint. (It’s not about geography anymore.) Biggest Drawback: Boise Marketplace doesn’t add much media value.
Remember us?
Houston And the TCU: Nine months ago, the sport is still in shock then Texas And the Oklahoma Announcing their intentions at the SEC, the Pac-12 was considered expansion. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Houston and TCU were the main targets of the conference. In the end, Pac-12 stuck with 12, Houston settled into the Big 12 and all seemed to be fine. Until Thursday. In terms of location, this works. Dallas-Fort Worth is the fifth largest media market in the country. Houston is eighth. This will also put the Pac-12 in the heart of talent-rich Texas, which will help with recruitment.
Houston makes sense. One problem TCU brings is that Pac-12 has usually had little interest in schools with religious affiliations. But for the past several years, TCU has distanced itself from those relationships. Nor is the Pac-12 in a position to be complacent.
Texas Tech: When it comes to the big 12 schools – you can add Baylor And the state of Oklahoma is here, too—it finally comes down to this: With the Big 12 fairly stable, how interested are they in rescuing the amazing Pac-12? According to industry sources, Texas Tech has long envisioned a move west, but that may have changed recently. Like Houston and the TCU, this will get the Pac-12 into Texas, but that’s probably the biggest hike.
worth checking out
SMU: If big 12 schools aren’t an option, SMU is well worth a look. The American Athletic Conference lacks the football punch that San Diego State and Boise State can provide, but SMU brings media value in Dallas. Like Houston and UCLA, adding a Mustang will also help with hiring.
UNLV: Another school in Mountain West, UNLV won’t do much to boost the Pac-12 in terms of competitive balance, but the Las Vegas market is attractive. In addition, the conference already has a presence in Sin City, as the football and post-season basketball tournaments were held there.
Max Olson, Christian Capelli, and Chris Vannini contributed reporting.
(Photo: Kirby Lee/USA Today)