Conference Expansion

[calpoke25]

So after being inundated with 100's of different conference expansion scenarios on the MWCBoard, I thought I'd come over here and get this board's thoughts on the whole matter.

Apparently Utah is a done deal to the Pac-10 with CU and will be leaving within the next two months (I don't believe this at all),

The Big-10 may be expanding by up to 5 teams to get to 16 members to form a super conference (which some believe is the future of FBS athletics),

The Big 12 may be falling apart,

Boise St. may be coming to the MWC,

Does anyone think any of this is happening? I think the Big-10(11) is just going to try to get to 12 for now and take Pitt or Syracuse (ideally they'd get Notre Dame) from the Big East, who will in turn take a team from CUSA, but I have a hard time seeing real expansion beyond that taking place in college football. Seems like a lot of hot air right now to me.

Thoughts?

[McPeachy]

A few thoughts...

First off, I have read (more like skimmed) the masses of threads about conference expansion, etc. Seems there is a "new" one saying the same poop, every other day on the MWC board.

If it is solely about $$, then yes, Utah is gone. So would UW...and we all know how big of "friendly ladies" UW is when it comes to money. We drop our pants and open our legs at the sight of a $20 bill.

Why would Utah want to make the move otherwise? Their mens basketball program is in worse shape than ours, their women's program is poised for a major dumping, and their football program would be forever stuck in the mediocre .500 or so range, in that conference. Say goodbye to ever playing in a BCS game again as well!

So...while it is fun to watch all the 'Tard fans thump thier chests...you just gotta think, it probably is not that smart of a move.

Lastly...add Boise if Utah departs...and we just upgraded the conference.

[MrTitleist]

Expansion threads are on pretty much every board I read.. oddly, all center around Colorado, Utah, Notre Dame.. I just wish they'd hurry up and do something so we have more material to gripe about.

[calpoke25]

A few thoughts...

First off, I have read (more like skimmed) the masses of threads about conference expansion, etc. Seems there is a "new" one saying the same s##t, every other day on the MWC board.

If it is solely about $$, then yes, Utah is gone. So would UW...and we all know how big of "friendly ladies" UW is when it comes to money. We drop our pants and open our legs at the sight of a $20 bill.

Why would Utah want to make the move otherwise? Their mens basketball program is in worse shape than ours, their women's program is poised for a major dumping, and their football program would be forever stuck in the mediocre .500 or so range, in that conference. Say goodbye to ever playing in a BCS game again as well!

So...while it is fun to watch all the 'Tard fans thump thier chests...you just gotta think, it probably is not that smart of a move.

Lastly...add Boise if Utah departs...and we just upgraded the conference.

I'm still not sold on it being a done deal. Utah fans say it has been a done deal for months from their end....well duh, yeah if they get invited they will go, as would any team in their position. But it's not, nor has it ever been about what can the PAC do for Utah, its what can Utah do for the PAC? I'm still not convinced its enough $$$ wise to bring them in if I was the PAC unless there comes a BCS mandate to have 12 teams.

I'll believe it when I see it, but up to this point I don't think its close to being a done deal. Too many players involved.

[WYCowboy]

This business about the b-s conferences all going to 16 teams is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. We all saw how that worked out. There will be some really unhappy schools out there and I'm talking about those that participate in that monstrosity if it happens (which I doubt that it will). I totally agree with McP about the Utards going to the PAC 10 turning into something they will regret. We'll miss them about as much as we missed the Arizona schools from the WAC.

[Wyokie]

Speaking of 16 team disasters, does anybody here think that Big East will split into 2 conferences (one for fooball and one for the basketball only schools)? I keep hearing that's going to happen soon.

[MrTitleist]

I would be surprised if the Big East exists in two years regarding football.

[Wyokie]

I would be surprised if the Big East exists in two years regarding football.

Agreed.

Should the Big 10 add a school from there that'll just might cause the BCS A-holes to give the MWC the Big East's spot which would probably cause Utah to not want to leave for the PAC-10.

Either way, it'll be a very cold day in hell before the PAC-10 expands anyway.

[Aaron]

My stomach expanded a while back and the press conference didnt go out I guess.

[laxwyo]

blah blah blah. whatever a bunch of rich assholes want to do with their conferences is not news until it happens.

[calpoke25]

This business about the b-s conferences all going to 16 teams is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. We all saw how that worked out. There will be some really unhappy schools out there and I'm talking about those that participate in that monstrosity if it happens (which I doubt that it will). I totally agree with McP about the Utards going to the PAC 10 turning into something they will regret. We'll miss them about as much as we missed the Arizona schools from the WAC.

I completely agree about the 16 team BS. Granted these teams would have enormously large amounts of money on hand compared to the old WAC, but I just fail to see how that would ever work out. Too many diverse interests coming together.

After 12 conference members, I believe you would reach a diseconomies of scale point.

[Asmodeanreborn]

I still don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that CU goes to PAC-10/12. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever from a financial standpoint, and believe me, right now CU is EXTREMELY concerned with money.

[Cowboy Junky]

The Notre Dame athletic director is on record saying they would move to the Big Ten if something happened to the conference they are in. The Big Ten is going to provide that.

Now Jim Delaney is expanding the NCAA basketball tournament as well. He wants basketball credits and lots of them. Keep that in mind.

In addition, the Big Ten Network covets the Northeastern U.S. They want to be in New York and other major Northeastern markets.

I expect to see the Big Ten level the Big East by taking a lot of their best basketball schools. They will also try to get New York. They will try to capture the Northeast.

Expect 5 teams.

I think it's going to be:

Syracuse
Rutgers
Pitt
Uconn(headquarters of ESPN), Maryland, or Boston College
Notre Dame

I don't think any Big 12 team is going to join that league. Why would they want to sacrifice southern recruiting for northern recruiting? Why would they want to play Big Ten teams in the snow when they can play in the warm weather they are comfortable in? The St. Louis and Nebraska markets don't match those in the Northeast.

Personally, I've thought the invite to Boise was in the works a year ago. I think the MWC adds Boise as insurance for a Pac 10 raid and to increase our quest for BCS auto-bid.

The Pac 10 expansion only has two candidates: Utah and CU. CU would have to sacrifice nine million dollars in revenue to leave the Big 12. Both of those schools would be extreme geographic outliers in the Pac 10. Utah would be a political misfit as well. Utah would have the lowest budget in the Pac 10. CU would be close. Both schools would have the highest travel costs in the league.

CU is not going to be able to scrape together the change for the move. They will stay in the Pac 10.

Utah has been actively pursuing leaving the MWC for years. They have been posturing themselves for the Pac 10 for a very long time. Unfortunately, they won't be able to go because CU can't afford too.

In the end, new networks will form and the trend of 30 year deals will continue. The Big 12, ACC, and the Pac 10 will all sign long term contracts. The Pac 10 will remain at 10 and the MWC will grow to ten. Things will be the same for a long time.

[Cowboy Junky]

Colin Cowturd is reporting CU and Utah to the Pac 12 and Uconn to the Big 10.

If that holds true say goodbye to BYU or TCU as well as Utah.

That would leave us with

Boise
TCU or BYU
Wyoming
AFA
CSU
SDSU
UNLV
UNM
Houston if TCU stays, Fresno if BYU stays

[WestWYOPoke]

The Notre Dame athletic director is on record saying they would move to the Big Ten if something happened to the conference they are in. The Big Ten is going to provide that.

Syracuse
Rutgers
Pitt
Uconn(headquarters of ESPN), Maryland, or Boston College
Notre Dame

Last week, Jack Swarbrick (Notre Dame's AD), clarified the Notre Dame expansion talk. He said "The only things that could make it happen are the sorts of radical change in the industry that would cause upheaval and impact a lot more [schools] than Notre Dame" He referred to this as being a serious change (like multiple super conferences), not just the expansion domino effect.

As for the other schools on your list, you have to look at academics as well as athletics. All those schools have good academic programs. BC would be the best of the group, with UCONN, Rutgers, Marylan, Pitt and Syracuse not far behind.

Having said that, and having gone to a Big Ten University, I think Boston College would be a good addition for the Big Ten with the combination of prestige, academics, and athletics. But I doubt that will happen, don't know if BC would have enough interest; but maybe.

I think when you factor in geography to the equation, Pitt is the leader right now.

I realize that Rutgers would be an attempt to gain a New York market, but honestly, is Rutgers athletics that popular in NY anyway???

As for Missouri, they would be a bit of of drop in academics and athletics from BC or Pitt. Honestly, it comes down to what schools will be willing to jump ship.

Heres an interesting article on some expansion scenarios:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... notre-dame