I’m not too versed on how these processes go

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- 07/26/2021 at 1:39 PM #146141
  3
  
  Ghost of the HEB
  Ute Fan
  
  @deseretgentlman
  
  But right now feels like a less than ideal time to not have a university president in place. ADs and commissioners can say and do a lot, but it is the presidents who have the final say in conference membership decisions — and they have a particularly strong say in the Pac12 and Big10. Your school’s president having relationships and connections with other presidents can be huge in the event of a shakeup. Utah not currently having a president makes us feel a little more vulnerable.
  
  Feels like the university should hurry up and get a new president in there sooner than later — preferably one with connections to decision makers in both the Pac12 and Big10.
  
  All of that said, I feel like we’re making a bigger deal out of the “Big10 raiding the Pac12” rumors. I’ve done a ton of digging into where they originated, and have yet to find a reliable source who is propagating the news. Seems to be random YouTube and Twitter accounts who reference “reports” about USC, UCLA, UO, CO contacting the Big10, but the reports are just from other randoms spreading the same rumors. They don’t seem to have a foundation in something/someone solid. It’s basically a guy who knows a guy who knows a booster of XY school said this or that. And the rumors started surfacing just a day or so after the UT/OU news broke. Would those four Pac12 universities really officially reach out to the Big10 that quickly? Even though the UT/OU news was still vague and unverified? I’m gonna say no.
  
  Of course, if stuff does hit the fan and the Big10 comes west with their nets, at least Utah’s inclusion in the AAU gives them the requisite to be included. Just gotta hope our admin and (hopefully soon) future president has the connections needed to keep us in the big boys club. But as fans, that’s a massive bridge that’s not worth crossing (stressing over) till you get there.
- 07/26/2021 at 1:50 PM #146143
  
  Central Coast Ute
  Ute Fan
  
  @flip2848
  
  Honestly that particular rumor seems odd. CO over WA makes no sense. I would not doubt that certain PAC schools are looking to make the jump though. BIG money is a lot better than PAC.
  - 07/26/2021 at 1:58 PM #146144
    
    Ghost of the HEB
    Ute Fan
    
    @deseretgentlman
    
    I believe it’s something they’re looking at (because this move has everyone looking at everything), but I don’t believe those four teams have reached out to the Big10 in an official capacity as the rumor suggests.
- 07/26/2021 at 2:57 PM #146148
  5
  
  younglurch
  Ute Fan
  
  @younglurch
  
  Well taken point on the origins of the B1G raiding the PAC rumors. Usually with these kinds of things it’s easy to trace back to the initial source. The fact that this is not the case with these rumors leaves me questioning their credibility. I don’t doubt all of the schools in the PAC have had conversations with numerous stakeholders during the last several days about their future, but I’d be shocked if any of them got on the phone asking to jump ship so quickly.
  
  It’s also unfortunate timing that the U is without a president right now. Currently they have their search down to 3 candidates. You can read more about them here. While all of them seem like smart people who are very qualified, my pick would be Taylor Randall. I’ve heard good things about him from people at the business school and to me his business background bodes the best for our chances of coming out of this realignment mess unscathed. I wouldn’t be shocked if they picked Byington though, given her medical background and how important the healthcare system is to the university.
  
  It’s important to note conference affiliation has ramifications beyond athletics. Joining a conference with the likes of Stanford, UCLA, Cal, and USC did wonders for the U and our reputation back in 2011. For example, without PAC-12 membership our inclusion in the AAU would be much less likley. While the U is well-positioned as a flagship university currently, being relegated to a second tier conference would be a setback across the board, in my opinion.
  - 07/26/2021 at 6:34 PM #146158
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    GameForAnyFuss
    Ute Fan
    
    @gameforanyfuss
    
    This is an excellent post from top to bottom.
    
    Conference affiliation has ramifications that go far beyond athletics. In fact, as a former U employee in the research field, I would argue that the educational/research benefits of being in the PAC12 are actually greater than the athletic benefits. I can say unequivocally that we would not be in the AAU if we weren’t in the PAC12.
    
    Because of that, any conference realignment will be of significant interest to everyone at the U. It’s not just the athletic department’s business. This will get attention at the highest levels, including the Board of Regents. President or no President, I promise you that the U administration is all over this.
    - 07/26/2021 at 7:19 PM #146159
      1
      
      MDUte
      Ute Fan
      
      @mdute
      
      ^^^^100%^^^^^
      
      Academics and the money that flows into the University from research grants far outweighs the athletics revenues and is greatly enhanced from now being an AAU member. The U’s AAU accreditation never would’ve been possible, IMO, without the PAC 12 affiliation. I know people always want to talk about how much money athletics drives towards universities because this always gets written about in Sports headlines etc. But it’s a literal drop in the bucket compared to the money universities bring in through tuition, research grants, university hospital system etc. The university’s annual budget is approximately $5B. Athletics at its height has just broken the $100M mark recently. Although it’s significant and a large number, athletics only accounts for about 2% of the U’s annual budget.
  - 07/26/2021 at 8:06 PM #146160
    1
    
    Charlie
    Ute Fan
    
    @charlie
    
    I can’t agree more. We need to get our leadership in place. Everyone down the line have reasonable deadlines and are asked to move quicker in times of great need. The folks up the line need to do the same but even better.
- 07/26/2021 at 4:37 PM #146155
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  Ute Dub
  Ute Fan
  
  @chestercopperpot
  
  Is this one of those years where conference re-alignment gets talke about but nothing happens, same thing as every year since 2010?
  - 07/26/2021 at 9:02 PM #146161
    1
    
    Central Coast Ute
    Ute Fan
    
    @flip2848
    
    No. UT and OU have already been invited to the SEC