Super Conferences

[MDUte]

If the 16 team super conference is inevitable, and we could pick our ideal 4 teams that enlarge our footprint and add the most value to the PAC, this would be my 4 teams for Kliavkoff to go after:
•Texas
•Oklahoma
•Kansas
•Nebraska

Curious to hear from others. What would be your ideal 4 teams to add?

[Heike]

Agreed that these would be the ideal four to get to 16, if the PAC could keep UT in line, which might not be realistic.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Didn’t you hear? Texas and OU are going to the SEC. So they’re off the table.

I’d go with Baylor, Texas Tech, Kansas, and Nebraska. That would make the PAC16 better in football and basketball.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

There’s no way Nebraska leaves the BigTen for the Pac-12.  The BigTen is the highest grossing league in the country.  Leaving them for us could cost them about $20M/yr,

[MDUte]

I agree with you. However, I would argue that a PAC 16 that included these 4 name brands would close the gap on our next media rights deal. Nebraska has already shown they don’t feel at home in the B1G. If they were able to join a league that included their former rivals while not taking a pay cut, why not?

But hey, just playing make believe here…I’ll be the first to admit there’s not the slightest of chances it happens.

[FountainofUte]

UT, OU, KU, NU would be perfection. Everyone knows that’s a pipe dream, BUT…

I think there’s a distinct possibility that Tamu will move heaven and earth to keep UT out of the SEC and be able to pull it off.

Second of all, I agree that the PAC-12 WITH the 4 schools mentioned above is a completely different ballgame at the negotiation table.

Last of all, I think what the PAC-12 needs to be doing is working hand in hand with the B1G to help the PAC get UT/OU and the B1G get Notre Dame from the ACC. If the two negotiate to move NU to the PAC with UT/OU/KU, and the B1G lures ND and then UNC and maybe VT or Clemson, then the two conferences work together to not merge but collaborate on coast to coast content from NY to LA and Austin to Seattle to Charlotte, that’s a pretty formidable package of content across the country and all time zones and big markets that no other combo of conferences could offer.

[CB]

I prefer keeping the Pac-12 the way it is now with the current 12, but if we had to pick up 4 more I would want Baylor and Houston for them Texas markets, and then Nebraska and UNLV. This is of course assuming UT/OU are off the table, but again would prefer to stay at 12

[2008 National Champ]

TCU instead of Baylor would give you Dallas and Houston markets and avoid recent scandals. Nebraska doesn’t bring much to the table right now except nostalgia for the Tom Osborne days. UNLV is more about the potential of the city instead of the school but if that’s what it takes to get the league offices out of San Francisco, sign me up.

The biggest issue facing the Pac is that they’ve already mined everything west of Oklahoma/Texas for schools of value (to the presidents). It’s not easy to find another school in or near the current footprint that provides the academic as well as athletic prestige.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I don’t think scandals will factor in. Penn St. and Michigan St. have much bigger scandals in their recent past than Baylor, yet their status in the Big 10 was never even questioned.

[2008 National Champ]

status for an incumbent is always different than someone looking to join the club. Penn State and Michigan State might be considered more controversial if they were trying to change conferences.

For Baylor to be in consideration to join the Pac it would definitely be an additional hurdle. Also, the Baylor sex abuse that led to firing Art Briles was 2016 so it would be after the Penn State news (2011/12). Hard to say about Michigan State since Nassar was abusing girls for at least a decade while the trial was more recent.