Saying that UU owns the Utah market is like saying Biola University owns the So Cal. market. BYU owns SLC, Utah, and the Rocky Mountains--not even the Jazz can outdraw BYU football.
It's makes little sense for USC and UCLA to go north. Almost insane. Time difference, money to travel, weather extremes, higher academics, you name it. They are setting themselves up for more failure.
Several recent reports claim that the Big 12 is not meeting with any Pac12 schools today or in the near future. Said schools have, in fact, come out with statements "alleging" their commitment to the Pac12. Could all be posturing and positioning, I don't know.
Here's an off the wall idea for expansion for the current Pac-10 before it all falls apart.
1. San Diego State - not off the wall
2. Use Cal Poly's infrastructure and make up a combined student body team (revenue sports only) adding the LA area UC schools (excluding that one) and play at the Rose Bowl, SoFi or somewhere around the LA metro area for football. Mind you, most of the students and alumni probably won't care (like Stanford and Cal to be honest); but the combined, existing alumni base is most likely on par with UCLA and USC combined.
Nice article. And, I'm glad that Cal is in fact, more powerful than it looks right now. After years of slumping ticket sales due to ennui and night games, Cal could rebound if it finds an audience for both TV and home games. Admittedly as Alpha and other folks have pointed out, the marketing to local fans has been abysmal and the Bay Area remains solidly a pro market. For marketing success, consider the demise of the A's and the success of the Warriors in building even a global brand. It takes committed ownership, or in the case of Cal, effective leadership and support from the top university officials. This has been sorely lacking. If Cal does make a move either to the Big 10 or 12, the era of half-measures and lukewarm support must end.
Saying that UU owns the Utah market is like saying Biola University owns the So Cal. market. BYU owns SLC, Utah, and the Rocky Mountains--not even the Jazz can outdraw BYU football.
It's makes little sense for USC and UCLA to go north. Almost insane. Time difference, money to travel, weather extremes, higher academics, you name it. They are setting themselves up for more failure.
I think the Big Ten’s list of most desired expansion targets goes as follows:
(1) Notre Dame;
(2) Stanford/Berkeley;
(3) Berkeley/Stanford;
(4) Washington
(5) North Carolina/Duke
(6) Duke/North Carolina
(7) Virginia
(8) Oregon
Several recent reports claim that the Big 12 is not meeting with any Pac12 schools today or in the near future. Said schools have, in fact, come out with statements "alleging" their commitment to the Pac12. Could all be posturing and positioning, I don't know.
Here's an off the wall idea for expansion for the current Pac-10 before it all falls apart.
1. San Diego State - not off the wall
2. Use Cal Poly's infrastructure and make up a combined student body team (revenue sports only) adding the LA area UC schools (excluding that one) and play at the Rose Bowl, SoFi or somewhere around the LA metro area for football. Mind you, most of the students and alumni probably won't care (like Stanford and Cal to be honest); but the combined, existing alumni base is most likely on par with UCLA and USC combined.
Nice article. And, I'm glad that Cal is in fact, more powerful than it looks right now. After years of slumping ticket sales due to ennui and night games, Cal could rebound if it finds an audience for both TV and home games. Admittedly as Alpha and other folks have pointed out, the marketing to local fans has been abysmal and the Bay Area remains solidly a pro market. For marketing success, consider the demise of the A's and the success of the Warriors in building even a global brand. It takes committed ownership, or in the case of Cal, effective leadership and support from the top university officials. This has been sorely lacking. If Cal does make a move either to the Big 10 or 12, the era of half-measures and lukewarm support must end.
And, Go Bears!!!
I just hope we get into Big 10. If not, Big 12.
Fantastic work, Avi. Greatly appreciated as well.
Seems like a real chance OSU and Wazzu could end up in the Mountain West.
What a complete mess this all is.
Great write-up Avi, as always.
Small nit: Notre Dame is not Jesuit. (That would be Boston College in D1 football.)
I don't even want to know. What a clusterfuck-shitshow.