It's a legitimate football conference and, with the right media deal and good logistics, a true merger could be interesting. Being bi-coastal also effectively expands TV viewing hours. But I don't see how some loose arrangement has much upside since the real benefits come with actual integration.
The fact that Knowlton even cares about the non revenue Olympic sports and is worried about their travel is the crux of why Cal is in this position. Those sports are a drag on the football team’s budget and really should have zero input in Cal’s conference plans.
One thing for certain, November 25 will be a very difficult day for fUCLA in Berkeley. We all know where the buses load postgame, too. Don't throw anything except words!
Just had a thought about a ACC/PAC merger. To alleviate the travel issues, how about keeping football and BB as separate divisions (ACC/PAC), but then hold joint playoffs and championship games. That should up the money for TV to broadcast these extra games, right? And olympic sports would stay separate until the championship games/matches, etc. This would be a sort of in-between to have incrementally more revenue to both leagues. They could also sprinkle in some stand-alone, in-season games and/or mini-tournaments to add more oomph. Other than money, I would really be concerned about distance, travel, and local/regional rivalries for students and fans.
The ACC sunk the playoff expansion and is part of the reason we're in this mess now. I doubt inter-conference game rights can make enough revenue to keep schools from jumping ship.
Anyone else find it odd that there have been zero media reports about Cal or Stanford talking to any other conference? I know Cal's viewed as an afterthought in all of this by some in the national media, but my gut tells me something is happening. Even WSU and OSU were reported to have reached out to the Big 12. So why no reports whatsoever about Stanford or Cal reaching out to anyone? Is something afoot or am I giving our leaders too much credit?
Meh.
It's a legitimate football conference and, with the right media deal and good logistics, a true merger could be interesting. Being bi-coastal also effectively expands TV viewing hours. But I don't see how some loose arrangement has much upside since the real benefits come with actual integration.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I got half a mind (maybe 1/4) to disconnect from the flotsam and jetsam right up until the UCD kickoff, then catchup.
The fact that Knowlton even cares about the non revenue Olympic sports and is worried about their travel is the crux of why Cal is in this position. Those sports are a drag on the football team’s budget and really should have zero input in Cal’s conference plans.
Call it the PAC-20 (or whatever the # is) but the PAC now stands for Pacific Atlantic Conference.
Useless in my opinion. What the B1G isn't far enough East we need to go further East? And we already know how "alliances" worked out.
Avi, thank you for covering this. The implications for Cal of any changes are largely getting ignored by other media outlets
This would just be a way to survive while the other superconferences figure it out, but might be a decent stopgap solution for now.
One thing for certain, November 25 will be a very difficult day for fUCLA in Berkeley. We all know where the buses load postgame, too. Don't throw anything except words!
Just had a thought about a ACC/PAC merger. To alleviate the travel issues, how about keeping football and BB as separate divisions (ACC/PAC), but then hold joint playoffs and championship games. That should up the money for TV to broadcast these extra games, right? And olympic sports would stay separate until the championship games/matches, etc. This would be a sort of in-between to have incrementally more revenue to both leagues. They could also sprinkle in some stand-alone, in-season games and/or mini-tournaments to add more oomph. Other than money, I would really be concerned about distance, travel, and local/regional rivalries for students and fans.
The ACC sunk the playoff expansion and is part of the reason we're in this mess now. I doubt inter-conference game rights can make enough revenue to keep schools from jumping ship.
Anyone else find it odd that there have been zero media reports about Cal or Stanford talking to any other conference? I know Cal's viewed as an afterthought in all of this by some in the national media, but my gut tells me something is happening. Even WSU and OSU were reported to have reached out to the Big 12. So why no reports whatsoever about Stanford or Cal reaching out to anyone? Is something afoot or am I giving our leaders too much credit?
According to Wilner Oregon and Washington aren't going to the Big10, maybe the Big 12, otherwise they will have to stick it out in the Pac-12.
I'm sure Phil Knight will be sticking around for this.
Hitting two birds with one stone
First