650 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Why are the Pac 12 and Mountain West dancing around the obvious that they need each other?

Unless the Pac 12 teams which bounced to the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC return in the fold...  or if you add someone like BYU...   you basically have two incomplete, underwhelming conferences. 

 

Together, you have something.  Probably the worst Power 5, but still, something. 

 

By themselves, you are just teetering. 

 

Combine the best 12-14 schools, and then try and add back the schools which left. 
Start with the ACC schools as they should be the easiest to add. 

[BSLMikeLowe]

There are some hard feelings on both sides over how the scheduling agreement ended, but that’s not really the issue. The feeling among OSU/WSU and the five schools that left the MWC is that the others were too dilutive in value, both monetarily and national perception. It’s no coincidence that the five that left were also the top 5 in average TV viewership in the MWC. They didn’t want to share the pie with those other schools. It might not seem like a lot of money lost when you look at what the overall revenue gap has grown to now, but when you are fighting for every scrap that the power conferences leave behind, those dollars matter.

 

Would be a great move for the Pac if they could circle back and get Memphis (who it definitely sounds like they left the door open to leave the AAC). Maybe the best G5 football program they don’t already have and a good basketball rep too. Get them and call it a day….or if they really want another school in the eastern footprint then re-engage with Tulane too.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Conference realignment's frenetic pace reaffirms Pac-12, Mountain West should have merged all along

https://www.cbssport...rged-all-along/

 

 

[BSLMikeLowe]

The Mountain West is in discussions with Hawaii to become a full member of the conference. Currently a football-only member, Hawaii does not count towards the 8 members they need to be a FBS conference.

 

The Mountain West has announced that Hawaii will become a full member of the conference in 2026. They had previously competed in the Big West Conference in all sports but football. The MWC is now set to have the minimum 8 full members it will need when five current members leave for the Pac-12.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Grand Canyon University will be joining the Mountain West Conference by 2026, and possibly as early as next year, as a non-football member. They had originally planned to join the West Coast Conference next year. They currently play in the WAC.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Chris Vannini of The Athletic reports that UC Davis is joining the Mountain West for all sports except football. I'm assuming they will remain in the Big Sky for football.

[BSLMikeLowe]

ESPN exercises option to televise ACC sports through 2036

 

One of the things that was somewhat underreported about ESPN's lengthy TV deal with the ACC was that ESPN had the option to end the deal after 2027. But that won't be happening. How this pertains to realignment is that now that the ACC has official clarity on how long their TV deal will last, they can focus in on trying to settle the lawsuits with Florida State and Clemson that attempts to void the grant-of-rights.

 

Recent reports indicate that the two schools are more open now than before to reaching a settlement (I'm guessing FSU's 2-10 season might be at least part of the impetus for this). In addition to the conference recently instating imbalanced revenue sharing for CFP/bowl/NCAAT payouts, they would also add imbalanced media rights payouts based on which schools air on more featured TV windows/channels that draw bigger ratings.

[BSLMikeLowe]

The ACC and Clemson/FSU have reached a settlement in the four lawsuits between the entities. David Hale had the following details:

 

 

David Hale

‪@adavidhalejoint.bsky.social‬

 

To sum up:

- All boards have approved settlement

- Brand rev dist=60% of TV $ divvied based on 5-year weighted rolling avg of team viewers/ACC viewers

- Exit fee is $165M for 25-26, declining by $18M annually until 2030-31 when it stays at $75M.

- Teams can leave w/media rights if exit fee paid

[BSLMikeLowe]

My thoughts on the ACC settlement:

 

Come 2031, if Florida State, Clemson and North Carolina are still in the ACC, I’ll be pretty surprised. UNC must be really happy, as they’ll have a manageable exit fee in a few years and didn’t have to pay a bunch of billable hours for it like Clemson/FSU did.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports, new-look Pac-12 extend partnership through 2030-31

[BSLMikeLowe]

It's been gaining traction for the past several weeks, but sounds more and more like Texas State will be joining the Pac-12 next summer to be their 8th full sports member, and 9th overall. Still talk going around they could add a football-only member like Memphis, who would play their other sports in the Big East.

 

Expect an official announcement on TXSt by the 30th, as they need to give the Sun Belt a full year departure notice or their exit fee doubles from $5M to $10M.

 

https://www.espn.com...fer-join-pac-12