MWC Commissioner interview on expansion
- Thread starter 220reb
- Start date
Face it. Things are so fluid, Nobody knows what in the world is going to happen!
She mentioned how things were fluid and how they are trying to keep their pulse on what is going on. I would have liked to have heard that we are taking the initiative to reach out daily with the Pac4 to let them know we are ready to discuss options when they are ready. They may be doing that but, her words just gave me the feeling we are not. She was elusive in talking about how we might be working with our media partners to discuss possible payouts to the schools based on different scenarios of Pac# schools invited. She basically said what we already knew was that depending on the value of the schools to the media partners would determine if there would be payout increases. I would have expected that those discussions would already have taken place with our media partners. For me the interview was a waste of time.
Thank you summarizing the interview since I don't want to take the time to watch it. (I'm being serious in thanking you)
Depressing if, and I'm running with the opinion that she's not being proactive, she isn't going after new schools, even those in the AAC, then she's collecting a paycheck just like the previous guy. How does one get a job like this for doing nothing but staying with the status quo?
So wasn't it reported that the PAC went to the MWC first to try to work out some sort of merger, but hte PAC people quickly moved on to the AAC since they weren't getting anywhere with the MW?
I don't like that they had to move on so quickly. I wonder what the impasse was?
I don't like that they had to move on so quickly. I wonder what the impasse was?
My best guess would be to say Stanford. They are holding everything up as they are working behind the scenes with G. W. Bush and Condolezza Rice to get the ACC Presidents that previously voted NO to accepting them into the conference. It's a last desperate attempt before they make a decision to go independent I think.
To be fair to Gloria there is nothing she or anyone in the MWC can say or do to influence Stanford right now. The rest of the PAC is still gasping for that one last breath of air before they drown. Once Stanford decides their fate the rest of the Pac will have to get serious with the MWC in one form or another.
I should have just left it with reading meister Rebels report. I didn't gain anything by listening to the 20 minute interview. Slight possibility of moving to 14-16 teams but really no info on that. We will know very soon but I get the impression we are going to sit back and be reactive but yet again.
It did seem that the communication and dialogue with the AAC was more expansive, so it seems like there are some things that they are offering that we aren't. Granted they do currently have a better TV contract.
Also I saw a report that Stanford was willing to join the ACC "for free".
After SC and UCLA left for the big, I was pretty confident that UO and UW would follow the question was when. Well now we know, it took longer than I expected but it happened. I also have always thought that there would be at least 2 more from the PAC move to the BIG. Stanford being the obvious one and I assumed Cal riding their coattails would be the other. I still think there is a good chance that it happens but not before the new BIG begins play next season.
So Stanford needs somewhere to play for the time being and Im very confident it will never be in a league with the likes of Fresno, SJSU, UNLV etc. As we know the ACC and playing an Independent schedule are possibilities, neither are ideal. Whatever happens with Stanford I dont think it will be for more than a season or two and then the BIG takes them along and maybe Cal or maybe ot Cal but at least 1 other or maybe 3 other schools. I dont think the BIG is done and we will see them and the SEC add more schools in the next few years.
I think in the next few years we will see at the least, Stanford, UNC, Florida St, Clemson and Notre Dame make moves from their current conferences. Then the trickle down to schools like Cal, UVa, Miami that probably make moves beased on the moves the first schools I mention make.
So Stanford needs somewhere to play for the time being and Im very confident it will never be in a league with the likes of Fresno, SJSU, UNLV etc. As we know the ACC and playing an Independent schedule are possibilities, neither are ideal. Whatever happens with Stanford I dont think it will be for more than a season or two and then the BIG takes them along and maybe Cal or maybe ot Cal but at least 1 other or maybe 3 other schools. I dont think the BIG is done and we will see them and the SEC add more schools in the next few years.
I think in the next few years we will see at the least, Stanford, UNC, Florida St, Clemson and Notre Dame make moves from their current conferences. Then the trickle down to schools like Cal, UVa, Miami that probably make moves beased on the moves the first schools I mention make.
I would be surprised if there wasn’t back channel communication for at least Oregon state and WSU.
I think she's hoping that these other attempts all fall through and that the Pac 4 remaining teams are forced into their arms without any additional concessions or special conditions like we had to give Boise. Why negotiate against yourself, but at the same time, you know some of your more prominent programs are probably back channeling into whatever AAC/Pac mix there is to keep their foot forward... I fully expect things to fall apart once the real rumors start leaking out...
Money, of course. They can spout academics all they want, but if we waggled $27mil per year at them they'd be in bed with us faster than a fraulein from 40 mark strasse. They're going to exhaust every possible avenue to get something close to what they were making before. They need to pay for the stuff they already bought, like OSU's stadium overhaul, athletics staff salaries, etc. Good luck with that, I say. We may end up with WSU and OSU, which their fans are absolutely tweaking about, but I'm not holding my breath. Cal and Stanford will call themselves "Calford" and try to join the English Premier League for "football" before they ever deign to join the MW. Meanwhile, the MW has nothing more to offer than a place to hang their hats until they get a better offer, at which point they'll be gone so fast our heads will spin.
Not impressed by her or her Cal Berkeley law degree thus far! The more she talks the more she reminds my of DRF and not in a good way. SMH Hopefully I'm wrong about her and she pulls something major off! It wouldn't take much to surpass the low bar that Greg...... errr Craig "The 🤡" Thompson set
I can’t understand why 10 mountain west teams aren’t going around her and telling the PAC they would abandon the mountain west conference to join the Pac 12 under any name conceivable.
It strikes me that the difference between doing this is two teams getting left in the cold and 12 teams getting left in the cold.
It strikes me that the difference between doing this is two teams getting left in the cold and 12 teams getting left in the cold.
I can see Stanford being snooty, since they actually bring value to a league, Cal, not nearly the same.
Stanford could actually make it work as an independent.
Stanford could actually make it work as an independent.
$$$$$ about 34 million reasons...
They would have to have assurances that a new deal is in place to pay expenses and that the conference would disband together... Thats a lot of people with big egos that would need to agree together essentially in secret
That's part of it, but to be honest I just don't think Stanford especially and Cal potentially have an appetite to associate with more than 4-6 MWC schools. They could get the 9 required "yes" answers if those schools were offered. But pick the 9 that Stanford would associate with willingly.
If you can get past 3 or 4, I'd be surprised.
I agree it would be a tough thing to try to negotiate.
But no MW team would turn the PAC down.
Talk to the 6-8 best media market schools in the MW individually, then get them on a conference call to agree to leave together. Make sure they are original MW teams who have a stronger voting presence. Then it would be up to the MW to try to fill in the losses with other teams if they could.
Those West coast teams I' guess do not want to cross the county for Football, or even worse non money sports. Especially when the money would not be THAT much better than with closer teams.
Stanford i'm guessing is as good as gone. I'm guessing the ACC will let them join for free. I didn't see Cal say the same thing about joining for free.
Even if the ACC says no, then I can see them going indy.
Cal is not ready for that, though they could be up their own butts enough to think that they are.
But if they are realistic, they shouldn't veto any addition to a new PAC. Beggars can't be choosers. They got bills to pay.
Even if the ACC says no, then I can see them going indy.
Cal is not ready for that, though they could be up their own butts enough to think that they are.
But if they are realistic, they shouldn't veto any addition to a new PAC. Beggars can't be choosers. They got bills to pay.
San Jose
San Diego
Las Vegas
Fresno
Albuquerque
Honolulu
Boise
Reno
Logan
Laramie
Fort Collins/("Denver")
Colorado Springs/AF/national interest?
I did no research here, this is just the order those markets seem like they would be in my head. There aren't more than three desirable markets... and none of those three carry their market. Among the top 8 in my order above I'd be stunned if Stanford would have any amount of interest in more than one or two.
If we talk about it without Stanford, I think Cal cowers and wouldn't put up a fight, since it would have no options.
If OSU/WSU/Cal were going the "grab best 3-5 options in AAC immediately, then grab 2-4 from MWC" route, we'd probably have:
OSU
WSU
Cal
SMU
Tulane
Rice
Memphis?
One other I can't think of?
SDSU
... beyond them, it depends on what the preference is. Market potential? UNLV, CSU, maybe one more. Football quality? BSU, fresno, usu (usually)? All sports? Maybe unlv is back in that group. Academics? Probably UNLV in the top third.
Also, I left "original MW teams with stronger voting presence" in the quote. Thats not a thing. BSU, one of the most recent members, gets a special media deal. Wyo, unm, and AFA are the schools most often left out. The top fb schools other than SDSU have all been WAC schools with the brief exception of Wyoming a few years...
SDSU and CSU would probably be the top of the list in terms of markets in the MW. CSU is second to CU in terms of popularity in the state, but I still think they capture a decent chunk.
Fresno makes sense from building a SoCal presence, and convenience of location, obviously they are good in football.
Boise Obviously has the football support, but the Las Vegas Valley has 1.5x's as many people as the state of Idaho. Their football is still good, but has lost a step. If their football drops then they can become a liability. Then of course their academics are more towards the bottom of the MW.
What UNLV has going for them will not change in terms of market and facilities, arguably has the best potential for a breakout, but we have been saying that since J Rob for football.
An article I saw, who knows what is real, mentioned SMU, Tulane, and Rice and maybe UAB for some reason? Memphis was a maybe, though they make more sense to me.
AS for the original members comment, I could have sworn I saw somewhere that the original members of the MW had voting privileges at least on some topics when it comes to changing conference policy. So Hawaii, SJSU, Boise, and Reno would not be able to potentially vote on a buyout clause change. Again, I can't remeber where I read that so grain of salt there.
Y’all been over to the MWC board? Word on the street over there is now it’s sdsu, fresno, csu, truck school to the pac fwiw which is probably dingus
Gotcha- I hadn't seen that, but definitely could have just missed it.
All good points ahead of that. Seems like as bad as we have been in football, to still have the $$ around the program (and fortunate) and be able to shell out for a coach, combined with market possibilities... gotta be a good thing. Imagine if UNLV had 2 or 3 9-win seasons and people cared a little bit.
Would be a fun world!
We make the move. Pac 2, 3, or 4. Plus our 9 and 3 to 5 from aac and you have a strong conference. Play offense. You see what has happened to those who wait and see.
I just don't think there is a prayer 9 current MWC schools would get written offers... without 9 willing to go, the exit fee will apply. UNLV would find a landing spot without the pac 12, whether it means turning around tail between legs or dropping to FCS, there is a home for UNLV.
Won't be 7 or 8 who would be willing to make that commitment to leaving and dissolving MWC with hopes that they can get in.
It's being skipped over that it requires 9 MWC schools to vote to dissolve the conference. At this point, that's the only way I have heard of avoiding exit fees. There just aren't 9 teams willing to do it without hard invites, IMO.
Who sez anything about invites? You get it all set up with pac who knows how many, and a few aac schools, everyone agrees, then you call mwc meeting and tell them what the 9 are doing and it is done. This is called playing offense. Waiting for crumbs is not going to help.
Loco has a point. What if you are NM and are one of the 9 that ends the MWC and then the new Pac# doesn't select NM. You just fcked yourself.
But if SDSU, Boise, and Colorado state leave everybody left is screwed. Not just the bottom two or three.
In context to what Loco had said was that the 9 who vote should get "hard invites". It sounds like he wanted guarantees. And, I get that. Why vote to leave the MWC and take a chance of getting left out.
Under a different scenario with SDSU, BSU, and CSU leaving you are correct. The rest of us are screwed.
Thanks, that is why I say 9 got to get this setup themselves. We lose the top third and we are the big sky or big west.
There aren't 9 schools in the mwc who would put themselves out there. There are not 9 schools would be wanted in that "super conference"
Similar threads
