A few things to keep in mind

Seems strange to me that the Pac 10 would extend invitation to one school -CU, if they were considering trying to bring on 5 more later. Unless it gets Baylor off the table for them.

From the get go I thought the Pac 10 was only "inviting" 6 teams in hopes of getting 2 of them. We know their heart has been set on getting Colorado for some time but if they discuss inviting 6 teams publically it might make some of them play off each other an allow the Pac 10 to choose the 2 most willing to give something up to get in.
 
Or how about this? Nebraska goes to the Big 10 and the Big XII offers Notre Dame.[/QUOTE]

Is there an offer that ND couldn't refuse for the B12. I realize that w/ Beebe in charge there is less than a zero percent chance of this.
 
Just a question here- Would the TV contract for the Big 12 be the same $$$ as the TV contract for the Big 16 (pac 10). I realize that it would be split more ways but does the fact that you have the the largest market in the Big 12 (TX) plus all of the West Coast markets (LA, the rest of Cali, Oregon, Washington as well as Arizona. If they add CO then they get the Denver market.

It just seems to me that there are more TV sets if FOX goes with the existing PAC 10 plus TX and CO than if they go with the remaining Big 12 including TX and a whoever would replace the teams that leave.
 
Last edited:
I think the buyout to the conference is a non issue. Just because Colorado or some other school owed the money doesn't mean they will pay it. How will the conference or the jilted universities collect? They will have to file suit, get a judgment and then try to collect. That could take years.
 
Just thinking out loud here.
2 - What if Notre Dame all of the sudden takes the Big Ten up on their offer? Reports have indicated that the Big Ten has told the Irish if they said yes, they'd stop at 12 right? Who is to say that the Big Ten wouldn't play Nebraska, just like they did Mizzou? I know that this is a long shot. But it is still a possibility.

Why won't ND jump to the Big Ten?

1) The have a pretty good deal with NBC.

2) Look at how they can schedule...from 2009...
Nevada,Michigan,Michigan State,Purdue,Washington,USC,Boston College,Washington State,Navy,Pittsburgh,Connecticut,Stanford

They basically travel around the country, coast-to-coast all year long, which gives them awesome exposure for the university and for recruiting. If they go to the Big Ten, they are basically stuck in the Midwest for 2/3 of the season. The Big 12, with a Pac-10 alliance, could solve the exposure issue for ND.

3 - Here is what I still can't wrap my mind around. Why would Texas bolt just because Nebraska does? They are Texas. They run the show. They get what they want. They can't get along with Mizzou? They are really going to let Missouri keep them from getting what they want? Sure, if they go to the PAC 16, they get more money. But they also have a much tougher road to a championship game. They are taking all of the South (Baylor doesn't count) with them so there is no difference in recruiting. If Texas really wants to stay in the Big 12, they can make it work.

4 - Just my thought here but if the PAC 16 doesn't exist, there is no reason why the Big 12 (with or without Nebraska and Colorado) couldn't get the next bit FOX television contract. It would be up for grabs between the Big 12 and the PAC 10. That's a toss up that could go either way.

There are three teams in the Big 12 with large national followings and tradition for FB...UT, OU, and NU, (maybe A&M)...and that national following is needed to get people to watch your network outside of the conference area. If NU goes, you've just whacked 1/3 of your prominent national following, with no prominent teams in the North. That really hurts the TV deal. Who do you get to fill NU as far as national following and tradition?

I think UT is leaving because the TV money from the Pac-10 beats any TV deal the Big 12 can get without NU. UT is willing to give up their Big 12 power for a stable TV revenue stream. Other than that, I'm not sure why else they would bolt...
 
Last edited:
Why would ISU want to be in a conference with Texas and without a border partner like NU? As far as I am concerned, if the Big 12 were to stay together it would be terrible for little schools like ISU, KSU.
 
Why won't ND jump to the Big Ten?

1) The have a pretty good deal with NBC.

2) Look at how they can schedule...from 2009...
Nevada,Michigan,Michigan State,Purdue,Washington,USC,Boston College,Washington State,Navy,Pittsburgh,Connecticut,Stanford

They basically travel around the country, coast-to-coast all year long, which gives them awesome exposure for the university and for recruiting. If they go to the Big Ten, they are basically stuck in the Midwest for 2/3 of the season. The Big 12, with a Pac-10 alliance, could solve the exposure issue for ND.



There are three teams in the Big 12 with large national followings and tradition...UT, OU, and NU, (maybe A&M)...and that national following is needed to get people to watch your network outside of the conference area. If NU goes, you've just whacked 1/3 of your prominent national following, with no prominent teams in the North. That really hurts the TV deal. Who do you get to fill NU as far as national following and tradition?

I think UT is leaving because the TV money from the Pac-10 beats any TV deal the Big 12 can get without NU. UT is willing to give up their Big 12 power for a stable TV revenue stream. Other than that, I'm not sure why else they would bolt...

Actually, Dan Patrick was saying yesterday that NBC wouldn't be heartbroken if they lost their deal with Notre Dame, as the ratings that NBC is getting from airing ND's football games aren't all they're cracked up to be. Sounds like while NBC wouldn't turn down a renewal of the ND contract, it's not the real winner that everyone assumes it to be. Which may mean that for the last decade or so everyone may have been grossly overestimating the national importance that is Notre Dame...
 
I don't think we should make comments like "Baylor doesn't count" when others make the same comments about us and we get all ticked off.
 
To continue on my ND point, continuing what I heard on Dan Patrick yesterday, ND's contract with NBC brought in $15 million last year. Indiana's Big 10 contracts brought in ~$23 million. Yeah, if ND ever makes the BCS, they get to keep all that money for themselves, but when was the last time they made the BCS, and are they realistically going to make it again anytime soon?

At this point, ND needs those Michigan, Michigan St, and Purdue games A LOT MORE than the 3 Big 10 schools need them. Who's to say that, as a part of pressuring ND to join the conference, those three schools agree to terminate their rivalry with ND if they don't join the conference? As I said, ND needs the Big 10 a lot more than the Big 10 needs ND right now.
 
I believe it's been stated that ND would likely make considerably more off the BTN than their own NBC deal.

jbh's point about the exposure ND receives by setting their own schedule is a great point.
 
Just thinking out loud here.

1 - Nothing has officially happened yet.

2 - What if Notre Dame all of the sudden takes the Big Ten up on their offer? Reports have indicated that the Big Ten has told the Irish if they said yes, they'd stop at 12 right? Who is to say that the Big Ten wouldn't play Nebraska, just like they did Mizzou? I know that this is a long shot. But it is still a possibility.

3 - Here is what I still can't wrap my mind around. Why would Texas bolt just because Nebraska does? They are Texas. They run the show. They get what they want. They can't get along with Mizzou? They are really going to let Missouri keep them from getting what they want? Sure, if they go to the PAC 16, they get more money. But they also have a much tougher road to a championship game. They are taking all of the South (Baylor doesn't count) with them so there is no difference in recruiting. If Texas really wants to stay in the Big 12, they can make it work.

4 - Just my thought here but if the PAC 16 doesn't exist, there is no reason why the Big 12 (with or without Nebraska and Colorado) couldn't get the next bit FOX television contract. It would be up for grabs between the Big 12 and the PAC 10. That's a toss up that could go either way.

Just a few thoughts here on a Thursday morning.

How does moving to a new Pac 16 make their road to a championship game any tougher? It would be a divisional thing, with ASU and Arizona joining TU, A&M, TT, OU, OSU and CU/BU. Their conference schedule would not really change. Your substituting ASU and Arizona for two Big 12 North schools they would face. The only change would be who they play in the conference title game, and with the sanctions USC is facing, they would be playing someone like Oregon or UCLA. How is that different than facing NU, for example?

IMO, they bolt because their road is not changing for the tougher and they will make more $$$.
 
Do the sanctions against USC hurt the Pac 10 conference? A high profile conference member won't be eligible for a BCS bid for two years and the loss of 20 scholarships hurts. Plus don't they have basketball sanctions as well.
 
Do the sanctions against USC hurt the Pac 10 conference? A high profile conference member won't be eligible for a BCS bid for two years and the loss of 20 scholarships hurts. Plus don't they have basketball sanctions as well.

Probably makes it more appealing for the south schools.

The big dog get's taken down a few rungs? That's the way to enter a new conference.
 
In response to the post asking if a "buy-out" would have to go through litigation in courts, and hence be difficult and time consuming.

My understanding is that if CU opts for the Pac 10, $5 million is subtracted from '09 revenues and $5 million from their '10 revenue share. They don't write a check to the Big 12.
 
In response to the post asking if a "buy-out" would have to go through litigation in courts, and hence be difficult and time consuming.

My understanding is that if CU opts for the Pac 10, $5 million is subtracted from '09 revenues and $5 million from their '10 revenue share. They don't write a check to the Big 12.

Colorado's got nothing to worry about if Nebraska really goes to the Big 10 and the Texas fivesome also head to the Pac 10 - under Delaware corporate law (the laws that the Big 12 conference was founded under), the Big 12 will be dissolved by simple majority and the remnants of the Big 12 conference won't be paid a dime.

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL CORPORATION LAW Subchapter X. Sale of Assets, Dissolution and Winding Up
 
With the money Allums give ND they might take a pay cut if they join the Big10 and Allums don't like it. Davies , former ND coach and ESPN guy said ND gets more INTEREST off $$$$$$$$$$$ than Big 10 could pay them.
IF Big 10 teams refuse to play ND, look out. What would you do, or most people do these days?? My lawyer will call yours. ANTI TRUST here we come.
About 5 years ago a bunch of schools moved around this could be like that again, this could be fun to watch. I still think ISU turns out ok in the end. MAYBE not the best but it will work out.