Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[SolterraCyclone]

I know the narrative on this board is that GK was an idiot while BY is a genius, but in reality I think the story is the B12 had realistic and strategically aligned presidents while the Pac had unrealistic arrogance. We were both offered the same deal. The B12 took it and established a look of strength and stability. The Pac rejected it and then floundered until they fractured. The commissioners get far too much credit and blame here. Even BY said in a recent interview that he got lucky, he had no idea the TV money and availability window was about to close.

There is an element of truth to this. I’ve believed the P12 was going to be wounded no matter who was in charge, but it was leadership incompetence (both the presidents and GK) that led to its destruction.

Part of GK’s job is to get everyone marching in the same direction (willing or unwilling). If some random ass professor and his/her school’s president says “our value is $50M”, but you think that is crazy, then you tell them that. You say, we can’t make that counter-offer in good faith, ESPN will walk away. And you work on the other presidents to overrule the professor.

Everyone at some point in their careers will have a disagreement with a superior. It’s your job to tell them you disagree and here’s why.

I’m sure some Big 12 presidents’ thought our TV deal was too low. But Yormark got them to agree to it because he thought it was fair value and that is what a commissioner is supposed to do. And, yes, the presidents are more in lockstep.

Plus anyone can just tell listening to GK vs BY. BY is more intelligent, well-spoken, and commands a room much better. There’s some truth that he was lucky (after all he had no control over the P12 refusing that deal), but he’s also being modest there too.

 

[HouClone]

Holy crap. The market is what the vendor tells you, not what you estimate in house. GK’s leadership is a case study in incompetence.

Could this Pac President's, who said to GK the conference is worth $50 million, last name rhyme with "blow"?

 

[Clonefan94]

Lol, which is exactly where they are now.

Not only that, but history is proving, when a school is voting against the best interest of the conference, they are looking to get out. I just hope the Big 12 has learned it’s lesson, since no one else seems to think it will happen to them.

 

[CrossCyed]

Boy, Michael Crow is still working hard to sell the "great" streaming deal Apple offered the Pac. He just can't let that thing go, even all while recognizing all the ASU fans were against him. He also talks about all these bells and whistles of Apple streaming that nearly all other streaming platforms also offer, including the streaming portion of the Big 12 contract. I am so glad this guy isn't our President at ISU.

why is he wearing two watches

 

[Die4Cy]

WVU plays 2 regional rivals every year. now rotates from penn state, pitt, vt, and terps.

NB is crying about the schedule and wants to do Pitt every year and 2 lower-level teams. fans are not having that.

coaches are paid big money to win tough games, not tune-ups. If we go to 10 conference games, id be okay with not playing psu. just 12 p5 teams with vt and pitt being the nonconf games every year.

The loss of variety in the schedule is an issue for me. ISU's schedule has stunk for some time because it is a carbon copy every year, pretty much. We are going to get a little more variety in the Big 12 schedule where you don't really want/need it, in return for less variety on the part of the schedule where you do.

If I were in charge of the universe, the 12 game schedule nationwide would be 8 conference games for everyone, 3 P5 home and homes from around the country, and a buy game. Better for the fans.

 

[sunset]

Projections 101, give a range, not a specific number. Unless $50M was their minimum, in which case they f’d up that forecast.

Who knows what happened in this case, but you can give a range, three sheets of caveats, and explicitly say “don’t use this figure externally” and somebody is going to recall a number they liked and use it completely out of context.

 

[isucy86]

I know the narrative on this board is that GK was an idiot while BY is a genius, but in reality I think the story is the B12 had realistic and strategically aligned presidents while the Pac had unrealistic arrogance. We were both offered the same deal. The B12 took it and established a look of strength and stability. The Pac rejected it and then floundered until they fractured. The commissioners get far too much credit and blame here. Even BY said in a recent interview that he got lucky, he had no idea the TV money and availability window was about to close.

The 3rd leg are media consultants hired by the commissioners office. It would be interesting where they advised GK & Presidents.

Conversely, BY made right decision because he had better consultants or maybe recency of his NBA job gave him unique insight about media market.

 

[isucy86]

The Flugaur podcast mentioned that prominent Stanford alumni are still lobbying Big10 about membership. Their approach is selling Stanford's elite Olympic sport teams as part of Big10.

Not sure if that means Stanford would go independent in football until 2030 when Big10 negotiates their next deal. Or Stanford would come cheap.

 

[isucy86]

why is he wearing two watches

One's a Timex smart watch.

 

[BeachCyclone]

BIG 10 raided the PAC 12 and then went in for the kill shot.

My hope is that OU and Texas , go 6-6 or 7-5 in the SEC over the next decade , while ISU is consistently going to the Playoffs.

Hope OU and Texas becomes Nebraska

FIFY

 

[HouClone]

To add Stanford, it is more in the hands of ESPN.

ACC commish to Condi and the Prez: "Would love to add Stanford but only if our member institutions aren't taking a pay cut. Here is ESPN's phone number: 1-866-xxx-xxxx. Discuss with them."

 

[GTO]

why is he wearing two watches

He's so dumb he probably has one on Mountain time and the other one on Pacific time. Probably even labeled that way.

 

[Dr.bannedman]

why is he wearing two watches

he has multiple timezones to think about now

 

[stateofmind]

why is he wearing two watches

Been doing it for a while it appears. Fit bit and apple watch

Guessing this guy is very difficult to talk to. "Dad, you know that your Apple watch can track your steps right?" "I don't like things doing multiple things, the only way to be accurate is to do one thing well. See, there are new typewriters that have a viewing window AND can do math problems. But somehow that leads to porn. I just don't trust it."

 

[BCClone]

From a typical coach's point of view: I think you are right. Having two "warmup" games before a 10-game conference season is better than only one and a rivalry game against another Power 5 4. (although I dont think CMC is afraid of a tough game).

From a conference "we need to get more teams in the playoffs" view: I think you are also right. Having one fewer "Power 5 4" game gives a greater chance to having undefeated or one-loss teams in the conference which in turn might add Big 12 teams into the playoffs (although I think the best the Big 12 can hope for is two teams and that likely only happens if the same scenario as last year plays out)

From a media partner's viewpoint": I think you are wrong. I think the media partners would love to have a Power 5 rivalry outside of conference play, particularly if it is early in the year.

As a fan, beyond ISU- EIU, I hope the third viewpoint wins out. Whether it is a rivalry or a rotating non-con Power 5 4 matchup, I prefer that to watch and as a data point when comparing conferences.

People have calculated the stats. The big 12 would have had 2 teams in like 4 of the last 6 years. So stop with two will be rare.

 

[cyfanatic]

Boy, Michael Crow is still working hard to sell the "great" streaming deal Apple offered the Pac. He just can't let that thing go, even all while recognizing all the ASU fans were against him. He also talks about all these bells and whistles of Apple streaming that nearly all other streaming platforms also offer, including the streaming portion of the Big 12 contract. I am so glad this guy isn't our President at ISU.

Every time I read those quotes yesterday I couldn't believe how out of touch with the entertainment industry this guy is...or at least comes off as being in that interview!

 

[David Freshman1982]

There is a story in the LA Times that directly points the finger at ASU and Crow as being the ones that pushed the $50MM unicorn and killed the P10. The story blames GK just as much, if not more, for not having the stones to put the kibosh on the ASU kooks and impress upon the other schools the importance of accepting a reasonable ESPN offer. As the story notes, his job as commissioner is/was to protect schools like OSU and WSU, who were the most vulnerable to a league collapse, and obviously he failed in that task miserably.

 

[SCNCY]

There is a story in the LA Times that directly points the finger at ASU and Crow as being the ones that pushed the $50MM unicorn and killed the P10. The story blames GK just as much, if not more, for not having the stones to put the kibosh on the ASU kooks and impress upon the other schools the importance of accepting a reasonable ESPN offer. As the story notes, his job as commissioner is/was to protect schools like OSU and WSU, who were the most vulnerable to a league collapse, and obviously he failed in that task miserably.

Yeah, everything I've seen from Crow, seems like someone who is stuck up and thinks he's the smartest person in the room. I hope the current Big 12 schools sees this and puts him in his place.

 

[David Freshman1982]

Yeah, everything I've seen from Crow, seems like someone who is stuck up and thinks he's the smartest person in the room. I hope the current Big 12 schools sees this and puts him in his place.

He has a lot of haters even in Tempe and Phoenix. I don't think he lasts for long.

 

[SCNCY]

He has a lot of haters even in Tempe and Phoenix. I don't think he lasts for long.

Probably true, but I assume you mean ASU fans. Unfortunately, they don't get much of a say in the employment status of a university president. The people that matter are the Board of Regents and the Academic types at the university. The athletic department gets some consideration, but not a majority.