Rufus

I’m surprised the UC Board of Regents did not mandate UCLA to play Cal annually in all sports.

This is silly. Can you imagine if California, Oklahoma or Texas had this law? Sorry UCLA. You can’t go to the B1G since they don’t want Cal. Sorry Oklahoma. You can’t go to the SEC since they don’t want Oklahoma State. Sorry Texas (and A&M previously). You can’t go to the SEC since they don’t want Texas Tech.

Someone mentioned that only Ohio State and Michigan have won B1G titles in the last 20 years. Not true. Here are past champions: B1G Championship Game Era: 2022 - Michigan 2021- Michigan 2020 - Ohio State 2019 - Ohio State 2018 - Ohio State 2017 - Ohio State 2016 - Penn State 2015 - Michigan State 2014 - Ohio State 2013 - Michigan State 2012 - Wisconsin 2011 - Wisconsin Pre-Championship Game Era (11 members) 2010 - Michigan State, Wisconsin 2009 - Ohio State 2008 - Ohio State, Penn State 2007 - Ohio State 2006 - Ohio State 2005 - Ohio State, Penn State 2004 - Iowa, Michigan 2003 - Michigan 2002 - Iowa, Ohio State 2001 - Illinois 2000 - Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue In the decade prior to the B1G Championship Game, only Indiana and Minnesota did not win a championship.

B1G sports that Oregon does not sponsor… Men’s Sports: Gymnastics Ice Hockey Lacrosse Soccer Swimming & Diving Wrestling Women’s Sports: Field Hockey Gymnastics Rowing Swimming & Diving Sports Oregon sponsors that the B1G does not: Men’s Sports: None Women’s Sports: Acrobatics and Tumbling Beach Volleyball

Just for fun….. How do you see Oregon stacking up with the 16 B1G schools for each sport? Men’s Sports: Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Tennis Track and Field - Indoor Track and Field - Outdoor Women’s Sports: Basketball Cross Country Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Tennis Track and Field - Indoor Track and Field - Outdoor Volleyball

This article discusses possible additions to the B1G: The B1G 10: Jim Harbaugh poised to finally hit the elite level in recruiting at Michigan SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Matt Hayes makes his weekly trek around the Big Ten, checking in on Michigan's quest to land a 5-star... 4. The slog schedule process The further Big Ten officials delve into a new schedule format, the more exposed is the reality of USC and UCLA alone on the West Coast. Officials continue to work through format proposals — 3 permanent opponents and 6 rotating is still the likely choice — even though it could all be scrapped once a new commissioner is hired and if expansion is revisited. Multiple Big Ten officials expressed concern about travel logistics with USC and UCLA, and earlier this month told Saturday Tradition that athletic scheduling/travel and academic “stress” for all student athletes at all member institutions (not just football players) must be addressed — and that USC and UCLA can’t be left “on a geographic island.” The Big Ten and the SEC both will likely announce in May new schedule formats for their 16-team leagues in 2024. The Big Ten schedule could be reworked — and allow more flexibility for USC and UCLA — should the conference add 2 (Oregon, Washington) or more teams (Stanford, Cal) in expansion.

UCLA will never come crawling back. The B1G is a lifetime guarantee of relevance at the big boy table for the Bruins.

In addition to the PAC media deal dragging out, consider this…. The B1G has yet to announce its scheduling format for 2024, including protected rivalries. There is no reason for this to have dragged on so long unless something big was going to happen first.

Oregon defeated Ohio State in the ffinals of the first ever NCAA tournament. Ohio State defeated Oregon in the first ever CFP Championship Game.

Wishing for UCLA to succeed for the money just makes me think how overly reliant the conference has been on the LA schools to make money for everyone else. The LA gravy train is about to end. The rest of the PAC will look towards Oregon and Washington as being their gravy train now that USC and UCLA are gone. It won’t be nearly as much money, but enough to bring everyone else up to whatever the payout will be.

This is a series of articles on ESPN 960. I’m not sure how many will be written, but here are the ones posted so far: Part 1 - Why the PAC10 is Struggling to Make a Media Deal - ESPN 960 Sports ESPN960SPORTS.COM BY JEFF FULLER (BAMA COUG) & KRINDORR Link to Part 2 Link to Part 2A “We have better schools, better... Part 2 - Why the PAC10 is Struggling to Make a Media Deal: Part 2–How Strong Are PAC12 “Brands” & Fan Bases? - ESPN 960 Sports ESPN960SPORTS.COM This article is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy. Use the code ESPN960 when you sign up to get your... Part 2A - Why the PAC10 is Struggling to Make a Media Deal: Part 2a–Comparing Silver & Altimore’s Fan base rankings - ESPN 960 Sports ESPN960SPORTS.COM This article is brought to you by Underdog Fantasy. Use the code ESPN960 when you sign up to get your... Part 3 - Why the PAC10 is Struggling to Make a Media Deal: Part 3 – Television Viewership - ESPN 960 Sports ESPN960SPORTS.COM Why the PAC10 is Struggling to Make a Media Deal: Part 3 – Television Viewership. For all the reasonable and...

Exactly. There is no more Power 5. There is a Power 2, a Middle 3 and a Group of 5. Top brands in the Middle 3 will need to hope the B1G or SEC are interested in them. Otherwise, their peers will include the better performing Group of 5 teams who receive invites to either the PAC, Big 12 or ACC. The Group of 5 will replace those members with new members who join the FBS from the FCS. It’s not hard to imagine a world where the PAC includes SMU and San Diego State instead of USC and UCLA. But what if the PAC eventually includes Tulane and Rice instead of Oregon and Washington? Or Fresno State and Colorado State instead of Stanford and Cal? These scenarios aren’t as far fetched as they were 9 months ago.

We will find out about visibility and ratings soon enough. Once USC and UCLA are in the B1G, we will know how more coverage each receives and can compare ratings of their games in the B1G vs. the PAC. This will give us an idea for what Oregon could expect if in the B1G.

My prediction: The PAC survives. With or without Oregon and Washington. With or without Stanford and Cal. With or without the 4 corner schools. Even if teams eventually leave, they will be replaced by Group of 5 schools. The PAC name will live on in some capacity even in a doomsday scenario. The media deal will reflect the horrible decisions and mismanagement that has plagued the PAC for the past 15 years. Even if the PAC deal is comparable to the Big 12 or ACC deals (doubtful at this point), the PAC will have to sacrifice visibility in some capacity. The Big 12 and ACC did not have to sacrifice visibility in their deals, but the PAC will.

Do you have a link to an article that discusses USC and UCLA remaining in the PAC for beach volleyball? Wonder why they did that?

Joining the B1G isn’t chasing short term money. It’s a long term guarantee of being in one of only two top tier conferences. It’s easy to say stick it out in the PAC when we don’t know if the B1G has any interest in adding Oregon or not. It would be foolish to say that if we knew the B1G really was interested in adding Oregon.

USC makes more money for USC and UCLA with that loss to Michigan State than if they had won. UCLA cost UCLA and USC money by beating Northwestern.

Why won’t USC and UCLA receive NCAA payouts next season from the PAC-12? They are still conference members next year.

The B1G was smart in how they packaged their media rights. Staggered times over multiple over the air networks. ESPN is hemorrhaging customers due to cord cutting. FOX, CBS, NBC….those are free over the air stations. Don’t need a cable package to get them. But the big stroke of genius here is how streaming will work for the B1G. That afternoon game on CBS? You will also find it on Paramount +. The Saturday night game on NBC? It will also air on Peacock. And of course FOX has their own sports app. The B1G gets the best of both worlds. Over the air channels on tv and their corresponding online options to dip their toes in streaming without having to worry about any of the risks involved with that. Maybe streaming games will be more mainstream by the end of the new B1G media rights deal. Maybe not. Either way, the B1G has the best of both worlds now.

Whatever the deal is, I hope Oregon isn’t foolish enough to sign a long term grant of rights. Ask Florida State and Clemson how that is working out for them.

The B1G and SEC will both be making playoff money too, so that won’t let the PAC or anyone else catch up to them. Also, this 12 team playoff is only for the next two years. Since the original contract was modified, all conferences and Notre Dame had to agree to it for the change to happen. After these two years, all bets are off and I’m sure the B1G and SEC will throw their weight around to make sure they get theirs in the next CFP contract. Extending the playoffs to 16 teams, for example, guarantees 4-5 B1G and SEC teams are in every year. Everyone else will have 1 team, maybe 2 in a good year.

I’m trying to find an old article, but haven’t had much luck. I remember reading this right after USC and UCLA joined last summer.

This article says Oregon and Washington would enter the B1G around $40 million per year. Keep in mind that would only be the first year. The amount would increase over time until becoming equal partners. I’m guessing it will be a 7 year buy in. That’s what Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland were offered. Coincidentally, that will be the duration of the next B1G contract. Maryland and Rutgers still aren’t receiving a full share today only because they took out loans from the B1G in the early years and are still paying back those loans. Big Ten Expansion Reportedly Gets Huge Timeline Update – OutKick WWW.OUTKICK.COM Big Ten expansion might really start cooking in late April once Kevin Warren leaves. Will Oregon and Washington...

Here is something to consider - The revenue gap between the B1G and the SEC vs. everyone else is only going to grow larger with time. The PAC is going to become the Mountain West even if it continues to be called the PAC. Just like The American was essentially Conference USA. I bet Uncle Phil is working tirelessly behind the scenes to get Oregon into the B1G out of fear his investments will go to waste. And to be clear, if Oregon gets into the B1G, it will be thanks to Uncle Phil’s investments over the years. He built this brand. Oregon’s brand has outgrown its stadium. I can’t think of another brand with this much clout that plays in a 54,000 seat stadium. Oregon’s brand has outgrown its research too. While a member of the AAU, Oregon’s research output would be dead last in the B1G. Nebraska is currently in that spot, yet Nebraska’s research is three times the size of Oregon’s research. Small stadium. Low level research. Yet the B1G seems to be interested in Oregon. This is thanks to the Duck brand, the Duck ratings and the vast amount of investments made by Uncle Phil over the years. Given that both Oregon and Washington applied to join the B1G immediately after USC and UCLA joined, I don’t see either school turning down the offer if it comes. But let’s assume for a second Oregon says no. So the B1G takes Washington and Stanford. The Big 12 takes the 4 corner schools. Is this PAC Mountain worth dying on? Oregon becomes the next Boise State in that scenario. And there have been plenty of champions from the West Coast in the professional sports. California is home to many champions in the major sports. Location does not dictate championships in professional sports.

Conference realignment: Oregon, Washington Big Ten consideration unlikely before mid-April, per report 247SPORTS.COM Looks like the door may be open to a move to the B1G, but not until a new B1G commissioner is in place.