HDuck

Hope The Duck is ok handling the humidity.... https://x.com/TheOregonDuck/status/1819824777810317602 https://x.com/TheOregonDuck/status/1819930630181794077 https://x.com/TheOregonDuck/status/1820170120280343015

Sunday morning....Well now, where'd ya get all those athletes...

And, more from Rosemont....apparently the breakroom at B1G Headquarters...

"...allowed to retain 100% of its bowl/college football playoff earnings" Bowls, NCAA Tournament and CFP earnings are split equally with all schools in the conference, I believe. (i.e. 100 percent shares) While UW and UO start with 50 percent shares of the media deal portion. It might make an interesting twist if CFP participants were awarded two shares? That is, for example, if 3 teams qualified then the "conference pool" would be split 21 ways (not 18) with each of 3 participants getting two shares. Some formula like that might have saved the departure of UT & OU, and USC & UCLA?? Fox drove the train for USC/UCLA full shares. Had to be an irritant to Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland.

Duck at Rosemont, Illinois Big Ten Headquarters (near O'Hare Airport)

As the UW explained at that time.... a large "maybe" with the Apple deal was incentives which were a big risk factor for revenue; and, there was no linear component lined up at that time. UW was very aware of what that might mean for recruiting going forward. Ultimately, OS and WSU were certainly interested in a linear component as well which they found with The CW, albeit at a low payout. Some of Beavs fans made fun of the UW for seeking a linear guarantee, now they are touting the "visibility" that comes from the number of households with access to The CW.

The Duck has now also been to Iowa's stadium, and the B1G Headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois.... per The Duck's twitter account.

With the transition today to the B1G there will probably be another round of "half-share" demagoguery from skeptics about the move. Reminder, this column pretty well addressed the fact that "half-shares" apply to just one component of total B1G revenue opportunities. https://sports360az.com/washingtons-budget-forecast-provides-clues-to-big-ten-revenue-distributions-as-an-18-team-conference/

Hello Minneapolis.

The road trip. Rumored next stop is Minneapolis. With a little cooperation, the various B1G outposts could have some fun with this with some prior planning. Vignette locking The Duck out of a stadium, The Duck eating spray cheese in Wisconsin, walking thru the corn at The Field of Dreams in Iowa with the Hawkeye's mascot, ...

Don't disagree that 10 teams who decided to leave effective August 1 should lose opportunity to vote on matters that would face the conference effective August 2, 2024, or later, but since they remained in the conference until August 1, 2024 and continued to compete for official conference championships, then financial matters should have also remained the same including distributions earned/accrued from NCAA Tournament, etc. prior to August 2. When a tenant gives 6 months notice he is moving out, the landlord usually doesn't view that as the tenant leaving immediately. The tenant expects to live there 6 more months, and the landlord expects 6 more months of rent. That is where I disagree with the Libbey decision. Otherwise if would lead to a situation where there would be rumors for months and the 10 escapees would have withheld notice until August 1. Waiting to August 1 would not have been good for the two remaining members.

Late Kick's Josh Pate took notice of this, saying, "Tennessee gets more dangerous by the day." Pate didn't leave to that, though. He took to his show to explain what exactly makes the Vols so dangerous. "Tennessee's the program to keep an eye on," Pate said. "If you want to know which program that's not currently at the head table of college football will probably be the next one, given their current trajectory to join the head table of college football, it's Tennessee." Pate went on to compliment the strategy of head coach Josh Heupel and his staff, noting their efforts in recruiting, evaluating, and offering prospects early to get a head start over other schools, and of course, NIL. "Real recruiting in the NIL era is several layers deep," Pate said. "It is not just, 'I can get you this much money over this many years.' There is an entire plan that has to be laid out. ... Tennessee is one of the sneakiest NIL operations in college football right now. It's not just because they have money they can spend, it's because they understand it's not just the A part but B, C, D, E, F, G (multi-year) part as well." Spyre Sports is the primary Vols collective. They were named by On3 as the "No. 1 most ambitious collective." They have known deals with well-known Tennessee athletes through The Volunteer Club, including this year's highly-touted starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, who was rumored to have signed an $8 million deal over three years.

Nearing the one-year anniversary UW/UO to Big Ten. Been a lot of misinformation published about what happened in the last 12 months. Here's a couple refreshers from a year ago worth re-reading. August 4, 2023 "A person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Arizona’s application to join the Big 12 was approved Thursday night (August 3). Arizona State and Utah, after it became apparent that Oregon and Washington were bolting the Pac-12 early Friday (August 4), also asked to join the Big 12." https://www.denverpost.com/2023/08/04/big-ten-oregon-washington-pac-12-on-brink/ https://sports.yahoo.com/inside-oregon-and-washingtons-jump-to-the-big-ten--it-was-both-of-us-or-none-of-us-141725222.html

See last post in this thread.... -------------------------------------------------------- A small thing I suppose, but it appears the Pac12 logo is still on the field at Autzen. The four Pac12 schools officially join the B1G on August 2. And no, I still don't understand how Whitman County judge Libey could rule the four had departed the Pac12 when he issued his opinion last November. The new Matt Knight Arena floor does have the B1G logo.

With 9 B1G games in the immediate future, I think Oregon should cool their jets a bit on scheduling until there is some Playoff Selection Committee experience to judge the importance of a non-conference schedule. Will the Committee give a preference to a schedule with Power 4 non-conference opponents? If so, then "Beaver Week" in the 3 non-conference games needs to be examined as to whether teams from Big12, ACC or SEC should be slotted instead. And, those potential ACC and Big12 teams could be from 6 former Pac12 opponents with West Coast ties. The Ducks already have Baylor, Oklahoma St and Tex Tech on future schedules. I would rather see those be retained than OSU come in annually. OSU would undoubtedly want a home-and-home arrangement which also creates problems in years there are four B1G home games. Tennessee cycles thru 5 lower level in-state opponents annually. But, they have four non-conference games and those games are always in Knoxville. Tenn fills their four with one FCS, and two Group of 5, with one Power 4. The point is most programs just play one Power 4 opponent whether 3 or 4 nonconference. Unless OSU falls off the shelf to be regarded as Group of 5 - willing to play annually in Eugene - I don't see using a Power 4 annual slot to play them home-and-home.

A rivalry of two in-conference teams makes sense. It makes less sense when it is out of conference and takes an annual slot as one of 3 non-conference games. Alabama vs Auburn, Florida vs Florida State, Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State, Clemson vs South Carolina, Louisville vs Kentucky....each of those games for the SEC team is one of four non-conference. Both Iowa and Iowa State fans have grumbled about using one of their 3 non-conference slots for the same annual opponent. They have voiced a desire to see more inter-regional opponents. If UO/UW continues with an FCS, Group of 5, and Power opponents do they want every year's non-conference Power opponent to be OS/WSU? If OS/WSU slip into Group of 5 status in the next few years, do they want to face UO/UW every year? Colorado is 68-22-2 vs Colorado State. Is that what fans want to see developed from future UO and OSU? Personally, I just think playing annually is a poor idea. Two years on, four years off, two years on, four years off.... seems like a better compromise?

Column by Stewart Mandel in The Athletic today that the Rose Bowl has asked to remain a quarter-final site only, with games on January 1, rather than be part of the six bowl rotation that means a semi-final every 3 years on a date such as Jan. 9/10 in 2025. The Rose Bowl is currently a quarter-final in 2025 and 2026, but a semi-final in 2027. Thus the other 5 of the 6 quarterfinal bowls would rotate into the two semi-finals: Peach, Orange, Sugar, Cotton, Fiesta. It ain't over until it's over. For example, the CFP might select a 7th bowl site to pick up the baton every 3 years? What if the Vegas Bowl had their normal December game in a two-year sequence, then a semi-final the third? There are options. I understand the Rose Bowl's desire to keep the game and parade together. I understand that traffic in L.A. on January 1 wouldn't be as unbearable as it would be on a workday a few days later. I imagine "tradition" is a factor, but logistics also. They've had some experience when they hosted the BCS Championship in 2009 and 2013 a few days after the Rose Bowl. Losing the Rose Bowl as a semi-final site might hurt a B1G Conference champion, especially if one of the four West teams On the other hand, having it as a quarter-final every year might benefit a non-champion B1G participant? The Athletic is a pay site, thus I have no link to place here.

One of the first announcements by Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti when he stepped up to the podium at 2024 Big Ten Football Media Days was the extension of the partnership between the conference and Lucas Oil Stadium. “I am proud to announce today that Lucas Oil Stadium will be the home of the Big Ten football championship game for another four seasons, through 2028.”

We here...

USC/UCLA 35-40 percent? That was widely discussed back in 2022 when the escape was announced. It is based on the LA Market. If UCLA was located in Bakersfield the number would not be that high.

How much would they add in media value to Mt. West? The addition of Oregon State and Washington State would mean only a 10% to 15% increase in the current Mountain West deal, according to one veteran industry source with experience in television negotiations. "I don't think it will be that much," countered Jim Williams, Emmy-winning sports media consultant. "I would think more like 10 [percent]. Fifteen percent is way too much." https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/why-mountain-west-interest-in-long-term-relationship-with-oregon-state-washington-state-may-be-waning/ar-BB1q1CaG More at that link. Doesn't need to be said I suppose, but some said USC/UCLA was 35-40 percent of Pac12 media value. Now, take out UW and UO....say conservatively 20 percent. That would leave 40-45 percent split among the other 8 programs. What do you think the media split of that 40-45 would be? Cal/Stanford, ASU, Utah, UA, Colorado...then OSU/WSU. Combined, the latter two may not have been 10 percent of the Pac12?

"...former Pac12 foes, as much as I understand y'all want them." I don't want them so much as rather I don't want OSU every season. So, in the world of alternatives outside of OSU, there is Cal, Stanford fairly close for a home-and-home, and UA/ASU/Utah potentially for recruiting access. Obviously, other opponents from the Big12, ACC, SEC too. Perhaps even WSU. But, locking in a non-conference annual slot with OSU (like Iowa vs Iowa State) limits options for varying opponents at Autzen, and varying opponents for road trips. An FCS, a Group of 5, and a Power4 seem like the best non-conference approach. Any "annual opponent" out of conference seems a waste of opportunities whether it is a Group of 5 or Power4. UO vs OSU is not annual USC vs Notre Dame, nor could it ever be. Likewise, OSU should use scheduling of multiple opponents to rebuild their resume - anybody, anytime, anywhere.

OSU shuffling into the G5 slot? Well, then that would mean no games in Corvallis and I doubt Beavis fans and the state's sportswriters would be happy with that. So, if OSU remains in the P4 slot, I just hope it is not on a regular basis. If was ok when the game was part of the Pac10/12 schedule, but not as a replacement for a new P4 opportunity on the schedule. Since 2000, Autzen has hosted Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan St, Nebraska which will soon be B1G opponents, but I would rather have a Big12, ACC, or SEC opponent replace them as the 10th Power 4 game than OSU. Other programs that have visited: Mississippi St, Oklahoma, Houston, Tennessee, Virginia, BYU. To me, seeing that variety of visitors is much better than hosting OSU every year or every-other-year. Utah, UA, ASU, Cal, Stanford would be better options than an annual with OSU as a non-conference opponent.

There are very few annual rivalry games played which are not in the same conference. Georgia vs Ga Tech, S. Carolina vs Clemson has two SEC teams playing 8 conference games so those non-con opponents are 1 of 4 non-conference. Will Oklahoma play Okie State as one of four non-conference? Pitt vs W. Virginia, Colorado vs Colorado St, Iowa vs Iowa State are 3 more. When the "rival" becomes one of 3 non-conference games it becomes a schedule downside for fans. Iowa fans talk about wanting to see "more variety." If the Ducks and UW are going to play an FCS and a Group of 5 every year, do their fans want to be locked into OSU and WSU as the non-B1G "major opponent?" Personally, I would rather see more schedule variation....especially because Beavers would expect home-and-home. Think back through some very attractive visiting opponents over the last 20 seasons. Do we really want to give that up to see Beavers every year?