Will the Pac-12 "FREEZE-OUT" the LA Schools?

[Charles Fischer]

I was talking with a Duck-Buddy about George K.'s statement to the California Board of Regents asserting the "UCLA will lose money going to the B1G."

 

It got me to thinking how the LA schools need us in the B1G eventually for a western "pod" of opponents.  But what if the Pac-12 does not allow any conference school to play any B1G school in any sport?

 

That means the LA schools are going to do a lot of traveling!  And it will drive up their costs and what was once a recruiting advantage of going to the B1G, now becomes a recruiting albatross with the long trips, jet lag and trying to do school work besides?

 

I've been looking at how this conference is working to raise revenue to come close to B1G income, but the other method of evening things out is to raise the cost of doing business for the LA schools.  Right?

 

Is that what George has in mind?  A scheduling freeze that disallows any contests with B1G teams?  (Sorry, but I cannot help but snicker at the thought!)

 

 

I know...I got to pondering again...

[LB48]

The first thought I had is what are the advantages/disadvantages for Pac schools to do this. Make sure it’s in our best interest. 

[NJDuck]

Not a bad idea freezing out scheduling any BIG Ten school, in turn alienating USC and UCLA.  Pac-12 can always schedule games with the ACC, Big 12 or SEC.

 

If we get a loose agreement with the ACC, take the Rose Bowl out of the equation with the BIG TEN, if possible, and start a new tradition with the Rose Bowl playing the ACC or even the SEC.

[Duck 1972]

I emotionally would like this idea. But what logically would it do? In real life a boycott has unintended circumstances. One I can see it takes away some of the best competition for the players in our league.

 

Now if u say we won't play the LA schools ever again, I can get with that  

[Mic]

On 10/11/2022 at 12:45 PM, Charles Fischer said:

I was talking with a Duck-Buddy about George K.'s statement to the California Board of Regents asserting the "UCLA will lose money going to the B1G."

 

It got me to thinking how the LA schools need us in the B1G eventually for a western "pod" of opponents.  But what if the Pac-12 does not allow any conference school to play any B1G school in any sport?

 

Can they really do that?  Or, better asked, would they really do that?  Might that not also hurt the Pac, a sort of 'cutting off our own nose to spite our own face' ?.

[The Kamikaze Kid]

Freeze out the Big 10. Have an early season September Pac/ ACC challenge double header (Friday-Saturday) at SoFi Stadium. Convert the Rose Bowl to a Pac/ Big 12 match up.

 

Also, UO should stay in the Pac and be the west coast Clemson and make the expanded playoffs most years. LA kids then have to decide on BIG 10 obscurity at USC or UCLA, the frozen tundra of another Big 10 school or stay on the west coast, still play in LA yearly and make the playoffs at the UO.

[Charles Fischer]

On 10/11/2022 at 1:45 PM, Mic said:

Can they really do that?  Or, better asked, would they really do that?  Might that not also hurt the Pac, a sort of 'cutting off our own nose to spite our own face' ?.

How so?  There are tons of other teams to play for non-conference scheduling in all sports.  The Big-12, the ACC and the SEC....Mountain West, etc.  We have plenty to play in our own time zone, so make the LA schools travel everywhere else when they join the B1G.

 

Again, we are referring to non-conference games after 2023 since we will have a full Pac-12 schedule in 2024 and beyond.  It is just that I could see the LA schools wanting to schedule us whenever they could, so why help them?

 

Let them be on an island that has to travel to Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin or Minnesota in November. Let's freeze them out!

 

[noDucknewby]

No need to snub the B1G, just the LA schools.  NO scheduling of the LA schools in any sport, let them travel.  Continue to schedule the other B1G schools on a home/home basis.

 

As for the Rose Bowl, it's toast as we know it anyway with the expanded playoff.

[David Marsh]

I don't think it really matters too much in the short run. 

 

The Pac-12 is probably hoping to make a conference with the ACC the Coastal Conference and that will cause some schedule rearrangement. 

 

The Pac-12 is planning on going down to 8 conference games. That does open up scheduling possibilities but it is most likely looking at adding "cross conference" games with the ACC if the ACC and Pac-12 soft-merger comes to pass. Otherwise I think there is a sense that going down to eight games will come with the encouragement from the higher ups in the conference leadership that the conference shouldn't schedule any major Power-Five match-ups because that could lead to being blocked out of the playoff, or a the very least a good playoff berth. 

 

The B1G plays 9 conference games, or at least they do right now. UCLA and USC have scheduled their non-conference games out for probably close to the next ten years and just about everyone else for that matter. I feel it will be highly unlikely anyone is going to have space in their schedule to actually schedule non-conference games with the LA schools. They will by default be forced to travel to the midwest, or even the east coast, for the majority of their away games. 

 

Also... if they have the opportunity to schedule non-conference games I don't see the LA schools wanting to travel anywhere if they don't have to and just try to make all those games home games. 

[Steven A]

On 10/11/2022 at 12:45 PM, Charles Fischer said:

A scheduling freeze that disallows any contests with B1G teams? 

We can't do that, we have a "hand-snake" alliance with them.

[Legion]

I am not sure it has to be an all or nothing “black ball” approach. The conference can put the LA school on their football schedule, but deny them games for water polo, volleyball, croquet, etc. Denying them in football won’t hurt them financially, it will be the sum total of all the other sports (think title IX).

 

Marsh, I am hoping that the ACC merges with the PAC to forms some sort of the Atlantic Pacific Conference. The merge could increase both conferences media revenues, and isolate the LA schools. They could have pods tied into regions and further increase revenue by minimizing travel expenses. Also, add a semi final and conference championship and the tv executives would be drooling.
 

 

I am not sold on non conference cross over games. I am not sure any other cross over games really matter financially (think Wake Forest at Oregon St.). I don’t think tv executives are licking their chops at that marquee match up. 

 

 

Could something like this lure UCLA back? The conference certain needs a LA market school…don’t they?
 

 

[Tandaian]

Freezing out UCLA/USC would be great way to say, I hope you choke on your cake.  No way Pac 12 stops playing the rest of the B1G TEN.

[Mic]

As usual, I suspect $$ will dictate things.  That LA market is a lot of $$ for any conference to ignore, let alone one comprised of 10-12 schools in the adjoining states. 

 

When SC & UCLA leave, bring in Fresno State and Boise State.  It won't be the same but it replaces one of the California schools (Fresno has a population of >540,000) and Boise State (>235,000) gives us a finger into Idaho.  It's where half the population of our state wants to move to anyway.

[Flyin Vee]

KIck them too the curb now. Unschedule the next 2 years. 

[GeotechDuck]

I read somewhere a while back that the Pac-10 conference was going to allow USC and UCLA to remain in conference in several west coast sports.  There was a group of 4 or 5 sports and one was beach volleyball (I don't remember the others).  When I read that, I was completely shocked and I hope it is not true.  

Edited October 12, 2022 by GeotechDuck