[yvonne]

I was thinking about that yesterday. Travel to Texas is difficult enough for football, but the distances for other sports, particularly those that play twice weekly, is unreasonable. The only way such a league would be even remotely feasible would be to have the pods and divisions extend to all sports.

[yvonne]

I was thinking about that yesterday. Travel to Texas is difficult enough for football, but the distances for other sports, particularly those that play twice weekly, is unreasonable. The only way such a league would be even remotely feasible would be to have the pods and divisions extend to all sports.

[yvonne]

Whoops. Accidentally gave a Facebook "like" to my own post. Actually, I don't know exactly what that means. Are we on Facebook?

Yes, we have a Facebook page, but giving a Facebook like to the thread will result in a link to the thread appearing in your Facebook newsfeed. It's a way of announcing the thread to your Facebook friends.

[yvonne]

Whoops. Accidentally gave a Facebook "like" to my own post. Actually, I don't know exactly what that means. Are we on Facebook?

Yes, we have a Facebook page, but giving a Facebook like to the thread will result in a link to the thread appearing in your Facebook newsfeed. It's a way of announcing the thread to your Facebook friends.

[Pastor]

The new All-Western 16 Conference.

[Pastor]

The new All-Western 16 Conference.

[fullmetal]

It might be for just the revenue sports.  I don't see Texas rowing or Oklahoma rowing making trips out west.  They'll want to stay in the C-USA automatic qualifier (smaller pond) and far, far away from the big shots of Stanford, kal, and UW.

Texas tennis is not big-time compared to Stanford and UCLA tennis.  Then again, nothing is big-time compared to those two programs.  And Texas tennis is not big-time compared to Texas football... 

The track and field teams would be competitive with UCLA.  Women's volleyball would be a very competitive and interesting add.  Men's basketball would be elevated with the addition of Texas, but not women's basketball.  Baseball would be a good add.

Well, maybe I'd get to see Stanford out here in Austin a little more often.

[fullmetal]

It might be for just the revenue sports.  I don't see Texas rowing or Oklahoma rowing making trips out west.  They'll want to stay in the C-USA automatic qualifier (smaller pond) and far, far away from the big shots of Stanford, kal, and UW.

Texas tennis is not big-time compared to Stanford and UCLA tennis.  Then again, nothing is big-time compared to those two programs.  And Texas tennis is not big-time compared to Texas football... 

The track and field teams would be competitive with UCLA.  Women's volleyball would be a very competitive and interesting add.  Men's basketball would be elevated with the addition of Texas, but not women's basketball.  Baseball would be a good add.

Well, maybe I'd get to see Stanford out here in Austin a little more often.

[Leftcoast]

Just tried this on another post (not mine!) and it works.

The best thing to do would be to just delete the line in your Facebook newsfeed.  Click on the status box thingy (technical term) that says "Glenn Garvin likes ...." and you should see a goaway box in the upper right corner.  Click that and select the appropriate choice - one of 'em says something like "Do you want to unlike this item and delete your link to it".  That should do it.

[Leftcoast]

Just tried this on another post (not mine!) and it works.

The best thing to do would be to just delete the line in your Facebook newsfeed.  Click on the status box thingy (technical term) that says "Glenn Garvin likes ...." and you should see a goaway box in the upper right corner.  Click that and select the appropriate choice - one of 'em says something like "Do you want to unlike this item and delete your link to it".  That should do it.

[JeffInCorvallis]

4560 miles round trip from Austin to Corvallis.  Awesome.  I'm assuming those are driving miles rather than as the crow flies since Seattle and Pullman show up as fewer miles.

I'm originally from the midwest and I am not excited about road trips to Norman and Stillwater.

This whole thing is a dumb idea.  It's not about students or fans, it's about making big bucks for athletic directors, advertising people, and media companies.

[JeffInCorvallis]

4560 miles round trip from Austin to Corvallis.  Awesome.  I'm assuming those are driving miles rather than as the crow flies since Seattle and Pullman show up as fewer miles.

I'm originally from the midwest and I am not excited about road trips to Norman and Stillwater.

This whole thing is a dumb idea.  It's not about students or fans, it's about making big bucks for athletic directors, advertising people, and media companies.

[washingtonismoney]

[quote author=JeffInCorvallis link=topic=4516.msg31959#msg31959 date=1316562748

This whole thing is a dumb idea.  It's not about students or fans, it's about making big bucks for athletic directors, advertising people, and media companies.
[/quote]

Almost true. The coaches will seize most of the available surplus on the university end; athletes will get implicitly paid in the form of fancy facilities, etc.

The fans lose--because they always do. (But it's our own fault: if we ever decided to not put up with the b.s. and stop attending or watching, we'd get some more respect. But since we always seem to love college football, our preferences are inelastic and they can do whatever they'd like. We bring it on ourselves.)

[washingtonismoney]

[quote author=JeffInCorvallis link=topic=4516.msg31959#msg31959 date=1316562748

This whole thing is a dumb idea.  It's not about students or fans, it's about making big bucks for athletic directors, advertising people, and media companies.
[/quote]

Almost true. The coaches will seize most of the available surplus on the university end; athletes will get implicitly paid in the form of fancy facilities, etc.

The fans lose--because they always do. (But it's our own fault: if we ever decided to not put up with the b.s. and stop attending or watching, we'd get some more respect. But since we always seem to love college football, our preferences are inelastic and they can do whatever they'd like. We bring it on ourselves.)

[jayasena]

I'm with Jeff. I used to think the old Pac-10 was perfect -- every team plays every other team in the conference. One could make an organizational argument for 12 teams, I guess, but beyond that it's just too unwieldy. I have to imagine there are diminishing returns for growth beyond 12 teams even from a financial point of view (modulo a few exceptions like Texas and Notre Dame). And not having a uniform conference structure for all sports is ridiculous (I realize some other conferences are already used to this but it's such a hack).

At this rate the entire country will be a single conference by 2020 or so. On the bright side, that'll put an end to the "my conference is bigger better  than your conference" arguments!  :D

[jayasena]

I'm with Jeff. I used to think the old Pac-10 was perfect -- every team plays every other team in the conference. One could make an organizational argument for 12 teams, I guess, but beyond that it's just too unwieldy. I have to imagine there are diminishing returns for growth beyond 12 teams even from a financial point of view (modulo a few exceptions like Texas and Notre Dame). And not having a uniform conference structure for all sports is ridiculous (I realize some other conferences are already used to this but it's such a hack).

At this rate the entire country will be a single conference by 2020 or so. On the bright side, that'll put an end to the "my conference is bigger better  than your conference" arguments!  :D

[Kathy]

I used to think the old Pac-10 was perfect -- every team plays every other team in the conference.

I don't think we've played every other team in the conference every year since we outgrew the Pac-8.

Not all sports reflect the traditional Pac-10 conference makeup (for example, wrestling).

[Kathy]

I used to think the old Pac-10 was perfect -- every team plays every other team in the conference.

I don't think we've played every other team in the conference every year since we outgrew the Pac-8.

Not all sports reflect the traditional Pac-10 conference makeup (for example, wrestling).

[washingtonismoney]

Speculation over and unnecessary, apparently.

Per Bruce Feldman, Pac-12 has decided not to expand again.

[washingtonismoney]

Speculation over and unnecessary, apparently.

Per Bruce Feldman, Pac-12 has decided not to expand again.

[Hank 91]

[quote='Kathy link' dateline='1316573935']

I don't think we've played every other team in the conference every year since we outgrew the Pac-8.

There was a stretch of time during which football teams played only eight conference games, missing one team, but for the last several years the Pac-10 had been one of the few major conferences in which every team played every other team every season. You might remember that that was one issue that bothered some of the traditionalists when we became the Pac-12.

[Hank 91]

[quote='Kathy link' dateline='1316573935']

I don't think we've played every other team in the conference every year since we outgrew the Pac-8.

There was a stretch of time during which football teams played only eight conference games, missing one team, but for the last several years the Pac-10 had been one of the few major conferences in which every team played every other team every season. You might remember that that was one issue that bothered some of the traditionalists when we became the Pac-12.

[fullmetal]

It would get to the point where I'm sure some games featuring schools from vastly different geographic regions of the US would end up playing in stadiums filled with only home team fans--and probably not even at capacity.  If the athletic departments were willing to take the hit on ticket sales, they had better have had a bigger guaranteed lump of cash from the TV contract for that game...and I think that's almost what this is about.  Lumps of cash.

[fullmetal]

It would get to the point where I'm sure some games featuring schools from vastly different geographic regions of the US would end up playing in stadiums filled with only home team fans--and probably not even at capacity.  If the athletic departments were willing to take the hit on ticket sales, they had better have had a bigger guaranteed lump of cash from the TV contract for that game...and I think that's almost what this is about.  Lumps of cash.

[pefloresjr]

Although it changes everyday, it seems that the 12 Pack wants to stay at 12 for now.  It seems notable that equality was mentioned and Texas clearly wants a greater share and/or their own network.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...-expansion

Cheers,
Pete F.

[pefloresjr]

Although it changes everyday, it seems that the 12 Pack wants to stay at 12 for now.  It seems notable that equality was mentioned and Texas clearly wants a greater share and/or their own network.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...-expansion

Cheers,
Pete F.

[oman]

It would get to the point where I'm sure some games featuring schools from vastly different geographic regions of the US would end up playing in stadiums filled with only home team fans--and probably not even at capacity.  If the athletic departments were willing to take the hit on ticket sales, they had better have had a bigger guaranteed lump of cash from the TV contract for that game...and I think that's almost what this is about.  Lumps of cash.

I think its all over and the Pac12 has made its statement. 

I was actually wondering where Texas fans would have fit in in terms of bringing visiting fans to the major sportsing events.  I think they would have been better than average.  OU would have probably done a good job as well.

There is money in those alumni bases, money enough to justify a weekend in the Bay Area. 

[oman]

It would get to the point where I'm sure some games featuring schools from vastly different geographic regions of the US would end up playing in stadiums filled with only home team fans--and probably not even at capacity.  If the athletic departments were willing to take the hit on ticket sales, they had better have had a bigger guaranteed lump of cash from the TV contract for that game...and I think that's almost what this is about.  Lumps of cash.

I think its all over and the Pac12 has made its statement. 

I was actually wondering where Texas fans would have fit in in terms of bringing visiting fans to the major sportsing events.  I think they would have been better than average.  OU would have probably done a good job as well.

There is money in those alumni bases, money enough to justify a weekend in the Bay Area.