08-04-2023, 06:56 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-04-2023, 06:57 PM by CardinalSagehen.)
In the poll responses, I notice a significant aversion to the Big 12, even though all of the teams with TV audiences similar to Stanford are ending up there. Economically, the $31M per team ballpark might be the most appropriate landing spot for Stanford. With respect to travel, four of the members and soon-to-be-members were former Pac-12 foes anyway, and a fifth was on Stanford's schedule last year (BYU).
To be clear, I didn't vote for the Big 12, either. I preferred independent and Big 10. I just think it's odd that the Mountain West outranks the Big 12 in the poll because it would represent a much worse financial and competitive outcome. Travel for student-athletes would be worse but not really materially worse in the Big 12 vs. the MW or the Pac/MW/AAC amalgam - it's bad either way.
To be clear, I didn't vote for the Big 12, either. I preferred independent and Big 10. I just think it's odd that the Mountain West outranks the Big 12 in the poll because it would represent a much worse financial and competitive outcome. Travel for student-athletes would be worse but not really materially worse in the Big 12 vs. the MW or the Pac/MW/AAC amalgam - it's bad either way.