![]() ![]() The ACC’s current television deal is a mess, and as the major networks bid for control of a brand new college sports landscape, ESPN would be wise to jump at the opportunity to solidify a conference that spans from sea to shining sea. The ACC should act now before their premier programs are scooped up.Īn unconventional solution could be to look to the remaining Pac-12 schools and propose a bi-coastal superconference. Clemson’s dominant football program would seamlessly transition to the SEC, Miami and Florida State could conceivably follow. In the event that Notre Dame finally bolts from its arrangement with the ACC, the conference might be looking at a future similar to the Pac-12. ![]() Like everything else here, it’s a longshot, but the two WCC rivals would be a major boon to a conference that has only made two appearances in the Final Four since expanding to 12 teams. SMU’s addition would expand the Pac-12 media footprint into Texas for the first time, and while Idaho is not Texas, the Broncos have seen sustained success across multiple sports BSU’s football program actually has a 12-9 record against Pac-12 opponents since 2000.Īnd while basketball doesn’t move the revenue needle in the same way football does, the Pac-12 should seriously consider inviting Gonzaga and St. Next, the conference could look at adding Boise State and Southern Methodist University. More importantly, SDSU would give the Pac-12 a foothold in the massive Southern California media market once again. The Aztecs haven’t suffered a losing season in football in over a decade, and their men’s basketball team has made the postseason in all but two years since 2005. Both schools have brand new football stadiums, and in the case of UNLV, is the home of the Pac-12 championship game. The obvious additions here begin at San Diego State and UNLV. In this scenario, the Pac-12 makes a play at expanding their media market with the best available options, and hopes this new conference is competitive at a level that puts a significant number of eyeballs on screens. To be very clear, there is no feasible combination of schools that the Pac-12 could add right now that would equal the lost potential revenue from UCLA and USC departing. It’s a longshot, but here are three options the Pac-12 could potentially pursue to try to save the Conference of Champions. Washington State, Oregon State, and Cal seem likely doomed to a demotion, or outright dissolution of major athletic programs. Right now, the most likely outcome is that the remaining Pac teams cannibalize the smallest schools trying to save themselves. As the prospect of lost potential revenue becomes clearer, more teams will flee. In this future, staying put and trying to survive as the Pac-10 will not work. The reality is that college sports are heading towards a major shift, driven by football, which seems likely to slowly move towards a format closer to the NFL, with two major divisions that will determine a champion via playoffs. But football is still the main revenue source, somewhere between 48 to 64 percent of all revenue at Power 5 schools comes directly from college football. ![]() Is the Pac-12 even worth saving? If you believe college sports are fun because of regional rivalries, underdog story potential, and historical postseason options, then the answer is yes. Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Utah seem to have one foot out the door, and the Arizona schools are putting their jackets on. Since last week’s announcement that USC and UCLA are leaving their home of nearly a century for the Big Ten in 2024, there has been a firehose of rumors regarding the remaining schools leaving the conference. ![]()
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