Giving his recent Media Day presentation. Just use their search function.
He did confirm that they are receiving inquiries from other schools and that The University Presidents would review them, implying lots of Due Diligence.
Mentioned their “High Bar” for admission.
Stated their main Football Goals:
Consistently making The CFP Final Four
Winning National Titles
Protecting their Recruiting territory
Note the absence of expansion as a top goal.
Notice recruiting turf. Do new teams help with that?
Said Conference Title Game will be in Las Vegas. Nice!
Did NOT say they were dying for more $money. Will, of course, pursue new avenues for Cash.
I did not hear encouraging words about expansion. Indeed his mention of University Presidents makes it certain that ACADEMICS will be a major consideration. Thus all should look at AAC and Big 12 members in that light.
Again, mention of a “HIGH BAR” for admission.
Since The PAC 10 expanded to The PAC 12 their Football slipped Nationally. No National Titles and not much as to CFP appearances. More schools meant more recruiting erosion. That fact was specifically implied. Protecting recruiting turf was specifically emphasized.
Though lovely to dream of I do not see this Conference as our destination any time soon. Their goal is to first strengthen what they already have.
This is what rational behavior looks like from a conference. They won’t close off possibilities, but they really aren’t in the market for new teams. They want to make more money, but they will only do a sure thing, not take a flyer.
I don’t see any of the other power conferences (ACC/BIG/PAC) expanding for at least a few more years.
Once the breakup of Texas/OU and the other 8 is finalized (# of years/$) we will see what happens with the leftover 8 (remaining TV contract, etc.) as far as them adding schools or what.
I actually see this as working in our favor. Even in the PAC 12, we will not suddenly extensively recruit California. But there are enough players in Texas (espically if say, Baylor and TCU are no longer in an A5 conference) to expand their recruiting base here.
None of these guys want to seem needy. Unless these guys can tap into new revenue streams, any growth in the conference will come via tv agreements and that is driven by the tv partners.
I just listened to a Tim Brando interview on Sicem Radio (great listen if you are into realignment) and the BIG12 almost broke up when the Longhorns were going to take 3 schools with them to the PAC12. ESPN freaked out and the LHN was born. Why are we surprised with them now moving to the SEC because it almost happened about 10 years ago. ESPN has been playing chess while these conferences have been playing checkers. Killed the Big East when they got a little too big for their britches. Larry Scott thought he had the Longhorns and a big tv deal and got flanked by ESPN and the LHN. Next, they locked up the ACC until 2035. They can’t go anywhere so no impact on Realignment unless ESPN wants them to grow. The PAC12 should grow just to kill off the BIG12. They solidify themselves as the top 4 and make it easier when the new expanded playoffs start in a few years. It also makes ESPN happy and they enter the central time zone. Utah and Colorado cut into their recruiting because they lack in state kids to recruit. Not the case with UH and Tech. OSU and Kansas already recruit Texas, too so net neutral on that front.
Thank you for posting Robert.
Do you really think the PAC12 commissioner is going to proclaim: #1 he can’t mention any school. That would be considered tempering
He did say say that “They are receiving inquiries” Take it for what it is. I do not see it with the following angle:
We just have to:
I hope you’re right, but getting into the AAU is pretty exclusive club. There are only 66 schools in
the US and Canada. My take is if we can continue to increase funding, grow the endowment, grow grants , improve graduation rates, etc…we are probably 5-10 years away from an invite.
Here is UH’s roadmap to AAU membership. It’s not like enrolling in a credit card program to get extra miles. We have a ways to go, but making steady progress.
The PAC 12 already recruits Texas. Recruits routinely go to schools in that Conference.
They do not want other schools invading California and Arizona, which is where the studs are.
Adding UH or any Texas school means a Texas recruit can stay home and still play in The PAC 12. And it opens up S. California and Phoenix to UH recruiting.
The biggest stud RB in Arizona in 2019 was in Tucson. He currently plays for The Longhorns and could be a Heisman candidate.The OU QB is from Phoenix . Ditto a Heisman candidate. The PAC 12 wants those type of players to stay home.
Robert you missed the point. It opens the central time zone to the PAC12. You are looking at it with one direction instead of the other way. Look we will know who is right or wrong at the latest when the new PAC12 media comes up. Until then we gotta stay as attractive as we can to the PAC12.
