Soccer is not a revenue sport. Neither men’s nor women’s.
Yeah, that proposal is about development, not revenue.
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I think there is just too much red-tape to jump through for a proposal like this, and even if Soccer is a non-revenue sport, it sets the precedent that conferences don’t matter.
Now to the defense of the US Men’s proposal, the only reason conferences have any real value today is BECAUSE of the networks.
From the perspective of the conferences → there is a reason why a conference want to exist. Because the best athletes will always go to the best conferences. If every school in the country suddenly became equal, then the “Power Conferences” which is a label foundational in football but bleeds into other sports would no longer exist. The networks created the “Power Conference” label, and they would lose money if that dynamic no longer existed.
Now the Ivy Leagues, mini-Ivies and Public Ivies are running into the same problem but in a different way. Dismantling of conferences would disrupt the rich kids competing against other rich kids.
The whole “Power” conference thing really doesn’t mean AS MUCH in non-revenue sports like men’s soccer though.
Good first step.
Why U.S. Soccer and Basketball Need a Nine-Month Season
Everywhere else in the world, soccer seasons last nine to ten months. That’s the rhythm that produces technically refined, tactically smart, and physically prepared players. In the United States, however, high-school and college sports follow a short, fragmented calendar that cuts soccer and basketball seasons into two- or three-month windows. It’s an outdated model — especially for developmental sports like these — and it’s costing us both participation and excellence.
The traditional scholastic calendar was designed to encourage multi-sport participation and prevent early specialization. That’s a good principle for children. Up to the early high-school years, it gives students a chance to discover what they truly enjoy. But by the time a student reaches sophomore year, it’s time for serious athletes to focus and develop within a continuous, professionally structured season.
At that point, mirroring the international calendar for soccer and basketball makes sense — and it would have enormous benefits.
1. It Expands Access and Reduces the Pay-to-Play Barrier
Right now, development happens mostly through club programs, which often cost families between $3,000 and $10,000 per year. That’s a barrier that locks out hundreds of thousands of talented kids across the country. If high schools and universities could offer full-season soccer and basketball within the academic structure, players would develop for free — or at least at dramatically lower cost.
Pay-to-play is not just inequitable; it’s inefficient. We’re losing too much talent to economics.
2. It Strengthens Campus Life and Community Engagement
Imagine the impact on student culture. Football season ends in December or early January. Instead of months of athletic downtime, the soccer and basketball seasons could build momentum through the spring, keeping fans engaged year-round.
A stadium like TDECU could transform into a true soccer fortress, energizing Hispanic and international student communities that already have deep soccer passion. It’s an opportunity to unify diverse fan bases under the same school colors.
3. It Improves Player Development and Coaching Quality
A nine-month calendar gives coaches more time to train, teach, and develop players rather than rushing through a short competitive schedule. Skills, tactics, and team chemistry all grow with sustained, consistent play.
The results would compound: better-trained players, stronger college programs, and eventually, a deeper talent pool for professional leagues — whether MLS, NWSL, NBA, or overseas clubs.
4. It’s a Win-Win for Students, Schools, and the Sport
This is not about eliminating football or other sports. It’s about rebalancing the system to give basketball and soccer — global, year-round games — the developmental structure they deserve. Schools would benefit from better-performing teams, more engaged students, and a more equitable athletic system.
As great as all that sounds:
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we don’t have a men’s team, and our conference doesn’t sponsor the sport, AND
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I am guessing that our women’s team plays in front of fewer than 500 fans per game.
Sorry Mr. Grok. I think you missed reality on this one.
Don’t worry I have known even before I started school that we did not have a soccer team. That does not mean we won’t have one in the future especially with our demographics. A men’s team can be highly popular…again with our demographics.
Not sure I agree.
Women’s soccer ain’t that popular at UH despite our demographics, and men’s soccer isn’t big in either the Big 12 or SEC (neither sponsor men’s soccer).
And even if that changed……
College soccer doesn’t have the appeal that top Euro League and Latin American league soccer have among the “demographic” you have in mind.
Not likely to be hugely popular.
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UVA is ranked 16th this year. As of right now, they will be playing for the ACC title with a chance for a CFP spot.
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Wazzu gifted the Wahoos one last Saturday 22-20 on a late safety.
Apparently USC and Michigan are at least toying with leaving over the PE
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Welcome to the Big 12!
Seriously though. I’m guessing they’d look to the SEC.
That said, now that the B1G is doing this, expect every other major conference to do the same.
Gotta keep up with the Joneses and not get left behind.
Yormark had better do the same…FAST!!!
I can understand USC being pissed. I never realized that they were getting $40-$50 million less out of the deal.
Both could sustain independence if need be. Though both schools could viably go to any conference of their choice.
Ya know, it’s funny.
I had anticipated the PAC Light being the strongest G6 conference.
This season has sort of proven me wrong though.
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Big XII has no blue bloods to compete against B10 brand names… as of now.
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250 Comments on PAC to USA.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pac12/comments/1ow0v1z/the_pac_inks_a_media_deal/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Asking Grok is the same as asking the internet. It means zero.
LLMs are basically ranking machines. The answer you get is whatever is closest to the what the prompt asked that was most numerous in what it was trained on.
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Don’t waste your time.
You have no idea how many people think that ChatGPT/Grok responses are actual facts lol
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