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Realignment talk not going away


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6 minutes ago, ABSR said:

But here's the kicker.  What pays for all of those Olympic and other sports?   Well, that is the Pac-12 driven by Football revenues.  So Stanford and Cal can try to self fund through donations or University funds all of the other sports...but even Stanford will struggle with this and Cal will just not care.  

So losing a real P-5 conference affiliation for football, along with the financial support it provides, will severely affect every sport in the athletic department.

a lot of folks think Stanford is fine because they have $$$ everywhere.  They have $36B in endowments...but all of that is tied up in specific things, they cant just move the money around.  There was a reason they tried cutting 13 sports during Covid (or whatever it was).  Furd athletics are broke too... that said, both Furd and Cal have the alums to fix all of this if they get their heads out of their asses.  Thats the challenging part

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43 minutes ago, Zhorn96 said:

not in the Bay Area they couldn't.  Available land to build a stadium was searched for but wasn't available nearby.  And Cal's relationship with the City of Berkeley is... strained.  Cal isn't a part of the City, it is its own entity that uses COBs facilities (for lack of a better word).  Berkeley (the city) is extremely poorly run and the politics of their relationship with Cal make things ridiculous.  See "Covid reponse."  COBs rules fucked Cal's athletics over big time and is partly responsible for the current downtick in their departmental performance.  Not completely but definitely played a part.

 

Anyways, back to Memorial Stadium... amazing location and phenomenal atmosphere for a game but to upgrade it from the crumbling hulk it had become and make it safe from earthquakes, it cost almost $500M

That's how much aggy paid to make Pyle Fied susceptible to "Sandstorm."

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52 minutes ago, 'stache said:

The First Billion is the Hardest has a picture on the cover, but it's still got too many words, maybe I'll figure them out some day.

But to be clear, this is our school's patron, and he was a fucking badass.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Eaton

No photo description available.

 

I obviously was referring to the sports program's recent benefactor

this dickhead right here

190911-t-boone-pickens-ew-223p2.jpg.27c2a6a200f1f68bd335ee26938d74dc.jpg

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11 minutes ago, Zhorn96 said:

a lot of folks think Stanford is fine because they have $$$ everywhere.  They have $36B in endowments...but all of that is tied up in specific things, they cant just move the money around.  There was a reason they tried cutting 13 sports during Covid (or whatever it was).  Furd athletics are broke too... that said, both Furd and Cal have the alums to fix all of this if they get their heads out of their asses.  Thats the challenging part

Makes sense. I was really surprised how quickly they started cutting.

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1 hour ago, Hurtlocker said:

Yeah the only problem is they didn't start doing this last year.   Every MWC school now has a $34m buyout to get out by next year, instead of $17m.  The AAC has around $20m.   They'll all have some negotiated down, but still, the only teams west of the Mississippi who can move for free are the Pac 4.

 

The rich private schools from the AAC would pay the AAC exit fee to affiliate with Stanford/Cal - provided that those two actually commit to rebuilding the PAC.  If you get those AAC schools on board, then it buys the PAC a bridge year to wait on the MWC schools who can't do the $34M buyout.  It's messy but it's doable.  After a year as the PAC-8 or whatever, they could add in whatever MWC programs that they want.

The end product would be the 5th best conference in the country.  Its champion would usually play in the expanded CFP.  The big struggle would be with Apple over whether or not to add schools like Fresno or Boise, to boost interest.  I'd guess Apple wins the argument as they'd hold the purse strings and the alternative would be even worse.

You could make something like this work:

WSU, OrSU, Stanford, Cal, Fresno St, SDSU, Boise
Tulane, Rice, UTSA, SMU, AFA, CSU, Wyoming

 

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16 minutes ago, Zhorn96 said:

 Furd athletics are broke too... that said, both Furd and Cal have the alums to fix all of this if they get their heads out of their asses.  Thats the challenging part

CFB isn't that important out there. Not sure how that means their head is up their ass, they would just rather place their money elsewhere.

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10 minutes ago, redswingline said:

CFB isn't that important out there. Not sure how that means their head is up their ass, they would just rather place their money elsewhere.

I was referring to the schools ADs, not the alums.  And Furd's AD is in infinitely better shape than Cal's from a donor perspective.  Cal has potential though, they can pull 60k into games if there is a decent product that is marketed properly (see early Tedford years).  With the Raiders, Warriors and soon to be A's all gone, the East Bay is going to be only Cal for (potentially) major sports. And their NIL is a lot better than most people realize.  They bought a whole new men's bball roster which will win 20+ games this season (up from ...3).  And they brought in 13 transfers to build out their depth in football.  They spent ~$5M between the 2 sports allegedly and there is more money available for the next cycle.  But their Chancellor doesn't care because she is dreaming about retirement and the AD is a bumbling fuckwit who is about to get fired for covering up massive athlete abuse in the women's swim team.  Cal just needs a year or two and with the right hires, they could actually turn this shit around.  Which is why I think they'd jump at ACC for survival, even knowing that thing implodes in the next couple years, because by then, it might be "fixed" and they'll be more attractive to the Big18 or whatever #3 conference emerges from the ashes.  Wouldn't surprise me if they beg their way in to the Big18 for $10-15M a year and fundraise the gap to cover the 6 years til the next TV contract

Meh, anyway, we'll see.

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33 minutes ago, camel at sea said:

The rich private schools from the AAC would pay the AAC exit fee to affiliate with Stanford/Cal - provided that those two actually commit to rebuilding the PAC.  If you get those AAC schools on board, then it buys the PAC a bridge year to wait on the MWC schools who can't do the $34M buyout.  It's messy but it's doable.  After a year as the PAC-8 or whatever, they could add in whatever MWC programs that they want.

The end product would be the 5th best conference in the country.  Its champion would usually play in the expanded CFP.  The big struggle would be with Apple over whether or not to add schools like Fresno or Boise, to boost interest.  I'd guess Apple wins the argument as they'd hold the purse strings and the alternative would be even worse.

You could make something like this work:

WSU, OrSU, Stanford, Cal, Fresno St, SDSU, Boise
Tulane, Rice, UTSA, SMU, AFA, CSU, Wyoming

 

No GIF

Very, very large stretch for UTSA to be in the PAC-whatever this ends up as, Rice too but less so. UTSA got a lot of work to do on things other than having a couple good years in football, like not playing basketball and baseball in facilities that most Texas high schools would be embarrassed to play in...

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33 minutes ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

No GIF

Very, very large stretch for UTSA to be in the PAC-whatever this ends up as, Rice too but less so. UTSA got a lot of work to do on things other than having a couple good years in football, like not playing basketball and baseball in facilities that most Texas high schools would be embarrassed to play in...

Beggars can't be choosers.  If you're going to actually try to get the Texas TV market, to any meaningful degree ever, then you need a large public university to pair with the two small private ones.  UTSA is by far the best option on the board to fill that role.  You're basically making a bet that the UT system will build them up in the areas outside of competitive football, and it's a good bet long term.  In the short term, where the media rights are concerned, Traylor has them playing good football, in a good TV market.

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On 8/9/2023 at 2:09 PM, mdmost said:

I think Stanford and Cal should only do the ACC for football, baseball, and basketball. All the rest, go regional. 

The Tex Long Full Participation Football Playoff System separates the conference games from the playoffs, and lets all 128 teams into the playoffs, with an 8- or 9-game "regular" or "conference" season adding four weekends of regional play to determine 8 regional champions who then go into a three-week championship playoff. Reords in the "regular" season have no effect on playoffs, so teams can schedule big, fun games with no worries. You want to spend millions on flying all over the country for conference games? Go for it... or don't - you're still in the playoffs. Just win, baby.

 

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5 hours ago, 'stache said:

Yeah I care that you neg anyone for having any opinion you don’t like and constantly inserting your bullshit into an otherwise interesting thread. Literally everyone is fucking sick of it already. And in this group, it’s 90% BYU fans instigation the same shit over and over and over again, and posting the same memes multiple times a day. I always said there is no comparison to aggy when it comes to inflated sense of self worth and serious hatred for a rival foosball team, but goddamn you guys are close.

 

IMG_1950.jpeg

I'm sorry to hear your facebook group is having a hard time. Best of luck.

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UTSA, even though they have a larger enrollment than both Tulane and SMU combined, I really don’t think that they are “ready” $$$ for a move to the PAC, especially if that includes Spring Sports.

Everyone is thinking Football only, without considering both your male/female sports during the Spring semester = $$$$$$!

Hook’em!!!

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Years and years ago we played SMU in Dallas and the stadium was probably 1/2 to 3/4 orange. And this was in the Les Miles era before OSU football really got going.
I know it would basically be the same for any of the Texas P5 schools (or OU) if they played there too, but it was really something to see. It was like we were playing a home game against SMU on their own field.

That’s what every ISU/KU game I’ve been to in Lawrence was like
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6 hours ago, Zhorn96 said:

it was $450M or something.  The stadium was in wretched shape, basically all they kept was the outer shell for the architecture and history of it.  Everything else was completely gutted and they massively upgraded the athletic facilities in general.  Locker rooms, weight rooms, meeting rooms, etc.  Partnered with the Biz school so some classrooms there and that spread the cost a little. Its pretty nice now... 

I was there around 2000.  Went in and watched a  practice.  Place was scary.  Broken benches everywhere.  Unreal.

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26 minutes ago, bullet said:

I was there around 2000.  Went in and watched a  practice.  Place was scary.  Broken benches everywhere.  Unreal.

It was horrific.  Splintered old benches, dripping water underneath, it was like a dungeon.  Weight room could only handle 1/3rd or so if the team at a time… the stadium fucking sucked except for the view and the historic cool factor.  They had to spend the coin on it…

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SMU, with little fan support, wanting to move into Power conference…

I looked it up. In 2010, SMU and TCU had roughly the same size endowment, a touch over $1 billion. Now, TCU’s is $2.4 billion and SMU’s is $1.9 billion. Maybe SNU thinks they need major college football to get donations rolling in again?

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2 hours ago, Zhorn96 said:

It was horrific.  Splintered old benches, dripping water underneath, it was like a dungeon.  Weight room could only handle 1/3rd or so if the team at a time… the stadium fucking sucked except for the view and the historic cool factor.  They had to spend the coin on it…


In the long run, probably a whole lot cheaper than the potential lawsuits after an accident/disaster. 

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9 hours ago, Zhorn96 said:

not in the Bay Area they couldn't.  Available land to build a stadium was searched for but wasn't available nearby.  

Anyways, back to Memorial Stadium... amazing location and phenomenal atmosphere for a game but to upgrade it from the crumbling hulk it had become and make it safe from earthquakes, it cost almost $500M

 

They had other options back in the '20s, apparently.  Any idea why they built it in Strawberry Canyon, even though they knew it was on a fault line ?  I always figured they built it without realizing it was on the fault, but according to wiki:

 

Quote

 

One of the first proposals for a new stadium was on the south-western corner of the campus where Edwards Stadium and Evans Diamond currently stand. This proposal was eventually rejected and the regents settled on a site at the mouth of Strawberry Canyon.

Because the stadium would be directly atop the Hayward Fault, it was constructed out of two halves, the eastern side was built into the hills, while the west side contained the main structure built in the neo-classical architecture style to resemble the Roman Coliseum. Expansion joints were placed where the two sides connected, allowing them to separately move during an earthquake. 

 

Was space on campus that tight even back then ?

 

//

 

I remember the AD (Sandy Barbour) talking about how they were going to finance the retrofit through a PSL type structure.  When you looked at the details, there was very little money upfront, at a time when Cal had been backsliding after a resurgence in the early 2000s.  The idea that the PSLs would pay for everything seemed like magical thinking at the time.  

It reminded me of the "no money down" sub-prime mortgages that were a big factor in cratering the economy a year or two prior.  I couldn't believe they got the financing approved.  All to rebuild on an active fault.  It would have made sense if it was UT or Bama or LSU.  But Cal ?  The numbers never seemed to add up.  I guess the Regents figured they'd pass it on to the taxpayer in a worst case scenario.

It's sad to see where things are now compared to pictures of the Big Game from the '20's, with the stadium completely packed, or even sellout crowds when Beast Mode and Rogers were there less than 20 years ago.  That feels like a lifetime ago.

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Posts from a couple of guys on my USC board who've worked with Klownkoff:

 

Quote

I’ve crossed paths with George K professionally multiple times over the years. Agree that he was in over his head on day one. His greatest skill has always been getting the next job before it is revealed he did nothing in the current one. As such, he has high profile stops on his resume and is one of those types that lazy recruiters just love… but he’s an empty suit who only knows how to say buzzy things. That’s it. Too bad Turnkey and the PAC didn’t do their homework (again).

 

Quote

Ha, I worked with Big George at the VR startup Jaunt (where he was before MGM) That place was in similar straits as the Pac 12 when he took over - a once promising company who were leaders in emerging technology and flush with huge amounts of cash, but he was brought in after previous CEO's had screwed the pooch. He was a nice guy but a completely absentee landlord, he was the CEO of a silcon valley company with an office in LA but "worked" from his home in Conneticut. He abandoned the company right before it went down, and all of us alums were SHOCKED the Pac 12 hired him - he was not capable of righting such an unweildy ship

 

https://247sports.com/college/usc/board/102339/Contents/george-kliavkoff-213788082/?page=2

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I feel like the final move on the board is an SEC and BIG10 agreement in which they pay the football and maybe basketball players and crown a champion outside the NCAA framework (basically they leave NCAA for football).  This creates an NFL lite that would sell. Players can transfer end of season no restrictions once in their career so small budget schools can get guys that can’t crack the huddle at a Texas or Ohio State after a year or two. 

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From a mod on the Clemson 247 board:

 

This is what I got:

- We are gone. The decision has been made. We are leaving the ACC.

- The GOR will not keep us in the ACC.

- We have not been offered a spot by the B1G or the SEC as of yet.

- The B1G has not decided to expand South...yet.

- The SEC has not decided to expand further...yet.

- We appear to prefer a move to the B1G (as of now). At least the majority within Clemson do.

- If The B1G does extend a formal offer, the SEC would have to move very fast on an offer or we will move to the B1G.

- We are looking at this as there is greater upside to a move to the B1G; and greater downside to a move to the SEC.

- We also feel that our move to the SEC would have less positive impact on the SEC than the negative impact if they lose us to the B1G.

That's it for now. I can tell you this is from very high places.

So to sum up: We are definitely moving; the GOR will not stop us; the B1G holds the cards: we prefer the B1G (as of now); but the SEC is not out of the equation; no offers have been extended.

 

https://247sports.com/college/clemson/board/22/Contents/calstanford-213945457/?page=1

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4 hours ago, USC Traveler said:

From a mod on the Clemson 247 board:

 

This is what I got:

- We are gone. The decision has been made. We are leaving the ACC.

- The GOR will not keep us in the ACC.

- We have not been offered a spot by the B1G or the SEC as of yet.

- The B1G has not decided to expand South...yet.

- The SEC has not decided to expand further...yet.

- We appear to prefer a move to the B1G (as of now). At least the majority within Clemson do.

- If The B1G does extend a formal offer, the SEC would have to move very fast on an offer or we will move to the B1G.

- We are looking at this as there is greater upside to a move to the B1G; and greater downside to a move to the SEC.

- We also feel that our move to the SEC would have less positive impact on the SEC than the negative impact if they lose us to the B1G.

That's it for now. I can tell you this is from very high places.

So to sum up: We are definitely moving; the GOR will not stop us; the B1G holds the cards: we prefer the B1G (as of now); but the SEC is not out of the equation; no offers have been extended.

 

https://247sports.com/college/clemson/board/22/Contents/calstanford-213945457/?page=1

If true, they must think the GOR isn’t enforceable cause the exit fee is $120m and buying your media rights back is ? With estimates anywhere from $150m to $350m.  Nobody is paying $500m to hop conferences

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4 hours ago, USC Traveler said:

From a mod on the Clemson 247 board:

 

This is what I got:

- We are gone. The decision has been made. We are leaving the ACC.

- The GOR will not keep us in the ACC.

- We have not been offered a spot by the B1G or the SEC as of yet.

- The B1G has not decided to expand South...yet.

- The SEC has not decided to expand further...yet.

- We appear to prefer a move to the B1G (as of now). At least the majority within Clemson do.

- If The B1G does extend a formal offer, the SEC would have to move very fast on an offer or we will move to the B1G.

- We are looking at this as there is greater upside to a move to the B1G; and greater downside to a move to the SEC.

- We also feel that our move to the SEC would have less positive impact on the SEC than the negative impact if they lose us to the B1G.

That's it for now. I can tell you this is from very high places.

So to sum up: We are definitely moving; the GOR will not stop us; the B1G holds the cards: we prefer the B1G (as of now); but the SEC is not out of the equation; no offers have been extended.

 

https://247sports.com/college/clemson/board/22/Contents/calstanford-213945457/?page=1

I have to question the wisdom of making a big move like this without knowing the next step. Texas and OU had discussions with B10 and SEC, and then an agreement with the SEC, before telling the B12 they were out. 

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Clemson is in a worse spot than FSU/Miami IMO.

They aren't an academic fit in the B1G and they aren't as attractive demographically as FSU/Miami.  If there's any truth to that rumor, they might sense that and view this as a desperation play.

On the flip side, for the B1G, if they can grab the flagship school in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, that gives them a real footprint in the SE.  If the B1G has no desire to create permanent divisions, you could add FSU/Miami/Clemson/UNC/UVA/ND to get to 24 and be done with it.

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5 hours ago, USC Traveler said:

From a mod on the Clemson 247 board:

 

This is what I got:

- We are gone. The decision has been made. We are leaving the ACC.

- The GOR will not keep us in the ACC.

- We have not been offered a spot by the B1G or the SEC as of yet.

- The B1G has not decided to expand South...yet.

- The SEC has not decided to expand further...yet.

- We appear to prefer a move to the B1G (as of now). At least the majority within Clemson do.

- If The B1G does extend a formal offer, the SEC would have to move very fast on an offer or we will move to the B1G.

- We are looking at this as there is greater upside to a move to the B1G; and greater downside to a move to the SEC.

- We also feel that our move to the SEC would have less positive impact on the SEC than the negative impact if they lose us to the B1G.

That's it for now. I can tell you this is from very high places.

So to sum up: We are definitely moving; the GOR will not stop us; the B1G holds the cards: we prefer the B1G (as of now); but the SEC is not out of the equation; no offers have been extended.

 

https://247sports.com/college/clemson/board/22/Contents/calstanford-213945457/?page=1

pfffffftt

Teenage girl: "I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Parents:  "Where are you going to go?"

Teenage girl: "Anywhere but here!  Tommy loves me we'll always be together!"

Parents: "isn't Tommy and his family in Florida at Disney World?"

Teenage girl: "Fine Tommy is a loser, I'll go live with Lucas in his doublewide!"

Parents: "Doesn't Lucas live across town?"

Teenage girl: "YEAH SO!?"

Parents: "How are you going to get there?"

Teenage girl: "IDK you're ruining my life!!!!!"

/scene

 

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38 minutes ago, hawkfan said:

Clemson is in a worse spot than FSU/Miami IMO.

They aren't an academic fit in the B1G and they aren't as attractive demographically as FSU/Miami.  If there's any truth to that rumor, they might sense that and view this as a desperation play.

On the flip side, for the B1G, if they can grab the flagship school in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina, that gives them a real footprint in the SE.  If the B1G has no desire to create permanent divisions, you could add FSU/Miami/Clemson/UNC/UVA/ND to get to 24 and be done with it.

The Big10 has never taken a non AAU school in their history. The B2 in the latest round of expansion has taken pairs with at least 1 of them being in the top 15 of viewership with Washington being the lowest 2nd fiddle at ~35.  ND is the only one that fits both of those and imo they are far off from joining the Big10. UVA, UNC and Miami don't add full share value unless ND drags one of them with. FSU and Clemson probably don't get SEC anytime soon with their antics so the ACC will be stable for a few more years. 

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16 hours ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

Very large stretch for UTSA to be in the PAC-whatever...   UTSA got a lot of work to do on things other than having a few good yrs in football, like not playing basketball and baseball in facilities that most Texas high schools would be embarrassed to play in...

Yeah, after their 7th yr QB leaves, might see UTSA football results really struggle too.  

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44 minutes ago, locodos said:

pfffffftt

Teenage girl: "I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Parents:  "Where are you going to go?"

Teenage girl: "Anywhere but here!  Tommy loves me we'll always be together!"

Parents: "isn't Tommy and his family in Florida at Disney World?"

Teenage girl: "Fine Tommy is a loser, I'll go live with Lucas in his doublewide!"

Parents: "Doesn't Lucas live across town?"

Teenage girl: "YEAH SO!?"

Parents: "How are you going to get there?"

Teenage girl: "IDK you're ruining my life!!!!!"

/scene

 


But! But!

 

 

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42 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

Yeah, after their 7th yr QB leaves, might see UTSA football results really struggle too.  

Have to wonder if this year is a curtain call for Traylor in SA as well, they have a good year with said 7th year QB his stock and name is never gonna be hotter and theres gotta be some decent to good P5 offers headed his way...Heck might even be one a few hours away in Collie Station...

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So...?

SEC: FSU, Clemson?

B1G: UVA, UNC, Miami? Hold for ND or swipe Duke?

B12: VTech, NCState, Pitt, Louisville?

Left out: Cuse, BC, Wake, Tech?

The biggest issue I see here is ESPN is THE player in all of these moves besides the B1G, and they've invested a ton in the ACC Network.   Its equally plausible FSU/Clemson leave and the remaining 12 stay together, add UConn, and live comfortably on the buyouts, which should be significant if you can't get 12 teams to vote for dissolution.   Let's pretend its only a quarter bill each, that's $500m in the ACC's coffers, which is equal to an entire year of revenue.   They could buy Cal's debt and make another $600m on the servicing over the next century.

Agree though that FSU/Clemson not having a home in advance that is bought and paid for is dumb.   Especially when someone else currently owns your rights.

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