Pac Ten expansion is causing an upheaval within the college sports landscape that will make it unrecognizable as we know it. Pac Ten expansion is a Pacific coast power grab that will impact the future of both the Big-12 and Big-10 conferences. More television money is the ultimate objective of Pac Ten expansion plans. Probably the most sought after prize within the college conference tug of war is Texas, with its huge legion of fans and nationwide television ratings draw.
Resource for this article: Pac Ten expansion will alter the entire college sports landscape By Personal Money Store
Pac Ten expansion scenarios
A handful of Pac Ten expansion scenarios were laid out at a conference of Pac Ten athletic directors in San Francisco on June 6. ESPN reports that the Pac Ten discussed scenarios including a direct merger with the Big-12, welcoming six universities at the moment in the Big-12, tacking on Colorado and Utah to be the Pac-12 or simply remaining the Pac-10. A lucrative Pac Ten TV network is also on the table in discussions about conference expansion. Big 12 schools on the Pac Ten buying list includeTexas, Texas A and M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado .
Pac Ten expansion all about TV dollars
Pac Ten expansion is being discussed as the Big-12 conference has found itself under siege from both the east and west. Other major conferences have outpaced the Big 12 in television dollars, although it boasts large name schools like Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Nebraska and Missouri have are being wooed by the Big-10, a conference that paid out $22 million to each member, courtesy of the Big-10 Network. The TV take for Big-12 schools was a mere $7 to $12 million. According to the Sports Business Journal, the Southeast Conference leads all conferences with TV contracts from ESPN and CBS worth $205 million annually. The Pac Ten’s contracts with ABC/ESPN and Fox are worth $45 million.
Mega-conference: The Pac-16
No timeline has been revealed for Pac Ten expansion. However, Orangebloods.com reports that Texas, Texas A and M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Colorado and Oklahoma will get an invite from commissioner Larry Scott as early as this week. With so numerous schools, the Pac-16 could form two leagues. The six newcomers, plus the two Arizona schools, which made the Pac-8 the Pac Ten would form one league. The original eight schools within the conference would form the other.
A future for the Big-12?
The Big-12 has given Nebraska and Missouri until June 11 to determine whether they’ll stay or go, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Should they choose to go, the other schools targeted by the Pac Ten are expected to leave as well. If that happens the Big-12 would disintegrate, being that Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor and Iowa would be the only schools left. To remain viable, the Big-12 could gather in Texas Christian and Southern Methodist and possibly convince Colorado and Utah to join the league. But would the Little-8 stand a chance against the bigger, richer conferences encroaching on the east and west?. Either way, the individuals affected most, college sports fans, have been left out of the deal.
Find a lot more details on this topic
sports.espn.go.com
sportsbusinessjournal.com
blogs.mercurynews.com
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