PAC-10 expansion talk

[EmeraldCityPony]

This is a post by a USC fan on the University of Washington's <A HREF="http://www.realdawg.com" TARGET=_blank>www.realdawg.com</A> message board:

If we have to expand, lets expand to make the most $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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This whole thing is about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Other than gaining more money for a conference title game, can anyone tell me how adding BYU and Utah is going to generate enough increased ticket sales in this conference to justify their addition?

Will Utah bring in 40,000 fans to the Coliseum? Does ASU or Oregon State ever bring more than 20,000 fans to the L.A. or Bay Area Schools? The only schools that sell out at the Coliseum are UCLA and Notre Dame. Washington is a much bigger program than BYU and Utah and look how many people they bring to the Coliseum. Alabama took 30,000 to play UCLA, while Michigan, Ohio State and Auburn brought more fans than any of our PAC-10 neighbors to the Rose Bowl and the Coliseum. I hardly doubt that Stanford and Cal are going to start filling their stadiums to capacity because Utah and BYU are playing.

How are Utah and BYU going to generate more TV appeal? They are not in a big TV market and aren't exactly household names in most of the country, and I doubt that ABC is going to make an Arizona-BYU game national and that anyone on the East Coast is going to stay up late to watch a renewed WAC rivalry between BYU and ASU, or Arizona and Utah.

Everything is bigger in TEXAS! I say if we have to expand look to schools from Texas (Texas, A$M, TCU, SMU, Houston, Rice). At least we can gain an edge in Texas High School Recruiting and even though most folks in Dallas and Houston don't care for Houston, Rice, SMU and TCU, they would be inclined to watch a USC-SMU, UCLA-TCU or a Washington-Houston game rather than a TCU-Army, SMU-UTEP, or Houston-Tulane. A hot USC, Washington or UCLA team team could help the PAC-10 own a big chunk of the TV Market in the Lone Star State. We stand to gain more for this conference if we pick from Texas and even Colorado (Air Force, Colorado State or Colorado).

If we have to expand, lets make sure our new members, whoever they may be, can broaden the conference National TV Market and the state they come from can significantly add to recruiting in the conference.

[cowboypony]

Very interesting post. Like I've always said, "the Dallas market is our biggest asset."

[EastStang]

I'd love to be in a BCS conference, but you know, I think the PAC-10 would almost be as bad for us than the WAC. Travel costs would be horrible. All our away games would be played around midnight. Would people come out to see us play Oregon State? I remember when I was at SMU, we played Oregon State in a pretty empty Cotton Bowl. Would our people travel to Pullman, Washington to see us play Washington State? I think UCLA, Washington, USC and Stanford might draw pretty well and better than Tulsa and La. Tech. But there's no way we'd fill or bring 10,000 fans to LA for a USC game. As for the rest of the conference, I would be hard pressed to see them increase our attendance over FSU, Hawaii or Boise. Lastly, can anyone spell DOORMAT. I'd hate to become the PAC 10's version of Baylor.

[bubba pony]

flattering but Dallas market does not support SMU.
USC's roster is filled with CA kids
one from TX.
so recruiting in TX by a west coast team doesn't appear to be reality.
USC roster:

<A HREF="http://usctrojans.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/usc-m-footbl-mtt.html" TARGET=_blank>http://usctrojans.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/usc-m-footbl-mtt.html</A>

[Charleston Pony]

The PAC 10 is a bad fit for any Texas school, including cash rich A$M and UT, the latter allegedly having a standing invitation to join.

I do see Colorado and BYU as more obvious options, which would set up some pretty obvious "backfill moves by the Big 10 and MWC. The Big XII could invite Iowa to join it's in-state rival Iowa St in the Big XII north and the MWC can invite Utah St to fill the void left by BYU, also joining an in-state rival Utah. Meanwhile, the Big 10 can return to it's namesake number of teams.

It still all leaves SMU, TCU, Houston and Rice pondering whether to play with the WAC or form a new SWC.