PonyFans.com

One would wonder, since Texas has an increase in population and much of that increase is from California transplants, could a growing market for the PAC 12 be a natural fit in Texas? Also, Texas is a growing market. A foothold in a growing market might be more advantageous than other areas in the country. Bottom line is market share for TV. Texas is growing.

According to this guy SMU has reached out to the PAC:

https://www.johncanzano.com/p/canzano-p ... back?sd=pf

Glad to see we are being proactive.

I think it's pretty cool to even be mentioned in this article, let alone in a very positive way.

I think it is interesting, because if he were being handed talking points by SMU or the PAC 12 to test waters, his statements would be a bit more accurate. So, this isn't SMU's influence driving a media conversation.

Honestly, if your objective is to get the attention of the central time zone, I'd pull in Memphis, Tulane, SMU and Rice. The cluster effect would be more beneficial from an awareness perspective, and the Tulane, SMU, and Rice academic reputations would offset Memphis.

stlpony wrote:TCU has the better program, but would they want to pay the exit fee? Would PAC12 rather have SMU's endowment and educational rankings?

No, no, no... TCU doesn't get to be considered the "better program" just by virtue of being in the Big12. You get to be the better program by winning, and for some strange reason everybody seems to be glossing over the fact that TCU hasn't beaten SMU -- at home or away -- for quite awhile.

PerunaPunch wrote:

stlpony wrote:TCU has the better program, but would they want to pay the exit fee? Would PAC12 rather have SMU's endowment and educational rankings?

No, no, no... TCU doesn't get to be considered the "better program" just by virtue of being in the Big12. You get to be the better program by winning, and for some strange reason everybody seems to be glossing over the fact that TCU hasn't beaten SMU -- at home or away -- for quite awhile.

Even after the generous gift to build out the South Endzone, SMU still needs to invest another $100M+ to be almost on par with TCU's facilities. And, as much as I love beating TCU, their football program over the last 20 years has finished in the Top25 ten times (6 times in Top10). TCU has consistently won and invested back in their program. PAC12 doesn't really care if they've beaten SMU recently. SMU's differentiators vs. TCU's to the PAC12 are academic rankings and no religious baggage.

JasonB wrote:I think it is interesting, because if he were being handed talking points by SMU or the PAC 12 to test waters, his statements would be a bit more accurate. So, this isn't SMU's influence driving a media conversation.

Honestly, if your objective is to get the attention of the central time zone, I'd pull in Memphis, Tulane, SMU and Rice. The cluster effect would be more beneficial from an awareness perspective, and the Tulane, SMU, and Rice academic reputations would offset Memphis.

Jason B, I share you interest that Rice and Tulane, along with SMU, bring academic reputations which the Presidents in the PAC 12 should appreciate in several large markets, especially Dallas and Houston. I like the peer group of these schools aligned with Stanford, Cal, and U. of Washington, plus Oregon ... assuming the PAC 12 can keep UO and UW in the fold along with the Four Corner schools (UT, CO, AZ, and ASU, which are coveted by the Big12).

Honestly, none of our Central Time Zone schools bring large enrollments, alumni base, and fans. It is fun to imagine though.

If I were the PAC 12, I would grab San Diego State before the Big 12 does along with SMU. If you add two more, perhaps Boise State or Fresno State.

This is about money and has been about nothing but money for decades now. Teams that can't draw TV viewership will only survive so long as alums are willing to foot the bill. TCU, Baylor, SMU are all in pretty much the same boat even though we are not in their conference. I can't see Oregon, Washington, or even Cal committing to a PAC 12 / Big 12 alliance in the long run. Only Brigham Young has consistently decent viewership in football in the Big 12. Our best hope remains an expanded playoff system with a guaranteed slot for an AAC champion. Unfortunately, I suspect that the SEC and BIG will fill up the slots with their also rans just as we see in the NCAA men's tournament. Hard to imagine any team from a conference featuring UNT would rate consideration for a playoff berth.

If I remember correctly TCU didn't get a full revenue share in the Big 12 for many years. If we have any chance to pull off a move we're going to have to accept or offer up the same. The question then is - do we want 7 million a year playing Charlotte and UAB or 7 million a year playing Washington State and Cal?

George Kliavkoff is fired up and inspiring, we gotta do what we can do join the PAC, asap. Then PAC does loose partnership with ACC and we are in the third best conference, with significant drop off to Big12 and then a more significant drop off to the rest.

stlpony wrote:... are academic rankings and no religious baggage.

Curious what you mean by religious "baggage." I felt no religious influence of any kind while at SMU, and I know frogs who say the same about their experience at tcu. Each has a religious name and past religious influences, but other than that ... ?

Hoofprint wrote:

stlpony wrote:... are academic rankings and no religious baggage.

Curious what you mean by religious "baggage." I felt no religious influence of any kind while at SMU, and I know frogs who say the same about their experience at tcu. Each has a religious name and past religious influences, but other than that ... ?

No school in the Pac-12 has any religious affiliation. Baylor is the biggest Baptist university in the world.
BYU has the same story. TCU was founded by the Disciples of Christ and are still trying to distance itself from that relationship. Religious factors were oftentimes mentioned as part of the rationale as to why those schools were less desirable to the Pac-12. For SMU, even though Methodist is in the name, it is recognized as having no religious affiliation. For Pac-12, that has traditionally mattered. Net/Net, if Pac-12 wants to be in the DFW metroplex, this plus US News & World Report academic rankings help set us apart versus TCU/Baylor.

Big XII probably has the better shot at surviving this round of realignment than the PAC XII does. I've seen the scenario where the Big XII expands to 18 members with pods of 6 teams each. If the Big XII could pull that off it leaves Washington State, Oregon State, Stanford and Cal holding the short sticks and probably having to look to the MWC as their future home.

It will be interesting to see how many conferences survive and whether Division I FBS expands a playoff system or creates a 2 tier playoff system. I'm thinking a 12-16 team playoff might be a way for the SEC & Big 10 to throw the lesser conferences a bone and could see a rule requiring a conference to have at least 16-18 members to qualify their champion for an automatic bid.

Charleston Pony wrote:Big XII probably has the better shot at surviving this round of realignment than the PAC XII does. I've seen the scenario where the Big XII expands to 18 members with pods of 6 teams each. If the Big XII could pull that off it leaves Washington State, Oregon State, Stanford and Cal holding the short sticks and probably having to look to the MWC as their future home.

It will be interesting to see how many conferences survive and whether Division I FBS expands a playoff system or creates a 2 tier playoff system. I'm thinking a 12-16 team playoff might be a way for the SEC & Big 10 to throw the lesser conferences a bone and could see a rule requiring a conference to have at least 16-18 members to qualify their champion for an automatic bid.

Why would WSU, OSU, Stanford and CAL give up the PAC and go to the Mountain West? Makes no sense. They can keep the PAC Brand, all their assets from Basketball credits and retained dues($), and AQ status. They would then recruit teams from the MW and other conferences to join them with a much better base than the MW has. Why would they leave all that behind?