Realignment Rumblings re: UH

[StallionsModelT]

Got a call from a good friend of mine that is pretty tied into what goes on behind the scenes with UH. He's never given me any info that wasn't solid. Apparently Hermann has been telling boosters that UH will be in a P5 conference in the next two or three years. He was told that it will either be PAC 12 with UH/SMU or, more likely, Big 12 with either BYU or Cincinnati. I'm not claiming to know anything but thought I'd pass it along.

[Morris Code 11]

This is not an over-exaggeration....I would give up my left nut to be in the Pac-12.

[LA_Mustang]

UCLA owes us a favor.

[GreenbeltPony]

A poster on another forum suggested the same rumor, but said that it'd probably be UH/New Mexico to the Pac-12 (if this even happens) because "SMU unfortunately is a scarlet lady, due to the past history of the death penalty."

[gostangs]

UH/new Mexico to the Pac is beyond laughable. New Mexico delivers nothing - no market and nothing all that good sports wise. The Pac sees themselves as having an academic standard that neither of those schools deliver.

[LA_Mustang]

DFW has 3x more people than the entire state of NM.

[PonyKai]

Oh lawd that's dumb.

[GreenbeltPony]

Yep, I just found it to be humorous. I think UH/SMU would be a solid get for the Pac-12; the only issues I can imagine would be 1) a less than stellar football record and 2) getting the Pac-12 schools to accept a school with "Methodist" in the name. Otherwise, we're in one of the fastest-growing markets with excellent academics, a large endowment, a great basketball program, and a clear commitment to football success.

[CA Mustang]

A poster on another forum suggested the same rumor, but said that it'd probably be UH/New Mexico to the Pac-12 (if this even happens) because "SMU unfortunately is a scarlet lady, due to the past history of the death penalty."

That might be the most frighteningly stupid thing I've read in a long time. Whoever believes that is allowed to vote. That's scary.

Exactly. SMU/UH/UNM may interest the Big 12, but the Pac-12 is only interested in schools that can expand the revenue pie (i.e. Texas or OU), not take from it. UH doesn't bring the Pac-12 anything except another mouth to feed.

[Water Pony]

What is most likely is Cincinnati, which gives WVA a partner in the Big XII. If the Bearcats are the most probable, then which school gets them back to 12? UH gets them back into the metro-Houston market or Memphis as a virtual bridge to Cincinnati and WVA, along with a solid Tiger BB program. SMU would seem to have longer odds for Big XII, due to UT's feelings toward us historically.

PAC12 would be fantastic with SMU being more attractive academically and bringing the DFW market. Academically, Houston doesn't get them as excited, so any expansion into the State of Texas is a stretch, due to big distances and the problem of a new and earlier time zone (CT).

SEC should be discussed, as another long shot.

[Pony Boss]

If someone posted here back in 2010 that TCU and West Virginia were going to the Big 12, you would get laughed out of this board. I saw the Big Ten take Rutgers and Maryland just for the sake of TV subscriptions so SMU/UH would not surprise me one bit. Other than coog sucking academically, we both have some history and nice facilities. Rutgers, well...yeah.

[LA_Mustang]

Exactly. SMU/UH/UNM may interest the Big 12, but the Pac-12 is only interested in schools that can expand the revenue pie (i.e. Texas or OU), not take from it. UH doesn't bring the Pac-12 anything except another mouth to feed.

I'm not saying this will happen because I don't think it will but UH brings the Pac12 plenty.
Houston is currently the #10 TV market and the fasting growing city in the country. In five years Houston could easily be the #6 TV market. As for SMU, Dallas is the #5 TV market and the second fastest growing city in the country. It's ALL about money, and TV is money.

[ftworthmustang]

I have to wonder if there are negotiations with P-5 conferences in the works. Why would we be spending this much money on athletics if we were permanently relegated to a non-p5 conference?

[dcpony]

What is most likely is Cincinnati, which gives WVA a partner in the Big XII. If the Bearcats are the most probable, then which school gets them back to 12? UH gets them back into the metro-Houston market or Memphis as a virtual bridge to Cincinnati and WVA, along with a solid Tiger BB program. SMU would seem to have longer odds for Big XII, due to UT's feelings toward us historically.

PAC12 would be fantastic with SMU being more attractive academically and bringing the DFW market. Academically, Houston doesn't get them as excited, so any expansion into the State of Texas is a stretch, due to big distances and the problem of a new and earlier time zone (CT).

SEC should be discussed, as another long shot.

Besides a travel partner for WVA, I don't get how Cincinnati moves the dial. Ohio St dominates the state.

[dcpony]

Exactly. SMU/UH/UNM may interest the Big 12, but the Pac-12 is only interested in schools that can expand the revenue pie (i.e. Texas or OU), not take from it. UH doesn't bring the Pac-12 anything except another mouth to feed.

I'm not saying this will happen because I don't think it will but UH brings the Pac12 plenty.
Houston is currently the #10 TV market and the fasting growing city in the country. In five years Houston could easily be the #6 TV market. As for SMU, Dallas is the #5 TV market and the second fastest growing city in the country. It's ALL about money, and TV is money.

Only way UH and SMU might get added to the PAC-12 is if 1) these schools start getting really good at revenue sports 2) and more cable and satellite carriers in TX start adding the PAC-12 Network and paying the network a decent amount per subscriber.