(08-07-2023 07:12 AM)RUScarlets Wrote:  ESPN won't pay the pro-rata for that. Here is what I'd do if I'm do if I'm ESPN.

Invite Cal/Furd to the AAC as FO.

West: Cal, Furd, Rice, Tulane, UTSA, UNT, SMU, Tulsa
East: Navy, Temple, ECU, Charlotte, FAU, USF, Memphis, UAB

Not a call for divisions per say; you can do a 3+6/6 and put Cal, Furd, Rice, Tulane is a scheduling pod. In fact, a straight pod setup works well with Navy/Temple/ECU/Charlotte and FAU, USF, UAB, Memphis.

Then you get a late window option with Cal/Furd as well. I also predict the MWC will go into earlier negotiations should they land the PNW pair, and ESPN can acquire more late content there if Fox/FS1 and CBS don't want to renew.

I posted this in the realignment thread. Didn't take a genius to know that Aresco would be up to his usual antics. More power to him.

Not sure he can land all four members though and/or additional MWC schools to complete a western section of the conference. I'd guess CSU/AFA/SDSU would be his next targets.

(08-07-2023 01:05 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 07:12 AM)RUScarlets Wrote:  ESPN won't pay the pro-rata for that. Here is what I'd do if I'm do if I'm ESPN.

Invite Cal/Furd to the AAC as FO.

West: Cal, Furd, Rice, Tulane, UTSA, UNT, SMU, Tulsa
East: Navy, Temple, ECU, Charlotte, FAU, USF, Memphis, UAB

Not a call for divisions per say; you can do a 3+6/6 and put Cal, Furd, Rice, Tulane is a scheduling pod. In fact, a straight pod setup works well with Navy/Temple/ECU/Charlotte and FAU, USF, UAB, Memphis.

Then you get a late window option with Cal/Furd as well. I also predict the MWC will go into earlier negotiations should they land the PNW pair, and ESPN can acquire more late content there if Fox/FS1 and CBS don't want to renew.

I posted this in the realignment thread. Didn't take a genius to know that Aresco would be up to his usual antics. More power to him.

Not sure he can land all four members though and/or additional MWC schools to complete a western section of the conference. I'd guess CSU/AFA/SDSU would be his next targets.

Gotta shoot your shot if you’re Aresco. I would think ESPN would be fully supportive of this BTW. Not sure if Cal/Stanford would be.

Hopefully ESPN will help the AAC, they have to. It would be a smart move

I don't buy that. They are throwing poop at the wall and hoping it sticks

Might as well try but I doubt anything comes of it.

At least we are talking and discussed. Anyone hear anything from SBC, CUSA, or the MAC? :D

I find it difficult to believe that the PAC4 teams will be willing to give up the PAC brand and A5 designation to migrate to a G5 conference, unless it's the absolute last resort.

Not sure of the advantages of ESPN supporting the AAC's bid for the Pac members over the ACC's.

(08-07-2023 01:18 PM)KnightLife Wrote:  Hopefully ESPN will help the AAC, they have to. It would be a smart move

Chance for them to get some West coast content at a discount. They could up the AAC deal a little and still come out way ahead vs paying them $20M each to join the Big12.

(08-07-2023 01:39 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Not sure of the advantages of ESPN supporting the AAC's bid for the Pac members over the ACC's.

ESPN can pay them less in the AAC. In the case of the AAC, the additions would likely add overall value to all the current member's payout. In the ACC, the existing member's payout would likely be diluted.

(08-07-2023 01:39 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Not sure of the advantages of ESPN supporting the AAC's bid for the Pac members over the ACC's.

Did the ACC make an offer? I had heard people talk about it but nothing substantial.

(08-07-2023 01:40 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:18 PM)KnightLife Wrote:  Hopefully ESPN will help the AAC, they have to. It would be a smart move

Chance for them to get some West coast content at a discount. They could up the AAC deal a little and still come out way ahead vs paying them $20M each to join the Big12.

ESPN is losing revenue at an alarming pace as people cut the cord. The glory days of every cable subscriber (ESPN viewer or not) subsidizing ESPN with their affiliate fees is coming closer and closer to an end. With costs increasing and revenue dropping, I don't see them throwing money around like the "good ol' days."

Get any of them, it's most likely a win.
Though do you want the administrations of Cal and Stanford dictating things?
Also WSU and Cal are both broke, athletically.
OSU would be awesome but they're so far out there alone.

(08-07-2023 01:43 PM)msu35 Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:40 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:18 PM)KnightLife Wrote:  Hopefully ESPN will help the AAC, they have to. It would be a smart move

Chance for them to get some West coast content at a discount. They could up the AAC deal a little and still come out way ahead vs paying them $20M each to join the Big12.

ESPN is losing revenue at an alarming pace as people cut the cord. The glory days of every cable subscriber (ESPN viewer or not) subsidizing ESPN with their affiliate fees is coming closer and closer to an end. With costs increasing and revenue dropping, I don't see them throwing money around like the "good ol' days."

Right, which is why ESPN could be more interested in them being added to the AAC vs the ACC or Big12. The Pac4 still have value from a TV perspective. In the AAC, they could probably get those schools for a $10-$12M payout vs $20-$25M in the Big12 or ACC. So ESPN gets the benefit of decent content at a fraction of the cost. Having the rights to those games via the AAC would be a money saver for ESPN as compared to the Pac4 moving to another ESPN controlled conference.

(08-07-2023 01:38 PM)msu35 Wrote:  I find it difficult to believe that the PAC4 teams will be willing to give up the PAC brand and A5 designation to migrate to a G5 conference, unless it's the absolute last resort.

With the top 2/3rds of the conference gone, I don't think the PAC brand necessarily has much left.

If they get all 4, theoretically they could call it a merger and keep the PAC brand. That would mean more if they could peal off Boise/AF/CS - maybe.

I am not saying it is likely, but the 4 remaining schools are probably shell shocked now, it would not surprise me.

(08-07-2023 01:47 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:43 PM)msu35 Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:40 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:18 PM)KnightLife Wrote:  Hopefully ESPN will help the AAC, they have to. It would be a smart move

Chance for them to get some West coast content at a discount. They could up the AAC deal a little and still come out way ahead vs paying them $20M each to join the Big12.

ESPN is losing revenue at an alarming pace as people cut the cord. The glory days of every cable subscriber (ESPN viewer or not) subsidizing ESPN with their affiliate fees is coming closer and closer to an end. With costs increasing and revenue dropping, I don't see them throwing money around like the "good ol' days."

Right, which is why ESPN could be more interested in them being added to the AAC vs the ACC or Big12. The Pac4 still have value from a TV perspective. In the AAC, they could probably get those schools for a $10-$12M payout vs $20-$25M in the Big12 or ACC. So ESPN gets the benefit of decent content at a fraction of the cost. Having the rights to those games via the AAC would be a money saver for ESPN as compared to the Pac4 moving to another ESPN controlled conference.

Any scenario that doesn't have the PAC4 in the ACC makes the most sense for a myriad of reasons.

(08-07-2023 01:49 PM)Vonz90 Wrote:  

(08-07-2023 01:38 PM)msu35 Wrote:  I find it difficult to believe that the PAC4 teams will be willing to give up the PAC brand and A5 designation to migrate to a G5 conference, unless it's the absolute last resort.

With the top 2/3rds of the conference gone, I don't think the PAC brand necessarily has much left.

If they get all 4, theoretically they could call it a merger and keep the PAC brand. That would mean more if they could peal off Boise/AF/CS - maybe.

I am not saying it is likely, but the 4 remaining schools are probably shell shocked now, it would not surprise me.

I wouldn't be so quick to devalue the PAC brand.

(08-07-2023 01:39 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  Not sure of the advantages of ESPN supporting the AAC's bid for the Pac members over the ACC's.

Lack of viable 4th window games for the ACC at 30-40 million versus central timezone G5s traveling to the left coast at 7-10 million per school. Answer for ESPN is obvious. I said it last week that the AAC should be the favorites to land AT LEAST Cal/Furd.

If they couldn’t land Air Force and Colorado State, how are they going to land them?