Wyobraska

If you are USF and Memphis, that can't be an enticing offer with the potential ACC drama like you mentioned. Plus, how much different would the payouts be from the rebuild PAC 12 to the AAC when you factor in exit fees and travel? I think the PAC 12 might be thinking, get to 8 members and then see what happens but I don't see many schools wanting to join that conference. Maybe some Texas schools that aren't getting full payouts from the AAC but would the PAC 12 want them?

I don't know if the ACC will pick up anyone from a rebuild PAC 12. It would depend on how much weight Cal and Stanford have, but the ACC would be smart to stay closer to the East and add schools like Memphis and USF. Their TV deal will eventually go down or stay flat. Adding far flung schools like OSU and WSU doesn't make much sense for anyone besides Cal and Stanford really.

Probably hoping for an extension to their 2 timeline to rebuild the PAC. They will forfeit a lot of money going independent and you are right, where are they going to get money for their budgets? Who will give them a TV deal? The CW buys games from the currently. I wonder if the CW would start to produce games? OSU and WSU couldn't pay for their own production like they do now.

It's crazy. I agree that I think #3 is the only logical option but I think they will try to rebuild. Maybe they can get a TV deal around $10-$15 million per year and they hope that further chaos works in their favor. They might legally be P5 for now as far as some of that stuff but they are no longer a P5 conference. I don't see them getting an automatic qualifier to the playoffs or anything like that. They won't get an equal distribution with the Big 12 or ACC from the playoffs. It will be fascinating to watch play out.

It's tough. It seems like they have very limited options to me but I can see why they are drawing this out to maximize their chances. For 2025 I think they are building out their own schedules and trying to get more P4 games For 2026, their options seem slim. 1. Rebuild PAC 12. Seems like a lot of money to spend and I'm not sure how much that helps them in the end. $30 million per school is a lot of money when their budgets are getting slashed. I don't know if the ACC will shake out before they have to make a decision. Would Stanford or Cal even want to be associated with a conference that has teams like Boise St, SDSU, or Fresno St in it? 2. Go independent. Losing all of the last PAC 12 money seems crazy. 3. Merge with MW and keep their money but probably lose some perceived status. In reality though, a reconstructed PAC is going to be a G6 conference too. 4. Buy their way into the Big 12 or ACC. I don't see this as reality.

They'll lose all of those basketball credits and a substantial amount of money that they would have earned as the PAC 12 though if they go independent right?

When Sonny was doing his thing back in the day CSU got a lot more coverage locally I feel like.

I think a lot of fans view them as peers, so they don't care if they come or go. Would they help the MW? Absolutely. Would their addition mean huge things for the MW? Nope. They are entering uncharted territory going from large budgets and getting recruits off of a brand they are no longer part of. So I think a lot of people are also curious to see how they react to their new reality and don't want to give them any perceived special treatment. I personally think they are smart to continue to do their due diligence. They don't need to make a decision just yet. The MW was doing its thing before last year and it will continue to do so, with or without those two schools is more of the attitude I see. OSU and WSU weren't going to dramatically change the MW. The current MW schools and all other G5 schools (including OSU and WSU) are pretty much screwed anyway in comparison to the P4.

Is the heat going to come down hard on Penny?

1000%. It would be a great move for Memphis if the Big 12 is off the table.

You guys will get a ticket when the ACC loses teams. I think you guys and USF will probably be the first calls. I think it will be tough for WSU and OSU. I doubt a bunch of East Coast schools want to stretch too far West into Oregon and Washington. I don't think the other schools probably care about Stanford and Cal. Their next TV deal will go down. Why drag out travel for everyone else just to help Cal and Stanford?

Do you think the new $5 million entry fee to FBS would be a deterrent to any Montana schools moving up? Delaware just paid it I believe.

I am curious what they net out of that after production costs since they are producing and selling the games to CW.

They would need their new conference by 2026. So if they gave notice before June 2025 then they would only pay $17 million though right?

What do you think the ceiling of a TV deal is for a restructured PAC 12? $10-$15 million?

I don't see Gonzaga giving up their power in the WCC to join that conference

That's a lot of money in fees for that conference configuration.

There is also the exit fees for any school that leaves the MW, which will probably be negotiated down from the amounts in writing, but something that needs to be considered. What if the ACC doesn't implode in time?

I wonder what the PAC 2 play is here? Go Indy but forfeit things like the NCAA Tournament credits? I know a merger is still on the table as well but the PAC 2 don't seem to have a a lot of options. I don't see a Big 12 or ACC agreement of any sorts taking place.

I would think Idaho would be pretty gun shy about a move back to FBS. They seem to be doing well in the Big Sky. That might change if the Montana's left but I don't think I have read even one article suggesting they should give FBS a go again. @VandalPride97 any thing to contribute here by chance?

It is an interesting question on what would happen. The barrier to entry for FCS is larger than ever. It takes a much bigger commitment for them to join in years past. I don't know if Texas schools would be interested in moving West when there are more eyeballs in the East.

If the schools that have to leave pay exit fees and the PAC 2 has to pay upwards of $60 million, then they would probably try to make the MW work.

What's your definition of a good media deal here? I doubt the PAC 12 picks up much of anything because they will more than likely have to pay their own penalty to the MW for poaching teams.

They could still try to build back up the PAC if they find enough teams willing. They just need to decide soon though because you know it will be a drawn out legal battle over the MW teams exit fees. I could see SDSU and BSU willing to roll the dice, can they find others who are also willing to take the gamble?