Conference Realignment thread

[utenation]

On 2/7/2024 at 10:51 AM, Motown Monty said:

I have seen it a lot over the past year, but you guys are the equivalents.   the market said Utah = Cinci and West Virginia

 

Just curious. How exactly are Utah and Cincy even remotely on the same level? Are you sure adding Cincy wasn't just a desperate move to keep the B12 alive and they put a band-aid on a compound fracture?

Cincy finished dead last in football in 2023 and are helping hold down the bottom of the B12 in basketball this year. In 2023, they finished 65th in TV ratings in football having several G5 schools ahead of them in ratings. Utah more than doubled up on Cincy's ratings in 2023 with an average at best Utah football team last year. Cincy's football attendance is on par with Utah's in the WAC days. Not exactly hot numbers for a bigger market like Cincinnati.

I certainly don't think Utah is head and shoulders above an athletics department like WVU, but give me a break on comparing any of the 3 AAC turds added to the B12.

It's doesn't look like the B12 made a solid buy in Cincy at this point. 

 

[happycamper]

On 2/7/2024 at 3:22 PM, utenation said:

Just curious. How exactly are Utah and Cincy even remotely on the same level? Are you sure adding Cincy wasn't just a desperate move to keep the B12 alive and they put a band-aid on a compound fracture?

Cincy finished dead last in football in 2023 and are helping hold down the bottom of the B12 in basketball this year. In 2023, they finished 65th in TV ratings in football having several G5 schools ahead of them in ratings. Utah more than doubled up on Cincy's ratings in 2023 with an average at best Utah football team last year. Cincy's football attendance is on par with Utah's in the WAC days. Not exactly hot numbers for a bigger market like Cincinnati.

I certainly don't think Utah is head and shoulders above an athletics department like WVU, but give me a break on comparing any of the 3 AAC turds added to the B12.

It's doesn't look like the B12 made a solid buy in Cincy at this point. 

 

I mean, Cincy's recent highs in both football and basketball are higher than Utah's. Their lows are a lot worse though. They are more like a Mountain West program though, more dependent on coaching hires than overall program stability. 

[utenation]

On 2/7/2024 at 1:40 PM, happycamper said:

I mean, Cincy's recent highs in both football and basketball are higher than Utah's. Their lows are a lot worse though. They are more like a Mountain West program though, more dependent on coaching hires than overall program stability. 

As Cincy found out.  Playing in a power conference is a lot different than a G5 conference. Let me know the next time Cincy goes to a NY6 Bowl as a B12 team rather than an AAC scrub.

Utah has been to 2 of them and has two P12 titles very recently in a power conference.  It's not comparable right now. 

[utgrizfan]

On 2/7/2024 at 10:35 AM, utenation said:

So let me double check.. If Utah took $30 million in the P12 and the same number in the B12, what's the difference? And now we get to go to West Virginia and Cincy instead of Seattle, Portland or LA.  

Take off your B12 goggles.  The B12 is a yard sale conference with many terrible destinations. 

The fact you listed Portland as a desirable destination makes me question a few things, it's been pretty terrible the last few years and only getting worse.

I get it, you're upset the P12 collapsed but unlike Wazzu and OSU (personally wouldn't mind both in the Big12) we get to play in arguably the 3rd best Conference with a solid core of regional opponents (Arizonas, BYU and Colorado) and a old rival in TCU. I'm personally happier we are in the Big12 and got away from the Cancers and egos of CAL, Stanford and USC. 

[AztecSU]

Now that the MW is a power conference in basketball, who are we likely adding in the future?

OSU/WSU/ZAGS/GAELS/DONS? Or do we avoid small private schools altogether? 

[AztecSU]

On 2/7/2024 at 1:08 PM, utgrizfan said:

The fact you listed Portland as a desirable destination makes me question a few things, it's been pretty terrible the last few years and only getting worse.

I get it, you're upset the P12 collapsed but unlike Wazzu and OSU (personally wouldn't mind both in the Big12) we get to play in arguably the 3rd best Conference with a solid core of regional opponents (Arizonas, BYU and Colorado) and a old rival in TCU. I'm personally happier we are in the Big12 and got away from the Cancers and egos of CAL, Stanford and USC. 

Portland is just where the airport is though, right? Corvallis and Eugene are where the schools are actually located, both of which are pretty nice. 

[utgrizfan]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:13 PM, AztecSU said:

Now that the MW is a power conference in basketball, who are we likely adding in the future?

OSU/WSU/ZAGS/GAELS/DONS? Or do we avoid small private schools altogether? 

I think OSU and Wazzu joining as full members (despite their efforts to avoid it) is the most likely scenario so no need to add them. Probably an unpopular pick (not as familiar with Basketball stuff) but if Wazzu and OSU join as full members I like the idea of GCU being added as an Oly only pick to offset Hawaii, mainly because it opens up a New State/Market which might actually add value.

[utenation]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:08 PM, utgrizfan said:

The fact you listed Portland as a desirable destination makes me question a few things, it's been pretty terrible the last few years and only getting worse.

I get it, you're upset the P12 collapsed but unlike Wazzu and OSU (personally wouldn't mind both in the Big12) we get to play in arguably the 3rd best Conference with a solid core of regional opponents (Arizonas, BYU and Colorado) and a old rival in TCU. I'm personally happier we are in the Big12 and got away from the Cancers and egos of CAL, Stanford and USC. 

I’m not talking politics. Portland and Oregon are beautiful places and I can still find a good time in Portland on my way to the stadiums in Eugene and Corvallis. 
 

Dude. You are a Montana homer. You like the Utes, great. I’ve been a lifer. 

[utgrizfan]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:14 PM, AztecSU said:

Portland is just where the airport is though, right? Corvallis and Eugene are where the schools are actually located, both of which are pretty nice. 

Oh they are, I had family leave Portland a few months ago after living there for around 20 years and the stories they have to tell its pretty terrible now, Corvallis is awesome, haven't been to Eugene. 

[utgrizfan]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:18 PM, utenation said:

I’m not talking politics. Portland and Oregon are beautiful places and I can still find a good time in Portland on my way to the stadiums in Eugene and Corvallis. 
 

Dude. You are a Montana homer. You like the Utes. I’ve been a lifer. 

It had nothing to do with politics, more just the condition of the city based on my families experiences before they moved away. And I've been a Utah fan since I was kid, grew up watching the Utes play in the MWC and still root for them, I just like the Grizzlies more.

[utenation]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:19 PM, utgrizfan said:

It had nothing to do with politics, more just the condition of the city based on my families experiences. And I've been an Utah fan since I was a little kid, I just like the Grizzlies more.

Then you would know Colorado has never been a rival. 

[utgrizfan]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:21 PM, utenation said:

Ben you would know Colorado has never been a rival. 

They were made our rival when we joined the PAC but that's why they were listed as a regional opponent, I only mentioned TCU as an old rival as those games were always intense, I was working security on the TCU sideline during the Sugar Bowl year when they came to Rice Eccles.

Technically I should have listed BYU as a rival, but I'm happy the Holy War is going to be played regularly again.

[utenation]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:24 PM, utgrizfan said:

They were made our rival when we joined the PAC but that's why they were listed as a regional opponent, I only mentioned TCU as an old rival as those games were always intense, I was working security on the TCU sideline during the Sugar Bowl year when they came to Rice Eccles.

Look. I get that some Utah fans are just fine moving to a conference spread out across the nation but I know many that aren’t. Utah was clearly for keeping the P12 together as an Admin. 
 

It’s not all going to be bad but many of us appreciated what we had for over a decade. 
 

I’m not going to argue your preferences. We each have our own likes and dislikes. 

[AztecSU]

On 2/7/2024 at 1:18 PM, utgrizfan said:

Oh they are, I had family leave Portland a few months ago after living there for around 20 years and the stories they have to tell its pretty terrible now, Corvallis is awesome, haven't been to Eugene. 

I haven't been to Portland since summer of 2004. It was pretty nice back then, but even then, it attracted...how do I say this...Burning Man/Phish fan types. When things went south in the wake of the housing crash in 2007/8 I was not surprised to see Portland hit kinda hard by those looking for that kind of place. I feel bad for the lifers who are from there. 

[utgrizfan]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:29 PM, utenation said:

Look. I get that some Utah fans are just fine moving to a conference spread out across the nation but I know many that aren’t. Utah was clearly for keeping the P12 together as an Admin. 
 

It’s not all going to be bad but many of us appreciated what we had for over a decade. 
 

I’m not going to argue your preferences. We each have our own likes and dislikes. 

Utah was definitely trying to keep the PAC together and it was an admirable attempt that created some good optics. My only point is that what's done is done and now is the time to focus on becoming the top team in the Big12.

[AztecSU]

On 2/7/2024 at 1:17 PM, utgrizfan said:

I think OSU and Wazzu joining as full members (despite their efforts to avoid it) is the most likely scenario so no need to add them. Probably an unpopular pick (not as familiar with Basketball stuff) but if Wazzu and OSU join as full members I like the idea of GCU being added as an Oly only pick to offset Hawaii, mainly because it opens up a New State/Market which might actually add value.

What I'm going to say is very unpopular but I would like to add Gonzaga and GCU in Olys and UTEP in all Sports. I assume OSU/WSU will be joining for all sports at some point. 

[AztecSU]

What will the tiers in the nB12 look like? Here is my totally uneducated guess at the long term. 

1) UU/TCU/OkieSt/KSU

2) BYU/TTU/BAY/WVU

3) UA/ASU/ISU/KU

4) HOU/CIN/UCF/CU

[alum93]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:57 PM, AztecSU said:

What I'm going to say is very unpopular but I would like to add Gonzaga and GCU in Olys and UTEP in all Sports. I assume OSU/WSU will be joining for all sports at some point. 

If WSU and OSU do indeed join all the current teams in the MWC,  i don't see any reason UTEP would be on the radar.  My guess is the MWC will be set for the sport that is driving the bus, football, and will stand pat.  Actually i think the G5 conferences are more or less safe for the foreseeable future.  WSU and OSU have visions of a best of the rest, but probability seems low.  I don't see much changes out west for basketball - Big Sky, Big West, WCC, MWC, and NMSU/UTEP in CUSA.

[utenation]

On 2/7/2024 at 2:56 PM, utgrizfan said:

My only point is that what's done is done and now is the time to focus on becoming the top team in the Big12.

Don’t confuse the task at hand of focusing on competition with the logistics of being in the B12. This conversation all started with other posters chiming in about the pros and cons of traveling to the new destinations of the B12. 
 

You are in the “it’s fine” group.  I’m not and it might take awhile. 

[RSF]

Always good to know when to engage, and when to step away...