PAC-10 To Issue Invites - Is this the beginning of Conference Expansion?

[Joe]

TX,

The MWC is expected to announce BOise State as a member starting in 2011 this summer which would definitly earn them a BCS AQ under the critera according to Jerry Palm, the BCS expert.

As for the ACC and SEC, I don't see them building up until it economically viable.

The reason the PAC 10 is doing this is because their TV contract is garbage. They need these schools to get anywhere.

The Big 10 has a financial stakes in their network and to assure they make money, they have to expand to get that championship game.

I'd bet a lot of money, the SEC doesn't expand for awhile.

The Big East though...stayed tuned...we're going to hear something VERY soon.

[South_Florida_Flip]

I thought the big ten was going to invite all the big east aau members just to force ND's hand.  I guess if this is true that is exactly what the pac 10 is doing to get texas.

I just can't see the Big Ten really wanting to go to 16 teams, unless they are certain that they have ND in the mix. They are trying to force ND's hand and ND isn't going to budge.

[Guest]

I thought the big ten was going to invite all the big east aau members just to force ND's hand.  I guess if this is true that is exactly what the pac 10 is doing to get texas.

I just can't see the Big Ten really wanting to go to 16 teams, unless they are certain that they have ND in the mix. They are trying to force ND's hand and ND isn't going to budge.

They want the markets not necessarily the teams... but the truth is, if the Pac 10 acts first, the Big Ten will almost have to go to 16 teams. 

The Pac 10 as it's proposed in this thread could actually make more $$ from a Pac 16 network than the Big 10 does - if only because there more and larger cable markets - and since Fox is already the partner for the Pac 10 and Big 12, I can see Fox taking their Fox Sports Pacific and making that the Pac-Sixteen Network.  It won't make it to standard plans anywhere east of the Mississippi, but it will in almost every state in the west.

If that happens, the Big Ten will need to get to 16 because Notre Dame will never join a conference.  The Big East will always exist - but it may be like the Atlantic 10, a conference without any football whatsoever - so Notre Dame's Olympic Sports will be fine.  And if the Big East adds A-10 teams like U Mass, Xavier, Duqense, Dayton, St Louis, Charlotte - the non-football schools will be able to keep a very decent basketball TV contract.

[tampabull]

I think espn will be willing to negotiate if the sec adds schools.  Just imagine if the big 10 and pac 10 are bringing in 30 mil per school a year.  That will definitely force the sec to expand.  I see them trying to negotiate with espn for there own network.  If espn doesn't they run the risk of losing airing rights to all major conferences.  They will be airing mac and wac games.

[Joe]

First the Big 10 with expansion will make around 21 mil a year per school. The Pac 10 has been projected to be valued at 16-21 mil per year.

The SEC at 12 teams is almost 18 per year.

Unless they're guarenteed to make more, I'm not convinced the SEC will expand so quickly.

It will eventually happen, but let's not act like they'll be racing to add teams. unless their heart is set on Texas and Texas A&M They'll be able to add almost anyone out there at any time.

[Guest AstroBull]

The SEC's TV contract does go up if the conference moves up to 16 teams.

[tampabull]

The SEC's TV contract does go up if the conference moves up to 16 teams.

I'm sure there is a clause in the contract.  The SEC would have been stupid not to include that in negotiations.

[Guest]

The SEC's TV contract does go up if the conference moves up to 16 teams.

I'm sure there is a clause in the contract.  The SEC would have been stupid not to include that in negotiations.

The clause is that the contract can be renegotiated if the conference changes... there is no guarantee the total revenue will increase. (ESPN would not agree that merely adding teams will add value for them).

[South_Florida_Flip]

They want the markets not necessarily the teams... but the truth is, if the Pac 10 acts first, the Big Ten will almost have to go to 16 teams. 

Adding 3 or 5 "meh" teams wouldn't really help the Big 10 financially and would mean less money for the 11 teams already in the Big Integer.

aTm's AD is not a fan of going to the PAC 10 because of travel to Oregon and Washington. He's trying to work out a deal to the SEC.

[Guest]

They want the markets not necessarily the teams... but the truth is, if the Pac 10 acts first, the Big Ten will almost have to go to 16 teams. 

Adding 3 or 5 "meh" teams wouldn't really help the Big 10 financially and would mean less money for the 11 teams already in the Big Integer.

aTm's AD is not a fan of going to the PAC 10 because of travel to Oregon and Washington. He's trying to work out a deal to the SEC.

Are you kidding, it would help the Big 10 significantly.

They get 5 cents per month per subscriber in New Jersey - but adding Rutgers they could ask for 80 cents per month per subscriber.  They also might be included in a broader "tier" so more cable subscribers.

The Big Ten doesn't care if people WATCH the channel as much as they SUBSCRIBE to it.

Heck, there are people here in Tampa who only have Bright House because many USF games are on the Bright House Sports Network.  Otherwise, these people would switch to Verizon or even satellite.  You can't tell me that Bright House doesn't know the value of having the hometown team on their exclusive cable station.

As for your second point, aTm will not get an SEC invite.  The SEC will only take aTm if they can get UT.  (In fact, the SEC was ready to invite Texas in the 1990s  but the TX Legislature said UT couldn't accept unless aTm was invited as well.)

aTm's AD is only posturing so they can get some scheduling concessions from other Pac 10 schools -- especially for the Olympic sports teams.