Assuming no one else gets picked off along the way, here’s what this merged league would look like: If conference realignment realizes itself via merger, a Pac-12/Big 12 hybrid would present a viable Super League of sorts to go up against the Big Ten and SEC should those two juggernauts expand even more. The possibility of a merge has already been floated - we’ve even written about it - and if you watch Survivor, you know that once The Merge happens, the game moves fast. Let’s say those six schools are actually planning to leave. Makes sense to float something like this right around the time you’re renegotiating your next media rights deal, doesn’t it? Dodd says the ACC is the party that came up with this idea if six schools were really about to bolt, would that be a real thing the conference would bother to mention? It doesn’t seem likely. Something along those lines could take shape between the Pac-12 and ACC, per Dodd.ĬBS Sports has confirmed the ACC and Pac-12 have discussed a ‘loose partnership' that could include 'championship game' in Las Vegas as a way to get ESPN to pay more - Dennis Dodd July 6, 2022 Here’s another factor at play: Do you remember “ The Alliance” (RIP)? Or maybe it’s all of those possibilities! If the objective is simply to find solid football programs that would jump at the opportunity to upgrade, however, maybe it’s time to look long and hard at Boise State and San Diego State - that latter of which also has the advantage of being in a top-30 US media market. These days, everything ought to be considered on the table. That’s right: The Big 12 could poach from the Pac-12 OR the Pac-12 could post from the Big 12. We never know exactly which individual details matter most any given moment of conference realignment musical chairs, but if media markets and recruiting still matter, then the Pac-12 could look to the Lone Star State to attempt to draw Texas Tech or Baylor from the Big 12.
So how does this play out? Whichever network offers the Pac-12 the most money will encourage the addition of, say, two to four more schools. Note that ESPN played a major role in breaking up the Big East by encouraging the ACC to add Syracuse and Pitt, for example preserving historic basketball rivalries was really never part of the conversation.
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In case you weren’t aware already, it’s the TV (technically TV and streaming) giants that really drives conference realignment decisions, and college football realignment in particular will always be king as far as broadcast dollars are concerned. Or perhaps the conversation with TV partners could be much more direct: “it’s in your best interest to save us.” Basically, TV execs know the Pac-12 is exploring expansion, and the conference can say to them something to the effect of “tell us who to add, we will add them, and you will have a better product than whatever comes out of a breakup THAT WILL TOTALLY HAPPEN REALLY SOON.” The Big 12 could be floating this idea themselves to try and strengthen their position in the new power structure, or the Pac-12 could be putting pressure on the networks. The Pac-12 has started renegotiating its next television and streaming rights deal.