Click here for linkSuffice to say, the Pac-12 has voted to stand pat and not expand
“In light of the widespread speculation about potential scenarios for Conference re-alignment, the Pac-12 Presidents and Chancellors have affirmed their decision to remain a 12-team conference. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said, “after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference. While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve. With new landmark TV agreements and plans to launch our innovative television networks, we are going to focus solely on these great assets, our strong heritage and the bright future in front of us.”
1. Will the Big 12 stick together as a 9-team league, a 10-team league or a 12-team league? If it expands, who will it lure in? (And will Kenneth Starr sue himself for breaking up someone else’s league?)
2. Will the Big East survive? Will UConn and Rutgers leave for the ACC? Who will the Big East chase to replace Pittsburgh and Syracuse who have already announced that they’re leaving?
3. With the Big 12 looking like a survivor — which should take Missouri off the table — and no one in the ACC interested in moving to the SEC — will Mike Slive’s league be stuck on unlucky, unwieldy #13 for some time to come? (What a pathetic state of affairs if that’s the case.) Or will the SEC now decide that West Virginia looks a little better when it comes to evening up its divisions?
4. Might the SEC now make a play for Texas A&M and Oklahoma as it did last summer? Or Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri? (With the SEC’s anti-raiding policy, probably not.)
5. If the SEC adds Texas A&M by its lonesome, just how much more money does the league stand to make from increased television revenue? And will the SEC look for a way to create its own network?
6. Will Baylor sue the SEC even if the Big 12 survives? (I’ll bet yes, just because I don’t want to cover such madness. But my karma’s bad enough that that’s surely going to come to pass.)
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