Utah State IS in the Salt Lake City DMA, which covers pretty much the entire state, although Provo/Orem has emerged as their own. USU is third in the market viewership, but they are definitely in that market.
The PAC should target Texas State. It’s a huge school that draws a large media market out of San Antonio with an up and coming football program. The Sun Belt buy out is super cheap. That would bring the PAC to 8 teams and ready for conference play in 2026!!!
Good idea. Otherwise, I'd like them to revisit UTSA and offer $19.5m instead of $2.5m. That amount would lower the exit fee cost to UTSA to the amount they would pay if they waited until 2027 and were offered $2.5m for 2027., So there would be no reason for UTSA to wait that extra year. Then PAC has their 8 teams for 2026. Then next year they offer Tulane and Memphis the $2.5m again the they take it beause their exit fee is only $8m at that point. This creates a 10 team league for football.
Great PAC podcast guys. So many moving parts in the PAC. Barely 3 weeks ago, the Pac2 was still hanging by a thread barely on life support. No doubt, at your next PAC update podcast, the PAC landscape could easily be turned on its’ head again. Go Cougs!
On the lawsuit, the MWC is essentially trying to get paid twice when a school leaves. Once in the form of an exit fee from a departing school, and once in the form of the poaching fee. This was a good move by the Pac-12.
Assuming the Pac 12 gets UNLV, they must go after Air Force, not just because its a name school with a national following and the biggest budget for athletics in the MWC even before the four schools left, BUT because the Pac 12 CANNOT allow the AAC to get stronger, they are the only real threat to the Pac 12 for that 5th playoff automatic spot. The Pac 12 must try to weaken the AAC, do not let them get Air Force and poach any schools you can from them, since Tulane, South Florida and Memphis turned them down go after Rice and North Texas, that gets them into the DFW and Houston TV Markets and gets the AAC out of those TV markets and grab Texas State from the Sun Belt to hopefully hurt UTSA in the San Antonio market. Eventually if you bleed the AAC enough then Tulane, Memphis and South Florida will maybe abandon the AAC. Getting Gonzaga could certainly help lure a hoops school like Memphis, if you eventually get those schools you could perhaps get UCONN for football at least getting you another TV Market and thus more money $. If down the road a few years and the ACC implodes having top academic schools like Tulane, Rice and the Air Force Academy could help lure Stanford and Cal back.
All good ideas, except Stanford and Cal aren't coming back. The ACC exit fees are too high and the Pac12 TV deal (even with some AAC teams) will be too low.
You get it hopefully the pac-7 comish gets it too I’m starting to get nervous as I’m a Fresno State fan and hope this all works out ! I say add New Mexico State, Texas state, unlv, Rice and Air Force….. add st Mary’s and Gonzaga for bball, the rest will work itself out! I honestly feel like this would be more realistic, then hope the ACC stumbles freeing Cal and Stanford which would make 14 members which splits into a 7 team two divisions league with a championship game played in the rose bowl . Fingers crossed 🤞🏽 that would be perfect which means it won’t happen 😂 dreamers can dream right?!?
It’s not that it seems like a swing and a miss. It is in fact a swing and a miss. Otherwise you are suggesting they invited the AAC schools knowing they’d say no. Which would be a complete and utter waste of time.
I see your point, sort of true but not exactly because they didn't know they would say no anymore than a guy buying a lottery ticket knows he is not going to win, it is just is not very likely. So they make the offer and see if they bite, even though they know the deal is not a good one. Meanwhile they have their alternative plan ready to go.
i don't think so after watching their AD press conference. The $25m exit fee is just too high when you consider that waiting one more year, Memphis will be just as desirable but will only have a $8m exit fee. I think patience is warranted by him/Memphis.
The mantra that I have when it comes to conference realignment is that NO UNIVERSITY has EVER benefited from waiting to move up to a better conference but EVERY university has left as early as possible has greatly benefited by leaving. Reference: UCLA, USC, Penn State, Nebraska, RUTGERS, Maryland, Oklahoma, Mizzou, Texas A&M, UCF, Cincinnati, Arkansas, SMU, & South Carolina as just a few examples of this mantra…
SMU did not benefit. Massive exit fee no money for playing in the ACC. The rest of them did benefit but that was to a P4 conference where the yearly money quickly pays back the exit fee. That is not the case for the AAC schools if they came to the PAC12. They have to play it smart and the exit fee drops by $17m by waiting one year. I think they will get he same offer from the pac-12 the following year and then accepting the offer makes $ sense.
@@mrwonderfulone, I take your point and I considered whether or not to include them on this. But I’m sure the bet that SMU is making is that either the ACC will stay mostly intact (& they will eventually join in on the conference revenue) OR that if it does break up, they will be among the remaining 4-7 schools that will control the left over assets of the ACC like WSU & OSU did with the PAC-12. Either way, they will likely be in a better position than in the conference they were at.
PAC-12 can pouch Hawaii, New Mexico State, UTEP & Tulsa. The Mountian West poached every school from the WAC and refused to expand by adding NMS & Idaho.
No, McMurphy said… 1: Gonzaga was a done deal. In accurate reporting 2: UTSA was offered a PAC invite, they were not. He is not at all credible, not remotely.
@@reverend_wintondupree good question. You would have to ask the commissioner of the AAC. But I speak in facts. USF, Tulane, and Memphis were offered. UTSA was not. This does not mean they aren’t desirable to the PAC.
Washington State has beaten two schools so far in the “power “ 4 conferences. So if they go undefeated they should get in the CFP over any other team that has lost a game. They already showed they can win against teams within the “power” 4 conferences.
Both Washington State and Boise State could get in. Washington state would have to undefeated but Boise State could get in as the highest ranked champion even if they lose a game. So I'm rooting for WSU this Saturday. Go Cougs!
I think what may happen is, UNLV will join the Pac-12. Air Force will join the AAC. The Mountain West will add UTEP, NMSU, Texas State, LA Tech, and Sam Houston.
Wow! Poor Conference USA. If that were to happen I'm guessing that CUSA would invite ND State and SD State. After that, I'm guessing that they would target James Madison and Old Dominion, and if they're not available Eastern KY and Central Arkansas.
It’s not over. They can still go back to some AAC schools and negotiate a deal. Memphis AD said today the only barrier to joining the PAC was the offer. The PAC only offered to pay $2.5 million towards their $25 million dollar exit fee to leave the AAC. Sweeten that to say $10 million and I’m sure they’ll take it. Do the same with Tulane and/or UTSA.
@@TheBiosimilars The game is not over, both the PAC and MW need another member to join to remain in NCAA compliance. The question now is which conference will concede more to prospective members and how large of an impact those concessions will be long term to the stability of the member arrangements with one another.
How about Sacramento State? They are actually in a good market and upgrading their stadium albeit I think to only 25,000 but that is big enough for MW isn't it?
I don't think they really wanted to add schools from the American Conference. The help towards the exit fee of $2.5 million was so meager, this was not an invitation, but was an unvitation. I think it was pure strategy.
DREAM SCENARIO. Mountain West (Except Wyoming, San Jose St, and Hawaii) and Memphis join OSU and WSU in the PAC giving them 12 teams for football. Grand Canyon, Sain Marys, Gonzaga, and either San Fran or Santa Clara (all basketball only) join the PAC for a 16 team basketball league. 1. Oregon St 2. Washington St 3. Boise St 4. San Diego St 5. Fresno St 6. Colorado St 7. Utah St 8. UNLV 9. Nevada 10. New Mexico 11. Air Force 12. Memphis BB only 13. Gonzaga 14. St Marys 15. Grand Canyon 16. San Fran or Santa Clara
These two guys were wrong about everything, last year, Arizona, UW & ASU, they're all staying with PAC. Now they said 70/30 UNLV to New PAC, Yeah Right They'll be lucky to get SAC ST.......
They were not wrong. You were not paying attention. All those schools STAYED WITH THE PAC. They all showed up that morning pen in hand to sign the contract. Oregon and Washington did not show ergo there was no deal to sign to at that point so they scrambled.
Not really. TXAM/MO leaving the BIG12 assured that TX/OK would eventually leave. USC/UCLA leaving the PAC was really the trigger that resulted in subsequent events.
I could argue that it started with (1) Penn St moving to the Big Ten or (2) the SMU “death penalty” destroying that conference but I believe that the REAL beginning of college realignment was the mistake related to a Big XII Network and the decision to allow Texas to create The Longhorn Network. Instead of continued full revenue sharing in the SEC & Big Ten, the Big XII went down a path of “you eat what you can kill” and the feeding frenzy of conference realignment was started.
In St. Louis, MO the old Armory building (viable for football practices) near the University abruptly closed as a venue by ownership today. If St. Louis University wanted to start a FBS program that would be a piece to put in place for Conference Commissioners looking to expand. (KTVI, KMOV, KSDK, are local news sources)
The only thing better about the PAC12 to me is the prestige of the logo. Hope the MW can use the PAC money to improve their athletic programs. Especially The Nevada schools who don’t have state income tax to subsidize.
I don’t think that the ACC losing FSU & Clemson is enough to destroy that conference. But “IF” ND & UNC decide to go AND the Big Ten & SEC want to add more than 2 teams apiece, then the ACC is going to get carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey…
Memphis fans are just done with the AAC. the attendance will suffer for it. We dont care about the conference since SMU,HOUSTON,UCF, and Cincinnati left. Our rivals left us and we could care less about the garbage American!
I doubt the Pac 12 is done recruiting them, getting UNLV and perhaps Gonzaga and Air Force will solidify those TV contract numbers from the CW, they are talking $12-$15 million per team with those teams added so that is double what Memphis is getting now and you know people across the country will tune in for Gonzaga vs Memphis games.
I think the PAC is going to go back to the negotiating table with Memphis and Tulane only. Maybe UTSA, but they want the bigger brands in the AAC. If they can give them a better deal to pay for most or all of their exit fee I think they’ll join the PAC.
The lower tier of the MWC lowers their value. Now the MWC will be lucky to get a media deal paying more than $3 million per school. The PAC will be in the $8-10 million per school range. UNLV made a really short sighted decision.
@@mathewblood5113Spot on. UNLV's strategy appears contingent on receiving a substantial portion of the defectors exit money. Perhaps, long term they believe they'll still have an invite to the PAC or better paying conference based either what happens to the ACC? A having their cake and eat it too outcome?
@@mathewblood5113 Yes. The Memphis AD said the lower range of value is expected to be $12mps but I think that would have been including the 4 AAC schools.
Great listen, fellas. Why haven’t I found this channel sooner?
You guys are awesome. As a WSU and Gonzaga alum who played my first football in Boise, you nailed it!
Utah State IS in the Salt Lake City DMA, which covers pretty much the entire state, although Provo/Orem has emerged as their own. USU is third in the market viewership, but they are definitely in that market.
The PAC should target Texas State. It’s a huge school that draws a large media market out of San Antonio with an up and coming football program. The Sun Belt buy out is super cheap. That would bring the PAC to 8 teams and ready for conference play in 2026!!!
Good idea. Otherwise, I'd like them to revisit UTSA and offer $19.5m instead of $2.5m. That amount would lower the exit fee cost to UTSA to the amount they would pay if they waited until 2027 and were offered $2.5m for 2027., So there would be no reason for UTSA to wait that extra year. Then PAC has their 8 teams for 2026. Then next year they offer Tulane and Memphis the $2.5m again the they take it beause their exit fee is only $8m at that point. This creates a 10 team league for football.
Sac St had a press conference expressing their desire to join the PAC. We will get to 8, but we need ensure the best teams available get in.
Great PAC podcast guys. So many moving parts in the PAC. Barely 3 weeks ago, the Pac2 was still hanging by a thread barely on life support. No doubt, at your next PAC update podcast, the PAC landscape could easily be turned on its’ head again. Go Cougs!
On the lawsuit, the MWC is essentially trying to get paid twice when a school leaves. Once in the form of an exit fee from a departing school, and once in the form of the poaching fee. This was a good move by the Pac-12.
Assuming the Pac 12 gets UNLV, they must go after Air Force, not just because its a name school with a national following and the biggest budget for athletics in the MWC even before the four schools left, BUT because the Pac 12 CANNOT allow the AAC to get stronger, they are the only real threat to the Pac 12 for that 5th playoff automatic spot. The Pac 12 must try to weaken the AAC, do not let them get Air Force and poach any schools you can from them, since Tulane, South Florida and Memphis turned them down go after Rice and North Texas, that gets them into the DFW and Houston TV Markets and gets the AAC out of those TV markets and grab Texas State from the Sun Belt to hopefully hurt UTSA in the San Antonio market. Eventually if you bleed the AAC enough then Tulane, Memphis and South Florida will maybe abandon the AAC. Getting Gonzaga could certainly help lure a hoops school like Memphis, if you eventually get those schools you could perhaps get UCONN for football at least getting you another TV Market and thus more money $. If down the road a few years and the ACC implodes having top academic schools like Tulane, Rice and the Air Force Academy could help lure Stanford and Cal back.
All good ideas, except Stanford and Cal aren't coming back. The ACC exit fees are too high and the Pac12 TV deal (even with some AAC teams) will be too low.
You get it hopefully the pac-7 comish gets it too I’m starting to get nervous as I’m a Fresno State fan and hope this all works out ! I say add New Mexico State, Texas state, unlv, Rice and Air Force….. add st Mary’s and Gonzaga for bball, the rest will work itself out! I honestly feel like this would be more realistic, then hope the ACC stumbles freeing Cal and Stanford which would make 14 members which splits into a 7 team two divisions league with a championship game played in the rose bowl . Fingers crossed 🤞🏽 that would be perfect which means it won’t happen 😂 dreamers can dream right?!?
Logan to Salt lake is 83 miles compared to 63' from Ft Collins to Denver
It’s not that it seems like a swing and a miss. It is in fact a swing and a miss. Otherwise you are suggesting they invited the AAC schools knowing they’d say no. Which would be a complete and utter waste of time.
I see your point, sort of true but not exactly because they didn't know they would say no anymore than a guy buying a lottery ticket knows he is not going to win, it is just is not very likely. So they make the offer and see if they bite, even though they know the deal is not a good one. Meanwhile they have their alternative plan ready to go.
Memphis should’ve left.
Memphis is waiting to see what will happen to the ACC. No guarantee the money would justify the move anyway.
i don't think so after watching their AD press conference. The $25m exit fee is just too high when you consider that waiting one more year, Memphis will be just as desirable but will only have a $8m exit fee. I think patience is warranted by him/Memphis.
The mantra that I have when it comes to conference realignment is that NO UNIVERSITY has EVER benefited from waiting to move up to a better conference but EVERY university has left as early as possible has greatly benefited by leaving.
Reference: UCLA, USC, Penn State, Nebraska, RUTGERS, Maryland, Oklahoma, Mizzou, Texas A&M, UCF, Cincinnati, Arkansas, SMU, & South Carolina as just a few examples of this mantra…
SMU did not benefit. Massive exit fee no money for playing in the ACC. The rest of them did benefit but that was to a P4 conference where the yearly money quickly pays back the exit fee. That is not the case for the AAC schools if they came to the PAC12. They have to play it smart and the exit fee drops by $17m by waiting one year. I think they will get he same offer from the pac-12 the following year and then accepting the offer makes $ sense.
@@mrwonderfulone, I take your point and I considered whether or not to include them on this.
But I’m sure the bet that SMU is making is that either the ACC will stay mostly intact (& they will eventually join in on the conference revenue) OR that if it does break up, they will be among the remaining 4-7 schools that will control the left over assets of the ACC like WSU & OSU did with the PAC-12.
Either way, they will likely be in a better position than in the conference they were at.
Logan may be 70 minutes from Salt Lake, but a LOT of alumni move down to the Salt Lake county and the one just north and south for jobs.
PAC-12 can pouch Hawaii, New Mexico State, UTEP & Tulsa. The Mountian West poached every school from the WAC and refused to expand by adding NMS & Idaho.
UTEP and Tulsa maybe. I really doubt that CSU, SDSU, FSU, BSU and USU want to reunite with Hawaii.
Pac 12 is no longer a Big5 conference and will never be again. Only 4 major conferences now
Ya. I trust McMurphy more than Canzano. McMurphy said they would get Gonzaga eventually.
No, McMurphy said… 1: Gonzaga was a done deal. In accurate reporting 2: UTSA was offered a PAC invite, they were not. He is not at all credible, not remotely.
@@DocSkirv If UTSA was not offered a bid by the PAC why were they included as part of the joint statement issued by Tulane, Memphis, and USF?
@@reverend_wintondupree good question. You would have to ask the commissioner of the AAC. But I speak in facts. USF, Tulane, and Memphis were offered. UTSA was not. This does not mean they aren’t desirable to the PAC.
Im curious about the viewership difference between these matchups.
Washington State has beaten two schools so far in the “power “ 4 conferences. So if they go undefeated they should get in the CFP over any other team that has lost a game. They already showed they can win against teams within the “power” 4 conferences.
Both Washington State and Boise State could get in. Washington state would have to undefeated but Boise State could get in as the highest ranked champion even if they lose a game. So I'm rooting for WSU this Saturday. Go Cougs!
@@mrwonderfulone
Having a team from the Mountain West and a team from the PAC 12 would be great! Enjoy the game!
UNLV and AFA are staying in the MWC according to Brett McMurphy.
This is a bad move for UNLV long term. The initial pay day of 25-30 million will not give them long term sustainability.
Add Texas State as the 8th school. Then, all State universities in the PAC 12! Could be called PAC-State.
I like it. And if UNLV came make them change their name to Nevada State.
Add Memphis State and Tulane State, San Antonio State. For basketball add Gonzaga State and Grand Canyon State
I think what may happen is, UNLV will join the Pac-12. Air Force will join the AAC. The Mountain West will add UTEP, NMSU, Texas State, LA Tech, and Sam Houston.
Wow! Poor Conference USA. If that were to happen I'm guessing that CUSA would invite ND State and SD State. After that, I'm guessing that they would target James Madison and Old Dominion, and if they're not available Eastern KY and Central Arkansas.
I don't buy Texas St joining the MWC...that isn't an upgrade from the Sun Belt.
I don’t see TXSt leaving the SBC for the new MWC. But the new PAC would be a good fit.
A mwc cusa merger would be an excellent conference in 4 timezones
@@busaf95 agreed
Welp. UNLV staying in the MWC. Not sure who the Pac-12 gets now... They have really bungled this.
It’s not over. They can still go back to some AAC schools and negotiate a deal. Memphis AD said today the only barrier to joining the PAC was the offer. The PAC only offered to pay $2.5 million towards their $25 million dollar exit fee to leave the AAC. Sweeten that to say $10 million and I’m sure they’ll take it. Do the same with Tulane and/or UTSA.
@@TheBiosimilars The game is not over, both the PAC and MW need another member to join to remain in NCAA compliance. The question now is which conference will concede more to prospective members and how large of an impact those concessions will be long term to the stability of the member arrangements with one another.
Just get Texas State and UTSA. Own San Antonio and south Texas.
UTSA already turned them down.
Who does the MW go after??
How about Sacramento State? They are actually in a good market and upgrading their stadium albeit I think to only 25,000 but that is big enough for MW isn't it?
Grand Canyon, UTEP, New Mexico State, Texas State
True, but the PAC made them a lousy offer. It bbn might not be over, though.
I don't think they really wanted to add schools from the American Conference. The help towards the exit fee of $2.5 million was so meager, this was not an invitation, but was an unvitation. I think it was pure strategy.
My guess is that the AAC schools were asking for unequal media shares or something along those lines, which is why the buyout assistance was so low.
AAC is the only legit threat to the Pac 12 for that 5th guaranteed playoff spot, they were dead serious about those markets and weakening the AAC.
Lol, whatever you need to tell yourself
DREAM SCENARIO.
Mountain West (Except Wyoming, San Jose St, and Hawaii) and Memphis join OSU and WSU in the PAC giving them 12 teams for football.
Grand Canyon, Sain Marys, Gonzaga, and either San Fran or Santa Clara (all basketball only) join the PAC for a 16 team basketball league.
1. Oregon St
2. Washington St
3. Boise St
4. San Diego St
5. Fresno St
6. Colorado St
7. Utah St
8. UNLV
9. Nevada
10. New Mexico
11. Air Force
12. Memphis
BB only
13. Gonzaga
14. St Marys
15. Grand Canyon
16. San Fran or Santa Clara
i would also add unm, they have some history with basketball but their football has been pathetic
@@aw3someinc175 agreed. I hope all mountain west teams except San Jose St, Wyoming and Hawaii end up in the pac12. That would put UNM in the PAC.
💯 EXACTLY what needs to happen
These two guys were wrong about everything, last year, Arizona, UW & ASU, they're all staying with PAC.
Now they said 70/30 UNLV to New PAC, Yeah Right
They'll be lucky to get SAC ST.......
They were not wrong. You were not paying attention. All those schools STAYED WITH THE PAC. They all showed up that morning pen in hand to sign the contract. Oregon and Washington did not show ergo there was no deal to sign to at that point so they scrambled.
Realignment all started with the SEC and Texas & OU.
Not really. TXAM/MO leaving the BIG12 assured that TX/OK would eventually leave. USC/UCLA leaving the PAC was really the trigger that resulted in subsequent events.
I could argue that it started with (1) Penn St moving to the Big Ten or (2) the SMU “death penalty” destroying that conference but I believe that the REAL beginning of college realignment was the mistake related to a Big XII Network and the decision to allow Texas to create The Longhorn Network.
Instead of continued full revenue sharing in the SEC & Big Ten, the Big XII went down a path of “you eat what you can kill” and the feeding frenzy of conference realignment was started.
In St. Louis, MO the old Armory building (viable for football practices) near the University abruptly closed as a venue by ownership today. If St. Louis University wanted to start a FBS program that would be a piece to put in place for Conference Commissioners looking to expand. (KTVI, KMOV, KSDK, are local news sources)
The only thing better about the PAC12 to me is the prestige of the logo. Hope the MW can use the PAC money to improve their athletic programs. Especially The Nevada schools who don’t have state income tax to subsidize.
UNLV's gonna leave and there's a 50/50 chance the Pac-12 wins the lawsuit and doesn't have to pay the MWC's poaching fees. 🤷
@@Cooe. Gloria is a shark!
in the west there isn't much left other than nevada
Ucon pac12
Memphis should’ve left. Love Wilner. Legit reporter. Canzano? LOL…. He and Altimore lost all credibility during the last round of realignment.
So if acc loose Florida St and Clemson. Pac would be better
Delusional....
I don’t think that the ACC losing FSU & Clemson is enough to destroy that conference. But “IF” ND & UNC decide to go AND the Big Ten & SEC want to add more than 2 teams apiece, then the ACC is going to get carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey…
Memphis fans are just done with the AAC. the attendance will suffer for it. We dont care about the conference since SMU,HOUSTON,UCF, and Cincinnati left. Our rivals left us and we could care less about the garbage American!
I doubt the Pac 12 is done recruiting them, getting UNLV and perhaps Gonzaga and Air Force will solidify those TV contract numbers from the CW, they are talking $12-$15 million per team with those teams added so that is double what Memphis is getting now and you know people across the country will tune in for Gonzaga vs Memphis games.
I think the PAC is going to go back to the negotiating table with Memphis and Tulane only. Maybe UTSA, but they want the bigger brands in the AAC. If they can give them a better deal to pay for most or all of their exit fee I think they’ll join the PAC.
Best basketball in the country?!?!? You guys are high af. You’re just as out of touch with reality as you have been the past two years
Oregon State will beat Washington State at home and be 11-1 and WSU will finish at 11-1 as well.
No way Oregon state beats WSU
PAC12 really looking like idiots? Why would they just not join/merge with MWC
The lower tier of the MWC lowers their value. Now the MWC will be lucky to get a media deal paying more than $3 million per school. The PAC will be in the $8-10 million per school range. UNLV made a really short sighted decision.
@@mathewblood5113Spot on. UNLV's strategy appears contingent on receiving a substantial portion of the defectors exit money. Perhaps, long term they believe they'll still have an invite to the PAC or better paying conference based either what happens to the ACC? A having their cake and eat it too outcome?
@@mathewblood5113 Yes. The Memphis AD said the lower range of value is expected to be $12mps but I think that would have been including the 4 AAC schools.
It's PAC 7 now,......one more to go.