Oregon, Washington ‘Vetted and Cleared’ to Join Big Ten: Brett McMurphy

[highwayman]

Even though the state of Oregon is a black hole population and TV-wise.

Oregon, Washington 'Vetted and Cleared' to Join Big Ten

Does it feel like the calm before another conference realignment storm? Well, that just might be the case. A new report from Brett McMurphy says that the Big Ten Conference may be closer than expected to adding two more Pac-12 teams. The Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies have reportedly been...

www.heartlandcollegesports.com

 

[#2Gopher]

Before you know it, we'll have two conferences within a conference with all these teams.

 

[walleye]

What is the status of Stanford? They are a plum for some conference to pick.

 

[BleedGopher]

Before you know it, we'll have two conferences within a conference with all these teams.

They can call one the conferences the NFC and the other the AFC.

Or Legends and Leaders.

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gophers_4life]

They were vetted .... last summer.

 

[The prez sez]

yes to washington. Still prefer Stanford and/or Utah before Oregon

 

[fmlizard]

Before you know it, we'll have two conferences within a conference with all these teams.

Notice how the SEC and B1G expansion is almost perfectly aligning with the future red/blue politically Balkanized America.

Colorado will be coming to the Big Ten soon after.

 

[Taji34]

Washington probably has Oregon joining the B1G too as a condition of them joining so they have a conference opponent who isn't literally half way across the country from them.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Washington probably has Oregon joining the B1G too as a condition of them joining so they have a conference opponent who isn't literally half way across the country from them.

USC, UCLA?

 

[fmlizard]

What is the status of Stanford? They are a plum for some conference to pick.

I fully expect Stanford and Cal to end up in the Big Ten.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I fully expect Stanford and Cal to end up in the Big Ten.

Hmm. Maybe

I could just as easily see them becoming the Harvard and Yale of the West coast, when it comes to college football.

 

[Taji34]

USC, UCLA?

While they may be on the same coast, they are on the opposite end North-South. It's 1,137 miles to drive from Seattle to LA, about 17.5 hours driving, by comparison it is 1,656 miles from Seattle to Minneapolis, which is 24 hours driving.

I should have clarified a bit more, I see this as a condition to help appease fans. They would retain 1 conference opponent within a reasonable driving distance. While the big rival is WSU, Washington likely knew that convincing the B1G to take WSU was likely impossible, while convincing the B1G to take Oregon was not.

 

[Gophers_4life]

While they may be on the same coast, they are on the opposite end North-South. It's 1,137 miles to drive from Seattle to LA, about 17.5 hours driving, by comparison it is 1,656 miles from Seattle to Minneapolis, which is 24 hours driving.

I should have clarified a bit more, I see this as a condition to help appease fans. They would retain 1 conference opponent within a reasonable driving distance. While the big rival is WSU, Washington likely knew that convincing the B1G to take WSU was likely impossible, while convincing the B1G to take Oregon was not.

Fair enough.

The West is a lot different than the East (Captain Obvious). Driving places is a lot bigger of deal. Even places that seem "close" could be 4-5 hr drive one way, in good weather. Even a bad rain makes the drive a lot worse, and in the winter it can be impassable.

Would be interesting to know how many UW and UO fans make those road trips for football. Basketball is probably a lot tougher sell.

 

[forever a gopher]

While they may be on the same coast, they are on the opposite end North-South. It's 1,137 miles to drive from Seattle to LA, about 17.5 hours driving, by comparison it is 1,656 miles from Seattle to Minneapolis, which is 24 hours driving.

I should have clarified a bit more, I see this as a condition to help appease fans. They would retain 1 conference opponent within a reasonable driving distance. While the big rival is WSU, Washington likely knew that convincing the B1G to take WSU was likely impossible, while convincing the B1G to take Oregon was not.

At least they're in the same time zone. Even though they are far apart, that does make a big difference. Guessing we're not going to see too many UCLA at Maryland at 11am games.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Fair enough.

The West is a lot different than the East (Captain Obvious). Driving places is a lot bigger of deal. Even places that seem "close" could be 4-5 hr drive one way, in good weather. Even a bad rain makes the drive a lot worse, and in the winter it can be impassable.

Would be interesting to know how many UW and UO fans make those road trips for football. Basketball is probably a lot tougher sell.

I would think a fair amount. Like driving to Madison. It's actually pretty cheap to fly as well.

 

[Gophers4Life]

I fully expect Stanford and Cal to end up in the Big Ten.

Living in Northern California, I'm all in on this

 

[Ope3]

Fair enough.

The West is a lot different than the East (Captain Obvious). Driving places is a lot bigger of deal. Even places that seem "close" could be 4-5 hr drive one way, in good weather. Even a bad rain makes the drive a lot worse, and in the winter it can be impassable.

Would be interesting to know how many UW and UO fans make those road trips for football. Basketball is probably a lot tougher sell.

I would think a fair amount. Like driving to Madison. It's actually pretty cheap to fly as well.

Amtrak is also a really nice option from Portland to Seattle. It was like a 3.5 hour trip, very scenic going through the Puget Sound when I made it (1 way in 2018).

Reasonable price and 3-5 trips daily.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

conventional wisdom says that the B1G wants 4 teams on the West Coast for scheduling purposes. For football, it helps to guarantee that at least one team has a home game for that late-night TV window. for the other sports, it helps with the travel issue, so the MN Volleyball or basketball team can do a West Coast road trip instead of flying out there for one match or game.

it still all comes down to the Pac-12 media deal. If their commissioner can somehow come up with a deal that gives each school $30-mill a year, I think the Pac-12 stays together. But if the deal comes in more like $20-mill a year, then I believe there will be changes in a hurry.

 

[swelna]

At least they're in the same time zone. Even though they are far apart, that does make a big difference. Guessing we're not going to see too many UCLA at Maryland at 11am games.

I mean, I live in Seattle and breakfast with the Gophers when they have an 11am start (9am for me) isn't all that bad lol.

 

[Gophers_4life]

conventional wisdom says that the B1G wants 4 teams on the West Coast for scheduling purposes.

No. The Big Ten wants to do what their TV partners will pay for. End of story. Anything else is fan fiction.

But if the deal comes in more like $20-mill a year

Fan fiction

 

[bizzle22]

IMO North Carolina, Virginia and GA Tech (2 of the 3) would be preferred to Wash/Oregon. Stanford not to be dismissed either. Will be interesting how it all plays out. Obviously the ACC grant of rights needs to be figured out, but no chance it lasts to 2036 and I think the first three would break it in a heartbeat (if they could) to join the B1G.

Also, a reminder that school presidents (and research money $$$) will have the final say for the B1G.

 

[bizzle22]

conventional wisdom says that the B1G wants 4 teams on the West Coast for scheduling purposes. For football, it helps to guarantee that at least one team has a home game for that late-night TV window. for the other sports, it helps with the travel issue, so the MN Volleyball or basketball team can do a West Coast road trip instead of flying out there for one match or game.

it still all comes down to the Pac-12 media deal. If their commissioner can somehow come up with a deal that gives each school $30-mill a year, I think the Pac-12 stays together. But if the deal comes in more like $20-mill a year, then I believe there will be changes in a hurry.

They aren’t going to consider travel at all. These student-athletes are not flying on commercial flights. Any PAC12 school (with the exception of the wild card Stanford) would sprint to the B1G if offered the chance. I think the PAC12 stays together, but regardless of the $$ there any of them would leave for the B1G.

Leave for the Big 12? That’s a more complicated scenario.

 

[disco]

Hmm. Maybe

I could just as easily see them becoming the Harvard and Yale of the West coast, when it comes to college football.

I think this is definitely a possibility.

 

[STPGopher]

Vote for Tree!

How can we Gopher fans not love them?

 

[Gophers_4life]

IMO North Carolina, Virginia and GA Tech (2 of the 3) would be preferred to Wash/Oregon. Stanford not to be dismissed either. Will be interesting how it all plays out. Obviously the ACC grant of rights needs to be figured out, but no chance it lasts to 2036 and I think the first three would break it in a heartbeat (if they could) to join the B1G.

Also, a reminder that school presidents (and research money $$$) will have the final say for the B1G.

You can't "break it".

If they leave for the Big Ten before 2036 .... the ACC continues to own their TV rights through 2036. That's what it is.

They agreed to it, back at that time, to get a bigger payday from ESPN. Ended up being a terrible move in hindsight, for a few of the programs that could've moved by now.

 

[Schnauzer]

I’ve said all along that not only do I expect WA to join the B1G, but it will be an excellent addition as well.

Someone earlier mentioned Georgia Tech to be a better addition. I disagree. I feel WA fits the B1G much better. They each add a big market but I’d bet the vast majority of Atlanta cheers for and cares about SEC sports. The Seattle/Tacoma market is all in on the Huskies and unlike much of the rest of the PAC12, do show up regularly to fill a large stadium.

 

[Gophers_4life]

They do fill up a 70k stadium pretty well. They're about like Iowa. Roughly that level of a program in the PAC.

But the game is all about TV ratings. Just because they fill a stadium doesn't mean that Sea-Tac market tunes into their games on TV.

Lot of tech nerds out there, lot of Asians who don't care a lick about American Football to boot. Very similar to San Fran, in that sense.

 

[fmlizard]

I’ve said all along that not only do I expect WA to join the B1G, but it will be an excellent addition as well.

Someone earlier mentioned Georgia Tech to be a better addition. I disagree. I feel WA fits the B1G much better. They each add a big market but I’d bet the vast majority of Atlanta cheers for and cares about SEC sports. The Seattle/Tacoma market is all in on the Huskies and unlike much of the rest of the PAC12, do show up regularly to fill a large stadium.

Georgia Tech is a high quality academic school that would add the Atlanta market to the B1G Network but it's very difficult to see them separating from the ACC, Georgia and their entire region to travel a ton and play schools they have no ties to.

I guess Georgia is now a blue state so it could fit the emerging theme. But I doubt it.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Georgia Tech is a high quality academic school that would add the Atlanta market to the B1G Network but it's very difficult to see them separating from the ACC, Georgia and their entire region to travel a ton and play schools they have no ties to.

I guess Georgia is now a blue state so it could fit the emerging theme. But I doubt it.

The two main yearly opponents that GT has are UGA and Clemson, and both have been very lopsided against GT in modern times.

Their other highly played historical matchup is Auburn, but the last two games were 2003 and 2005 (both GT victories).


They've played football in the ACC since 1983, true. With FSU starting play in 1992, VT, Miami in 2004, BC in 2005, Pitt & Syracuse in 2013, and Louisville in 2014. (Notre Dame in 2013, plays 5 ACC teams per year I believe, so GT gets that game as well not every year but on a rotating basis).

 

[Hates Monikers]

They do fill up a 70k stadium pretty well. They're about like Iowa. Roughly that level of a program in the PAC.

But the game is all about TV ratings. Just because they fill a stadium doesn't mean that Sea-Tac market tunes into their games on TV.

Lot of tech nerds out there, lot of Asians who don't care a lick about American Football to boot. Very similar to San Fran, in that sense.

Here's the average number of viewers per week for the 2021 12-week season for each program. There might be something more recent, but I'm too lazy to look.

Minnesota is #24. Washington is #38, which is pretty much equal to or better than other programs being discussed, such as North Carolina (36), Stanford (46), Virginia (52), Georgia Tech (61) and Cal (76). Oregon is an outlier at #10.

Recent Big Ten additions: UCLA (29), USC (32), Maryland (39), Rutgers (58).