Zag Expansion Blurbs from The Athletic Article on Pac-12/Big-12 Drama

[strikenowhere]

https://theathletic.com/4271149/2023/03/03/big-12-pac-12-realignment-news/?source=emp_shared_article

Yormark is also deep in discussions with Gonzaga, but sources involved in the process indicated he wants clarity on the Pac-12’s situation before making that move.

Yormark strongly believes basketball is undervalued in these TV rights talks. He has dropped hints about an interest in unbundling it from football and selling those rights separately when the Big 12 next hits the market in 2030-31. That’s one motivation behind the Big 12’s continued talks with hoops powerhouse Gonzaga. Joining as a non-football member would mean a smaller revenue share for the Bulldogs, but they’d be an inarguably valuable addition. Arizona, a top-10 program with more Pac-12 titles than every school but Big Ten-bound UCLA, would similarly boost the best conference in men’s college basketball and its long-term ambitions.

[kitzbuel]

The lead news in that article is that the Big 12 is talking with the Four Corners schools from the PAC 12.

[webspinnre]

The lead news in that article is that the Big 12 is talking with the Four Corners schools from the PAC 12.

Yep. One more reason that I think the talk of us to the Pac-12 is just a terrible idea. That's a sinking ship that has already shown that they're terrible at selling their media rights.

[jim77]

Yep. One more reason that I think the talk of us to the Pac-12 is just a terrible idea. That's a sinking ship that has already shown that they're terrible at selling their media rights.

I'm not sure ROOT sports is exactly hitting it out of the ballpark. Heck, I'm about ready to launch the "VPN WONDER WHEEL" just spin it...and hope for the best.

Heck, if ROOT was even availiable as an add on outside the PNW that would be OK....I know plenty of people out of market who would pay to add ROOT SPORTS to their cable package...the fact that you can't even BUY a Zags game is rediculous....

[scrooner]

I mean, I can't even get Pac-12 games in Oregon, and I'm on the 3rd largest TV provider in the country.

[basketballzag]

The Pac-12 situation is really interesting and very fluid right now. My crystal ball says the remaining Pac-12 teams, who don't bolt to the Big 12, will wind up merging with the MWC.

[webspinnre]

The Pac-12 situation is really interesting and very fluid right now. My crystal ball says the remaining Pac-12 teams, who don't bolt to the Big 12, will wind up merging with the MWC.

This far and away seems like the most likely answer. If we're fine joining whatever that merged MWC and Pac-12 is, so be it, I just don't think the current Pac-12 is long for this world.

[ZagNut08]

I'm not sure ROOT sports is exactly hitting it out of the ballpark. Heck, I'm about ready to launch the "VPN WONDER WHEEL" just spin it...and hope for the best.

Heck, if ROOT was even availiable as an add on outside the PNW that would be OK....I know plenty of people out of market who would pay to add ROOT SPORTS to their cable package...the fact that you can't even BUY a Zags game is rediculous....

directv has root in their sports package.

[JPtheBeasta]

I'm not sure ROOT sports is exactly hitting it out of the ballpark. Heck, I'm about ready to launch the "VPN WONDER WHEEL" just spin it...and hope for the best.

Heck, if ROOT was even availiable as an add on outside the PNW that would be OK....I know plenty of people out of market who would pay to add ROOT SPORTS to their cable package...the fact that you can't even BUY a Zags game is rediculous....

I live out of market and use DirecTV for Root Sports, which is my only reason for paying so much for satellite at this point.

Sling has worked well enough for me for PAC-12 Network games and I wish the Zags had a similar setup.

[Bogozags]

If a GU game isn't on one of the major networks, then I watch their games on Stadium and the waiting music isn't bad...I'd give it an 88 - good beat and easy to dance too...

I would hope that the P-10 could stay intact but the TV revenue power of the B12 will be hard to resist...if those four schools join the B12 they will have 16 teams - two eight team divisions...don't see how GU fits in as the 17 Bball member...

[Martin Centre Mad Man]

The worst case scenario for Gonzaga in terms of conference realignment would be for the BIG XII to poach just the four southwestern Pac-12 schools. That would give the BIG XII plenty of viewing inventory in the later broadcast windows. It would remove some of the incentive for the BIG XII to go after Gonzaga’s late evening broadcast content.

It would also leave the Pac-12 schools that have been most opposed to Gonzaga’s admission behind in the Pac-6/8/10. Washington, Washington State, and Oregon compete for many of the same recruits in the northwest and would prefer not to elevate Gonzaga’s recruiting stature by admitting Gonzaga to their own league. The remaining six Pac-12 schools would probably try to grab SMU, San Diego State, Boise State and one other Mountain West or AAC football school to round out a ten team league.

[basketballzag]

This far and away seems like the most likely answer. If we're fine joining whatever that merged MWC and Pac-12 is, so be it, I just don't think the current Pac-12 is long for this world.

Gonzaga is not joining the MWC or Pac-12 or a hybrid thereof. FYI even if the Big 12 adds the 4 Corner schools remember they do not reach the Pacific time zone. Yorkmark has made it perfectly clear he wants and is after a school located in the Pacific time zone that is basketball only with a national following to help unbundle the football from the basketball revenue. All of the other PAC-12 schools would not facilitate an unbundling of basketball from football revenue. The catalyst for unbundling is Gonzaga.

[gonzagafan62]

The worst case scenario for Gonzaga in terms of conference realignment would be for the BIG XII to poach just the four southwestern Pac-12 schools. That would give the BIG XII plenty of viewing inventory in the later broadcast windows. It would remove some of the incentive for the BIG XII to go after Gonzaga’s late evening broadcast content.

It would also leave the Pac-12 schools that have been most opposed to Gonzaga’s admission behind in the Pac-6/8/10. Washington, Washington State, and Oregon compete for many of the same recruits in the northwest and would prefer not to elevate Gonzaga’s recruiting stature by admitting Gonzaga to their own league. The remaining six Pac-12 schools would probably try to grab SMU, San Diego State, Boise State and one other Mountain West or AAC football school to round out a ten team league.

The two aren’t mutually exclusive lol. What I mean by that is one really doesn’t effect the other

[zagfan08]

If a GU game isn't on one of the major networks, then I watch their games on Stadium and the waiting music isn't bad...I'd give it an 88 - good beat and easy to dance too...

I would hope that the P-10 could stay intact but the TV revenue power of the B12 will be hard to resist...if those four schools join the B12 they will have 16 teams - two eight team divisions...don't see how GU fits in as the 17 Bball member...

18 looks like the sweet spot, so it’s Gonzaga and someone else. Rumors indicate it’s Gonzaga and Villanova (was UConn but talks broke down with them).

[basketballzag]

Colorado, Arizona State, and Arizona are the most likely to jump to the Big 12 and are in the most advanced talks. Vilanova and Gonzaga are still moving full speed ahead but UConn is definitely out. Utah is leaning towards staying in the Pac-12.

Also heard tonight from my contact in Kansas that the Big 12 has formally offered membership to Gonzaga after Fox Sports and ESPN just increased the payment to have the Big 12 grab the Gonzaga. Don't be surprised if Gonzaga and BYU make a run to include St. Mary's in the basketball only segment of the Big 12 in the future.