Interesting Arizona & Colorado Fanbase - Big12

[WASH ST A&M FAN]

I find it rather interesting that in Twitter Land, almost all of the Arizona Fans & about 60% of the Colorado Fans desperately want to move to Big12.

Arizona Fan is very puzzling. Outside of Men’s Hoops, they have struggled in what many consider the weaker of the two conferences (PAC-12) in all sports for years. So by moving to a stronger conference top to bottom, they magically get better & become nationally relevant?? I just don’t see it working that way. Big12 Hoops would take away their one stranglehold they have left as an annual powerhouse.

At some point, wins on the field has to drive the boat. Ask Nebraska, Mizzou, & soon to be Oklahoma/Texas how their brand & fan apathy is doing.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

I find it rather interesting that in Twitter Land, almost all of the Arizona Fans & about 60% of the Colorado Fans desperately want to move to Big12.

Arizona Fan is very puzzling. Outside of Men’s Hoops, they have struggled in what many consider the weaker of the two conferences (PAC-12) in all sports for years. So by moving to a stronger conference top to bottom, they magically get better & become nationally relevant?? I just don’t see it working that way. Big12 Hoops would take away their one stranglehold they have left as an annual powerhouse.

At some point, wins on the field has to drive the boat. Ask Nebraska, Mizzou, & soon to be Oklahoma/Texas how their brand & fan apathy is doing.

Yeah, Nebraska. I looked up their yearly records (link below) and what a mess they have become since joining the Big-10. Hadn't really realized what train wreck Scott Frost was during his 5 years there.

Kind of an interesting list. Frank Solich was fired after only going 10-3 his last year? Bo Pelini fired after only going 9-4 his last year? Frost - Geezus. Good luck going forward, cornholers. Going to the Big 10 was the mistake of a lifetime. And have fun FUSC and FUCLA.

List of Nebraska Cornhuskers football seasons - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Coug90]

I find it rather interesting that in Twitter Land, almost all of the Arizona Fans & about 60% of the Colorado Fans desperately want to move to Big12.

Arizona Fan is very puzzling. Outside of Men’s Hoops, they have struggled in what many consider the weaker of the two conferences (PAC-12) in all sports for years. So by moving to a stronger conference top to bottom, they magically get better & become nationally relevant?? I just don’t see it working that way. Big12 Hoops would take away their one stranglehold they have left as an annual powerhouse.

At some point, wins on the field has to drive the boat. Ask Nebraska, Mizzou, & soon to be Oklahoma/Texas how their brand & fan apathy is doing.

Well Colorado was in the big 8, so they have familiarity with the teams in the conference. Geographically they are as close to big 12 schools as pac 12 schools. They are probably just seeing the writing on the wall for the conference and want a place to land. There’s not really any other P5 conferences that make sense geographically for any other p12 schools outside of ASU.

It’s stupid to me that conferences are trying to have schools in all 4 time zones. I guess from a tv scheduling standpoint, but it defeats the purpose of what you want in a conference. Geographic rivalries, easier travel, etc.

 

[425cougfan]

I haven't looked hard into the methodology here, but most of the time, informal polls and surveys -- and too many polls and surveys that people put more stock in -- lead to flawed or biased results, whether purposefully or not. Moving to a new conference sounds like the sexy thing, especially if the football coach wants it. Yeah, let's do it! Deion wants it! Natty in a few years! Even more importantly, you have to look at who responds to the poll questions. It is people who want a change, usually in the context of just having read an article pushing for it, as opposed to those who are for the status quo, and/or those who realize a lot more goes into jumping around in different conferences than what they see in the media regarding the Pac-12 and Big 12.

I could run a poll on our fan base, even, which has virtually no reason to want to go to the Big 12 (right now), and if I could design the questions, I could lead people to whatever result I wanted, especially if I wrote an article associated with the poll designed to persuade.

 

[250vertical]

Well Colorado was in the big 8, so they have familiarity with the teams in the conference. Geographically they are as close to big 12 schools as pac 12 schools. They are probably just seeing the writing on the wall for the conference and want a place to land. There’s not really any other P5 conferences that make sense geographically for any other p12 schools outside of ASU.

It’s stupid to me that conferences are trying to have schools in all 4 time zones. I guess from a tv scheduling standpoint, but it defeats the purpose of what you want in a conference. Geographic rivalries, easier travel, etc.

Colorado joined the Big 6 in 1948, which then became the Big 7. Oklahoma St. joined the conference in 1958, making it the Big 8 - seems logical. Kansas and Colorado have played football against each other since 1903 - the record is 52 KU wins, CU 45 wins. When OU and UT announced they were leaving the Big 12, I was disappointed to read that the PAC took a look at KU, and others, and passed. BIG MISTAKE. I have always wanted KU to join the PAC since all of this crap started in 2010, but of course, that was before USC and UCLA split. As a KU alum, I miss playing CU more than any school that has left. We had played Missouri 120 times, the longest major college FB series on record. We stopped playing them when they headed to the SEC. I do not miss that rivalry one bit. I was nasty, just like the border during the Civil War. Colorado is very familiar with KU, and others in the conference. And that's an understatement. We used to fill about a third of their BB facility when the Jayhawks played there. Boulder is a blast!

 

[Coug90]

Colorado joined the Big 6 in 1948, which then became the Big 7. Oklahoma St. joined the conference in 1958, making it the Big 8 - seems logical. Kansas and Colorado have played football against each other since 1903 - the record is 52 KU wins, CU 45 wins. When OU and UT announced they were leaving the Big 12, I was disappointed to read that the PAC took a look at KU, and others, and passed. BIG MISTAKE. I have always wanted KU to join the PAC since all of this crap started in 2010, but of course, that was before USC and UCLA split. As a KU alum, I miss playing CU more than any school that has left. We had played Missouri 120 times, the longest major college FB series on record. We stopped playing them when they headed to the SEC. I do not miss that rivalry one bit. I was nasty, just like the border during the Civil War. Colorado is very familiar with KU, and others in the conference. And that's an understatement. We used to fill about a third of their BB facility when the Jayhawks played there. Boulder is a blast!

You can’t put a price tag on these lost rivalries. Worst part about all of this realignment nonsense. Nebraska and CU used to have a great rivalry as well.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

Well Colorado was in the big 8, so they have familiarity with the teams in the conference. Geographically they are as close to big 12 schools as pac 12 schools. They are probably just seeing the writing on the wall for the conference and want a place to land. There’s not really any other P5 conferences that make sense geographically for any other p12 schools outside of ASU.

It’s stupid to me that conferences are trying to have schools in all 4 time zones. I guess from a tv scheduling standpoint, but it defeats the purpose of what you want in a conference. Geographic rivalries, easier travel, etc.

Hear ya there buddy. I can't remember why Colorado bailed from the Big 12 in the first place, so why go back now? This whole media rights money thing just blows me away. Universities have BILLION dollar budgets. So what does $30 vs $70 million in media rights matter? The whole 4 time zone thing makes me laugh. Have flying to Rutgers FUSC and FUCLA. And we are not just talking about football. Basketball, soccer, baseball, all the women's teams. As opposed to scooting upstate to play Cal and Stanford.

You can’t put a price tag on these lost rivalries. Worst part about all of this realignment nonsense. Nebraska and CU used to have a great rivalry as well.

ear ya there buddy. I can't remember why Colorado bailed from the Big 12 in the first place, so why go back now? This whole media rights money thing just blows me away. Universities have BILLION dollar budgets. So what does $30 vs $70 million in media rights matter? The whole 4 time zone thing makes me laugh. Have flying to Rutgers FUSC and FUCLA. And we are not just talking about football. Basketball, soccer, baseball, all the women's teams. As opposed to scooting upstate to play Cal and Stanford.

It just makes no sense. I mean really? You give up your rivalries with Stanford, Cal the mutts and Whoregon in favor of Rutgers and Maryland? WTF?

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Hear ya there buddy. I can't remember why Colorado bailed from the Big 12 in the first place, so why go back now? This whole media rights money thing just blows me away. Universities have BILLION dollar budgets. So what does $30 vs $70 million in media rights matter? The whole 4 time zone thing makes me laugh. Have flying to Rutgers FUSC and FUCLA. And we are not just talking about football. Basketball, soccer, baseball, all the women's teams. As opposed to scooting upstate to play Cal and Stanford.

ear ya there buddy. I can't remember why Colorado bailed from the Big 12 in the first place, so why go back now? This whole media rights money thing just blows me away. Universities have BILLION dollar budgets. So what does $30 vs $70 million in media rights matter? The whole 4 time zone thing makes me laugh. Have flying to Rutgers FUSC and FUCLA. And we are not just talking about football. Basketball, soccer, baseball, all the women's teams. As opposed to scooting upstate to play Cal and Stanford.

It just makes no sense. I mean really? You give up your rivalries with Stanford, Cal the mutts and Whoregon in favor of Rutgers and Maryland? WTF?

I'm hoping that after a few years, everyone realizes how dumb all this is and we see conferences realign more naturally.

As far as CU goes, my understanding is that the main driver for the switch to the Pac-12 was that the university itself is more philosophically aligned with the Pac-12 and a lot of their out of state alumni were living on the west coast rather than the Midwest. The state of Colorado is definitely more of a west coast mindset to this day.

What's interesting about the talk of renewing rivalries is that the only two rivalries that really mattered for CU were Nebraska and Oklahoma, neither one of which is in the future Big 12. It makes no sense for CU to leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12 outside of a reasonably small amount of money. Frankly, for all the talk of stability in the Big 12, any of their remaining teams would bail for the B1G or SEC at the drop of hat if offered, so any talk of stability is just wishful thinking. They've done a good job of making lemonade out of lemons but they are just hanging on just like the Pac-12.

 

[250vertical]

I'm hoping that after a few years, everyone realizes how dumb all this is and we see conferences realign more naturally.

As far as CU goes, my understanding is that the main driver for the switch to the Pac-12 was that the university itself is more philosophically aligned with the Pac-12 and a lot of their out of state alumni were living on the west coast rather than the Midwest. The state of Colorado is definitely more of a west coast mindset to this day.

What's interesting about the talk of renewing rivalries is that the only two rivalries that really mattered for CU were Nebraska and Oklahoma, neither one of which is in the future Big 12. It makes no sense for CU to leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12 outside of a reasonably small amount of money. Frankly, for all the talk of stability in the Big 12, any of their remaining teams would bail for the B1G or SEC at the drop of hat if offered, so any talk of stability is just wishful thinking. They've done a good job of making lemonade out of lemons but they are just hanging on just like the Pac-12.

I agree, if any Big 12 school received an invite to the BIG or SEC...gone! The difference is, in the PAC there are two schools that just may get an invite to the BIG, and they are actively pushing it, and their departure - for all intents - kills the PAC. I don't believe Colorado or Arizona leave the PAC unless Oregon and Washington leave, or, if there is knowledge that those two are going to get an invite in the near future. Colorado and Kansas were never rivals. It was simply a fun game. They traveled well to Lawrence, and KU traveled very well to Boulder - especially during ski season. Colorado relied heavily on Texas recruiting when they were a year in, year out nationally ranked program. That dried up fast after they left - thus their coach saying "GO." Same with Missouri, 42 Texas kids on their roster when they first joined the SEC and played in the conference championship game twice in a row. Last year...6 kids...and 6 wins. The pain last year for Missouri was when K-state beat the crap out them in FB, and KU beat them like a borrowed mule in Columbia in BB. Final comment...the cultural thing is waaaaay overplayed. WSU would do well in the Big 12, just like Colorado did...and will?? Kids are Kids...unless you are Stanford or Berkley.

 

[Coug90]

I agree, if any Big 12 school received an invite to the BIG or SEC...gone! The difference is, in the PAC there are two schools that just may get an invite to the BIG, and they are actively pushing it, and their departure - for all intents - kills the PAC. I don't believe Colorado or Arizona leave the PAC unless Oregon and Washington leave, or, if there is knowledge that those two are going to get an invite in the near future. Colorado and Kansas were never rivals. It was simply a fun game. They traveled well to Lawrence, and KU traveled very well to Boulder - especially during ski season. Colorado relied heavily on Texas recruiting when they were a year in, year out nationally ranked program. That dried up fast after they left - thus their coach saying "GO." Same with Missouri, 42 Texas kids on their roster when they first joined the SEC and played in the conference championship game twice in a row. Last year...6 kids...and 6 wins. The pain last year for Missouri was when K-state beat the crap out them in FB, and KU beat them like a borrowed mule in Columbia in BB. Final comment...the cultural thing is waaaaay overplayed. WSU would do well in the Big 12, just like Colorado did...and will?? Kids are Kids...unless you are Stanford or Berkley.

While geographically it might sound appealing for CU and AZ, markets and $$ rule the day. While the Pac-12 is down now in large part to bumbling presidents and admin resulting in a decade of Larry Scott failings, the Pac-12 has a huge leg up on the Big12 in its markets and potential viewers, particularly with Texas moving to the SEC. That was their only big market and UT owns it, TCU is an afterthought.

The $$ ceiling of the pac12 is WAY better than the Big12. LA, SF, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix vs KC, West Texas, OKC.

If the PAC-12 can figure it out it’s by far a more attractive option long term than the Big12.

 

[Coug1990]

It does not surprise me at all that Arizona and Colorado fans want to leave to go to the B12. People often think the grass is always greener. It often isn't, as people have mentioned Nebraska above.

 

[250vertical]

While geographically it might sound appealing for CU and AZ, markets and $$ rule the day. While the Pac-12 is down now in large part to bumbling presidents and admin resulting in a decade of Larry Scott failings, the Pac-12 has a huge leg up on the Big12 in its markets and potential viewers, particularly with Texas moving to the SEC. That was their only big market and UT owns it, TCU is an afterthought.

The $$ ceiling of the pac12 is WAY better than the Big12. LA, SF, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix vs KC, West Texas, OKC.

If the PAC-12 can figure it out it’s by far a more attractive option long term than the Big12.

What the PAC is going to have to 'figure out' is how to get people to watch college sports on the West coast, which is becoming more and more like the East coast (NY - New England) in that there is less and less interest. Otherwise, population means nothing.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

While geographically it might sound appealing for CU and AZ, markets and $$ rule the day. While the Pac-12 is down now in large part to bumbling presidents and admin resulting in a decade of Larry Scott failings, the Pac-12 has a huge leg up on the Big12 in its markets and potential viewers, particularly with Texas moving to the SEC. That was their only big market and UT owns it, TCU is an afterthought.

The $$ ceiling of the pac12 is WAY better than the Big12. LA, SF, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix vs KC, West Texas, OKC.

If the PAC-12 can figure it out it’s by far a more attractive option long term than the Big12.

When you factor in the loss of UCLA and USC from our footprint, the population difference between Pac-12 states and Big 12 states is miniscule. If we were to lose Colorado and Arizona, it flips in favor of the Big 12. When you factor in that Big 12 fans actually care about supporting their teams, I'm guessing that the media value is even more even. We really need SDSU in the Pac-12 and we need them to be relevant once they are in.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

When you factor in the loss of UCLA and USC from our footprint, the population difference between Pac-12 states and Big 12 states is miniscule. If we were to lose Colorado and Arizona, it flips in favor of the Big 12. When you factor in that Big 12 fans actually care about supporting their teams, I'm guessing that the media value is even more even. We really need SDSU in the Pac-12 and we need them to be relevant once they are in.

Not sure I agree with "miniscule". I guess once the far-flung Big12 teams join, you may be right. But California has 9 million more people than Texas, and pretty sure Washington dwarfs all the flyover states. But agree with everything else you say. IMHO, and correct me if I'm wrong, but out West there are a lot of other diversions. Lakes, the ocean, etc. What else is there to do in Kansas other than watch the corn grow and follow football?

 

[COUGinNCW]

What the PAC is going to have to 'figure out' is how to get people to watch college sports on the West coast, which is becoming more and more like the East coast (NY - New England) in that there is less and less interest. Otherwise, population means nothing.

This is true but I would also guess west coast viewers have higher income than those in the Midwest and South so you’d think that would count for something.

 

[425cougfan]

This is true but I would also guess west coast viewers have higher income than those in the Midwest and South so you’d think that would count for something.

But then you factor in the Californians' payments on their $2m mortgages and their high tax bills (outside of WA), and ....

Just kidding. Kind of. Disposable incomes still are higher in the west. They're pretty high in Texas and some other spots in Big 12 country, though, and there also are some demographic differences that are relevant. More interest in soccer out west, for instance, for a few reasons.