Salt, meet wound

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/sports/pac-12-tv-recruiting.amp.html

East coast media takes a look at why Limo Larry's League is Lagging Light-years.

I think what's most concerning is that the 2024 promises are similar to what we heard from Limo Larry back when the P12N was inaugurated - "game changing money", and by the time 2024 finally arrives the chasm will be so substantial it'll take a generation to return to a level playing field. (We may already be at that point.)

I feel like at this point it's going to take some radical idea(s) that redefine how we consume college football to bring the P12 up to speed. Not too radical, but a start would be to offer P12N ala carte - get a team of lawyers and get us out of these crappy non-compete deals.

 

[425cougfan]

Yeah, not like I'm unique on this, but I've been saying this for years. Even if the 2024 deal allows the Pac-12 to catch up (or even to take the lead, likely temporarily), it won't make up for 13 years of massive revenue shortfalls vis-a-vis other conferences, along with lower exposure, all as the Pac-12 Network has had to incur huge startup costs (that wouldn't have been there with a network partner) to churn out a low-quality product, all without the cross-promotion the other conferences enjoy. Watch how much ACC Network games get pimped on ESPN.

The revenue, distribution, and exposure shortfalls play out in terms of Pac-12 schools falling further behind in recruiting, facilities, and success on the field. It's gotten even worse than I thought initially ... I didn't think there was real danger of the Pac-12 not being considered a "real" Power 5 conference, but that's getting closer to being a real topic of discussion.

Meanwhile, Larry is going to argue he needs to stick around at least until the 2024 negotiations to fulfill his vision, and the Pac-12 presidents are stuck with a massive sunk cost. We'll see, but I'm skeptical that this is all going to be fixed by expecting random east coast fans to pay $30/month for a "Pac-12 app," or whatever Larry and his San Francisco echo chamber participants think. Even if they did, that would be possible in a network partnership model, too, and I think the reality is that there will be a mix of streaming services with traditional TV / cable for the foreseeable future. Further, the negotiating position of the Pac-12 is going to be weakened by the 13 years of damage to the conference's brand and ability to draw eyeballs caused by Larry wanting to be a media company CEO, not just a conference president.

They should have gone with a network partner from the beginning, but even once it became clear Larry was full of shit (years ago), this could and should have been remedied years ago by canning Larry, getting a more reasonable, competent functionary to run the conference, and partnering with a network partner like many of the other conferences do.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Be honest, does the PAC 12 care about putting butts in seats as much as the SEC???

I see the lengths the SEC teams go to. I don't feel like the PAC 12 does the same.

And if you look at the high end talent on the West Coast, they're leaving in droves. You can tell kids about how great your program is, eventually they're gonna show up on campus and make you prove it. Empty stadiums, small stadiums, lack of facilities, bad coaches... then they show up in the SEC... complete opposite. It matters.

 

[CougEd]

Be honest, does the PAC 12 care about putting butts in seats as much as the SEC???

I see the lengths the SEC teams go to. I don't feel like the PAC 12 does the same.

And if you look at the high end talent on the West Coast, they're leaving in droves. You can tell kids about how great your program is, eventually they're gonna show up on campus and make you prove it. Empty stadiums, small stadiums, lack of facilities, bad coaches... then they show up in the SEC... complete opposite. It matters.

Let's take Alabama...what is their competition in terms of entertainment dollars? What pro team do you follow and are passionate about? Auburn? Ole Miss, MSU, LSU? I think there is a reason, and part of it goes to passion, and I think that passion is fostered by a lack of competition among entertainment dollars. Lakers, Clippers,Rams, Chargers, Suns, Cardinals and the list goes on. Not sure Pac 10/12 was ever going to be like that...

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Let's take Alabama...what is their competition in terms of entertainment dollars? What pro team do you follow and are passionate about? Auburn? Ole Miss, MSU, LSU? I think there is a reason, and part of it goes to passion, and I think that passion is fostered by a lack of competition among entertainment dollars. Lakers, Clippers,Rams, Chargers, Suns, Cardinals and the list goes on. Not sure Pac 10/12 was ever going to be like that...

To expand that thought, the west coast experiences a large influx of transplants, with differing college allegiances. Rooting is not generational like it is down south, because those people never leave and no one is going there, so it's deeply ingrained in the families as well.

Just my hypothesis.

 

[425cougfan]

Let's take Alabama...what is their competition in terms of entertainment dollars? What pro team do you follow and are passionate about? Auburn? Ole Miss, MSU, LSU? I think there is a reason, and part of it goes to passion, and I think that passion is fostered by a lack of competition among entertainment dollars. Lakers, Clippers,Rams, Chargers, Suns, Cardinals and the list goes on. Not sure Pac 10/12 was ever going to be like that...

There undoubtedly is something to this, but when you look at areas in the south and/or Texas that have some pro sports alternatives (e.g., Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida), their college football programs have maintained strong levels of attendance and financial support.

I believe a lot of it really is just prioritization / passion / culture, along with the lack of alternatives in many areas. I think it's fair to say the west coast has more alternatives for recreation, but that's overstated since the south has hunting, lakes, rivers, etc., even if west coasters might say those things aren't as good as the beach, mountains, or other things out west.

Finally, stereotyping here, but in addition to the presence of transplants, as was just pointed out, people are just interested in different stuff out west. There are plenty of fans who are really passionate, but it's pretty obvious their proportion is much less than in the south.

Transplants, "recreation" opportunities, etc. can't explain why USC or UCLA have their stadiums 1/3 or 1/2 full in a huge metropolitan area. You just don't see that in the south, even with fewer fans living close to the stadium, and even when we're talking about a mediocre team like Arkansas.

 

[Lollapalousa]

The Coliseum and Rose lack energy.

College Football needs to be played on campus where socially lubricated students can walk to game

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

The Coliseum and Rose lack energy.

College Football needs to be played on campus where socially lubricated students can walk to game

Dick Kim quote of the day, folks.

 

[425cougfan]

Dick Kim quote of the day, folks.

I miss that guy. Would like to get his thoughts on the UCLA game.

"Tough. Kids will improve. Dick Kim"

 

[Coug90]

To expand that thought, the west coast experiences a large influx of transplants, with differing college allegiances. Rooting is not generational like it is down south, because those people never leave and no one is going there, so it's deeply ingrained in the families as well.

Just my hypothesis.

You are spot on. This is exactly the reality, everywhere I travel out west, people are from all over the place. In the southeast folks are born and raised.

 

[OrangeGravy]

In the south it's personal. People actually tie their and others' self worth to how good their football team is. After the Iron bowl game that Auburn won with returned missed FG for a TD, one lady Bama fan shot another lady Bama fan in the gut with a pistol because she wasn't upset enough that they lost.

Once the SEC got control of the mechanism that basically controls college football, this was always going to be the eventual outcome. Larry has just brought it to us at warp speed. The NCAA taking down USC over something that happens every year down south was the first move in re-shaping things. It's been over for anyone west of the Mississippi ever since. That's my tin foil hat theory and I'm sticking to it!

 

[metprof]

The Coliseum and Rose lack energy.

College Football needs to be played on campus where socially lubricated students can walk to game

.....and leave at halftime.

Sorry, couldn't resist.