Sky isn’t falling

[chugspig]

I can’t be negative of this path. I understand wanting to be in a “power conference”, but the pressure was to either bid us down to 1/2 shares or in the case of the ACC, wait for implosion and then have WSU and OSU apply along with many of the schools we just picked up in a downward bidding war. This gave us the option to go in handcuffed as the bitch across the country or try and make something out of our unique situation.



Taking the four we did now secures a handful of the biggest markets available along with highly competitive programs with the option to chase others. This conference will be the group that plays the highest level of football that plays most/all games weekly in the western footprint. Now they have the freedom to add Stan and Cal if they return. UNLV if they decouple from UNR. They can also go secure UTSA with its blooming medical campus and growing football program. TX St is there as well. Tulane in Nola market.



Instead of waiting around we are now in the driver seat and can build something without being seen as the last opinion and littlest member. And whatever is made of this conference, it now exists as an option for a western pod for any conference trying to build or expand one. In the current landscape of relegation and future conference implosions, this is giving us the chance to build something decent as we see fit instead of being a whipping boy for an eastern conference. It’s not perfect but it’s better than taking it up the *ss a signing away our ability to be a full member 2000 miles away in many respects.

 

[702coug]

I prefer the Revenge of the Nerds approach myself. Stop waiting to be invited and create something that (hopefully) upsets the current corrupt system on some level.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

Waiting around is what got us Fcked last time and frankly I'm a little galled at how many Cougar fans are down on this deal. If you couldn't see the writing on the wall that the P2 were going to get fcked AGAIN, then I really can't help you.

This is the kid who waits and waits and waits to ask the prettiest girl to dance and never gets the balls to do so and ends up missing out, instead of asking any one of the dozen of pretty girls that want to dance and hell, might even play with their ding-dong.

This was not my #1 option for the conference, but these are good teams we've got coming in. They have good fan bases and good school support. Its now up to the conference to leverage that into a TV deal that will bring the level of the programs in line with the mid tier P4 schools.

 

[CougPatrol]

We're averaging 23K fans / game this season, so I'm not sure what we could have done better after the original P12 imploded. The B12 didn't want us.

 

[BleedCrimsonandGray]

We're averaging 23K fans / game this season, so I'm not sure what we could have done better after the original P12 imploded. The B12 didn't want us.

I'd love to see the CAF numbers from last year and this.

Does anyone know what being relegated has done to donations?

 

[bostoncoug]

I feel good about this move. Would have loved the invite from the Big 12 but since it’s not coming, good for our leadership for leaning in and doing the hard work of building the best conference they can from nothing.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

I feel good about this move. Would have loved the invite from the Big 12 but since it’s not coming, good for our leadership for leaning in and doing the hard work of building the best conference they can from nothing.

Spare me. Teresa only cares about keeping her job, which will only happen by keeping the Pac-2/8/12 alive. We will pay through the nose for this (I read that we are likely to "help" with the exit fees in addition to the $47M poaching penalty). And we haven't snared UNLV (yet), arguably the cherry on top of the MW sundae.

The games against BSU. SDSU and FSU will take on extra meaning this year. Bummer that we only play SDSU next year. I looked at the other 3 team's schedules for 2025. All are filled up, but each has an FCS game that they could probably buy out in favor of facing us instead. Problem is those are all home game #6 for them, so we would likely have to hit the road to play them. As of now we only have 3 of our 6 at home, so we would be scrambling to find 3 more home games if we threw them in. We'll be scrambling as it is.

 

[chugspig]

Spare me. Teresa only cares about keeping her job, which will only happen by keeping the Pac-2/8/12 alive. We will pay through the nose for this (I read that we are likely to "help" with the exit fees in addition to the $47M poaching penalty). And we haven't snared UNLV (yet), arguably the cherry on top of the MW sundae.

The games against BSU. SDSU and FSU will take on extra meaning this year. Bummer that we only play SDSU next year. I looked at the other 3 team's schedules for 2025. All are filled up, but each has an FCS game that they could probably buy out in favor of facing us instead. Problem is those are all home game #6 for them, so we would likely have to hit the road to play them. As of now we only have 3 of our 6 at home, so we would be scrambling to find 3 more home games if we threw them in. We'll be scrambling as it is.

some of the ADs indicated more of repayable loans and fundraising for exit fees. Pac12 assistance for the alliance fees.

 

[altolug]

I think some of those that left will be crawling back in a few years. They will discover the cost of travel and the lack of being in post season tournaments due to the conference standings being a catalyst.

 

[Wazzubrooz]

I think some of those that left will be crawling back in a few years. They will discover the cost of travel and the lack of being in post season tournaments due to the conference standings being a catalyst.

Not likely at all.

 

[longtimecoug]

Spare me. Teresa only cares about keeping her job, which will only happen by keeping the Pac-2/8/12 alive. We will pay through the nose for this (I read that we are likely to "help" with the exit fees in addition to the $47M poaching penalty). And we haven't snared UNLV (yet), arguably the cherry on top of the MW sundae.

The games against BSU. SDSU and FSU will take on extra meaning this year. Bummer that we only play SDSU next year. I looked at the other 3 team's schedules for 2025. All are filled up, but each has an FCS game that they could probably buy out in favor of facing us instead. Problem is those are all home game #6 for them, so we would likely have to hit the road to play them. As of now we only have 3 of our 6 at home, so we would be scrambling to find 3 more home games if we threw them in. We'll be scrambling as it is.

we get it , you dislike theresa, and you badly wanted the reverse merger. it isnt going to happen

 

[moxeecoug]

we get it , you dislike theresa, and you badly wanted the reverse merger. it isnt going to happen

I agree. There is a reason why CSU, BSU, FSU and SDSU wanted out of MWC so much and that is to get away from the lower echelon teams who drag them down. Do we really want to deal with those teams if there was a reverse merger?

 

[Loyal Coug1]

we get it , you dislike theresa, and you badly wanted the reverse merger. it isnt going to happen

I agree (it isn't going to happen). I'm not all wrung out over this development. At least not unless we find out that the Pac-2 is paying all or most of their exit fees on top of the poaching fee. Then I'll be pissed.

 

[Observer11]

we get it , you dislike theresa, and you badly wanted the reverse merger. it isnt going to happen

one of the Wilner articles said Gloria pretty well forced the hand of the 4 departing MWC members by insisting on keeping the lower tier teams in the MWC. When BSU, SDSU, FSU and CSU saw that she wasn’t going to make the low level step up and play big boy football, they bailed.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

I agree. There is a reason why CSU, BSU, FSU and SDSU wanted out of MWC so much and that is to get away from the lower echelon teams who drag them down. Do we really want to deal with those teams if there was a reverse merger?

That's the thing that some people can't understand. We need as many teams as possible that will draw 500k+ viewers in conference games. We need to avoid teams that draw less than 100k per game.

 

[BiggsCoug]

I agree. There is a reason why CSU, BSU, FSU and SDSU wanted out of MWC so much and that is to get away from the lower echelon teams who drag them down. Do we really want to deal with those teams if there was a reverse merger?

WSU has no room to be snobby. Take them all and whip their ass every year. Take the w’s.

 

[CougPatrol]

Taking on the bottom half of the MWC would have been catastrophic. If you’re going to rebuild the conference, you so with the best programs you can find. Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose St., Wyoming and Utah State aren’t that.

 

[Suudy]

I think some of those that left will be crawling back in a few years. They will discover the cost of travel and the lack of being in post season tournaments due to the conference standings being a catalyst.

Depends on what they care about. Postseason or $$$. I think we know what they prefer. I agree with WBrooz.

 

[chugspig]

WSU has no room to be snobby. Take them all and whip their ass every year. Take the w’s.

And split the media deal 14 ways with 8 non earners, or just take folks who earn money and split it evenly. Money is the end all be all.

 

[95coug]

That's the thing that some people can't understand. We need as many teams as possible that will draw 500k+ viewers in conference games. We need to avoid teams that draw less than 100k per game.

Uh….if that’s the standard, we just screwed up. Only CSU drew over 500K for their games last year. Boise state was under 350, the rest were under 200.

 

[BiggsCoug]

And split the media deal 14 ways with 8 non earners, or just take folks who earn money and split it evenly. Money is the end all be all.

Agree. It matters.

Also, how much does FSU BSU CSU SDSU really bring in? Are their numbers higher than WSU? Cause if it’s about earners, none of the new 4 are big timers. So why were they invited? It is a best of the rest league. Ship has sailed away with the earners. So what are you talking about?

Remember, that’s how the Big 12 looked at WSU and OSU. WSU is in no position to be snobby. They need games. I don’t see the tv pay days like before returning.

So yeah, get as many as you can, move forward. At some point you’re gonna have to commit to building something people wanna watch. College football is a tv show. It doesn’t matter where the tv sets are. It matters that theyre tuned in to your show/game.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Uh….if that’s the standard, we just screwed up. Only CSU drew over 500K for their games last year. Boise state was under 350, the rest were under 200.

Could it be that their viewership sucked because they were playing games against irrelevant opponents that nobody cared about?

 

[95coug]

Could it be that their viewership sucked because they were playing games against irrelevant opponents that nobody cared about?

Partially. But playing WSU and OSU once per year isn’t going to bump that average by much.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Partially. But playing WSU and OSU once per year isn’t going to bump that average by much.

The long term (well 4-5 years) anyway is for the teams in the Six Pac to play well when they face top level competition from the Power 4 conferences. CSU getting housed by Texas and Fresno State getting thumped decisively by Michigan wasn't a good start. Boise State still has the chance to be dangerous but couldn't quite take out Oregon. SDSU is obviously down at the moment. So there's work to do.

Not getting UNLV out the gate is a weird miss and I hope it gets rectified. FWIW, I specifically said conference games. There will be plenty of games below 500k, but we don't want to bring in teams who are bringing in 85k like Wyoming did against Idaho or 67k like Nevada got against Georgia Southern.

 

[Coug90]

Could it be that their viewership sucked because they were playing games against irrelevant opponents that nobody cared about?

In a conference with a shit brand. The P12 is still a household brand.