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WSU should begin to explore Big-12 membership

ttowncoug

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For multiple reasons....

First, culturally we are a closest fit than the majority of the Pac-12 schools. KSU is more like WSU. WSU is more like OSU etc.

Second, if the remaining members of the conference (see UW and Oregon) think they belong in the Big-10, and aren't committed to the success of the conference, let's navigate our own future. A watered down Pac-12 with Mountain West teams is not that compelling to me.

WSU would bring perhaps Oregon St. and together we'd bring the PNW and the west coast audience, namely Seattle area market.

Apple Cup would likely stay on the books as the state would go ballistic if this series was canceled. You have the governor of the state handing out the trophy every year and attending the game.
 
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For multiple reasons....

First, culturally we are a closest fit than the majority of the Pac-12 schools. KSU is more like WSU. WSU is more like OSU etc.

Second, if the remaining members of the conference (see UW and Oregon) think they belong in the Big-10, and aren't committed to the success of the conference, let's navigate our own future. A watered down Pac-12 with Mountain West teams is not that compelling to me.

WSU would bring perhaps Oregon St. and together we'd bring the PNW and the west coast audience, namely Seattle area market.

Apple Cup would likely stay on the books as the state would go ballistic if this series was canceled. You have the governor of the state handing out the trophy every year and attending the game.

Screw the state if UW jumps to the Big 10, Wazzu has no obligation to UW or the state to continue to play the game. Also, if the Big 10 wanted Oregon and UW they would have done it already. They don't. They are stuck in the same situation we are in.

Wazzu does numbers when playing on the main networks. It runs in the upper half of the conference in viewers. Our fans might not give much money, but they watch the games. That should help them.

Like I said in another thread, the Pac-12 should merge with the ACC and call the Coastal Athletic Conference or or something . I don't really see the Big 12 as all that strong either. It was just a year ago where they didn't know if they'd still have a conference. They added UCF, Houston and Cinci. If Wazzu adds SDSU and another MWC team is it really all that different from the Big 12?
 
Maybe the solution is finding the Big-12 and ACC markets that would draw viewers and create a new conference.

To me, it feels like you are in a relationship with a girl that keeps going on "friend dates" and flirting with other guys that are richer than you are. My attitude: "love me for who i am, if you don't, pound sand, I'm out."

Maybe that is not a rational business decision with the fact that the BIg-10 isn't inviting Oregon and UW in this cycle of media negotiations.

But my concern is positioning WSU for long-term success.

WSU has a lot to offer w/ passionate fans and a following of the underdog is what draws a larger crowd. The Gameday flag tradition has created so much positive PR for our program and the fact that we are "Pullman" gets the majority of the country to pull for the underdog.

I personally would keep the Apple Cup on the books, even if they bolt. It's one of the best rivalries in college sports and it means something to the state of Washington. But if the business decision doesn't work for us, I'm fine with flushing the series too.
 
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Another possibility - California regents are meeting today to talk about UCLA’s move to the Big 10. It’s doubtful they’ll nix it, but they may mandate that UCLA share their revenue with Cal.

If that happens, I can see the Big 10 deciding to just pull Cal too. If they’re giving money to a non-conference school, it might as well be a conference school. They can give UCLA and Cal both a reduced share, and they’ll both still take it
 
For multiple reasons....

First, culturally we are a closest fit than the majority of the Pac-12 schools. KSU is more like WSU. WSU is more like OSU etc.

Second, if the remaining members of the conference (see UW and Oregon) think they belong in the Big-10, and aren't committed to the success of the conference, let's navigate our own future. A watered down Pac-12 with Mountain West teams is not that compelling to me.

WSU would bring perhaps Oregon St. and together we'd bring the PNW and the west coast audience, namely Seattle area market.

Apple Cup would likely stay on the books as the state would go ballistic if this series was canceled. You have the governor of the state handing out the trophy every year and attending the game.
Joining the Big XII would not stabilize anything. Think of all the schools that have fled- Texas A&M, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma. The Big XII is right in the middle of the other conferences (even if the Pac-12 folds) and will continued to be picked apart.
 
For multiple reasons....

First, culturally we are a closest fit than the majority of the Pac-12 schools. KSU is more like WSU. WSU is more like OSU etc.

Second, if the remaining members of the conference (see UW and Oregon) think they belong in the Big-10, and aren't committed to the success of the conference, let's navigate our own future. A watered down Pac-12 with Mountain West teams is not that compelling to me.

WSU would bring perhaps Oregon St. and together we'd bring the PNW and the west coast audience, namely Seattle area market.

Apple Cup would likely stay on the books as the state would go ballistic if this series was canceled. You have the governor of the state handing out the trophy every year and attending the game.
I would imagine, that WSU has some plan B just in case. Right now, I am sure all efforts are going into saving the PAC 10/12. The key to this whole thing is the Media money, if there isn't at least a 20% increase in revenue ( even with out the SC schools) from where the conference currently is, keeping it together becomes more difficult.
 
As Brent posted, if UW or Oregon added value (or at least didn't dilute the current per team payout) they already would have been approached by the B1G. The networks currently don't value them at a level that would maintain the per team payout. Would either take a smaller piece and what would that payout look like?

B1G is waiting on ND, but there isn't much to suggest ND would want to join and give up their Independence.
 
I would imagine, that WSU has some plan B just in case. Right now, I am sure all efforts are going into saving the PAC 10/12. The key to this whole thing is the Media money, if there isn't at least a 20% increase in revenue ( even with out the SC schools) from where the conference currently is, keeping it together becomes more difficult.
WSU having a Plan B, and the other necessary party(ies) being on board with that Plan B or very different things.

WSU is a begger, not a chooser. Unfortunate, but true.
 
As Brent posted, if UW or Oregon added value (or at least didn't dilute the current per team payout) they already would have been approached by the B1G. The networks currently don't value them at a level that would maintain the per team payout. Would either take a smaller piece and what would that payout look like?

B1G is waiting on ND, but there isn't much to suggest ND would want to join and give up their Independence.
Oregon might be able to swing a smaller share (Uncle Phil as the bridge to a bigger payday down the road), but I don't think uw could.
 
For multiple reasons....

First, culturally we are a closest fit than the majority of the Pac-12 schools. KSU is more like WSU. WSU is more like OSU etc.

Second, if the remaining members of the conference (see UW and Oregon) think they belong in the Big-10, and aren't committed to the success of the conference, let's navigate our own future. A watered down Pac-12 with Mountain West teams is not that compelling to me.

WSU would bring perhaps Oregon St. and together we'd bring the PNW and the west coast audience, namely Seattle area market.

Apple Cup would likely stay on the books as the state would go ballistic if this series was canceled. You have the governor of the state handing out the trophy every year and attending the game.
If UW leaves, there should be no more games with them. Ever. I'll stand by that. And if the administration doesn't do that, then it's find someone with a backbone.
 
If UW leaves, there should be no more games with them. Ever. I'll stand by that. And if the administration doesn't do that, then it's find someone with a backbone.
UW won't mind that, since we'll be a Big Sky team at that point.
 
Another possibility - California regents are meeting today to talk about UCLA’s move to the Big 10. It’s doubtful they’ll nix it, but they may mandate that UCLA share their revenue with Cal.

If that happens, I can see the Big 10 deciding to just pull Cal too. If they’re giving money to a non-conference school, it might as well be a conference school. They can give UCLA and Cal both a reduced share, and they’ll both still take it
why is it doubtful? they could very well nix the deal and I've seen no indication that Cal wants the big 10
 
The Apple Cup is the las thing on my mind right now. If UW leaves us behind, I won't blame them, but I also wouldn't care if we turned our backs on the rivalry completely.
 
The Apple Cup is the las thing on my mind right now. If UW leaves us behind, I won't blame them, but I also wouldn't care if we turned our backs on the rivalry completely.
I wouldn't either, if the rivalry continued WSU should insist all games are in Pullman, not unreasonable for a non conference game
 
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I don't mean to sound like SC Glory or anything, but c'mon ... UW isn't going to agree to have all of the games in Pullman. What's much more likely is them demanding "neutral site" games in the Clink. Best case for WSU would be continuing to alternate home and home matchups.

I'm completely fine with refusing to play UW if it bolts from the Pac-12, but again, being real, WSU's fans and alumni want the matchup with UW more than the other way around, and it likely would be critical from a $ perspective, especially if the Cougs wind up in the Mountain West or a Pac-12 that loses most of its most integral members. WSU vs. Utah State the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving might not even draw 10,000 actual fans. WSU vs. UW on that same day would still be a sellout. The wins over UW every 10 years or so--in this situation, UW would have even more of an edge in $ and recruiting than it does now, of course -- would be an even bigger deal than they are now.

I get that UW and WSU probably wouldn't play that late in the season anymore, by the way. The reference to Thanksgiving is just to illustrate the significance of the Apple Cup to WSU.

I don't like any of this but it's a bad situation unless the Pac-12 can pull off a miracle and hold things together ex-USC and UCLA, at least, on the types of grounds Kliavkoff outlined in his letter to the UC regents.
 
I don't mean to sound like SC Glory or anything, but c'mon ... UW isn't going to agree to have all of the games in Pullman. What's much more likely is them demanding "neutral site" games in the Clink. Best case for WSU would be continuing to alternate home and home matchups.

I'm completely fine with refusing to play UW if it bolts from the Pac-12, but again, being real, WSU's fans and alumni want the matchup with UW more than the other way around, and it likely would be critical from a $ perspective, especially if the Cougs wind up in the Mountain West or a Pac-12 that loses most of its most integral members. WSU vs. Utah State the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving might not even draw 10,000 actual fans. WSU vs. UW on that same day would still be a sellout. The wins over UW every 10 years or so--in this situation, UW would have even more of an edge in $ and recruiting than it does now, of course -- would be an even bigger deal than they are now.

I get that UW and WSU probably wouldn't play that late in the season anymore, by the way. The reference to Thanksgiving is just to illustrate the significance of the Apple Cup to WSU.

I don't like any of this but it's a bad situation unless the Pac-12 can pull off a miracle and hold things together ex-USC and UCLA, at least, on the types of grounds Kliavkoff outlined in his letter to the UC regents.
I’d predict uw would demand alternating between the Clink and Husky Stadium. And you are correct, WSU would need the money.
 
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If UW would want to keep playing WSU, then they can stay in the conference. It's as simple as that.

Otherwise, bugger off.
 
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This round of media negotiations is likely over. UW and Oregon aren't bolting -- yet -- but i have zero confidence and trust that they are committed to the conference long-term. Look at Texas or Oklahoma. Some schools, and their entitlement, won't be satisfied with their current arrangement.

If WSU wants to be and stay in a west coast centered conference, regardless of the value of that media deal, that is fine.

My point still stands: time for us to be leaders and figure out our best path forward while being open-minded about how things best shake out for us.
 
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If UW leaves, there should be no more games with them. Ever. I'll stand by that. And if the administration doesn't do that, then it's find someone with a backbone.

Hope FOX or CBS or NBC (or whichever network is televising) enjoys a UW-Rutgers game the day after Thanksgiving with 8K in the stands 🤣
 
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If UW would want to keep playing WSU, then they can stay in the conference. It's as simple as that.

Otherwise, bugger off.

donald trump applause GIF by franceinfo


UW administration, fan and biased media complaining would be epic once they realized they weren't driving the Apple Cup bus
 
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