NCAA realignment has been here for awhile. And for that time, it had seemed as if the Big Ten was content on sitting with it’s 16 teams. But in the every shifting landscape of media deals, schools continue to jockey for the best money possible. And thus, today, Arizona looks to shake up the landscape with a reported jump to the Big 12. But how would that impact Purdue and the Big Ten?
First off you have to look at the money. That’s what’s driving all of this. The Pac 12 had been looking for a new deal since last year, but has yet to secure one. The conference has been said to be looking for 30-35 million per school, but so far, no one has paid up. That’s made the remaining 9 members of the conference nervous. In the upcoming era of super conferences like the Big Ten and the SEC, the Pac 12 remains the most vulnerable. Being on the west coast, they are somewhat isolated, and partner schools that would help with expansion are very few. Couple that with what the Big 12 pays out (Nearly 50 million per school in the new deals) and the Big Ten pays out (70 million per school once the new dals kick in) you can see why the remaining big brands are looking to jump ship.
So with Colorado gone to the Big 12, and Arizona looking to move today, what happens next? Well, the Pac will be down to 8 schools soon. They need to add. San Diego State would be the best target at this point, and that’s not exactly a problem solver. The bigger task will be holding on to Washington, Oregon, Stanford, and Cal (all targets for the Big Ten. More so Washington and Oregon). If two of those teams were to find their way out this week, it would all be over for the Pac-12.
But does the Big Ten want Washington and Oregon? Probably. They would complement USC and UCLA, they fit the criteria the conference looks for in academics, and would help fill those 10pm availability on TV. It would give the Big Ten something no other conference has…conference football from noon to midnight, every week. There’s also been some saber rattling and rumors out of the ACC regarding Clemson and Florida State this week coming to the Big Ten. That doesn’t line up as well. 2 thing there, first both schools will do almost anything to break their ACC deal. With in-state rivals who are in the SEC, both stand to fall into a 400 million dollar revenue gap each. Try in-state recruiting when you are at almost a half a billion dollar disadvantage over ten years. Secondly, they don’t fit into the academic criteria and I’ve been told if their is an ACC school the Big Ten would like, it’s UNC.
So we sit and wait. Will it be a big day in college athletics? Or will it just be “Arizona to the Big 12”?
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