OT Larry Scott out as pac 12 commish
- Thread starter ThePanthers
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He came in super hot and almost pulled off the Pac-16. This would have changed everything in college sports. Pitt might be in a 16 team ACC or whatever conference formed from the Big East and Big 12 leftovers after both conferences get raided to make the 16 team super conferences.
After that floundered, it turned out he didn't know how to make a successful TV network and the Pac-12 Network gamble, set up uniquely from the other networks, is failing. Had the Pac-16 worked, though, who knows?
After that floundered, it turned out he didn't know how to make a successful TV network and the Pac-12 Network gamble, set up uniquely from the other networks, is failing. Had the Pac-16 worked, though, who knows?
There were also some very hideous referee screw ups with respect to football games over the past 3 years that all comes under his jurisdiction. The no conference network is the ultimate failure. That and the fact that most of the people in California don’t care about the conference sports teams other
So there actually IS a Pac-12 Network, but the fact that we can't ignore the SEC and B1G networks and are capable of not knowing there is a Pac-12 one... says it all
"Throughout his tenure, Scott was known for his lavish spending. The conference reportedly paid $6.9 million in rent annually for its downtown San Francisco offices."
How does a guy like that keep his job one year?
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...ott-in-june-as-search-begins-for-replacement/
How does a guy like that keep his job one year?
https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...ott-in-june-as-search-begins-for-replacement/
He almost pulled off the coup that would have made him a hero forever out West.
But even when that failed, he still was in a nice spot. Texas and OU had shown they were close to leaving. They refused and still refuse to extend any grant of rights beyond the next few years. Texas refused to give up its network, thereby making the Big 12 network impossible.
All Scott had to do was sit back and wait for the Big 12 to implode. If he had done absolutely nothing, just came to work and watched PornHub all day, the conference would still be sitting pretty. Instead the affirmative moves he made have all gone bad and the PAC 12 needs saving.
Amazing to see somebody just actively destroy the good hand they were dealt like that.
But even when that failed, he still was in a nice spot. Texas and OU had shown they were close to leaving. They refused and still refuse to extend any grant of rights beyond the next few years. Texas refused to give up its network, thereby making the Big 12 network impossible.
All Scott had to do was sit back and wait for the Big 12 to implode. If he had done absolutely nothing, just came to work and watched PornHub all day, the conference would still be sitting pretty. Instead the affirmative moves he made have all gone bad and the PAC 12 needs saving.
Amazing to see somebody just actively destroy the good hand they were dealt like that.
Hopefully, SMF gets some consideration.
And day one, he will pardon Sean Miller of all wrongdoing.
Yeah the expansion of Colorado and Utah did nothing to expand their brand and coverage.
Here is something for the incoming commissioner. Before worrying about expansion and cable contracts, how about tending to the quality of revenue sport teams of your conference. Because they have been a non entity in football and in basketball.
Here is something for the incoming commissioner. Before worrying about expansion and cable contracts, how about tending to the quality of revenue sport teams of your conference. Because they have been a non entity in football and in basketball.
I agree. Put a product on the field that the west coast wants to watch, before worrying about what the rest of the country is watching.
A pretty fun exercise to game out is what would have happened if the Pac-16 actually worked. 65 power teams, 4 conferences of 16 and Notre Dame. Which teams don't look too different, but the leagues do.
I'd do a better job than Scott. My God is the Pac 12 bad at every sport that matters. They're good at water polo though.
I'd make another raid attempt at the B12. They arent going to get Texas (and therefore TT) but Id go for OK, OKST, Baylor, and TCU. If they won't go, Id get KU, KST, Houston, and SMU to add the KC, Houston, and Dallas markets.
Baylor and TCU bring nothing and the PAC-12 would be better off adding Hawaii and UNLV over them. Remember the only reason Baylor was included in the original Big 12 was due to Baylor alum holding the pursestrings in the Texas legislature and TCU like WVU was when the Big 12 was desperate to get up to 10 teams.
The more I look and think about it.......
I look at the Pac 12 adding some Texas or Oklahoma teams. It would be about 1500 miles from LA, 2000 from Seattle. If that seems out of line,
The ACC from Boston to Miami is 1500 miles.
In the Big 10 Rutgers to Lincoln is 1300 miles. So travel wise, it isn't as outlandish as you would think.
But the Pac 12 needs to focus on its current programs and brand. At one time USC and Oregon were fixtures in the Top 10, along with Stanford or UW on occasion. In hoops, Arizona, and then UCLA or Stanford, now the West is owned by Gonzaga.
Any Pac-12 commissioner would be doing what the schools want. For the Pac-12, that does mean adding research schools and very, very likely no religious schools.
Their problem is their own programs don’t sell
So they chased the Texas pipe dream
They bring the DFW market and can sell the P12 network there. No, they arent as popular as Texas or even OU there but there's a lof of people in DFW and enough Baylor/TCU fans.
There really arent any easy answers for the P12. They are kind of isolated in the west, a region which is probably the weakest in terms of college sports fanbases. I think they need to try to poach some Texas teams.
Baylor doesn’t bring the DFW.
TCU is in the DFW, but Texas already gives you TCU’s footprint. It’s basically paying for the same territory twice.
Larry Scott is pretty much an arch criminal, that guy should consider himself lucky if he escapes an audit for some of the stuff he’s pulled. Anybody, and I mean anybody they hire will be an improvement for the conference.
First off the PAC-12 schools will never bring in small private religious colleges, they won't even give a giant private religious college like BYU the time of day. Also saying that Baylor and TCU would bring in the DFW market is like saying a conference should add Chatham and St. Vincent to get a foothold in the Pittsburgh market.
Cable tv as we know it is going the way of the dodo bird, having a foothold in media markets isn't going to matter when everything is being watched via streaming services, you'll more likely see UCF and Houston go to a P5 conferences purely based on the size of their student population and alumni.
I doubt we see any major changes in the conferences, the teams the B1G wants (UVA, NC and GT) are tied to the ACC for a long time and politics will keep UVA and NC from ever leaving VT and NC State. In the SEC Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky have a pact to block a second school from their respective states from joining, that would leave VT and NC State who are tied to the ACC for the long haul along with the same type of political situation as UVA and NC. The ACC will only expand with ND and whoever ND wants to bring along. The PAC-12 would love Texas and Oklahoma and would be willing to take on tagalongs Texas Tech and OK State but Texas and Oklahoma have too good of a set-up in the Big 12, they'll play footsie with other conferences to get a better deal from the other Big 12 schools. The Big 12 might look to say UCF and Cincy to get up to 12 but it's a long shot.
I think in this day and age I have to imagine that TV markets are a big deal for these conference TV networks. I know that BYU considers themselves similar to ND with a national fanbase because it has members of its religion all across the country, but I'd have to imagine that majority are in Utah and California, and the PAC-12 already has presence in those places, so BYU doesn't bring in new TV markets. Maybe TCU and Baylor aren't enough to get you on TV in DFW, I don't know, but if I am the Pac 12, I would certainly be interested in finding a couple schools that get you DFW as well as Houston.
I would think that TCU and Baylor would be more like attempting to get the Pittsburgh TV market with Duquesne and IUP. Are Baylor and TCU really as small as Chatham and St. Vincent in terms of alumni base, money, and fan interest?
The truth is, TV markets don't seem to be as important as they were in 2011. Big matchups are the draw now, so if realignment happened today instead of 10 years ago, you might see Rutgers in the ACC and Pitt in the Big 10. This is because cable subscriptions aren't as important now, so adding a state to your network doesn't mean as much as it did previously financially. I think the Pac does want to be in Texas, but they're in the same boat as the ACC with Notre Dame- keep waiting, keep hoping. Because while Houston and Texas Tech adds some value (albeit not great fits) the same way WVU does for the ACC, the plum that is Texas / Notre Dame is too tempting to use up a spot elsewhere. If ND says they'll join with Navy only, the ACC is adding Navy. The Pac-12 was pretty much okay with adding TTU because they were bringing Texas and Oklahoma.
Simultaneously, institutional fit was massive in 2011 and is as big if not bigger now. Boise State's academics and BYU's politics will keep them out of the Pac. And what's true of BYU is true of Baylor (by the way- they are based in Waco, which is as close to Austin as it is Dallas- around 100 miles each way. Not too likely to bring the Dallas market while TCU is in Fort Worth). This is a university that banned dancing on campus until the 90s. That does bode poorly for TCU or SMU, too...
So without the Big 12 imploding, the Pac is probably holding firm. The ACC seemed to signal that they want to remain together with the GOR extension, so really what you're waiting on is to see if Oklahoma wants to join the Big Ten West or not- and if the Big Ten even wants them. That discussion takes place in 3 years, though.
Another poster pointed out UNC, GT, and UVA as B1G targets. That is absolutely true but the ACC grant of rights extends until the 2030s so assuming that remains inviolable (bear in mind no conference has much incentive to challenge these) it isn't a serious threat until then.
I think Oklahoma will eventually leave the Big 12 but I don't know that Texas would join them.
Simultaneously, institutional fit was massive in 2011 and is as big if not bigger now. Boise State's academics and BYU's politics will keep them out of the Pac. And what's true of BYU is true of Baylor (by the way- they are based in Waco, which is as close to Austin as it is Dallas- around 100 miles each way. Not too likely to bring the Dallas market while TCU is in Fort Worth). This is a university that banned dancing on campus until the 90s. That does bode poorly for TCU or SMU, too...
So without the Big 12 imploding, the Pac is probably holding firm. The ACC seemed to signal that they want to remain together with the GOR extension, so really what you're waiting on is to see if Oklahoma wants to join the Big Ten West or not- and if the Big Ten even wants them. That discussion takes place in 3 years, though.
Another poster pointed out UNC, GT, and UVA as B1G targets. That is absolutely true but the ACC grant of rights extends until the 2030s so assuming that remains inviolable (bear in mind no conference has much incentive to challenge these) it isn't a serious threat until then.
I think Oklahoma will eventually leave the Big 12 but I don't know that Texas would join them.
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Alot of the PAC 12 schools face the same thing Pitt faces. They share cities with pro sports teams. Or they once were relevant but haven't been in a long while, or both.
I think any realignment and expansion right now is premature. For one, it is not if, but when, the CFP is expanded to 8 or 12 teams. Once that happens, the Pac 12 again has a seat at the table as do the Big 12, and G of 5 conferences, so everyone has a seat at the table.
Secondly, obviously viewing habits is changing and too much in flux right now to predict what is going to get the most eyeballs and ads.
Joe dont you know that in 2021 you can use the wird queers.The PC police will be knock8ng on your door.
WVU should be in a new conference with regional partners. The Hillbilly conference. Eastern Kentucky, Marshall, Virginia Tech, James Madison. There you go. Easy travel and low cost.
ACC adding Navy if ND joins? I don't even know what to do with that. What value would Navy bring?
I think the B1G learned its lesson with MD and Rutgers. UNC, GT, and UVA aren't moving the needle. That's actually one I haven't heard before. Usually it's Clemson and FSU leaving when these goofy rumors start. At least FSU fits more with the B1G. But we all know the ACC is breaking up any day now. Dude? Are you listening?
The notion that the TV landscape has changed is not completely true. Otherwise, why would the ACC be falling all over itself to get on more traditional systems? You also are ignoring the fact that affordable, high-speed internet still isn't readily available in a lot of places that cover some of these conference footprints. Plus, the "old" money doesn't use the internet to stream. That's not changing for a while.
Re: Navy- the point is, if Notre Dame will join, the ACC will add ANYONE the Irish wants with them. Not necessarily Navy, just an example. The Irish have all of the leverage here, so the ACC stays at 14.
I am not sure the question you're asking in the 2nd paragraph- you're agreeing the ACC is stable until the 2030s, right? The B1G would like to add high academic schools in growing areas. UVA, GT, and UNC certainly meet those conditions, but again, the ACC's future is likely secure pending a GOR challenge that likely wouldn't be made by a conference that has one in place, like the Big Ten. (The one caveat: the B1G's GOR expires in 2024 or so, right? They would not mind challenging one after theirs is no longer in effect, unless they planned for another one later.)
The TV landscape is changing. It's ideal to have the ACCN on Comcast, but it's also on every streaming service I can think of and that will grow more important as cable grows less so.
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I was somewhat joking on Navy tagging along with ND, but the Irish want to play Navy every year and having them in the same conference would free up a non-conference slot.
When Jim Delany was still B1G commish he flat out said if they ever expand again it would be in the south, UNC, UVA and GT all fit the B1G profile, remember the population is declining in most of the B1G states and moving to states like Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia.
Yes the ACC and Disney is desperately trying to get the ACC Network on as many cable systems as the can but when the media contracts for other conferences come due in the middle of this decade it's going to be all about how many people sign up for the streaming services and you're going to see the ACC and SEC networks become an add on to ESPN+ subscriptions.
You gotta be kidding, man. I said they dont bring as much of Dallas as Texas and OU but there's plenty of Baylor and TCU fans in DFW. Baylor is 90 minutes south and has a National Title contending basketball program + a football program which was in the NY6 not long ago.
