Easy enough to not make it routine, especially assuming Ohio St. and Cal are in different divisions as it were...if Penn St, Ohio St, Michigan, and throw in Wisconsin, (another post mentioned Nebraska and they totally brought a bunch of people to Cal) each came to Cal once every 4/5 years, then it's a win win for all...potentially strong traveling parties, but aren't coming out too often to make it a "so what" kind of deal...let alone the fanbases that exist in the Bay Area of those universities.StillNoStanfurdium said:We don't have to imagine what Ohio State vs. Cal could draw, even with a bad Cal team. We literally saw that not too long ago in 2013 when Ohio State fans took over Memorial Stadium. Granted, who knows how things might change if this match-up is more routine but I'd guess the only thing that changes is the balance of Cal vs. Ohio State fans as it seems clear there was interest from Ohio State fans to show up to a game in Berkeley.6956bear said:The B1G does not "need" a west coast pod. But they do want one. But yes there is a price. The recent news regarding UO and UW heading to B1G for 2024 is due to the networks agreeing to pay a bit more to add these teams. Fox, NBC and CBS it is being "reported" have agreed to chip in a bit more each to pay for the move.mbBear said:All sounds like wishful thinking to me. The Big "needing" a West coast division, pod, whatever term you want to use-show them where it makes them more money, and then they will figure out the "need."6956bear said:There is a lot of truth in this. If UW and UO do leave for 2024 that could be the catalyst for Cal to get an invite. For all the negativity around Cal athletics they do sit in a lucrative market and the number of B1G alums here is quite large. But Cal needs to give the B1G (and TV) a reason to believe.CAL4LIFE said:
Cal's viability to maintain P5 consideration w/ the B1G rests squarely on their ability to show signs of life in both major revenue sports for '23-24. Thus, the reason we see so many changes in approach by Cal w/ Wilcox changing his philosophical course offensively, the ground swell NIL push + portal emphasis, and the new high energy Madsen era in hoops.
Cal has been on life supports for far too long yet still has a pulse.
Now it comes down to game day execution and becoming unavoidable (relevant again) in the national conversation.
As I have said on these forums from the beginning of their inception: the only thing that prevents Cal from being successful in revenue athletics is Cal.
It's literally their last chance to get it right.
IMO there is no logical reason for the B1G if they are considering more western expansion to exclude the Bay Area. But Cal needs to win, attract fans to the stadium and show some eyeballs when they play on TV. The TV problem is many games will be on P12 network due to years and years of ineptitude on the field.
The revenue teams are showing some life. Mens hoops in particular. But they have a long history of poor play and unless the B1G delays expansion and the P12 gets a deal it may not matter what they do in 2023. At least for getting an invite to the B1G.
But the bolded sentence above is a big concern. I see a few recent things that give me some hope, but the history is long and not great. My big hope is they have been advised they would be invited but need to see an investment that shows some level of seriousness.
That Cal can somehow act in such a way in the short term that shows potential to make the Big money in the medium or long terms is beyond my pay grade for sure. That further expansion is needed for the Big, adding more slices to the pie (meaning splitting the money) is incredibly hopeful. They didn't do only SC and UCLA just to be polite...there wasn't an immediate need seen by them....and okay, if that's not right, then what's the hold up? Because behind the scenes schools have been turning them down? Right, I don't believe that either.
"Cal didn't do this, Cal didn't do that, it's Cal's own fault"....come on, the Pac-12, thanks to Larry Scott first and foremost(and Kliavkoff a little), didn't see this coming and got crushed...I don't think for a second that, even if Cal has a miracle football season, the Big is going to be begging them to join...okay, I will leave the door open slightly hoping that Cal can show the conference that, in the long term, things are now set up differently, so the future is brighter (and "brighter" means more lucrative for all)....but I had to slide Blue and Gold classes on for that sentence...
The B1G wants to be a true coast to coast conference. Most believe that if the B1G adds those 2 it will be at reduced shares for now. So no current B1G school needs to take a pay cut to add these teams. The B1G network also wants to sell subscritions. They feel that Seattle is a good market for that as Portland may be as well. The networks likely feel strong advertising revenues may be available by being a true every time zone conference.
The Bay Area makes sense for this as well. But the local programs have not shown a great apetite to watch the locals on TV. So there likely would need to be an additional provider to add Cal and Stanford.
The strategy also is to be positioned for what seems to be the inevitable creation of a Super Division of college football. Adding UW and UO helps in that area. The Bay Area may be as well.
The western pod is not just a football thing. Teams will need to travel for the other sports. Like hoops, baseball and volleyball (which is a big sport in the B1G). So it looks to me like the B1G is adding where they can now. Western teams are available now. The P12 media contract ends at the end of the 2023-2024 schedule. There are other benefits as well. B1G alums in the P12 markets are many. They may very well contribute more via donations as their teams now play in their current living market. Recruiting improves. And while these schools can and do work together now on research and other things, conference affiliaiton strengthens those alliances and more monies are generated for research etc. Ask Utah President about that. They have seen applications, research money and donations increase by being affiliated with the P12 conference.
It is not just about sports. But sure sports performance does matter. The Networks will be paying for any expansion so you have to have a pulse and make an effort to put forth a product people will watch. But sure the money matters. But the money need not come just from the games themselves. But you will almost certainly see attendance improve. A Cal game vs OSU or UA will draw maybe 40,000 if Cal is any good. What do you think a Cal vs Ohio St or Penn St or Michigan or even Nebraska would draw?
Lots of reasons to be a coast to coast conference. If the only consideration was on field results Cal would have no chance at the B1G. But the B1G having every P5 program in California is a big deal IMO. As would having a piece of every time slot available on a typical college football Saturday. My guess is a 7:30PST game between say UW and Stanford or Cal would draw better than any Big 12 matchup. Why? Because now these west coast games matter to B1G fans where before they could care less.
But the "win win" for the fan bases and Cal doesn't necessarily give the decision makers a good reason to split the Big pie...unless added value is proven, or they feel a threat of some of the Pac teams going to the ACC or Big 12 and somehow that hurting the TV revenue stream.
Again, why it's good for Cal isn't really a stretch...this is really all about the biggest sports cliche out there, this is the Big saying "show me the money."