Bulldog Fan
Boise State sues the MWC (might want in the WCC as an 11th member?)
Looks like Boise State is unhappy with the MWC, and has sued the conference. MWC is trying to renege on a deal to pay Boise it's TV contract money.
https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-co...e-Football.pdf
Not sure if the WCC would agree to add an 11th, public school (similar to the Big East recently doing that).
Thoughts on this? And did Gonzaga dodge a bullet by rejecting the MWC and staying in the WCC?
Zag for Life
No chance, IMO. It would be hard for their football program to go independent. Many feel BYU made a mistake, and their national brand/support from the church is quite high.
Zag for Life
Not a good fit academically or school profile (plus football)
But it would be a great city/state to add to the WCC, and a competitive bb program (usually).
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain.
Bleeds GU Blue
The football program would be a roadblock, but I would welcome them as a basketball member. Minimal travel on either end, and Taco Bell Arena is a fun place to go to.Originally Posted by ZagsObserver
EDIT: actually, I could see Taco Bell Arena completely over-run with Zags fans if this came to fruition. So I don't see a down side in having an extra home game.
WE ZIGGED, WE ZAGGED, WE CONQUERED !!
Zag for Life
Just my opinion, but if they were to go shopping for a new conference, I'm guessing that it be to the PAC13 / PAC14 if they decide to add another school to keep traveling partners equal. Perhaps them and BYU, go together?
Kennel Club Alum
BYU and Boise state to Pac-12, that would make sense to me.
Kennel Club Material
Pac-12 will never let BYU into the conference.
Zag for Life
Nor is BSU in the same academic universe as the PAC-12. I do not see either as good candidates for the PAC
Kennel Club Alum
Yeah, PAC12-14 isn't going to happen for BYU or BSU. BSU, while having jumped up a couple levels in three years to Carnegie R2 classification, still has a ways to go. The trajectory is really good though.
I could see that this may ulimately result in a western division of a AAC, with a few other members from the MWC.
And yes, Gonzaga did dodge a bullet. The conference commissioner, as you may remember from GU's negotiations, is a complete tool. The best thing that could come of all this would be for him to finally lose his job.
As a graduate of both GU and BSU, I would have loved to have GU in the MWC. But, really it has worked out well. Maybe in the AAC West with BSU, SDSU, BYU (Olympic sports), UNLV, etc. A guy can dream at least...
Kennel Club Alum
I agree with you, but it would make sense, But most people in charge of this kind of stuff have no common sense. Politics rule almost every thing these days and common sense does not enter into the equasion.
Zag for Life
Why would Boise St. hitch themselves to the sinking ship that is the AAC? Every single school in that conference wants out and will jump at the first opportunity to do so. I can't see any sense in this.
The proposed Western Division of the Big East (before it collapsed) seemed like a bad idea back then, a Western Division of the AAC is an even worse idea.
Zag for Life
I think BYU being religiously affiliated probably will keep them out of consideration for the Pac 12.
Utah and Colorado took quite a while to adjust to the Pac 12. I think overall they've added value, but some of their athletic programs are still well behind. I would have a hard time seeing the Pac expand, and if it does it wouldn't be for schools like Boise St. and BYU. They had a pipe dream of adding Texas years ago. I can only see them expanding if they got a marquee name with deep pockets like that.
Kennel Club Alum
I don't think they would unless they didn't have a choice after all this. Originally, it was for BCS inclusion, but that blew up. But, the AAC teams are no different than the MWC in terms of every one of them wanting out. The difference being that many of the teams in the AAC are in a much better place to do so... nearer to population centers, better facilities, stronger fanbases, donors, etc. Most of the MWC teams have shown little ability and relatively little interest ($$$) to get better, much like the WCC.
Personally, I like being in an actual western conference. The teams aren't all that, but there are some budding rivalries for BSU after Idaho finally died off. It just makes sense. I only wish that the conference could string together a couple years of beating out the AAC and get some momentum in the programs.
It really won't come to fruition, but a true western division of the AAC wouldn't be that bad depending on the circumstances and would actually be relatively stable. Cut the dregs of the current conference loose and take the ones that have at least shown some sort of commitment or potential. Who knows, the AAC might even get thrown a bone IF/when the "playoff" gets expanded, being the clear cut "best of the rest" conference. If nothing else, it would kill the remaining conferences, which I am convinced the P5 wants to do. Take an additional 14 teams in to kill the remaining 50... maybe.
Just as likely though is that the P5 will consolidate further, picking off teams from the ACC, and BSU will be left to wither in whatever division there will be between "big time football" and FCS.
Kennel Club Alum
Yeah, they seem quite content at 12. You are absolutely right, expansion won't be for anyone besides a big name, but they are delusional to think any of them will jump at the chance unless something completely blows up.
Zag for Life
I'm not sure how close they got to getting Texas. That was a LONG time ago in terms of how much the landscape has changed. Back then they might've been in a good position. Now they've fallen behind all the other P5 conferences in the money sports. Yeah I can't see them prying anyone significant away from any of the other conferences. Too many years of Larry Scott running them into the ground.
Bleeds GU Blue
Zag for Life
Going back to the Big Sky? Seriously? That's a big step backward. They must be really, really unhappy in the MWC.
Super Moderator
What about the Big 12, who has supposedly been looking to expand for some time?
Zag for Life
I think at least twice the Big 12 has looked at expansion, and after a bunch of schools got their hopes up they would be movin' on up (seems like BYU and about half of the AAC are the schools that usually get mentioned) the Big 12 says "never mind." Probably Texas doesn't want to share revenue with any more schools, particularly schools that they think are beneath them. And Texas gets whatever it wants in the Big 12. Which is why several long time member schools left.
Kennel Club Material
Just to reiterate, again; yes, Gonzaga dodged a bullet by spurning the MWC. It had a brief peak of being really good. The WCC has been, by every metric, significantly better on the court the last 2 seasons, and 3 of the last 5. The WCC is trending up, the MWC is trending down.
The two biggest brands outside the Pac-12 in CBB in the West are Gonzaga and BYU, followed by SDSU. The TV options are better. The money, thanks to Gonzaga's NCAA success, is better.
MWC schools including Boise State are slashing sports (Boise dropped baseball and swimming this month). They've had multiple schools leave, such as Utah, TCU, and BYU, and more, such as Boise and SDSU, that would like to leave.
That's a league to stay away from.
"My golf is woeful, but I will never surrender."--Bing Crosby
Zag for Life
Boise St. had really bad timing. They got out of the WAC and joined the MWC either just before or just after BYU, Utah and TCU left. Several other WAC teams joined them in the MWC. It ended up being more or less a lateral move. That's in terms of football, but football is the driver of almost all conference realignments.
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