SMU to the ACC/PAC-12 discussions

[tpstulane]

Breaking: Pac-12 Commissioner to meet with SMU Wednesday



https://www.si.com/college/stanford/foo ... -wednesday

[Aberzombie1892]

This should surprise no one.

[oliveandblue]

Our fanbase is fickle and won't show up to watch whatever is left.

Tulane needs to move conferences. This conference is effectively dead and does us nothing now that SMU is out.

The MW is a bit of travel but at least Nevada, CSU, Wyoming, and AF are intriguing.

It's sad - I think we turned the corner a decade too late.

[arkhou02]

It isn’t a decade too late. Not if Tulane University doesn’t want it to be.

[greenie78]

Seems like desperation for the PAC-12. It's not going to save them long term. SMU hasn't come close to winning an AAC Title in football.

[tpstulane]

https://theathletic.com/4166523/2023/02 ... ed_article

SMU has a unique case to offer to the Pac-12. It’s located in talent-rich Dallas, which would get the league into Texas and the Central time zone for games. The private school is a top-75 national university in the U.S. News & World Report rankings with a $2 billion endowment. A $100 million athletics facility renovation is underway, and SMU is heavily involved in the name, image and likeness world.

The Mustangs don’t move the needle in television ratings, typically a key factor in realignment. But without many needle-movers left in the Group of 5, the Pac-12 may simply need more schools for the sake of inventory in the new TV deal, and SMU would provide a new frontier in Texas. On3 reported that Kliavkoff is expected to attend SMU’s Wednesday men’s basketball game against Temple. A source told The Athletic that SMU football players will likely be in attendance too.

[Ruski]

Our fanbase is fickle and won't show up to watch whatever is left.

Tulane needs to move conferences. This conference is effectively dead and does us nothing now that SMU is out.

The MW is a bit of travel but at least Nevada, CSU, Wyoming, and AF are intriguing.

It's sad - I think we turned the corner a decade too late.

Are you serious? Give me Memphis, Navy, ECU, USF, UAB, UTSA all day over these backwaters

[anEngineer]

I agree that it's an act of desperation, and it may or may not happen. Baseball is important to the PAC and SMU doesn't even play. Also agree that G5 options are dwindling. If you can get a quality university with a competitive athletic dept in a TV market it's a good option. That's why I think we are one of the few options left in a dwindling G5 arena. Winning on a big stage is a huge box checked. I believe we will get a call in the next year or two, especially if we follow up with another solid football season.

[Show Me]

If we lose SMU I hope we don’t replace them with another crappy program just to fill a spot. Memphis probably next to go.

[Show Me]

I agree that it's an act of desperation, and it may or may not happen. Baseball is important to the PAC and SMU doesn't even play. Also agree that G5 options are dwindling. If you can get a quality university with a competitive athletic dept in a TV market it's a good option. That's why I think we are one of the few options left in a dwindling G5 arena. Winning on a big stage is a huge box checked. I believe we will get a call in the next year or two, especially if we follow up with another solid football season.

Not having baseball is a huge advantage and travel savings in this case.

[HoustonWave]

Adding SMU to the PAC only makes sense if it is the first step toward a broader CTZ presence for the PAC. Alone, the travel will kill SMU--not unlike what it has done to CU since joining the PAC. Only a 4-team CTZ PAC pod can possibly work. It would add more CTZ eyeballs to the PAC and open up the Texas and Louisiana (with Tulane) recruiting turf. Coach Prime would probably love to Pod with schools in Texas and Louisiana.

If we aren't also in consideration, it's an indictment of what Gibson Hall and Wilson Center are not doing. Right now, we have better football and basketball teams, and have more TV eyeballs, than either SMU or SDSU. What we may not have is any proactive leadership from Fitts and Dannen, absent any Cone Of Silence discussions with the ACC and/or Big 12. This CUSAAC is just going to get worse and worse.

[anEngineer]

Adding SMU to the PAC only makes sense if it is the first step toward a broader CTZ presence for the PAC. Alone, the travel will kill SMU--not unlike what it has done to CU since joining the PAC. Only a 4-team CTZ PAC pod can possibly work. It would add more CTZ eyeballs to the PAC and open up the Texas and Louisiana (with Tulane) recruiting turf. Coach Prime would probably love to Pod with schools in Texas and Louisiana.

If we aren't also in consideration, it's an indictment of what Gibson Hall and Wilson Center are not doing. Right now, we have better football and basketball teams, and have more TV eyeballs, than either SMU or SDSU. What we may not have is any proactive leadership from Fitts and Dannen, absent any Cone Of Silence discussions with the ACC and/or Big 12. This CUSAAC is just going to get worse and worse.

Excellent point that it only makes sense if they are adding CTZ neighbors. Given what we have seen from Dannen and Fitts the past few weeks, I trust they are acting in the interest of promoting Tulane Athletics to P5 and I think we are definitely high in the mix. Tulane ALWAYS works in the dark and we just have to accept that.

[winwave]

Dannen has said in a very recent interview and one a few months before that that Tulane is happy and glad to be in the AAC and isn't looking to move on. Those have been posted here. He made it clear that he had no intention at this time to get in a P5 and pretty much said we would have difficulty if we moved to one. His actions, spending 80% of his time on the NCAA and 20% on Tulane among others, that he has given up on Tulane athletics and is looking for a way out for himself. This football season fell in his lap and he was totally unprepared. His only talks of facilities have been scattershot ideas. It's not encouraging. Our only hope right now is the PAC is desperate and does need more teams in the CTZ.

[BC Wave]

Adding SMU to the PAC only makes sense if it is the first step toward a broader CTZ presence for the PAC. Alone, the travel will kill SMU--not unlike what it has done to CU since joining the PAC. Only a 4-team CTZ PAC pod can possibly work. It would add more CTZ eyeballs to the PAC and open up the Texas and Louisiana (with Tulane) recruiting turf. Coach Prime would probably love to Pod with schools in Texas and Louisiana.

If we aren't also in consideration, it's an indictment of what Gibson Hall and Wilson Center are not doing. Right now, we have better football and basketball teams, and have more TV eyeballs, than either SMU or SDSU. What we may not have is any proactive leadership from Fitts and Dannen, absent any Cone Of Silence discussions with the ACC and/or Big 12. This CUSAAC is just going to get worse and worse.

Excellent point that it only makes sense if they are adding CTZ neighbors. Given what we have seen from Dannen and Fitts the past few weeks, I trust they are acting in the interest of promoting Tulane Athletics to P5 and I think we are definitely high in the mix. Tulane ALWAYS works in the dark and we just have to accept that.

Here you go
Give PAC C T Z presence
Harpoon B 12


PAC expansion with pods
SMU
Tulane
TCU
Texas Tech

Wash
Wash St
Ore
Ore St

Cal
Stanford
San Diego St
Fresno St

AZ
AZ St
UU
CU

[winwave]

Adding SMU to the PAC only makes sense if it is the first step toward a broader CTZ presence for the PAC. Alone, the travel will kill SMU--not unlike what it has done to CU since joining the PAC. Only a 4-team CTZ PAC pod can possibly work. It would add more CTZ eyeballs to the PAC and open up the Texas and Louisiana (with Tulane) recruiting turf. Coach Prime would probably love to Pod with schools in Texas and Louisiana.

If we aren't also in consideration, it's an indictment of what Gibson Hall and Wilson Center are not doing. Right now, we have better football and basketball teams, and have more TV eyeballs, than either SMU or SDSU. What we may not have is any proactive leadership from Fitts and Dannen, absent any Cone Of Silence discussions with the ACC and/or Big 12. This CUSAAC is just going to get worse and worse.

Excellent point that it only makes sense if they are adding CTZ neighbors. Given what we have seen from Dannen and Fitts the past few weeks, I trust they are acting in the interest of promoting Tulane Athletics to P5 and I think we are definitely high in the mix. Tulane ALWAYS works in the dark and we just have to accept that.

Here you go
Give PAC C T Z presence
Harpoon B 12


PAC expansion with pods
SMU
Tulane
TCU
Texas Tech

Wash
Wash St
Ore
Ore St

Cal
Stanford
San Diego St
Fresno St

AZ
AZ St
UU
CU

The Big 12 teams make more money than the Pac 12 teams. So no one is leaving the B12 for the P12.

[Ruski]

lol y'all are in fantasyland. The PAC very well could stand pat with adding SMU and SDSU. Dallas to most everyone in the PAC except the Washington/Oregon schools is about a 2-3 hour flight. SMU is already flying to most schools in the AAC, whats an extra 1/2 hours per flight?

PAC was in talks with Gonzaga a few weeks ago. I would venture they go for SMU and SDSU for now to wash the stink off of losing the LA schools. And figure out some creative way to get ZAGA + Football school (Hawaii? Air Force?) and one WTF addition.

[RobertM320]

lol y'all are in fantasyland. The PAC very well could stand pat with adding SMU and SDSU. Dallas to most everyone in the PAC except the Washington/Oregon schools is about a 2-3 hour flight. SMU is already flying to most schools in the AAC, whats an extra 1/2 hours per flight?

PAC was in talks with Gonzaga a few weeks ago. I would venture they go for SMU and SDSU for now to wash the stink off of losing the LA schools. And figure out some creative way to get ZAGA + Football school (Hawaii? Air Force?) and one WTF addition.

Dallas to San Fran is a 4 hour flight non-stop. That's Stanford and Cal. Then 2 Oregon schools and 2 Washington schools. That is 6 of 12 schools. So you're talking 4 hours + to half the conference.

Now Compare that to the AAC. The only flight longer than 2 1/2 hours is Dallas to Philly (Temple) (3 hours), unless there's a long layover to get to Greenville (ECU). Other than that, everyone else is 2 1/2 hours or less.

[golfnut69]

Excellent point that it only makes sense if they are adding CTZ neighbors. Given what we have seen from Dannen and Fitts the past few weeks, I trust they are acting in the interest of promoting Tulane Athletics to P5 and I think we are definitely high in the mix. Tulane ALWAYS works in the dark and we just have to accept that.

Here you go
Give PAC C T Z presence
Harpoon B 12


PAC expansion with pods
SMU
Tulane
TCU
Texas Tech

Wash
Wash St
Ore
Ore St

Cal
Stanford
San Diego St
Fresno St

AZ
AZ St
UU
CU

The Big 12 teams make more money than the Pac 12 teams. So no one is leaving the B12 for the P12.

The PAC needs to be a 14 team conference

North Division... Utah, Cal, Stanford, Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State

South Division.... Colorado, SDSU, Arionza, 'Zona State, SMU, plus two, of the following three schools..Tulane, Memphis, UTSA

[greenie78]

If SMU is added to the Pac-12, this may benefit us as well if the momentum continues from football/basketball. But it is up to administration to use this momentum otherwise athletics will be stagnant.

[winwave]

Here you go
Give PAC C T Z presence
Harpoon B 12


PAC expansion with pods
SMU
Tulane
TCU
Texas Tech

Wash
Wash St
Ore
Ore St

Cal
Stanford
San Diego St
Fresno St

AZ
AZ St
UU
CU

The Big 12 teams make more money than the Pac 12 teams. So no one is leaving the B12 for the P12.

The PAC needs to be a 14 team conference

North Division... Utah, Cal, Stanford, Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State

South Division.... Colorado, SDSU, Arionza, 'Zona State, SMU, plus two, of the following three schools..Tulane, Memphis, UTSA

No Big 12 schools there.

[Ruski]

lol y'all are in fantasyland. The PAC very well could stand pat with adding SMU and SDSU. Dallas to most everyone in the PAC except the Washington/Oregon schools is about a 2-3 hour flight. SMU is already flying to most schools in the AAC, whats an extra 1/2 hours per flight?

PAC was in talks with Gonzaga a few weeks ago. I would venture they go for SMU and SDSU for now to wash the stink off of losing the LA schools. And figure out some creative way to get ZAGA + Football school (Hawaii? Air Force?) and one WTF addition.

Dallas to San Fran is a 4 hour flight non-stop. That's Stanford and Cal. Then 2 Oregon schools and 2 Washington schools. That is 6 of 12 schools. So you're talking 4 hours + to half the conference.

Now Compare that to the AAC. The only flight longer than 2 1/2 hours is Dallas to Philly (Temple) (3 hours), unless there's a long layover to get to Greenville (ECU). Other than that, everyone else is 2 1/2 hours or less.

Or said another way.... Dallas to 6 of 12 PAC schools is about the same as any school in the AAC. Dallas to 8 of 12 PAC schools is only an extra 1-2 hours per flight than any AAC school. (My original point)

Only trips to WA/OR schools add significant flight time.

[anEngineer]

I agree that it's an act of desperation, and it may or may not happen. Baseball is important to the PAC and SMU doesn't even play. Also agree that G5 options are dwindling. If you can get a quality university with a competitive athletic dept in a TV market it's a good option. That's why I think we are one of the few options left in a dwindling G5 arena. Winning on a big stage is a huge box checked. I believe we will get a call in the next year or two, especially if we follow up with another solid football season.

Not having baseball is a huge advantage and travel savings in this case.

It's not an advantage for the remaining PAC baseball programs who lose 2 quality series weekends, and SMU gets them nothing there. Also, baseball is one of the most cost effective with travel because you get 3 games out of it. Tulane traditionally goes out west for a series and is doing it twice this year.

[Show Me]

I agree that it's an act of desperation, and it may or may not happen. Baseball is important to the PAC and SMU doesn't even play. Also agree that G5 options are dwindling. If you can get a quality university with a competitive athletic dept in a TV market it's a good option. That's why I think we are one of the few options left in a dwindling G5 arena. Winning on a big stage is a huge box checked. I believe we will get a call in the next year or two, especially if we follow up with another solid football season.

Not having baseball is a huge advantage and travel savings in this case.

It's not an advantage for the remaining PAC baseball programs who lose 2 quality series weekends, and SMU gets them nothing there. Also, baseball is one of the most cost effective with travel because you get 3 games out of it. Tulane traditionally goes out west for a series and is doing it twice this year.

I love the sport but realistically it doesn’t draw flies on the West Coast. Replacing those two baseball powers are down the line in importance. You have a two hour time change just with travel. Even though the travel involves a weekend it’s still not an ideal situation. SMU has been proactive and will see the fruits before we do being reactive. They did fine in the AAC with no baseball. If the PAC told them get the sport started and we’ll invite you they’d do so in a heartbeat.

[HoustonWave]

I still think the PAC would be better off going to 16 teams, in four pods. The East Pod could be CU, SMU, Tulane and then pick one from CSU, Memphis, UTSA or Rice (if PAC still wants to be academically aloof). Add SDSU and UNLV or Nevada-Reno and pod them with Arizona and Zona State, in the Southern Pod, The North Pod would be the four Washington and Oregon schools. And the West Pod would be Stanford, Cal-Berkeley, Utah and probably Boise State.

Four such pods would provide huge relief to non-revenue sports travel. Football schedule would be 3-2-2-2-3 OOC games.

Basketball would be home and home with same Pod members, and play other Pod teams once per year (2 home games and 2 road games against other Pod members) --and schedule the 2 road games for the same trip--that way Tulane only travels to SoCal once, NoCal once and the Great NW once each year. Baseball and other sports would schedule in a fashion similar to basketball--make SMU start a baseball program, even if it means they have to discontinue their Men's Synchronized Swimming Team.

[HoustonWave]

lol y'all are in fantasyland. The PAC very well could stand pat with adding SMU and SDSU. Dallas to most everyone in the PAC except the Washington/Oregon schools is about a 2-3 hour flight. SMU is already flying to most schools in the AAC, whats an extra 1/2 hours per flight?

PAC was in talks with Gonzaga a few weeks ago. I would venture they go for SMU and SDSU for now to wash the stink off of losing the LA schools. And figure out some creative way to get ZAGA + Football school (Hawaii? Air Force?) and one WTF addition.

I think it was the Big 12 Commish Yormark that had discussions with Gonzaga a few weeks ago. Possibly as a non-football member to further the Big 12's current #1 basketball conference status. I haven't ever seen anything about the PAC talking with Gonzaga. If the PAC wants the most new TV eyeballs, they should go after Tulane and CSU, rather than SDSU and SMU. But there is no G5 combination that will replace USC and UCLA.