David Hookstead
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Big Ten expansion might really start cooking in late April.
There’s been smoking swirling the Big Ten is getting ready to welcome Oregon and Washington for a reduced revenue split. It’s believed both programs might join the B1G for roughly $40 million annually.
Seeing as how the PAC-12 can’t land a new media deal, it’s very tempting for the Ducks and Huskies. Even if George Kliavkoff’s conference does land a new deal, it won’t come close to touching $40 million.
The great fear for the PAC-12 is that once Oregon and Washington leave for the Big Ten, several other teams will jump for the Big 12. However, movement isn’t expected until Kevin Warren leaves the B1G.
A decision from the Big Ten on further expansion won’t come until Kevin Warren is gone.
Kevin Warren will take over the Chicago Bears April 17, and at least one B1G media partner won’t open further expansion talks until that happens, according to CBS Sports.
It makes a lot of sense. A TV network doesn’t want to spend five weeks negotiating with Kevin Warren and the B1G only to be told by the new Big Ten commissioner the deal isn’t good enough.
The best comparison is a lame duck President. Warren is leaving and until there is a new leader, it doesn’t make sense for negotiations to really heat up.
What happens next?
Once a new Big Ten leader is installed and Warren is gone, negotiations for the additions of Oregon and Washington should start immediately.
If previous reporting is accurate, the Ducks and Huskies truly believe spots are waiting for them in the Big Ten.
If the Big Ten does extend invites, Oregon and Washington will snatch them without hesitation. From there, all bets are off. The most logical outcome is Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado cutting and running to the Big 12.
Would that be the end of the PAC-12? Almost certainly. It’s hard to imagine the remaining four schools – Cal, Stanford, Washington State and Oregon State – can do much.
Realignment is one of the most fun parts about college sports and it appears things will really start heating up in April. Welcome to the chaos of the modern era.
And then Skippy The Cokehead’s “Never-Happen” Plan goes into effect. Those four left-overs make a transcontinental deal with The ACC (less Clem and FlaSt). It would require a complicated algorithm to work out a who-plays who-when-where schedule but its doable.