Big West realignment

wbyeager · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 8:35 pm

The Big East really needs to get the WAC and Great West to merge, and invite Cal State-Bakersfield. It would stop a lot of the departures, and with the exception of the two eastern Great West schools, not really do any harm from a geography standpoint:

Seattle/Cal State-Bakersfield
Boise State/Idaho
Denver/Utah Valley
New Mexico State/Texas-Pan American
Chicago State/NJIT

NJIT will probably get picked off in the CAA fallout, and Chicago State could get picked off by the Summit League if it suffers too many losses.

The Big East can help further by inviting Fresno State and Air Force for football only:

Fresno State/Cal State-Bakersfield
Seattle/Idaho
Boise State/Utah Valley
Air Force/Denver
New Mexico State/Texas-Pan American
Chicago State/NJIT (if they're still around)

The WAC can then go after non-football schools in Division II looking to move to Division I:

Fresno State/Cal State-Bakersfield
Seattle/Western Washington
Boise State/Idaho
Utah Valley/Grand Canyon
Air Force/Denver
New Mexico State/Texas-Pan American

JPSchmack · **Joined:** Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:21 pm **Posts:** 851

Notsellingjeans wrote:

4. It's another mouth to feed.

At least Sac State would give UC Davis the travel partner they lost with Pacific's departure. Davis and Sac State are less than a 30 minute drive apart, and that would allow teams to make their bus trip north and play two games in a weekend (Thursday/Saturday), instead of the long, awkward drive up north for one game with a quick turnaround for a Saturday game down south.

Ha. There's no feeding to the member schools in the Big West. It's a one-bid league. They do an even split of their one NCAA unit and there's no TV loot what so ever.

It works better with Riverside and SDSU being travel partners and Hawaii being travel partners with UC Davis (multiple direct flights from Sacramento to Honolulu daily).

However, I am hearing that the Boise St/BWC thing is probably gonna happen.

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3762

Still waiting on the specifics, but as indicated in this and other threads, Boise St. has asked the Big East for assistance in getting it's non-football sports into "another conference"...with that other conference being the Big West.

This is part fo what I addressed a week or two ago about negotiations and how just because the Big West passed on Boise St. last time, doesn't mean they will now. But this time, the Big West still in a position of power and with Boise St. lacking the safety of the WAC comfort, it means Boise St. has to GIVE more and negotiate, versus their initial offer of "we want in, please take us".

While nothing is on paper yet, I would assume that this "help" that Boise St. seeks, if needed, will be something as simple as the Big East agreeing to a few OOC Big West games each year. That said, it seems like a given that SDSU and if joining, Boise St., would get some Big East OOC games anyways. But if the Big East could offer even just 4 OOC games to Big West schools, then it could be a win.

Goal for the Big West now is to become good enough to be a regular 2 bid conference. For that to happen, I'm guessing it will need to start with SDSU losing the Big West championship their first game but getting an at-large bid.

IF Boise St. can get in, it will be trouble for the WAC, that's for sure. All of a sudden, they'd have 4 members, and would NEED Utah Valley, CSU-Bakerfield, UTPA AND Chicago St. to join to get to a stable 8...still knowing they risk UTPA leaving for the Southland.

Big West could always try to make sense of a Boise St. addition with an Idaho one too, as a travel partner, but it's doubtful Idaho has enough loot to give the Big West for the Big West to even consider that. Poor Idaho

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 3:01 pm

Quinn wrote:

Still waiting on the specifics, but as indicated in this and other threads, Boise St. has asked the Big East for assistance in getting it's non-football sports into "another conference"...with that other conference being the Big West.

This is part fo what I addressed a week or two ago about negotiations and how just because the Big West passed on Boise St. last time, doesn't mean they will now. But this time, the Big West still in a position of power and with Boise St. lacking the safety of the WAC comfort, it means Boise St. has to GIVE more and negotiate, versus their initial offer of "we want in, please take us".

While nothing is on paper yet, I would assume that this "help" that Boise St. seeks, if needed, will be something as simple as the Big East agreeing to a few OOC Big West games each year. That said, it seems like a given that SDSU and if joining, Boise St., would get some Big East OOC games anyways. But if the Big East could offer even just 4 OOC games to Big West schools, then it could be a win.

Goal for the Big West now is to become good enough to be a regular 2 bid conference. For that to happen, I'm guessing it will need to start with SDSU losing the Big West championship their first game but getting an at-large bid.

IF Boise St. can get in, it will be trouble for the WAC, that's for sure. All of a sudden, they'd have 4 members, and would NEED Utah Valley, CSU-Bakerfield, UTPA AND Chicago St. to join to get to a stable 8...still knowing they risk UTPA leaving for the Southland.

Big West could always try to make sense of a Boise St. addition with an Idaho one too, as a travel partner, but it's doubtful Idaho has enough loot to give the Big West for the Big West to even consider that. Poor Idaho

Big Sky seems willing to change its rule to let Idaho in w/ the hope they give up on Indy FBS after a few years and play FCS in the Sky

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7098

Article out of Boise with comments from Big West Commish regarding membership application by BSU for possible 2013-2014 Big West membership with decision prior to 7-1-2012.Link at http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/0 ... oise_state

pounder · **Posted:** Wed May 16, 2012 3:15 pm

The rumors of Boise State's reconsideration of the Big East...

...have had their desired effect.

The Bishin Cutter · **Joined:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:41 am **Posts:** 567

Per Katz at ESPN: Big East (and ESPN) essentially bribing Big West to take the Spuds.

If Boise's basketball is so good for Big West, why not the Big East?

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7098

Article out of Boise regarding BSU/Big West situation.Comments from UCSB AD who believes that BSU has a better than 50/50 chance of being invited by the end of this month.Link at http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/06/2 ... -bsus.html

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7098

Article out of Boise(previously posted in another thread)discussing BSU quest to find a conference home for it's teams.They would like to announce a move before tomorrow.Link at http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/06/3 ... se-st.html

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7098

Andy Katz article reporting on BSU conference situation with comments from Big West Commish at http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ntain-west

The Bishin Cutter · **Joined:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:41 am **Posts:** 567

Boise State's hot mess of an announcement. On the other side of the spectrum of class, Big West is still glowing about Hawai'i!

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7098

Article out of Boise with comments from Big West Commish regarding future vote on whether or not to invite BSU.Link at http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/07/0 ... state.html

fighting muskie · **Joined:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 am **Posts:** 414

Is there any possibility that Sacramento St could "come home" as the 12th Big West school if the Boise deal works out? Would/are the Hornets campaigning to get in and would how would the Big Sky feel about losing their Olympic sports?

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3762

fighting muskie wrote:

Is there any possibility that Sacramento St could "come home" as the 12th Big West school if the Boise deal works out? Would/are the Hornets campaigning to get in and would how would the Big Sky feel about losing their Olympic sports?

That'sa a great question. Quick answer is "no".

Yes, it makes sense...too much sense. You have the Big West which is a much better overall conference than the Big Sky. It's local, so Sac St. would not need to travel to places like NoColorado, Utah, North Dakota, etc, without getting paid to do so (via Hawaii stipend).

BUT...there's a reason for the "no": when the Big Sky changed there bylaws to allow FB only members Cal-Poly and UC Davis, those schools were brought in under an agreement by Sac St, that they'd remain in the conference and would not seek the same deal as both those schools.

Or course if Sac St. upgrades to FBS, the deal has no effect. And time will tell about Sac St. in the Big Sky...guess they could always change their minds and leave the Big Sky for the Big West and just ask to be in the Big West for FB only.

fighting muskie · **Joined:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:47 am **Posts:** 414

Quinn wrote:

fighting muskie wrote:

Is there any possibility that Sacramento St could "come home" as the 12th Big West school if the Boise deal works out? Would/are the Hornets campaigning to get in and would how would the Big Sky feel about losing their Olympic sports?

That'sa a great question. Quick answer is "no".

Yes, it makes sense...too much sense. You have the Big West which is a much better overall conference than the Big Sky. It's local, so Sac St. would not need to travel to places like NoColorado, Utah, North Dakota, etc, without getting paid to do so (via Hawaii stipend).

BUT...there's a reason for the "no": when the Big Sky changed there bylaws to allow FB only members Cal-Poly and UC Davis, those schools were brought in under an agreement by Sac St, that they'd remain in the conference and would not seek the same deal as both those schools.

Or course if Sac St. upgrades to FBS, the deal has no effect. And time will tell about Sac St. in the Big Sky...guess they could always change their minds and leave the Big Sky for the Big West and just ask to be in the Big West for FB only.

Was this deal the Big Sky forced on Sacramento St something that was made public? This is the first I've heard of it. Why would Sacramento St agree to something so unfavorable to themselves simply to help out UC Davis and Cal Poly? The Big West is a much better cultural fit of Sacramento St because the Big Sky doesn't play men's soccer or baseball--two sports that Sac St and the Big West pride themselves on. Why is Sacramento St so important to the Big Sky?--it can't be the tv market because I doubt very many people watch Big Sky sports.

Big West realignment

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