(The ACC is a different story: The pairing of KU basketball with the Duke and North Carolina brands could make a material impact financially on the ACC.) But the strength of their basketball program doesn’t carry enough value for the football-heavy Pac-12. If the Kansas football program weren’t abysmal, the Jayhawks would fit. Those are the two key bars, and none of the remaining Big 12 schools clear both of them. There is strength in alignment, and the 12 schools have alignment on multiple fronts that matter to athletic departments, presidents and chancellors, regents and trustees.Įxpanding for the sake of expansion - simply because the SEC is getting bigger - would be worse than doing nothing.Īny new member(s) must meet the Pac-12’s academic standards and bring enough media value to increase annual revenue for the existing schools. We took that to mean the Big 12 universities now in scramble mode and, perhaps, some Mountain West schools performing due diligence on the Pac-12’s plans.īut the conference must protect its brand. Kliavkoff said Tuesday that he has already received “significant inbound interest” from other schools. Step 2: Disregard overtures from the Big 12. Of course, Kliavkoff can only do so much without the consent of the very presidents who declined to move on Scott for those crucial years. If he leans on the right people to fill the gaps and perform reconnaissance, the Pac-12 won’t remain paralyzed. Kliavkoff’s industry connections and institutional knowledge aren’t ideal for the realignment game, which invariably plays out on back channels.īut by all accounts, Kliavkoff is a quick learner and a creative thinker and, critically, knows what he doesn’t know. It cannot be unprepared for another nanosecond. Had the presidents made a change before the pandemic - there was ample justification as far back as 2018 - the Pac-12’s tactical position could be markedly different today. Strategically, the conference is paying dearly for the delayed action on Scott’s future. “Their chance to do something really smart with realignment has already passed,” one source said, “because they weren’t prepared and in front of this.” The Pac-12, under the leadership of Larry Scott at the time, was either unaware of the opportunity or unable to capitalize.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |