Big 12 expansion trending news on Facebook

[CE4WVU]

"Big 12 Coaches prefer Houston and BYU if league expands..."

BYU - Okay, but that's expanding westward...

Houston - Really? So the coaches want to add YET ANOTHER Texas school?

So where was this supposed assurance that if expansion occurred, WVU would have a travel partner close to WV?

Why is the Big 12 entertaining the idea of adding another Texas institution? A commuter institution at that...

 

[Cheers]

"Big 12 Coaches prefer Houston and BYU if league expands..."

BYU - Okay, but that's expanding westward...

Houston - Really? So the coaches want to add YET ANOTHER Texas school?

So where was this supposed assurance that if expansion occurred, WVU would have a travel partner close to WV?

Why is the Big 12 entertaining the idea of adding another Texas institution? A commuter institution at that...

Houston and BYU are the two best available football teams, fan bases and markets. And this traveling partner stuff is so overblown. We won't be traveling together, all it means is that it's a 4 1/2 hour bus ride every other year or however many times our sports teams play there. Basing an expansion decision on location to WVU would be totally stupid. As David Boren said it will be about quality of football, market, fan base and institution. There was no mention of proximity to West Virginia which is exactly how it should be. Get the best programs/markets/fan bases available into the league....period. And right now that's BYU and Houston.

 

[steeleer]

Oversaturating a footprint we already have is dumb. UH will be as good as whoever they get as coach in 2017.

BYU makes the B12 look like CUSA.

Cinci is close. They have some tradition and Ohio has a good recruiting area.

UCF has the best recruiting area, a top 20 TV market and the 9th biggest enrollment.

Those are the right teams..I would absolutely recommend to refuse to sign any GOR that expands with those teams. We would be even further on an island than we are now.

 

[Cheers]

Oversaturating a footprint we already have is dumb. UH will be as good as whoever they get as coach in 2017.

BYU makes the B12 look like CUSA.

Cinci is close. They have some tradition and Ohio has a good recruiting area.

UCF has the best recruiting area, a top 20 TV market and the 9th biggest enrollment.

Those are the right teams..I would absolutely recommend to refuse to sign any GOR that expands with those teams. We would be even further on an island than we are now.

BYU has a won a national championship (84) and has a national religious following, ND Lite

Houston is the 4th largest TV market in the country and has a tremendous fan following and viewership. Your comment about existing footprint is valid but they are still one of the best non-P5 program with HUGE financial resources and great fan following.

So what if Cincy is close, so is Marshall. Should we invite them too? Cincy is a fine school with a fine regional football program and is likely to be added if we go beyond 12. And BTW, If added, Cincy would hurt our recruiting in Ohio. Just something to think about.

UCF went 0-12 in football last year, that's ZERO wins in football last year, and that's pretty hard to do, especially when you're in the AAC. Nothing spells CUSA like UCF.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

BYU has a won a national championship (84) and has a national religious following, ND Lite

Houston is the 4th largest TV market in the country and has a tremendous fan following and viewership. Your comment about existing footprint is valid but they are still one of the best non-P5 program with HUGE financial resources and great fan following.

So what if Cincy is close, so is Marshall. Should we invite them too? Cincy is a fine school with a fine regional football program and is likely to be added if we go beyond 12. And BTW, If added, Cincy would hurt our recruiting in Ohio. Just something to think about.

UCF went 0-12 in football last year, that's ZERO wins in football last year, and that's pretty hard to do, especially when you're in the AAC. Nothing spells CUSA like UCF.

Another thought (NOT mine):
Serius sports guys said Big 12 should add FOUR teams, go to better 7 team divisions, and that Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and Central Florida should be the 4 added. It's all about the Benjamins, though, and I don't know that 14 teams would bring WVU more money than the current 10-team lineup which coughed up $30 million toward Morgantown, which also got another $6 to $8 million, depending on who you believe, from WVU's 3rd tier rights.

 

[skygusty]

I've tried. I can't get excited about playing any of them. I understand the argument about stability and survival of the conference. I just don't think ANY of these teams stops Oklahoma and Texas from bolting if they want to at the end of the current GOR. Now if you can get Oklahoma and Texas to sign a new 20 or 30 year GOR, then maybe it is all worth it. Are y'all REALLY that excited to play the Mormons, another Texas school and Cincy, or maybe Memphis or a directional Florida team, or are you just practical and willing to accept whatever gives us the chance to stay in a P5 conference?

 

[topdecktiger]

Well, it's gotten more interesting. Texas governor tweeted that any expansion has to include Houston. Looks like politics might dictate what happens.

 

[pic369]

I don't know that anyone is saying they'd be excited to play those teams. If you think about it most of the SEC isn't dying to play Vanderbilt and Kentucky either or Arkansas most seasons. All conferences have mediocre teams and us adding two (and I don't actually consider either BYU or Houston at Vandy/UK level) wouldn't hurt us at all. Might actually give WVU a fighting chance in the midst of the 5-6 game stretches we've had against ranked teams these past few seasons.

I've tried. I can't get excited about playing any of them. I understand the argument about stability and survival of the conference. I just don't think ANY of these teams stops Oklahoma and Texas from bolting if they want to at the end of the current GOR. Now if you can get Oklahoma and Texas to sign a new 20 or 30 year GOR, then maybe it is all worth it. Are y'all REALLY that excited to play the Mormons, another Texas school and Cincy, or maybe Memphis or a directional Florida team, or are you just practical and willing to accept whatever gives us the chance to stay in a P5 conference?

 

[coalcountry52]

I've tried. I can't get excited about playing any of them. I understand the argument about stability and survival of the conference. I just don't think ANY of these teams stops Oklahoma and Texas from bolting if they want to at the end of the current GOR. Now if you can get Oklahoma and Texas to sign a new 20 or 30 year GOR, then maybe it is all worth it. Are y'all REALLY that excited to play the Mormons, another Texas school and Cincy, or maybe Memphis or a directional Florida team, or are you just practical and willing to accept whatever gives us the chance to stay in a P5 conference?

No G5 school (including Mormon Notre Dame) is going to add the same value to this conference that the current 10 do, monetarily or tradition-wise.

 

[Cheers]

Another thought (NOT mine):
Serius sports guys said Big 12 should add FOUR teams, go to better 7 team divisions, and that Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and Central Florida should be the 4 added. It's all about the Benjamins, though, and I don't know that 14 teams would bring WVU more money than the current 10-team lineup which coughed up $30 million toward Morgantown, which also got another $6 to $8 million, depending on who you believe, from WVU's 3rd tier rights.

I read that as well. I hope we stop at 12 but no one in the Big 12 asked me for my opinion. I personally would love to get back into Colorado with CSU but they have some strikes against them as well. I think Houston and BYU are givens, the other 2 are likely Cincy and one of the following: Uconn (Basketball and Market), Memphis (FedEx Support), or UCF (Market).

 

[Buckaineer]

Cincinnati has had consistently better football and MUCH better basketball than Houston for an extended period of time.

Cincinnati brings new recruiting, new markets and fans and bridges the gap to WVU.

Houston brings a market the BIG 12 already recruits and a small fanbase--but, they kiss UTs ass.

If the conference goes to BYU and Houston so far away--they need to add four and also add Memphis and Cincinnati or UConn and Cincinnati.

WVU helped save this conference years ago by paying $20 plus million to leave the defunct BE early, AND taking a lower rate when they should have gotten an immediate full share.

The conference needs to make concessions here, WVU has been more than a good partner.

 

[CE4WVU]

Well, IF they do add BYU... I can make the 1.5-hour drive down to Provo from Ogden, to see our boys take on BYU.

 

[BobbyBoucheer]

"Big 12 Coaches prefer Houston and BYU if league expands..."

BYU - Okay, but that's expanding westward...

Houston - Really? So the coaches want to add YET ANOTHER Texas school?

So where was this supposed assurance that if expansion occurred, WVU would have a travel partner close to WV?

Why is the Big 12 entertaining the idea of adding another Texas institution? A commuter institution at that...

 

[CE4WVU]

Well Bobby, they seem to be saying one thing and then doing another... kind of like a woman that can't make up her mind at which restaurant to eat.

 

[BobbyBoucheer]

Well Bobby, they seem to be saying one thing and then doing another... kind of like a woman that can't make up her mind at which restaurant to eat.

Its not that. Its the term travel partner. Its a moronic catch phrase that really has no meaning whatsoever. We need no f'ing partner to travel. I geographical partner is only relevent when it comes to fans being able to drive to an away game.

Personally, I don't want any geographical partner. I like being the only Big 12 school back east. Gives us our only little niche to propose to recruits and recruits parents.

 

[CE4WVU]

Well, it's gotten more interesting. Texas governor tweeted that any expansion has to include Houston. Looks like politics might dictate what happens.

Sounds very similar to the UVA and VT issue with VT being added to the ACC. Then VA Governor Mark Warner made similar remarks at that time...

 

[Woody in Helvetia]

Its not that. Its the term travel partner. Its a moronic catch phrase that really has no meaning whatsoever. We need no f'ing partner to travel. I geographical partner is only relevent when it comes to fans being able to drive to an away game.

Personally, I don't want any geographical partner. I like being the only Big 12 school back east. Gives us our only little niche to propose to recruits and recruits parents.

And I do want a Geographic partner. We have a great tradition of traveling to away games. I have been to 4 WVU games in Cincy. And only 1 away Big 12 game.

 

[BobbyBoucheer]

And I do want a Geographic partner. We have a great tradition of traveling to away games. I have been to 4 WVU games in Cincy. And only 1 away Big 12 game.

I've went to one game in Cincy and never want to go back.

 

[michaelwalkerbr]

Houston is well qualified except for being another Texas school, but who happens to be in an area currently dominated by the SEC as far as fan base. The Texas attitude from the governor's office on down to UT itself is, "Y'all go on and invite whoever you want as long as we get Houston in. We need to maintain our veto power in the conference and we might even extend that little ole GOR thing if you go along!"

 

[steeleer]

What I have read is that UH has fought against UT expansion (likely into UH territory). Rumor is that UT is helping UH in exchange for UH dropping their opposition to UT expansion.


Or so I've heard.

 

[michaelwalkerbr]

What I have read is that UH has fought against UT expansion (likely into UH territory). Rumor is that UT is helping UH in exchange for UH dropping their opposition to UT expansion.


Or so I've heard.

Very possible, but the primary consideration is maintaining that Texas voting block that can make or break any vote that requires a super majority. That's why we could even see a move to 14 members. That would not cost Texas veto power in any important changes. With TTU, TCU and Houston voting with UT the other schools would not have the 11 votes needed to override them.

 

[RITZCOOG]

"Big 12 Coaches prefer Houston and BYU if league expands..."

BYU - Okay, but that's expanding westward...

Houston - Really? So the coaches want to add YET ANOTHER Texas school?

So where was this supposed assurance that if expansion occurred, WVU would have a travel partner close to WV?

Why is the Big 12 entertaining the idea of adding another Texas institution? A commuter institution at that...

WVU - Never ever heard about any assurances. If WVU was concerned about traveling, maybe they shouldn't have joined the Big 12 . The mind is a terrible thing to waste .

 

[GoWVU]

BYU makes the B12 look like CUSA.

Cinci is close. They have some tradition and Ohio has a good recruiting area.

UCF has the best recruiting area, a top 20 TV market and the 9th biggest enrollment.

How does BYU (who was never in Conference USA) make the Big 12 look like C-USA, but Cincinnati and UCF (who actually were in C-USA) don't?

 

[Orlaco]

Average football attendance last season per NCAA.org. .....keep in mind how a team did last season because a great season could add 5k and a bad one lose 5k. Plus, some schools may use the same method as PITT to calculate as there is no set NCAA standard.

UCF...30,065

Cincy...37,096

BYU...58,532.

Memphis...43,802

UCONN...28,224

ECU...43,274

Houston...33,980

USF...26,578

....just for reference. Yes, I completely understand this a small part of a complex decision.

 

[michaelwalkerbr]

Average football attendance last season per NCAA.org. .....keep in mind how a team did last season because a great season could add 5k and a bad one lose 5k. Plus, some schools may use the same method as PITT to calculate as there is no set NCAA standard.

UCF...30,065

Cincy...37,096

BYU...58,532.

Memphis...43,802

UCONN...28,224

ECU...43,274

Houston...33,980

USF...26,578

....just for reference. Yes, I completely understand this a small part of a complex decision.

It's still relevant information. Sometimes attendance is also affected by the level of the competition. The last time USF played WVU at Tampa Stadium they drew 65,000. (They also won)

 

[Orlaco]

It's still relevant information. Sometimes attendance is also affected by the level of the competition. The last time USF played WVU at Tampa Stadium they drew 65,000. (They also won)

Right. I was just trying to avoid attacks because other posters preferred teams with lower attendance. Still, BYU's was an impressive average.....

 

[michaelwalkerbr]

There is no doubt that BYU is a mid to upper level power 5 team without a conference. I could see admitting them for football and basketball, with the BB schedule being the only compromise. At least three other schools would be middle of the conference in attendance with Big 12 opponents coming in, and the TV ratings would likely be good.

A couple would probably come in as cellar dwellers and that effects the prestige of the conference although Iowa State and Kansas would probably appreciate it. On the other extreme, would you really want a team that could come in and immediately dominate?

I am familiar with Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium only through research as a former writer, but it is newly rebuilt to seat 40,000 with support structure already in place to increase to 60,000 if needed. I'm sure a couple of others are the same way. I would expect Houston's is primed and ready to increase new TEDCU Stadium's capacity from 40,000 with billionaire supporters and the governor pushing for their inclusion.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

And I do want a Geographic partner. We have a great tradition of traveling to away games. I have been to 4 WVU games in Cincy. And only 1 away Big 12 game.

To ping pong this one another time:
When WVU was in the Big East I traveled to OOC games in Colorado, Auburn and LSU because it was more interesting than the Big East opponents the Mountaineers had to play. So I guess it depends on your tastes.
I LOVE having Texas or Oklahoma in Mountaineer Field EVERY year. TCU, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas State provide far more excitement for me than what was left of the Big East.
And I certainly am thrilled that Oliver Luck kept WVU out of the American Athletic Conference, which is an AAC-ACC gun to oblivion on the college football scene.