SB Nation Arizona - Conference Realignment: Scott Says Pac-12 Expansion Not Happening, For Nowhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2011-09-21T07:00:28-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/22026542011-09-21T07:00:28-07:002011-09-21T07:00:28-07:00Pac-12 Conference Won't Expand, Commissioner Scott Announces
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<p>In the midst of all the turmoil in college sports with teams desperately seeking new conferences or using their leverage to force out commissioners and generally making the NBA franchise owners look like the model of propriety and public servants, the Pac-X has announced that it will hold firm at 12. Commissioner <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136050/larry-scott">Larry Scott</a> announced in a surprising turn of events that on the west coast things are all good.</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.pac-12.org/ABOUT/PacNews/Tabid/905/Article/137085/Pac-12-Affirms-Decision-Not-To-Expand.aspx">Pac-12 Affirms Decision Not To Expand > Pac12 > Pac-12 News</a><br>In light of the widespread speculation about potential scenarios for Conference re-alignment, the Pac-12 Presidents and Chancellors have affirmed their decision to remain a 12-team conference.</p>
<p>Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said, "After careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference. While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve. With new landmark TV agreements and plans to launch our innovative television networks, we are going to focus solely on these great assets, our strong heritage and the bright future in front of us."</p>
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<p>It remains to be seen if this is the right move. Regardless, we seriously doubt this will be the last time we talk about this matter.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-st-sun-devils/2011/9/21/2439961/pac-12-conference-expansion-larry-scott-announcesSeth Pollack2011-09-20T15:15:51-07:002011-09-20T15:15:51-07:00Conference Realignment: Please Stop The Madness
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<p>So Oklahoma is all upset because Texas decided to make its own TV network, and now the Sooners and their in-state rivals Oklahoma State, plus perhaps Texas and Texas Tech, are considering leaving the Big 12 or whatever number it is and moving west to our happy and changing-with-the-times conference of choice out here, the Pac-12.</p>
<p>Sound confusing? It is. So much so that it shouldn't even happen. </p>
<p>All of this conference realignment talk -- Missouri to the SEC, where it would get pummeled in football for sure; West Virginia trying to make a move; the Mountain West and Conference USA talking merger along with the Big 12 and Big East -- is really too much. </p>
<p>Do college football fans really care, or is it the college presidents and athletic departments and the BCS and NCAA that truly care, since they'd be the only ones making money out of all these mega-conferences if they were to merge? Since when is it OK for OK -- as in Oklahoma -- <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/9/20/2438496/oklahoma-conference-realignment-big-12-pac-12/in/1280828" target="_blank">to dictate who should be Big 12 commissioner?</a> </p>
<p>So if the Sooners don't get their way, they're going to take their ball and move the Pac-12? Please. Grow up. If the commissioner is going to allow individual schools to establish their own networks, Oklahoma should just develop its own, too.</p>
<p>I grew up following the Pac-10. The original Pac-10 (I was too young to know the Pac-8). Oregon, Oregon State (the only OSU I truly care about, sorry Buckeyes), Cal, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State, ASU and Arizona. Ten was plenty and I keep up with conference football and basketball every year. Then the conference got a new commissioner and took a new direction and added Utah and Colorado. </p>
<p>I applaud the Pac-12 for its sweeping reforms and everything <span class="sbn-auto-link">Larry Scott</span> is doing to upgrade the conference's image. But can it please stop there? Pac-12 TV Newtork? Fine. The Big Ten has one, and it makes sense for the SEC and Big 12 to do, that, too. But not one school. Too late, though, Texas has its own network.</p>
<p>I guess I'm old-school, but it always comes down to money when this discussion comes up. Hey Oklahoma, last I checked you were No. 1 in the polls in football. And now you want to threaten to leave your conference because a rival school has a TV network<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/9/20/2438496/oklahoma-conference-realignment-big-12-pac-12/in/1280828" target="_blank"> </a>and you aren't happy with the commissioner. Just go out and beat your rivals on the football field and leave it at that. That's all people want to see anyway, not the Sooners playing Utah or Cal or Washington State.</p>
<p>There's something comforting about continuity. It isn't broken so why fix it?</p>
<p>Message to NCAA officials and conference commissioners: Figure out a playoff system and a way to somehow compensate the 18-to-23-year olds on whose backs you make millions for risking injury and working their rear ends off for their schools. Scrap this realignment talk, stay in your lanes and stop ruining regional rivalries, the lifeblood of college football. </p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-st-sun-devils/2011/9/20/2438654/conference-realignment-please-stop-the-madnessJose Romero2011-09-19T17:06:33-07:002011-09-19T17:06:33-07:00Conference Realignment: Pac-12 Expansion For ASU & Arizona Uncertain
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<p>If conference realignment unfolds and Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and other Big 12 teams decide to join the Pac-12 in their expansion efforts, the Arizona Wildcats and Arizona State Sun Devils are unsure which division of the new Pac-14 or Pac-16 they'd end up in. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-st-sun-devils">Arizona St. Sun Devils</a> are uncertain of what will happen to them if the conference does to choose the path to expand to 14 and 16 teams. Currently the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a> have their eyes westward, and it's likely if they choose to go in that direction, the Pac-12 will be ready to accept them.</p>
<p>The big question is whether the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-longhorns">Texas Longhorns</a> (along with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-tech-red-raiders">Texas Tech Red Raiders</a>) decide to come along. If they do, the Pac-16 that conference commissioner <span class="sbn-auto-link">Larry Scott</span> originally envisioned a year and a half ago will have come to fruition.</p>
<p>In either case, both Arizona and ASU are likely to see big changes in their current divisional structure. Both schools are currently situated in the Pac-12 South. If it's only Oklahoma and Oklahoma State joining up to create a Pac-14, then divisional alignments would not likely be satisfied along traditional geographical arrangement. The most likely alignment of two divisions would be created along a zipper format that splits traditional rivals. So it would go something like</p>
<p>Pac-14 Division A | PAC-14 Division B</p>
<p>Arizona | Arizona State</p>
<p>California | Stanford</p>
<p>Colorado | Utah</p>
<p>Oklahoma | Oklahoma State</p>
<p>Oregon | Oregon State</p>
<p>UCLA | USC </p>
<p>Washington | Washington State</p>
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<p>This is only a hypothetical construct (I don't imagine Division B would be too thrilled with their opponents in Division A), but you can see that Arizona and Arizona State would no longer play along conference lines. They'd still have their rivalry matchup, but everything else would be geographically in-congruent.</p>
<p>I'm guessing that because of the concerns about a Pac-14, Scott eventually desires a Pac-16 with or without Texas, so it's likely that he'll go after schools like Kansas, Kansas State or Missouri to find the additional two members. That sort of division would likely fall along traditional geographic lines, and would place Arizona and Arizona State in the same division. However, they'd likely be separated from all their original Pac-10 members in a division with Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and two other schools.</p>
<p><i><b>To discuss the Wildcats, <a target="_blank" href="http://azdesertswarm.com">head to Arizona Desert Swarm</a>. To discuss the Sun Devils, <a target="_blank" href="http://houseofsparky.com">head to House of Sparky</a>. For more discussion on conference expansion, <a target="_blank" href="http://pacifictakes.com">head to Pacific Takes (the SB Nation Pac-12 site)</a>. </b></i></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-wildcats/2011/9/19/2436538/conference-realignment-pac-12-expansion-asu-sun-devils-arizona-wildcatsAvinash Kunnath