Utah to the Pac-10? Colorado also?

[LFO]

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_13354639?source=rv

he Utah Utes are relishing Saturday's game against a Pac-10 opponent for the chance to once again prove they can compete with a team from a Bowl Championship Series conference.

But what if more was on the line than just pride? What if Utah's trip to Eugene to play Oregon was a Pac-10 conference game, with a Rose Bowl berth on the line? Can you imagine?

Many Utah fans do fantasize about their school being in the Pac-10. It seems like any time the conference and expansion are mentioned together rumors fly that Utah will leave the Mountain West Conference and its frustrating television deals behind and head for the richer pastures on the West Coast.

Speculation about Utah, and perhaps Colorado joining the Pac-10 spread earlier this month after new Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said that expansion might be an option worth exploring during a radio interview. Scott's comments caused an immediate stir, because the Pac-10's official stance, for at least a decade now, has been that it is happy with its current alignment and not interested in adding new members.

Could it really happen?

The subject, while intriguing to fans, is so sensitive in the Utah athletic department that Ute athletic director Chris Hill refused to discuss the topic, saying he "didn't want to speculate on speculation."

Hill has good reason for staying mum: There are few compelling arguments, if any, to be made for Utah not to bolt the MWC if a Pac-10 invitation is ever extended.

Despite all the accomplishments and advancements the MWC has made in recent years, it still doesn't have an automatic bid into the BCS. Nor does it have the high-profile TV deals, better bowl matchups and national prestige that come with being a part of the Pac-10.

Outwardly, at least, Utah appears to fit the conference's profile. The university is a major research institution and boasts BCS-level athletic facilities, particularly its football stadium and complex. The Utes are not in a huge television market, but the Salt Lake metro area is in the top 40 nationally, and growing. (Because of its proximity to Denver, Colorado is in a top 20 television market.)

BYU, too, has periodically been mentioned as a possible Pac-10 candidate, but might be a more difficult fit in the conference. It doesn't fit the research institution profile of the rest of the league and presents scheduling issues because the Cougars don't play on Sundays. BYU does have a more visible national profile than Utah, thanks to its large national following, owing to its LDS Church affiliation. Yet, it is hard to see the Pac-10 taking two schools from the same television market if expansion ever happens.

And expansion is still a big if. Scott said the only reason he has been talking so much about the topic is because he keeps getting asked about it. The former chairman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association said he wants to get acquainted with current Pac-10 members before he starts looking at others as possible expansion candidates.

"I've only been on the job 10 weeks and there is admittedly a learning curve coming from outside the conference," Scott said. "The highest priority right now is getting to know the Pac-10 where I'm working, and that will take some time. Right now I'm visiting campuses, coaches and faculty reps and getting a feel of the conference. I just want to get through the football season."

Scott has been on the job long enough to understand that expansion isn't as simple as calling up a school and asking it to join.

"Expansion isn't just about football, but every sport," he said. "There are ramifications of conference affiliations, travel costs, competitiveness across the board in all sports, academic affiliations and a whole host of issues. It's a complicated topic and it hasn't been identified for me as the top priority by the presidents."

Of more importance is getting a new TV deal for the Pac-10 that keeps pace with other major conferences. Both the basketball and football TV deals expire after the 2011-12 academic year.

According to the Orange County Register , the Pac-10 receives approximately $43-million annually to split among its 10 members from its TV contracts with Fox and ABC/ESPN. In comparison, the Big Ten received $66 million from the Big Ten Network alone in 2008 and the SEC made headlines with its $2.25 billion, 15-year deal with ESPN a year ago.

Scott may not yet be familiar with all the teams in the Pac-10, but as someone who worked hard to get the WTA more media exposure and who was hired in part for that aggressiveness, he knows all about the importance of TV contracts.

"My view is my biggest contribution I can make will be how to structure the next TV agreements," he said. "I see the importance of revenue, exposure and marketing platform of TV partners. TV partners are the most strategic partners to communicate about your athletic program. It's vital in this day and age to have that media coverage."

The Utes seem to have few concerns about actually competing in the Pac-10.

"I think our record speaks for itself," Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham said, nodding to the Utes' 6-2 record against Pac-10 teams since 2003.

However, it should be noted that Arizona State has only been an occasional Rose Bowl participant, and Arizona has yet to play in Pasadena since the two schools left the WAC and joined the Pac-10 in the late '70s. At least initially, the Utes would probably face a similar uphill climb.

But logistically, it probably could work. All of Utah's athletic programs, from soccer to basketball to volleyball, already regularly schedule Pac-10 opponents. Being in the Pac-10 would also provide a home for Utah's gymnastics program, which is independent since the MWC doesn't sponsor the sport.

Tapping into the Pac-10's wider media exposure and enhanced revenue streams would be a major reason to break away from the MWC, since bigger TV deals ultimately mean bigger budgets with which to work.

The Utes reported they netted only $1.2 million in national TV rights through the conference, according to its 2008-09 budget and are working with an overall athletic department budget of $26 million.

According to Bloomberg News , the average athletic budget in the Pac-10 is $46.6 million compared to just $25.8 million for MWC teams. Oregon's budget is $65 million for the 2009-10 season according to the Eugene Register Guard.

That's quite a budget gap, and one the Utes are likely to be stuck with as long as they remain in a non-BCS conference -- unless the system changes, or Utah is invited to join a BCS league like the Pac-10.

For that kind of opportunity, the Utes are certainly available.

lwodraska@sltrib.com
Budget comparisons of some Pac-10/ MWC schools

MWC

New Mexico $26 million

Utah $26 million

UNLV $26.8 million

CSU $21.5 million

San Diego State $32 million

Wyoming $22.3 million

Pac-10

UCLA $64.5 million

Oregon State $46.0 million

California $56 million

Arizona $42 million

ASU $41 million

Washington State $30 million

Source: Bloomberg News
California

Enrollment » 35,409

Stadium name, capacity » California Memorial Stadium, 71,799

Pictured » California RB Jahvid Best
Oregon

Enrollment » 20,393

Stadium name, capacity » Autzen Stadium, 54,000

Pictured » Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli
Arizona State

Enrollment » 64,394

Stadium name, capacity » Sun Devil Stadium, 71,706
USC

Enrollment » 32,160

Stadium name,

capacity » LA Memorial Coliseum, 93,607
Washington State

Enrollment » 25,135

Stadium name, capacity » Martin Stadium, 40,000
Oregon State

Enrollment » 20,320

Stadium name, capacity » Reser Stadium, 45,674
Stanford

Enrollment » 14,945

Stadium name, capacity » Stanford Stadium, 50,000
Washington

Enrollment » 42,708

Stadium name, capacity » Husky Stadium, 72,500
Utah

Enrollment » 29,251

Stadium name, capacity » Rice-Eccles Stadium, 45,017
Arizona

Enrollment » 38,800

Stadium name, capacity » Arizona Stadium, 56,000
UCLA

Enrollment » 38,800

Stadium name, capacity » Rose Bowl, 91,136

I've long thought Utah should join, but Colorado leaving the Big 12 for Pac-10?  I'm not sure we are close to either happening, but if it did, would be huge for the Pac-10, and Utah especially. 

[oregonbucfan]

The Colorado rumor is legit.

If it expands it WONT be Boise State, Fresno State etc.

Colorado should go to the pac-10... I believe pac-10 athletics have won the most championships out of any other conference. Football wise they recruit it seems like against Pac-10 schools anyways. Its usually a very good basketball conference, as well as track and baseball.

[BucFan9720]

I'd absolutely love a Pac-12 conference. They could do a north-south thing with it like the Big 12 and have a championship game at one of the NFL Stadiums around. I think it would be perfect to have it like this:

Pac-12 North
Washington
Washington State
Oregon State
Oregon
Utah
Colorado

Pac-12 South
USC
UCLA
Cal
Stanford
Arizona
Arizona State

[dalbuc]

The Colorado rumor is legit.

If it expands it WONT be Boise State, Fresno State etc.

Colorado should go to the pac-10... I believe pac-10 athletics have won the most championships out of any other conference. Football wise they recruit it seems like against Pac-10 schools anyways. Its usually a very good basketball conference, as well as track and baseball.

I can see wanting to avoid teams like BSU and FSU that might beat the Pac-10 schools and bring in a dog like CU.

I'm not sure they do most of their recruiting vs the Pac-10, they do a lot of work in Texas, but everyone does, and they'd lose that. Plus, they'd get a lot more travel costs than bopping out to the plains. The upside for CU is that the Pac-10 is a one horse conference so being second isn't that hard.

[Feel Real Good]

Colorado makes no sense in the Pac-10. As Dal says they get most of their players from Texas, so it makes sense for them to compete against all the other schools that get their players from Texas. In the Pac-10, Colorado would have no natural rival. Those in the southeast don't know, but the Colorado/Nebraska game played the Friday after Thanksgiving every year is HUGE on the high plain. It would suck to throw that away.

If the Pac-10 wants Utah, it makes all the sense in the world to make BYU the 12th team. The Pac-10 is built on couplings, i.e. Arizona/Arizona State, Oregon/Oregon State, etc. Utah/BYU is the only way.

[jsunm73]

I would be for the pac 12. It would make Utah more legit in the eyes of the BCS. As for Colorado they could just be the new Stanford.

[John Galt?]

I don't see why UC would want to leave one BCS conference for another. Does the PAC 10 payout that much more than the Big 12?

Utah and BYU makes a lot more sense, both from a travel point and fiscally. Both are big schools (over 30k enrollment) and regular bowl teams.

If the PAC X did expand, it would end the everyone plays everyone schedule but having a Conference champ game would more ($$$) than make up for that.

[oregonbucfan]

One big down for me is the scheduling with 12 teams... You cant play them all.

[oregonbucfan]

The Colorado rumor is legit.

If it expands it WONT be Boise State, Fresno State etc.

Colorado should go to the pac-10... I believe pac-10 athletics have won the most championships out of any other conference. Football wise they recruit it seems like against Pac-10 schools anyways. Its usually a very good basketball conference, as well as track and baseball.

I can see wanting to avoid teams like BSU and FSU that might beat the Pac-10 schools and bring in a dog like CU.

I'm not sure they do most of their recruiting vs the Pac-10, they do a lot of work in Texas, but everyone does, and they'd lose that. Plus, they'd get a lot more travel costs than bopping out to the plains. The upside for CU is that the Pac-10 is a one horse conference so being second isn't that hard.

Yeah because BSU and FSU have great basketball, track programs etc...

Its not about just FOOTBALL

[oregonbucfan]

I don't see why UC would want to leave one BCS conference for another. Does the PAC 10 payout that much more than the Big 12?

Utah and BYU makes a lot more sense, both from a travel point and fiscally. Both are big schools (over 30k enrollment) and regular bowl teams.

If the PAC X did expand, it would end the everyone plays everyone schedule but having a Conference champ game would more ($$$) than make up for that.

I think with BYU some sports in the pac play on sunday...

[John Galt?]

I don't see why UC would want to leave one BCS conference for another. Does the PAC 10 payout that much more than the Big 12?

Utah and BYU makes a lot more sense, both from a travel point and fiscally. Both are big schools (over 30k enrollment) and regular bowl teams.

If the PAC X did expand, it would end the everyone plays everyone schedule but having a Conference champ game would more ($$$) than make up for that.

I think with BYU some sports in the pac play on sunday...

With 11 other teams they should be able to schedule around it. The only problem would be sports with multi-team meets like gymnastics, swimming, T & F. Still should be able to somehow tweek the schedule.

And that is an issue with BYU and any big conference.

[oregonbucfan]

another side of why Utah wont join the Pac-10

http://blog.oregonlive.com/pac10/2009/09/pac10_football_friday_morning_2.html