SHORT VERSION: WE WANT THE BIG TEN TO KEEP THE PAC 8 SCHOOLS INTACT AND INVITE CALIFORNIA BERKLEY, OREGON STATE, STANFORD, AND WASHINGTON STATE AS FULL MEMBERS.

Between June 2022 and August 2023 the century old Pacific Athletic Conference was dismantled by an acceleration of NCAA FBS conference realignment. As the dust settles, the 4 schools that have been left without a viable conference home for the 2024 season are the University of California Berkley, Oregon State University, Stanford University, and Washington State university. All those schools were part of the earliest days of the conference and have established rich academic and competitive bonds with all PAC schools over the last 107 years.

 

We propose that the BIG TEN CONFERENCE 1) seek further expansion to resolve foreseen issues in expenses and travel for all athletics outside of football 2) keep intact regional value, assets, and history 3) establish clear dimension in view-ability

 

in all time zones in the United States.

 

The best formatting competition wise and travel wise would be to establish a WEST division (Cal, Oregon, Oregon St., Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Washington St), a CENTRAL division (comprised of the current B10 West), and an EAST division (comprised of the current B10 East). For football each of these divisions can have 3 locked in annual rivalries, 2 rotation division opponents, and 3 rotating non-division opponents, and the remaining 4 non-conference opponents. This would solve greatly for fan travel fatigue and assure that all non-football sports could operate in a similar model ensuring productive travel costs and less time spend in national travel overall and would create the opportunity for a B10 playoff with 3 division Champions and a wild card to play in two rounds for the football conference championship.

 

 

One outstanding factor in all of this is the coveted, sought after asset of Notre Dame University. This format would allow Notre dame to fit into the new Central division and lock in rivalry games through the conference with Stanford, Purdue, and USC.

Regarding finances, the ‘Additional 4’ of Cal, OSU, Stanford, and WSU could receive a smaller revenue share in this initial 7 year period but also be allowed to pursue streaming rights for games not protected by the Big Ten Networks (at their discretion) with Amazon or Apple to supplement lost initial revenue.

This expansion would also lock in over, 450,000 Cal Berkley alumni 210,000 Oregon State alumni, 240,000 Washington State alumni, and 220,000 Stanford alumni all from research universities (and medical schools at Cal, Stanford, and WSU).

Overall, these recent and dramatic shifts have rocked alumni, faculty, students, athletes, and communities that were not given a say in any of the money or traditional sacrifices that have been made by a select few presidents and television networks. Though the dollars may not be as maximized short term with an expansion like this, it would establish long term viability for all involved.

Big Ten leadership and presidents of all schools. Please consider.