[OutsiderFan]

It sure seems to me like Cal and Stanford will end up in the Big Ten.

Michael Wilson on PTI last week said the Big Ten is "making goo goo eyes at Cal and Stanford." He's about as plugged into the Big Ten and realities of this stuff as any media person given he's on the NU board of trustees.

It just makes sense for many reasons. Here are 5:

1. Academic and cultural alignment with Big Ten 
2. The 6th largest media market
3. Tens of thousands of Big Ten alums in the Bay Area
4. Would be good for USCLA
5. They can be had for relatively cheap (Cal and Stanford would probably take less than a full share initially)

Of course, Wilbon also says conferences are going away eventually and there will be regions under one football league umbrella. This makes the most sense to me.

Anyway, speaking of cheap, I don't quite understand why it would make sense for whoever the Pac media partner is, to pay so little ($20M per member) as to make the schools non-competitive with schools from other conferences. Apple especially can afford to pay a little over market rate to make sure the product they carry is of high quality.

I pretty much don't trust anything being rumored on the inter webs. I'm withholding judgement until something is announced officially.

[OutsiderFan]

It sure seems to me like Cal and Stanford will end up in the Big Ten.

Michael Wilson on PTI last week said the Big Ten is "making goo goo eyes at Cal and Stanford." He's about as plugged into the Big Ten and realities of this stuff as any media person given he's on the NU board of trustees.

It just makes sense for many reasons. Here are 5:

1. Academic and cultural alignment with Big Ten 
2. The 6th largest media market
3. Tens of thousands of Big Ten alums in the Bay Area
4. Would be good for USCLA
5. They can be had for relatively cheap (Cal and Stanford would probably take less than a full share initially)

Of course, Wilbon also says conferences are going away eventually and there will be regions under one football league umbrella. This makes the most sense to me.

Anyway, speaking of cheap, I don't quite understand why it would make sense for whoever the Pac media partner is, to pay so little ($20M per member) as to make the schools non-competitive with schools from other conferences. Apple especially can afford to pay a little over market rate to make sure the product they carry is of high quality.

I pretty much don't trust anything being rumored on the inter webs. I'm withholding judgement until something is announced officially.