Aberzombie1892 said:

---

Reverend said:

---

They are definitely on the fringes, because they desperately want in but haven't been invited. Which, I guess, is better than being deep in the rough with no hope of getting there.

Oregon is a fabulous marketing creation of Phil Knight. Which may not be enough.

---

The B1G has no incentive to add them until the PAC collapses, the ACC GOR expires/terminated, and/or the SEC expands further as there is no competing conference threat to the B1G's ability to add them at any time in the future prior to the B1G/SEC moving on. Some in this thread are equating Oregon not currently being a member of the B1G as evidence that the B1G doesn't want them, and while that assessment makes sense from the standpoint of the Big 12/ACC/PAC, it doesn't make sense from the SEC/B1G standpoint where more coherent planning is possible.

---

It makes sense in the way that matters most: if current B1G members thought that UO brought enough money to the pot - which is all that matters - they would almost certainly be in already.

I can't argue too much with that. I do think at this point, considering their attitude, if/when the PAC collapses, it will be the Big10 or nothing for them. They better hope for the best.

bear2be2 said:

---

FLBear5630 said:

---

bear2be2 said:

---

FLBear5630 said:

---

MT_Bear said:

---

Assassin said:

---

Robert Wilson said:

---

I really do not get the hate on here for Memphis. Extremely similar comparison to Cincinnati or Houston. Recruiting hotbed, occasionally competitive in major sports, gets you into new territory, would benefit greatly from a step up and conference affiliation…

---

They are also a Carnegie R1 institution. Pretty prestigious

---

In absolutely no way is Memphis prestigious.

---

They said today on ESPN, the Conferences going forward are about Brand, not geography. Memphis, UConn and BB do not help brand. We are setting ourselfs up to be 2nd tier at best with these choices.

---

That applies to the Big Ten and SEC. None of the other power conferences can operate under that paradigm because none can attract brands that move the needle.

---

That will create a G5 type conference. Briles had the BU brand flying until the scandal, which had nothing to do with on field product. BU BB was close. OSU had their brand going for a while. TCU is in position. Tech under Leach.

Need a brand, 3 yards and a cloud of dust with tough D will make the HS coach-type happy, but will not move the brand needle. Right now, BYU is the closest to a brand. We need more brand development and less thinking small.

---

"Brand development" has a hard ceiling in college football. And if you don't believe me, look at Oregon, which is the closest thing to a "new blood" that exists. As good and sexy as that program has been, it's still only on the periphery of the Big Ten's expansion plans, and by many accounts remains behind Washington in the pecking order.

---

We are all stuck in the past. We need to develop branding that attracts future money. Not saying it is easy or even possible, but that is where future value will be. The last BU person to get that was Briles, he was on a roll. Too bad for the other stuff.

I just do not see a consistent message about what we want to be or a plan bring stuck to, just knee jerk reactions. I am disappointed in Youmark on this point, I thought he got it. Hire Taylor Swift's marketing company! She is now a brand that moves the needle wherever she goes. It takes time.

"To me, Memphis makes so much sense for the Big 12. Great area. Good city. Good recruiting turf. You plant your flag right in the middle of the SEC. And the thing that Memphis has is its connection with the city is real.” - Dan Wetzel, Yahoo Sports pic.twitter.com/MoeZ6bPPrj

— Memphis Belongs in the Big 12 (@memBig12) July 8, 2023

. @BerryTramel on what Pac-12 schools he thinks will move over to the #Big12:

"I have said, since all of this bubbled a year ago, that the Pac-12 would find a way to stay together. I thought it made too much sense geographically, traditionally, and all of those things. I didn't… pic.twitter.com/n1pfq7O5My

— Benjamin Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) July 13, 2023