Oregon State Beavers 2025 (2 Viewers)

[bigbailes]

More and more rumblings of private equity coming in and helping out the Pac-Whatever with a 20% stake in future profits. Sounds like the hope is to get a TV deal around 20m instead of the 12-15 they are currently projecting. Obviously that's offset with what they have to give back to the PE firm but might also make it easier to keep schools around and to add if there is some additional backing to the conference. Just not sure how much I like the idea of Shark Tank coming to college sports.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

More and more rumblings of private equity coming in and helping out the Pac-Whatever with a 20% stake in future profits. Sounds like the hope is to get a TV deal around 20m instead of the 12-15 they are currently projecting. Obviously that's offset with what they have to give back to the PE firm but might also make it easier to keep schools around and to add if there is some additional backing to the conference. Just not sure how much I like the idea of Shark Tank coming to college sports.

That makes me nervous. The Big 12 is looking at doing that. The reported deal is $1 billion for a 20% stake of future profits but their current TV contract gives each team $50 million a year. Some reports are saying that included with the deal would be the conference naming rights. It wouldn't be the Big 12 anymore but some corporate name like the Allstate Insurance Conference or the Pepsi Conference.

Even if the Pac X got $20 mill per team per year in a new TV deal, which I think is very high because there is no major TV market in the new Pac X, they would be only looking at maybe $200 million deal. And the Pac X would be very difficult to monetize. Conference naming rights wouldn't have near the value and I'm not sure that would even been an option because keeping the Pac X conference names seems to be very important to OSU and WSU.

Also a Private Equity Firm is going to have a seat at the table that is not going to align with what the members want. They will look for the Pac to merge with a another conference and get a giant payout from it. But any payout to the PE firm would make a conference merger not as attractive.

 

[wizenheimer]

More and more rumblings of private equity coming in and helping out the Pac-Whatever with a 20% stake in future profits. Sounds like the hope is to get a TV deal around 20m instead of the 12-15 they are currently projecting. Obviously that's offset with what they have to give back to the PE firm but might also make it easier to keep schools around and to add if there is some additional backing to the conference. Just not sure how much I like the idea of Shark Tank coming to college sports.

I'm curious...where is it you're seeing these rumors?

 

[bigbailes]

I'm curious...where is it you're seeing these rumors?

Trolling around on twitter, a couple of people who have been a little more right than wrong but take it all with a grain of salt. As Sly said PE has been trying to get into the B12 for a while and Limo Larry was making this effort back in 2018 for the P12 but the LA schools squashed it pretty quickly.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...to-1-billion-for-as-much-as-20-of-conference/

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/o...loring-taking-on-private-equity-partners.html

 

[wizenheimer]

Trolling around on twitter, a couple of people who have been a little more right than wrong but take it all with a grain of salt. As Sly said PE has been trying to get into the B12 for a while and Limo Larry was making this effort back in 2018 for the P12 but the LA schools squashed it pretty quickly.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...to-1-billion-for-as-much-as-20-of-conference/

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/o...loring-taking-on-private-equity-partners.html

well, one was about the Big-12 and the Pac-12 story was from 2019 when the league was actually a Pac-12 with USC, Oregon, Washington as members

I'm really having a hard time understanding how this all would work.

so, a PE firm buys a percentage of a conference. the question I have is what do they own? Would they own any real assets like facilities and land? Would they own a percentage of the media deal? Would they own broadcast rights? Concession and parking revenue?

what if it's the new Pac-X that goes into partnership with a PE firm. Imagine it. OSU would be going into a partnership with a hedge fund. How would that work? I'd assume, since OSU is a public university that the President and the board of trustees would have to sign off on it. So would the Oregon State Board of Higher Education; and the governor's office. The legal ramifications would likely be substantial and the process would not be quick. And the same would be true for the other public universities. WSU and their governing bodies. San Diego State and the California board of higher ed. Boise St and Idaho. Utah St. and the state of Utah. etc.

I'm not saying all those obstacles can't be overcome but it sure seems like there are a bazillion ways the effort could fail

 

[Haakzilla]

 

[THE HCP]

So the Pac is considering adding Grand Canyon University?

I dont know much about them, but it's in Phoenix with 100k students. No football program.

They just joined the WCC, will begin next season. This is crazy!

 

[THE HCP]

It's quite ironic that you live in a place many people would consider a shithole but you spend a decent amount of time on here defending, yet can't see how it's the same in other parts of the country that you didn't grow up in. I didn't grow up here but there is a lot of beauty and things to like about it. My guess from being on the OT side of the forum is that your disdain for Texas is more about the politics, but life is about so much more than that.

I would go off and call you a bunch of names normally, but this is actually a pretty good post.

 

[kjironman1]

You know there is one thing some people might be looking past and that is Name Recognition. The Pac-X does have some of it and it might grow with all of this. That could create some possibilities with recruiting and the teams that become member of the new Pac-X could become much better teams that might even start to compete at a much higher level. Good football and good games in general will create TV revenue. Look at what Sanders has done for Colorado. There is no way Colorado would be considered a huge TV market but every week we see one of their games.

 

[wizenheimer]

You know there is one thing some people might be looking past and that is Name Recognition. The Pac-X does have some of it and it might grow with all of this. That could create some possibilities with recruiting and the teams that become member of the new Pac-X could become much better teams that might even start to compete at a much higher level. Good football and good games in general will create TV revenue. Look at what Sanders has done for Colorado. There is no way Colorado would be considered a huge TV market but every week we see one of their games.

Boulder is only 25 miles from Denver. Pretty sure Colorado gets credit for being in the Denver media market

 

[kjironman1]

Boulder is only 25 miles from Denver. Pretty sure Colorado gets credit for being in the Denver media market

That’s my point.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

well, one was about the Big-12 and the Pac-12 story was from 2019 when the league was actually a Pac-12 with USC, Oregon, Washington as members

I'm really having a hard time understanding how this all would work.

so, a PE firm buys a percentage of a conference. the question I have is what do they own? Would they own any real assets like facilities and land? Would they own a percentage of the media deal? Would they own broadcast rights? Concession and parking revenue?

what if it's the new Pac-X that goes into partnership with a PE firm. Imagine it. OSU would be going into a partnership with a hedge fund. How would that work? I'd assume, since OSU is a public university that the President and the board of trustees would have to sign off on it. So would the Oregon State Board of Higher Education; and the governor's office. The legal ramifications would likely be substantial and the process would not be quick. And the same would be true for the other public universities. WSU and their governing bodies. San Diego State and the California board of higher ed. Boise St and Idaho. Utah St. and the state of Utah. etc.

I'm not saying all those obstacles can't be overcome but it sure seems like there are a bazillion ways the effort could fail

Seems like the PE firm would want to make the approvals/review/oversight as simple and minimal as possible. If they just got a cut of the media rights package and clauses on a renewal then maybe there is a way it doesn't need any boards or governor, etc to approve. Might even not need a direct president of the university approval if the PE agreement is just with the conference.

I'm not an attorney, but I just imagine this would be done in a way to minimize all those parties you list from having direct involvement or oversight.

In terms of what they own, they wouldn't want any physical asset at all IMO as you mention that could involve oversight. They'd want a cut of media revenue, or maybe they'd require NIL money to flow through them.

 

[Hoopguru]

Is PE Ready for College Sports?Institutional Investorhttps://www.institutionalinvestor.com › article › portfolio

 

[julius]

It doesn't impact me at all. I'm a season ticket holder that will continue to go to the games because they aren't just a sports team to me. It's the memories of actually going to school there that swell up with nostalgia no matter who they play or if they win or lose.

I think that's something fans who didn't go there (to a college in particular) don't understand how much of a difference it makes.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

well, one was about the Big-12 and the Pac-12 story was from 2019 when the league was actually a Pac-12 with USC, Oregon, Washington as members

I'm really having a hard time understanding how this all would work.

so, a PE firm buys a percentage of a conference. the question I have is what do they own? Would they own any real assets like facilities and land? Would they own a percentage of the media deal? Would they own broadcast rights? Concession and parking revenue?

what if it's the new Pac-X that goes into partnership with a PE firm. Imagine it. OSU would be going into a partnership with a hedge fund. How would that work? I'd assume, since OSU is a public university that the President and the board of trustees would have to sign off on it. So would the Oregon State Board of Higher Education; and the governor's office. The legal ramifications would likely be substantial and the process would not be quick. And the same would be true for the other public universities. WSU and their governing bodies. San Diego State and the California board of higher ed. Boise St and Idaho. Utah St. and the state of Utah. etc.

I'm not saying all those obstacles can't be overcome but it sure seems like there are a bazillion ways the effort could fail

A PE firm would look to monetize anything and everything they could. They're wanting a 200-300+% return on investment within 10 years. It would be something similar to Nascar, ads and naming rights everywhere. You'd have Taco Bell logos in the endzones. "It's a Taco Bell TOUCHDOWN!" The red zone would become the Mt Dew Code Red Zone. You would have multiple corporate logos on uniforms. Yes, the schools would most likely get a cut of that revenue but it would be small since they're taking money upfront. The Pac X would become the Adidas Pacific Conference and Adidas would become the shoe and uniform provider for every team. Even sections of the stadiums and arenas would have brand names, "great turnout today in the Pizza Hut Student Section."

*Corporate and brand names used for example only

 

[SharpesTriumph]

A PE firm would look to monetize anything and everything they could. They're wanting a 200-300+% return on investment within 10 years. It would be something similar to Nascar, ads and naming rights everywhere. You'd have Taco Bell logos in the endzones. "It's a Taco Bell TOUCHDOWN!" The red zone would become the Mt Dew Code Red Zone. You would have multiple corporate logos on uniforms. Yes, the schools would most likely get a cut of that revenue but it would be small since they're taking money upfront. The Pac X would become the Adidas Pacific Conference and Adidas would become the shoe and uniform provider for every team. Even sections of the stadiums and arenas would have brand names, "great turnout today in the Pizza Hut Student Section."

*Corporate and brand names used for example only

Yes good examples.

Although Reser paid to get its name on the Beavers stadium back in 1999, so some of this is not new at all.

But yes could be 20x as much if this in the future.

That along with the transfer portal and NIL have already made all college football effectively a professional league.

 

[wizenheimer]

That along with the transfer portal and NIL have already made all college football effectively a professional league.

I think college football has been professional leagues for decades. Certainly have been since individual conferences started signing deals for media rights



I think the most amazing component to this broad story is that somehow the NCAA was allowed to operate for decades as if they had an anti-trust exemption like the NFL or NBA; when they didn't. College football was generating billions of dollars in revenue, but the athletes were getting a pittance. They were indentured labor. It was all a fool's paradise

but finally, at long last, 4 or 5 years ago the athletes themselves, thru the courts, established their right to secure a 'fair' piece of the action. That was accomplished thru NIL and the transfer portal. That's all it took for the structure of the NCAA to collapse into impotence. That, and knowing that the SCOTUS is likely looking for an excuse to gut what little power the NCAA still retains

I don't begrudge the athletes finally getting a piece of the pie. I'm all for NIL and the transfer portal, even though it has created quite a bit of chaos, and the laws of unintended consequences are ready to leverage that chaos

 

[wizenheimer]

Sac St. is pretty obviously begging to join the Pax-X

maybe the Pac-X should just bite the bullet, add their 8th team, and spend the next 2 years on the 'We-Want-a-Media-Deal' hotlines

I mean, is there any other viable candidate that fits into the geographical footprint so well?

 

[bigbailes]

I would go off and call you a bunch of names normally, but this is actually a pretty good post.

Pretty sure you could have just replied with #BAM

 

[SharpesTriumph]

View attachment 65833

Sac St. is pretty obviously begging to join the Pax-X

maybe the Pac-X should just bite the bullet, add their 8th team, and spend the next 2 years on the 'We-Want-a-Media-Deal' hotlines

I mean, is there any other viable candidate that fits into the geographical footprint so well?

San Jose State or UNLV both seem like better choices, already in FBS, have easy Pac travel, and both have bigger media markets.

Although those would have a cost of another MWC buyout - sounds like Sac State is getting some big donors and other backers. Perhaps the Pac could negotiate giving them a much smaller slice of revenue going forward so the Pac would effectively pocket cash adding Sac State instead of sending cash out with other schools.

Selfishly I'm hoping for Texas State but the travel would be kind of nuts.

Every football member would be a _____ State - with any of Texas State/Sac State/San Jose State!

 

[wizenheimer]

San Jose State or UNLV both seem like better choices, already in FBS, have easy Pac travel, and both have bigger media markets.

I read that all of the remaining MWC schools signed an intent agreement recently. If that's true it seems unlikely that any other MWC schools will be joining the Pac-X

I suppose Texas St. might still be a possibility, but the last I read was that the MWC had made a formal offer and the Pac-X had not. The MWC also added UTEP so Texas St. would have a geographical partner in the MWC. The MWC is also supposedly talking to another Texas U, Tarleton State. Seems like a stretch, especially considering they are currently FCS rather than FBS

 

[Shaboid]

They should just have the last spot in the league be relegation for the FCS division. I know that's not really possible, but it'd be interesting.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

They should just have the last spot in the league be relegation for the FCS division. I know that's not really possible, but it'd be interesting.

A year ago when brainstorming Pac12 / MWC merger ideas their was talk of having some sort of relegation/promotion with two conferences. All obviously dead now.

 

[Shaboid]

A year ago when brainstorming Pac12 / MWC merger ideas their was talk of having some sort of relegation/promotion with two conferences. All obviously dead now.

Yeah, I was one that thought it'd be a cool idea. I was really hoping for some out of the box ideas once we got new conference leadership in place. Raiding the MWC wasn't my preference, but I suppose getting the teams we have is a step in the right direction. I'm not sure bringing in PE firms is the right approach eother, but at least there might be someone on the board that actually understands the value of money. Past PAC directors obviously didn't.

 

[bigbailes]

Yeah, I was one that thought it'd be a cool idea. I was really hoping for some out of the box ideas once we got new conference leadership in place. Raiding the MWC wasn't my preference, but I suppose getting the teams we have is a step in the right direction. I'm not sure bringing in PE firms is the right approach eother, but at least there might be someone on the board that actually understands the value of money. Past PAC directors obviously didn't.

This was the idea that was floated out recently and The Athletic did a big piece on it. Really interesting idea that will probably never happen because people like Greg Sankey need to control all the money and power he can sitting on top of the SEC. It was 72 team league with 64 in '2nd division' with relegation and all that like they do in European soccer.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5809686/2024/10/01/college-football-super-league-student/

 

[SharpesTriumph]

This was the idea that was floated out recently and The Athletic did a big piece on it. Really interesting idea that will probably never happen because people like Greg Sankey need to control all the money and power he can sitting on top of the SEC. It was 72 team league with 64 in '2nd division' with relegation and all that like they do in European soccer.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5809686/2024/10/01/college-football-super-league-student/

View attachment 65841 View attachment 65842

Its interesting to daydream about.... but theres no way this could ever happen. All conferences have different renewal dates and would need to agree to this. SEC and Big10 are the two dominant conferences so why would they want to join up with lower ranked schools and lose tons of money.

Also those maps don't make sense - Houston isn't in the Texas division. Kansas and Oklahoma each have multiple schools but Colorado only has one.
On the group8 Rice/North Texas/Sam Houston are in the South division but then Texas State/UTSA both straight south a couple hours are in the Central division.

Probably no way to make those maps work without some fault somewhere though, just another reason this isn't going to happen.

 

[Shaboid]

Yup, we can all dream.

 

[wizenheimer]

This was the idea that was floated out recently and The Athletic did a big piece on it. Really interesting idea that will probably never happen because people like Greg Sankey need to control all the money and power he can sitting on top of the SEC. It was 72 team league with 64 in '2nd division' with relegation and all that like they do in European soccer.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5809686/2024/10/01/college-football-super-league-student/

View attachment 65841 View attachment 65842

some of the things they are talking about doing would require an anti-trust exemption. I don't think there is any way college football could get one

 

[Phatguysrule]

some of the things they are talking about doing would require an anti-trust exemption. I don't think there is any way college football could get one

An act of Congress?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Nice win for the Beavs. Super entertaining game to watch.