Ever heard of the Southwest Conference. It used to be a big thing until it wasn't. Ten years before it died, nobody would have ever thought that would have happened. Obviously, the reasoning was a different situation than now but still...
The thing is, none of this crap has really happened before. I wouldn't be looking solely at history to tell us what is going to happen in this situation. It is all very volatile. Not saying to hide from it, just be careful of what you assume based on history.
Insert something clever here...
Mike McFeely
@McFeely_Inforum
Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson: "I've probably fielded 3 or 4 calls from institutions this week saying, 'Hey, don't forget about us if you're looking to expand.' But I don't know if that's in our best interest at this very moment."
That smells not of greed, but fear.
I found this on a different board.
They're probably going to stay with sure things or what they know is proven low risk.But it isn't greed. It's fear.
The reason so many here doubted the potential of this (B1G poaching PAC) is because you were focused on sports. IMO, this became evident when Texas moved. Institutions like Texas, which had resided in a world of its own making, and which sat atop yearly revenue leaders, doesn't move out of greed. Something had to scare the hell out of them for that to happen. So, what was it?
Demographic and Economic paradigm shifts amid an uncertain global political future.
These moves are a circling of the wagons for defense, strength in numbers.
Risk and a fear environment don't mix.
Conferences dropping is more common than you might think. Since the 1-A was formed for the 1978 season:
Socon and Ivy dropped to FCS in 1982.
MVC stopped sponsoring football in 1985, Big West in 2000, Big East in 2013(though that’s a bit more complicated), WAC in 2013.
Big 8 legally dissolved and all its members formed a new Big 12 in 1994.
Metro and Great Midwest merged to form C-USA in 1995.
Southwest dissolved in 1996.
The general trend is a major realignment in the first half of each decade that sees at least one conference leaving FBS. IMO PAC and C-USA are on the chopping block with their meaningful members just waiting for invites. ACC’s GOR is the only thing holding them together and they’re in a lot of trouble if that gets broken. If PAC still exists after this then they won’t be a “Power” conference anymore. The Big 12 has a new commissioner that appears to be excellent. That goes a long ways during times of crisis and uncertainty.