The demise of the Pac-12

[ClayK]

Best case: Cal and Stanford wind up in the B1G, ACC or Big 12.

No other option: Oregon State and Washington State land in the Mountain West.

Worst case: Stanford and Cal de-emphasize sports.

Even in the best case, those Power 5 scholarship slots that West Coast girls pursue are going to get cut back, perhaps by a lot. Now in the real world, there's not much difference in playing for Oregon State if they're in the Pac-12 or the MWC, but for parents who focus on what appears to them to be the big time, it's going to be a big deal.

But if Stanford, say, decides to just step back from college sports and essentially go D-3, Cal will probably have to do the same.

So how does this affect girls' basketball in Northern California? Do more opt for volleyball or soccer? Do more leave the West Coast? Or is there no significant change?

 

[Streak One]

Well said, Clay. It appears that Cal and Stanford are the next big dominos as they have options that Oregon State/Washington State don't have.

Another angle is how does women's basketball fare at the schools that moved. Will they be able to/willing to recruit as heavily on the West Coast? Will they keep their funding at same levels or will some of it get siphoned off to other sports?

 

[larry legend33]

Aren’t soccer and girls volleyball at all time enrollment peaks? While women’s basketball participation has been on a steady decline over the last 20+ years.
Can’t imagine this has any impact to be honest.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

Best case: Cal and Stanford wind up in the B1G, ACC or Big 12.

No other option: Oregon State and Washington State land in the Mountain West.

Worst case: Stanford and Cal de-emphasize sports.

Even in the best case, those Power 5 scholarship slots that West Coast girls pursue are going to get cut back, perhaps by a lot. Now in the real world, there's not much difference in playing for Oregon State if they're in the Pac-12 or the MWC, but for parents who focus on what appears to them to be the big time, it's going to be a big deal.

But if Stanford, say, decides to just step back from college sports and essentially go D-3, Cal will probably have to do the same.

So how does this affect girls' basketball in Northern California? Do more opt for volleyball or soccer? Do more leave the West Coast? Or is there no significant change?

Stanford will always be a great place to play and get an amazing degree as is Cal. For women's sports, those are really institutions that produce an abundance of WNBA talent (Stanford has had a lot of success lately). I'd suspect most parents would rather their kids get a degree fron Cal or Stanford than playing bigtime D1 ball at another university. If Stanford and/or Oregon wanted to go to a bigger conference, they could easily. The question is which would benifit them the most? ACC looks like a solid fit for a lot of the women's sports: Basketball, soccer and softball as well as on the men's side. SEC would be a nightmare for both schools. While the MWC isn't a bigtime conference, it's still a formidable one and would get them in the tourney to generate money.

 

[northbaybbguru]

Stanford has won the Govenors cup for 18 straight years..they arent de-emphasizing sports and going D3 anytime soon. ..lol

 

[ClayK]

I think they need a league to play in, though -- and it's unclear what that league will be.

 

[Norcal_Fan]

I think they need a league to play in, though -- and it's unclear what that league will be.

i could see stanford possibly getting picked up but who the hell would want Cal? Their athletic program is abysmal!

 

[ankleassassin]

Stanford will always be a great place to play and get an amazing degree as is Cal. For women's sports, those are really institutions that produce an abundance of WNBA talent (Stanford has had a lot of success lately). I'd suspect most parents would rather their kids get a degree fron Cal or Stanford than playing bigtime D1 ball at another university. If Stanford and/or Oregon wanted to go to a bigger conference, they could easily. The question is which would benifit them the most? ACC looks like a solid fit for a lot of the women's sports: Basketball, soccer and softball as well as on the men's side. SEC would be a nightmare for both schools. While the MWC isn't a bigtime conference, it's still a formidable one and would get them in the tourney to generate money.

the travel.... that would be awful for the teams having to fly to miami, chapel hill, syracuse or boston on a tuesday and have to go to class on wed and thurs.
never say it is about student athletes if you are making these lax, soccer and softball players make that trip

 

[ClayK]

The Bear Insider board, with some big donors and insiders, says it's pretty much B1G, ACC or the program either devolves into disaster or disappears completely. Regardless, Cal will have to cut sports.

I tend to believe the MWC will wind up being the only option, meaning a serious existential question would arise: Is it better to have no athletics, or mediocre athletics (compared to the long-ago past)?

 

[Norcal_Fan]

The Bear Insider board, with some big donors and insiders, says it's pretty much B1G, ACC or the program either devolves into disaster or disappears completely. Regardless, Cal will have to cut sports.

I tend to believe the MWC will wind up being the only option, meaning a serious existential question would arise: Is it better to have no athletics, or mediocre athletics (compared to the long-ago past)?

so here's the dilemma. Go to a lesser conference where you could possibly be top dog (MWC or Big West) or ACC where they'll get murdered in most sports. What they should do is make Football conferences ONLY and should have kept everything else the same. The fact that you're going cross country to play games every other week is rediculous.

Which sports do you think they'll cut?? Big pockets would die if they cut football, but if keeping in line with Title 9, what are other options? Baseball? Track? These are all equivalent not head count sports...