Television runs college sports. That has been true since the 1984 NCAA vs Oklahoma Board of Regents Supreme Court case where schools won the ability to sell their broadcast rights.
But it has never been more true than now, writes Dan Wolken at USAToday.
Why are Oregon and Washington headed to the Big Ten, while Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will join Colorado in the Big 12?
According to Wolken "in the simplest terms, it comes down to this: By stripping the Pac-12 down for parts, ESPN and Fox are going to end up getting the teams they wanted, without having to pay the teams they didn’t want.
"Sorry, Stanford. Best of luck, Cal. Oregon State and Washington State? I’m sorry, who are you again?
"Tradition? Geography? Academic might? Clearly, none of that stuff mattered to the schools or the TV networks pulling the strings.
"Despite some clear misgivings about breaking up the Pac-12, it’s good for the Big Ten’s media partners to have Oregon-Ohio State or Washington-Michigan games on their primary networks. These are big brands, big markets and teams that are typically ranked in the Top 25, which means several million viewers every Saturday.
"The same goes for the Big 12, which will span four time zones, offer in-state blood feuds (Brigham Young-Utah, anyone?), as well as bring more must-see hoops matchups to the table when Arizona plays Kansas, Baylor and the rest.
"None of this is a coincidence. None of it happened because schools want to be in 16- or 18-member leagues that require thousands of miles of travel.
"But it is what the constant need for more television money has wrought, and that should terrify everyone about the long-term future of college sports. "
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