Let's take Mark Blaudschun's report at face value that the Big 12 has contacted several schools. Reading between the lines, based on what we already know, I believe this could be the "presentation phase" that the UHouston Chair of the Board of Regents referred to.
Considering the report from Dennis Dodd that the Big 12 would like to make decisions before the season, it can be deduced that any presentation would have to occur fairly soon, if not already.
Obviously the TV issues - ESPN and FOX balking at upholding their end of the contract - may throw a wrench into everything, but it does appear the Big 12 is going full steam ahead on expansion, likely as many as four teams.
So let's say UCF is getting an opportunity in the near future to present their case to the Big 12. What would you emphasize? What would you push?
Personally, I think Mike Bianchi's recent column hit on all the major talking points. You'd think the Big 12 presidents already know the facts, but that column completely convinced Houston Chronicle NFL writer John McClain who admits he wasn't really thinking about UCF before when it came to the Big 12.
One would think Navigate should have already done the legwork on this, but it amazes me that many national and Big 12 media are under the impression Florida is just too far away geographically. It doesn't matter that UCF has been playing in leagues with Texas teams for years (C-USA and AAC). People seem to think Cincinnati and Memphis and even UConn/Hartford are more accessible when that couldn't be further from the truth. And throw in BYU as well.
I heard Chip Brown make an offhand comment on the radio yesterday about ease of travel to Memphis because it's a big hub. News flash - maybe 10 years ago, but those days are long gone. Northwest was absorbed by Delta and Delta shut down the hub. Memphis International Airport is basically a huge, dead mall now. Cincinnati has operated as a mini-Delta hub, but it's not a great airport either and completely lacks Southwest service. Hartford is a limited service airport as well.
Of course this doesn't matter for football as they charter everywhere, but it definitely makes a difference for your volleyball, soccer, etc. teams that have to fly commercial. I think a presentation should break this all down, comparing the number of direct flights from Big 12 cities to the major candidates and average cost per flight. Maybe I'm completely off base, but I would have to think MCO offers the best cost/ease of travel of any candidate outside of Houston.
As I said, one would think Navigate would have already done the legwork on all of this, including which schools offer the best "digital footprint," something the Big 12 has repeated a couple times as the biggest factor going forward.
As for Navigate, they are the wild card. We don't know what they presented/suggested. I really think media is just throwing names at a wall. They don't know what's going on. Dennis Dodd has admitted as much. Chip Brown has a track record of exaggeration, I'm not buying anything he says.
So if you got face time with the leaders of the Big 12, how would you best plead UCF's case?
Considering the report from Dennis Dodd that the Big 12 would like to make decisions before the season, it can be deduced that any presentation would have to occur fairly soon, if not already.
Obviously the TV issues - ESPN and FOX balking at upholding their end of the contract - may throw a wrench into everything, but it does appear the Big 12 is going full steam ahead on expansion, likely as many as four teams.
So let's say UCF is getting an opportunity in the near future to present their case to the Big 12. What would you emphasize? What would you push?
Personally, I think Mike Bianchi's recent column hit on all the major talking points. You'd think the Big 12 presidents already know the facts, but that column completely convinced Houston Chronicle NFL writer John McClain who admits he wasn't really thinking about UCF before when it came to the Big 12.
One would think Navigate should have already done the legwork on this, but it amazes me that many national and Big 12 media are under the impression Florida is just too far away geographically. It doesn't matter that UCF has been playing in leagues with Texas teams for years (C-USA and AAC). People seem to think Cincinnati and Memphis and even UConn/Hartford are more accessible when that couldn't be further from the truth. And throw in BYU as well.
I heard Chip Brown make an offhand comment on the radio yesterday about ease of travel to Memphis because it's a big hub. News flash - maybe 10 years ago, but those days are long gone. Northwest was absorbed by Delta and Delta shut down the hub. Memphis International Airport is basically a huge, dead mall now. Cincinnati has operated as a mini-Delta hub, but it's not a great airport either and completely lacks Southwest service. Hartford is a limited service airport as well.
Of course this doesn't matter for football as they charter everywhere, but it definitely makes a difference for your volleyball, soccer, etc. teams that have to fly commercial. I think a presentation should break this all down, comparing the number of direct flights from Big 12 cities to the major candidates and average cost per flight. Maybe I'm completely off base, but I would have to think MCO offers the best cost/ease of travel of any candidate outside of Houston.
As I said, one would think Navigate would have already done the legwork on all of this, including which schools offer the best "digital footprint," something the Big 12 has repeated a couple times as the biggest factor going forward.
As for Navigate, they are the wild card. We don't know what they presented/suggested. I really think media is just throwing names at a wall. They don't know what's going on. Dennis Dodd has admitted as much. Chip Brown has a track record of exaggeration, I'm not buying anything he says.
So if you got face time with the leaders of the Big 12, how would you best plead UCF's case?
