UCLA Regents Looking into Blocking UCLA Move to B10
Looks like the UC BoR is looking into their authority to block UCLA's move to the B10. Spoiler: they have the authority. Interesting that they are also looking into UCLA subsidizing Berkely's revenue loss as a rusult of the potential move.
After the end of a closed session spanning more than an hour, regent John Perez told The Times that the regents retained the power to block UCLA’s move.
“All options are on the table,” he said.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-08-17/ucla-big-ten-move-uc-impact
The regents are scheduled to meet again Sept. 20-22 at UC San Diego, but their course of action may become clear before then.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:21 AM ^
I read that they apparently do have the authority to block it.
Will they is a different question. And if they do, will UCLA sue?
August 18th, 2022 at 8:37 AM ^
See, I thought I read they DON'T have the authority to do it because they gave it up in the 90's so teams could run their athletic departments how they chose? I guess we'll find out.
And how hilarious would it be for them to keep UCLA in a dying pac12 without USC?
August 18th, 2022 at 8:46 AM ^
So this tweet from Wilmer...apparently they thought they didn't but the UCOP lawyers have discovered that they do...??
August 18th, 2022 at 8:52 AM ^
If they try to stop the move it'll be a huge court case.
August 18th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
Serious question here. Who would have standing to sue? Doesn't the BoR run the school? The AD reports to the admin which answers to the BoR. Can the B1G sue? I'd imagine switching leagues would require approval by the BoR anyway, although I don't know.
August 18th, 2022 at 10:41 AM ^
I suspect the lawsuit would be about who actually has the power to make the decision and if the UC board has the power to cancel it.
The fact that the UC board is talking about changing the rules would indicate to me that they don't feel very strongly that they have the power here, even if they're saying they do.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
And also, why they haven't bothered to enforce this power in other situations, i've read is a potential issue.
August 18th, 2022 at 1:41 PM ^
"Other situations"? What other teams left the Pac12?
Specifically, which other University of California schools left the Pac12?
Those are the only entities they'd have any claim to control over.
I predicted this the day the bombshell of SC & UCLA joining the B10 leaked - the UC Regents will take a slice of UCLA's new B10 pie & bid them adieu eventually. Going to court would be too costly & risky, for both UCLA & the UC Regents.
August 18th, 2022 at 3:18 PM ^
Precisely. Both UCLA and the Regents benefit from the threat of a suit and both ultimately will be better served by a settlement.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
I imagine that the broadcast partners who just signed a $7 BB deal with the B1G would claim that the deal was signed under the assumption that UCLA was coming in. Could they sue UCLA for breach of contract? Or the conference for misrepresentation?
August 18th, 2022 at 1:37 PM ^
This all sounds like chest thumping, with the one side saying "you don't have that authority" and the other saying "stop me". At the end if the day, they stand to lose a lot of money and quite possibly be sued by the Big10 and the media rights collective. The BOR should have filed for injunctive relief to stop UCLA from leaving long before the Big10 agreed to a TV deal that included them (lots of time and money wasted). They should have had this pissing contest at home and in private.
I'm on the side of expansion and not only do I welcome USC football and UCLA basketball but I hope they put a footprint in every media market that has value from Miami to Stanford, so we can get all this expansion stuff behind us and return to college sports, instead of this slow trickle.
Personally, I don't think the Big10 should be forced into taking Cal, especially if they get Stanford and if the BOR wants to be sued, waste money, lose money and eventually blocks UCLA , then there's Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Stanford, Colorado, Baylor, San Diego State, Ok State and a whole gang of options out west.
August 18th, 2022 at 10:37 AM ^
Wow. This news is almost as surprising as the original shock of USC & UCLA shifting to the Big Ten.
I wonder if it's their Regents posturing or this is a serious threat.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
Likely posturing "hey, you can't do this, only WE can do this!"
a: it'll bring in millions to the university
"very well then, WE approve this, now it can move forward."
August 18th, 2022 at 1:42 PM ^
That part.
August 18th, 2022 at 5:24 PM ^
On the other hand, did you listen the MGo Round Table? California politicians have UC Berkeley constituents, UCLA constituents, Stanford constituents, so while it may be mostly posturing, if it helps a politician politically to put up a big stop sign, they will.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:39 AM ^
I was living in NC when Maryland announced their departure from the ACC. Local sports radio gleefully said something similar - a buyout to the conference or something would be the poison pill. We know how that ended.
August 18th, 2022 at 2:19 PM ^
I'm guessing Fox, CBS and NBC might be the ones that sue.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:27 AM ^
This looks like sour grapes driven by Cal. I wonder if it's worth the drama, Cal is essentially worthless on the field and financially. Oregon would probably be more valuable anyways and part of their deal can include a package from Nike, underwritten by Uncle Phil. Stanford, that would bring in at least a Top 3 university to the BIG.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:48 AM ^
Cal's no slouch academically either though, and either Cal or Stanford would bring the Bay Area TV (and recruiting) markets (Oregon, not so much), which are more important than the value of the team on the field.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:17 AM ^
Exactly...UC Berkeley is an outstanding school and the Bay Area is full of talent plus given the lack of a powerhouse program in the area its prob easier to pluck talent out of N. Cal vs. Southern Cal.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:21 AM ^
With USC and UCLA in the fold BTN will be on in the Bay Area anyway.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
BTN is already on in the Bay Area. At least if you have YouTube TV.
August 18th, 2022 at 1:47 PM ^
BTN is already part of my sports package that includes NFL, MLB, etc in Marin County Comcast.
Unfortunately NOT in HD tho - Which sucks when Michigan occasionally plays on BTN!
August 18th, 2022 at 9:14 AM ^
It’s sour grapes driven by our wonderful governor, Newsom. He made it known publicly that he was anger about the move and the effect it will have on UC Berkeley.
August 18th, 2022 at 3:36 PM ^
Newsome is a douche.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:37 AM ^
Wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. I suspect the only reason they got an invite was USC insisted.
Invite Stanford instead. 2 TV markets instead of one.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:40 AM ^
So does that mean Stanford? Or ND?
August 18th, 2022 at 8:44 AM ^
(Also mildly curious about what happens to the PAC-12: If only USC comes to the B1G, would they take San Diego State? Or look east: BYU? Kansas?)
August 18th, 2022 at 9:52 AM ^
I am curious what would happen if the PAC just lost Stanford and USC, and retained Cal and UCLA. I would think their media rights would be worth more in that world than losing both in the LA market. However, I can see both state schools being perennial losers being part of the state run system.
Is SDSU worth it? I can't think of any other school to pair with SDSU. Is New Mexico (whichever, but not both) worth anything? UNLV? That's the only two markets that they aren't in with actual people. There is nothing in Texas left to poach that brings viewers.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:01 AM ^
I see that Oregon State and Washington State aren't exactly academic powerhouses, but the PAC ## would definitely be saying "I'm sinking in class" at all levels by replacing USC with SDSU.
August 18th, 2022 at 5:44 PM ^
I think you're conflating SDSU with UCSD. While SDSU has had some decent football players go through there, they're the party school, ranked significantly lower than say, MSU and OSU. UCSD is the good academic school but with no sports to speak of.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
SDSU and UNLV would be worth it, IMO. Vegas is practically a suburb of Los Angeles at this point.
Although not necessarily a geographical fact, for all intensive purposes both would credibly be looked at as "SoCal" schools. And the Pac-12 absolutely needs as much of a SoCal presence as possible.
Academically they're weaker than USC, UCLA, Cal, etc of course. But they would still bring enough to the table.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:42 AM ^
By that logic we should invite Long Beach State and Fresno St.
August 18th, 2022 at 1:02 PM ^
Well, for one I was talking about the Pac-12 and what they should do.
And Fresno State most definitely isn't SoCal. While LBSU doesn't even have a football team (Bo beat them 49-0 that one year and they basically closed up shop!).
So, no, there's no logic whereby the Pac-12 would invite LBSU and Fresno over SDSU and UNLV (which are in markets, in "SoCal", and are already FBS programs).
August 18th, 2022 at 5:11 PM ^
There's no real or practical logic that would have SDSU and UNLV in the B1G, so....
August 18th, 2022 at 5:16 PM ^
So ....................................... your initial response to me was meaningless.
SDSU & UNLV DO have some intrinsic value to a-post UCLA and post-USC Pac-12, which is all I was saying. They have more intrinsic value to the Pac-12 versus your silly examples of Fresno & LBSU.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:25 PM ^
Yes, my response was silly and intended to be more silly than your silly example.
Literally no one (but you, apparently) thinks adding mid-major programs to the B1G merely because they are in a large TV market is a good idea.
August 18th, 2022 at 3:37 PM ^
intents and purposes (IFTFY)
#TheMichiganDifference
August 18th, 2022 at 8:51 AM ^
There is 0.0% chance of the board of regents rejecting $100 million annually. The most they'll do is try to find a way to siphon off some money for Cal.
August 18th, 2022 at 10:18 AM ^
That was my thought- or try to call the Big Ten's bluff and get Cal into the B1G as well. I can't imagine they'll actually force UCLA to turn down the Big Ten with USC leaving
August 18th, 2022 at 11:01 AM ^
I don't think the Big Ten is bluffing. If UCLA can't come, we'll just bring Oregon or Washington, or maybe even Stanford if we're tired of public school politics.
August 18th, 2022 at 11:29 AM ^
I don't know that adding Cal and Stanford would be a bad thing for the B1G. With stout academic reputations, the Bay Area and national followings, and strong Olympic sports programs they both seem to be well aligned.
August 18th, 2022 at 12:31 PM ^
Did I miss something in the new TV contracts in what $$ was gained by academic reputation and olympic sports?
I don't dismiss both of those being important in the Big 10. But by themselves they are irrelevant.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:07 AM ^
Cal is just upset they werent invited to the party.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:18 AM ^
Fine. Offer the slot to ND. If they balk, bring in Stanford and tighten the jaws further.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:49 AM ^
It’s my understanding that ND has been offered a slot. Not having to pay UCLA could make the deal a tiny bit better for ND financially but I wouldn’t expect it to move the needle. They have already accepted they are leaving some money on the table by not joining.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:37 AM ^
Well they can’t block USC, so if they want to throw a fit to lock UCLA in a financially barren conference that’s fine. We may just do something crazy like take a different PAC school that offers us the Seattle or SF TV markets instead.
Also, do you hear that? It’s the sound of $1 billion falling on B1G athletic departments every year.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:39 AM ^
that's a lot of free money for the school system to reject. Weird.
August 18th, 2022 at 9:51 AM ^
UC is a system / network of schools throughout the state of California, with a very strong academic reputation. I believe that seven (7) UC schools are AAU members - this includes UCLA and Berkeley - and also Davis, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Irvine, and San Diego.
Academically, there are a number of very strong schools out west - and Stanford, Oregon, and Washington are quick examples. And, FWIW, Arizona and Utah round out the current PAC-12 schools who are AAU members. So, a total of seven (7) PAC-12 schools are AAU members.
The UC schools belong to a variety of athletic conferences - with UCLA and Berkeley in the PAC-12.
It’s California, and - who knows what they’ll wind up doing.
One thing that is mentioned is the revenue any future additions to the B1G would bring - specifically, that per school payout from the media agreement would decrease with another school, or two (or more). This cannot be avoided. The additional media market would be smaller than the “average” which exists today. However, I think that would be mitigated by additional geographic presence - and, being a “coast to coast” conference.