What if the Patriot League raids the Pac-12?

Probably a very, very long shot, but intriguing
Thanks for the post

Can’t see the PL expanding its footprint to the west coast. But, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a new academically-oriented conference in another part of the country that sort of follows the PL model. Such a conference could present some interesting partnership opportunities for the PL.

efg72:

Are you serious or are you joking around?

If you are serious, all I can say is WOW! Would love to be a “fly on the wall” during those conversations.

Can you share any more details/insights?

Thanks for giving us a fun topic to discuss

Fun topic, but we're finally gaining traction in our own lane so I am all in for a potential PL four-peat and as far as we can go in the FCS tournament.

Mind blown! Lots of interesting ideas in this article! I especially like the discussion of the academically aligned schools coming closer together, and the idea of a national span for football only, while keeping local affiliations for the other sports that play many more contests.

Agree for now, but Stanford and Cal will need to find a solution that helps them be relevant-wont be easy and options for a West Coast version might be realistic or something that draws schools like Rice , Vandy, NWestern, GTech, UVA, Duke or some crazy collection that appeals to the more academically focused schools

Most schools should not be flying in planes to road games in soccer, volleyball, field hockey, baseball, swimming, etc. Having these far-flung conferences created based on football is sheer lunacy for other sports.

I can see the remaining Pac 12 members admiring the Patriot League’s stability, geographic integrity and academic first solidarity of member schools. But I can't see them gaining anything by joining us. U of Hartford stepped down in competition. How was that received?

I don’t think the author of the article seriously thinks the Patriot League will be poaching Stanford or Cal. He was just pointing out that collegiate football conferences like the Patriot League can have a successful model that is very different from the professional NFL minor league model that is overtaking the highest echelons of the sport. Many at Stanford and Cal (among others) might be uncomfortable with the direction the sport is taking and these schools will likely find it increasingly difficult to compete with the heavy spending football powers.

I think the schools you note (and many others) don’t buy the notion that your football conference determines (or even influences) your academic reputation. MIT and University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins (NEWMAC, Midwest, and Centennial Conferences) would agree.

So I don’t see football conference departures to join more academically focused schools in the foreseeable future.

In other threads, I brought up the idea of a "Magnolia League" possibly coming 5o be in the future event that the major conferences cease to exist in current form and instead become super conferences like NFC and AFC.

Could see a football conference made up of the likes of Duke, Vandy, Wake, Tulane, Rice, Northwestern, Georgia Tech, BC.

Agree for now, and might remain true.

However these schools are still part of a power conference. If they lose these positions with realignment, what do they choose to do for the future? Do we end up with a 1AA that doubles in size? If this happens with football does it include basketball? Are the new options mostly regional? For all sports ?

Anyway this was intended to be a conversation on the topic, with no right or wrong options.

In response to an earlier question, there are a couple of schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia exploring what the future might offer, the news article in this thread might suggest the Pl is open to different options, and if it is happening at the 1AA level I have to believe many schools are wondering what chair they find when the music stops.

The only thing for certain --change has started