FanPost

I am for Capitalism


I am for capitalism but I am also for exciting college football.  Today I read this article about University of Texas and what they will do if Texas A&M leaves for the SEC.  (Make sure you read the article)  The part of the article that got me thinking was the quote about Washington State (of course).  "'Something is wrong with your conference,' a source said. 'when Washington State is getting more from its conference than the University of Texas.'" 

The unequal revenue sharing in the Big12--along with Longhorn network--is eventually going to implode the Big12.  The new Big12 arrangement is going to create a weak conference because there will only be 3-4 big boys and a bunch of patsies in the Big12, with the same schools always sitting on top of the conference.  There is only 3 major programs, because without Pickens OSU wouldn't even be in the picture  The Big12 might as well be called the Big3+7.  I am all for capitalism, because I am not for socialism, but when it comes to sports, equal revenue sharing makes sense.  It encourages competition without discouraging the big schools from getting better.  It works because schools like WSU will never have the donor base Texas, Alabama, USC or any other big money schools have.  The donor base of the large market schools will continue to give their schools an edge.  The reality is they still generate more money than the small market schools in the conference.  It is like a salesman who has a base salary and benefits plus gets great commission off his sales.

I don't understand why Texas doesn't get this.  It is important for BCS schools to have a competitive (big market) conference.  Capitalism can be a great thing, but I do not think it necessarily applies to college football.  If greed crepes in and takes over it can lead to the demise of a conference.  I think Pac12 has formed a hybrid of socialism and capitalism.  I guess you could call it socialcapitalism. The unequal revenue sharing only hurts a conference.  The only way I can see Texas continuing to reap all the benefits is if they go independent. 

There has to be a happy medium.  Larry Scott, the school Presidents and the ADs in the Pac12 have found it.  The Big12 has not found it.  Texas will become to big for it's own britches.  They need to understand that they either re-structure the Big12, go independent (which they don't want) or move to the Pac12 with Oklahoma, OSU and KU or KSU.  Eventually the other schools in the Big12 will realize they cannot operate under the current structure.  Texas A&M is already getting squirrely and Nebraska & Colorado left.  If Texas wants to keep their own network and come to the Pac12, then I do not want them.  I will be fine if The Longhorn Network becomes a Texas (or SouthWest) regional network and caters to the other schools in the conference like Larry Scott is doing with the Pac12 network.  If Texas wants to join the Pac they also need to understand the point of equal revenue sharing.  I see the excitement of having them and I would not mind if they came to our conference, but I can live without them.

It is easy as a WSU fan to say I love equal revenue sharing because we get a tremendous benefit, but if I was a USC, Oregon or a UW fan I would still want equal revenue sharing because I want a fun and competitive (money rich) conference.  This is enticing to the media and the nation.  If the Pac12 stays in tact and doesn't become the Pac16 it will still be a conference that is leaps and bounds in front of the others.  Larry Scott has finally made the Pac12 what it is suppose to be, which is progressive, innovative and exciting like the west-coast.  We have Starbucks, Costco, Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Nike and Microsoft on the west coast and Larry Scott is installing that mentality into the conference.  After the previous Pac10 commissioner it is unbelievable to me where Larry Scott has positioned us as a conference.  I cannot believe how fast it has happened.  I hope he doesn't get bored and sees the plan through.  Pay him whatever it takes; we need to make sure he stays here.

Larry Scott is taking this conference in the direction that I just do not see Texas joining.  For some reason I do not see Texas ever coming to the Pac12, because I don't see the same mentality with Texas as I do with the current Pac12 teams.  The only way Texas joins the Pac12 is if the financial numbers are to good to pass up or they begin to understand how important it is for them to be a part of a quality conference.

This FanPost does not necessarily reflect the views of the site's writers or editors, who may not have verified its accuracy. It does, however, reflect the view of this particular fan, which is just as important as the views of our writers or editors.