The Big Ten finalized media rights contracts with CBS, Fox, and NBC last year that will total more than $8 billion over seven years, making it the most lucrative conference rights deal in the history of college athletics. The Summit League, like most mid-majors, is left to pick up the crumbs and rely on a few hardy fans who follow the other Division I sports not called football. Continue reading Summit League Media Deal a Mixed Bag →

Now that the Pac-12 Conference (now the Pac-4) is nearly a distant memory, there is speculation about a possible merger between the Pac and the Mountain West to further dilute a once-great conference. Continue reading Conference Realignment Is Just Getting Started →

The rumblings have been going on for weeks as the Pac-12 has continued to struggle to finalize their TV deal and hold the already falling apart conference together. Both the University of Colorado and Arizona, current members of the Pac-12 Conference, had been openly courted by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. As a result, today’s announcement by CU that they are returning to the Big 12 – the conference the Buffaloes called home from 1996 to 2010 (and were members of the Big Eight that preceded the Big 12 from 1948-1995) today was hardly a surprise. The conference jump by the Buffs is yet another realignment domino to fall and the results of this one may even impact the University of Denver. Continue reading Colorado’s Pac-12 Exit Dominoes Could Hit University of Denver, Summit League →

In what has become a familiar position, the University of Denver athletics finished as the top I-AAA school in the Directors’ Cup standings. The Pioneers landed in the top spot for the tenth consecutive season and 14th time out of the last 15 years. Compared to all DI programs in the nation, Denver finished in the 63rd spot with a point total of 373.25 points.  The I-AAA Directors’ Cup award goes to the best DI non-football athletic program in the country. DU finished ahead of Pepperdine, their closest points competitor, by 88.75 points. Continue reading DU Wins 10th-Straight I-AAA Directors’ Cup as Best Division I Non-Football Program in the Nation →

According to reports, San Diego State has sent a formal letter to the Mountain West citing an interest in exiting the conference. SDSU has until the end of this month to submit a final letter to the Mountain West Conference expressing its intention to exit. The delay in PAC-12 media rights details has the Aztecs asking the Mountain West for an extension due to ‘circumstances beyond their control’ as they are also looking at a $17 million exit fee to move to the PAC-12. Continue reading Could Falling Pac-12 Dominoes Send North Dakota State to Mountain West? →