Intriguing visuals & excellent calls on GF this morning. Recap:

More movement in the theatre. Colorado still center stage. Arizona still 2 arm-lengths away. Kliavkoff & Yormark both talking to CO.

But Oregon, Washington, and the Fox executive have left row one, departed the building, and driven away together. The B1G commish also left row one, drove away.

“We have received information that Utah is watching CO & AZ closely, and have joined Arizona State on row 15. ASU’s President Michael Crow is ice cold to the B12. No solid relationships. [Is that why they were waving their arms at Arizona? What are ya doin’, Cats? Get off the stupid stage]. Nevertheless, the Devils are still seated on row 15.”

GF added that there are solid reports out there that ASU is unwilling to leave the PAC. But they’re nonetheless still on row 15.

UConn left row 38 and is now on row 20, five rows behind Utah & ASU. “They are observing what the 4 corners do. They have met with Yormark. They know where they stand. Just waiting to see which dominoes fall.”

Gonzaga has returned to the building. In the foyer now. Perhaps willing to work out their differences with the B12. UNLV, who had been looking through the outside glass doors, has now driven away. Memphis is nowhere in sight. SDSU is still peering through binoculars. [GF says the Aztecs overplayed their chips. Put too many in the P12 box and not enough in the B12 box. Their leaders talked too much to their own detriment. Now they are in limbo with a June 30 deadline looming].

—Those important dates in May? The 7th (shot to the solar plexus); the 24th (unique event in Boulder); the 31st (twin event to the 24th but in a state west of Colorado). GF firmly asserts it will all come out. Why those dates were and are critical.

Anyone wanna guess? How about the 31st was some type of green light stamp of approval from CU boosters in California… to yes, indeed, join the B12?? GF was firm in pointing out how Colorado has turned over every stone. They have spoken to “minnows and whales”. They have done all in their power to prepare to leave, if approved.

—Jason Scheer reported the Arizona Board of Regents would make it difficult for AZ to leave ASU behind. Flugaur’s ASU money perch says no way, “the board is powerless to stop Arizona if they choose to leave.” Many at ASU would like to leave. But at the very top? No.

—Great call from a Duck booster. He’s quite concerned USC will join UCLA in a voting block to stop Oregon from joining the B1G. Oregon has invaded the fertile recruiting territory of southern CA. USC hates that. He thinks Washington will be welcomed but Oregon could easily be replaced by Stanford or newly-minted AAU member ASU.

A great discussion ensued:

-GF reminded him that Kevin Warren was the road block to further expansion. “Fox refused to work with him.” (Of course we learned later that Warren gave the 2026 B1G championship game to NBC when Fox already had it).

He added, “In March, 2022, when we first learned USC had called the B1G, for the next 3 months we were told that the conference had interests above and beyond LA. Oregon and Washington have been on the radar a long time. But when Warren quit to join the Chicago Bears, people fell into the trap that expansion was over. Not true. Oregon met in Chicago with the Big Ten. Washington met with them in NYC. They are not simply two universities on a long list of cleared and vetted schools. They ARE the list. Their financials, etc.” [West coast list….I’m sure the ACC holds even more future assets].

The Oregon caller said, “Let’s assume Colorado & Arizona leave. Let’s also assume the B1G is not ready yet to invite WA & OR. Then what?? Those NW schools joining the B12 is a non-starter. Would never happen. I couldn’t even imagine the schools’ leadership in the same room with B12 leadership. It’s an awful fit. What if Kliavkoff can’t get a deal? Then what”?

GF: “I’m confident neither Oregon nor Washington are worried. Do you think, for one minute, that Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin are going to permit USC & UCLA to be all alone on that lush recruiting island? With all the advantages of Big Ten money but no recruiting competition nearby? No way. It has always been the plan to add more western schools. Oregon knows this. Washington knows this.”

-Then this, “Kevin Warren was a roadblock. Fox despised him. He’s gone. But you still have legal obstacles. The B1G wants nothing to do with potential lawsuits from the PAC for breaking up their league. They definitely want Colorado to go first. And probably all 4 corners. That would eliminate any legal concerns the B1G office has.” [Don’t think they left the theater cuz they weren’t interested anymore. More likely, they’d seen enough].

Also, “In order to vote yes to invite the NW universities, what’s in it for Purdue? Minnesota? Illinois? Indiana? Maryland? Etc. They will need more millions of dollars. How does that happen? Fox, NBC, and CBS or perhaps another suitor will need to pay more. AND, Oregon and Washington will probably need to agree to a reduced share.”

—If ND was coming (GF thinks they’ll be forced to soon for money reasons), the networks would quickly pony up more money. But the Ducks & Huskies will likely be portioned out. Less money. But still a raise for them.

—An Ohio State booster pointed out that Oregon shrewdly went out, hired a new president from the number 2 research school in the Big Ten, Wisconsin. And that Washington is held in extremely high academic esteem as well, recently joining a cancer research conglomerate (sorry…can’t remember the PAC to B1G connection on that).

So tomorrow’s Board of Regents meeting in Boulder now has a “legal matter regarding athletics” agenda. The same phrasing as 2010 when they joined the PAC. That phrasing is generically used for more mundane discussions too. GF is confident that realignment will be discussed. “Colorado has been working hard to cross all t’s and dot all i’s. It’s now June. We believe action will happen soon.”

Meanwhile, according to his sources, it seems like Arizona State has supplanted Utah as the 4th corner least likely to bail. First things first. Colorado. Holy Smokes!

Yormark’s announcement last week that they paid out $44M to each B12 member is probably adding to increased PAC heart rates. The new media deal that begins in 2025 is $9-10M more, even with 12 schools instead of the current 10. That means, once you add in NCAA Tournament units, bowl revenue, etc. , Colorado is looking at a $50 to $60M annual payout, along with the other 12 members of the B12. Not surprised at all to hear GF report that Colorado has turned over every stone. It’s a huge deal to their bottom line.