Pac-12 expanding to.....China?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/12/sports/pac-12-hopes-to-establish-presence-in-china.html?_r=1&ref=sports" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



umm....



this sounds like a "This Just In" thread but it's true.



not to be outdone by the Big-East's 3000 Mile conference circumference, Plaque-12 is now eyeing the 5,000 mile conference. Commissioners are going to be the death of college athletics.

Hate it. They're turning college sports into professional sports and completely ruining it.

Clearly PAC needs to add Hawaii and BYU to round out this vision.



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I actually think this is a smart move for those schools. It is a move to build more academic ties to China. A lot of PAC schools already have a large contingent of Asian students, so this is an attempt to keep the PAC universities connected to an emerging superpower. I wouldn't think of it as an athletic expansion, I don't see that happening. Remember, intercollegiate athletics are the profitable "marketing" arms of major universities, and right now Education is a HUGE international business. Besides, this is part of what we are trying to do with BYUtv, right? We want international exposure for BYU through the athletic programs. In the big picture (think Gathering of Israel), I think this is a great thing, and in that big picture view, it is actually provident that the University of Utah is a PAC school.

NebraskaCoug wrote:
I actually think this is a smart move for those schools. It is a move to build more academic ties to China. A lot of PAC schools already have a large contingent of Asian students, so this is an attempt to keep the PAC universities connected to an emerging superpower. I wouldn't think of it as an athletic expansion, I don't see that happening. Remember, intercollegiate athletics are the profitable "marketing" arms of major universities, and right now Education is a HUGE international business. Besides, this is part of what we are trying to do with BYUtv, right? We want international exposure for BYU through the athletic programs. In the big picture (think Gathering of Israel), I think this is a great thing, and in that big picture view, it is actually provident that the University of Utah is a PAC school.

I see your point, but one slight difference. Pac12 is looking to do this for the sole purpose of making money. Anyone that's stepped foot on campuses in the Pac12 (UCLA, Cal, Stanford, UW, USC, etc) have no problem attracting Asians to the school. This is a way to grow their fan base and make a buck off their Asian student populations. Why do you think they picked China? Not a lot of students from Mexico at their campuses.



BYU isn't looking to make a buck off expanding. It's acutally doing it to educate people and bring attention to the BYU and the Church. In fact, BYU would gladly pay for it all.

Gunk wrote:

I actually think this is a smart move for those schools. It is a move to build more academic ties to China. A lot of PAC schools already have a large contingent of Asian students, so this is an attempt to keep the PAC universities connected to an emerging superpower. I wouldn't think of it as an athletic expansion, I don't see that happening. Remember, intercollegiate athletics are the profitable "marketing" arms of major universities, and right now Education is a HUGE international business. Besides, this is part of what we are trying to do with BYUtv, right? We want international exposure for BYU through the athletic programs. In the big picture (think Gathering of Israel), I think this is a great thing, and in that big picture view, it is actually provident that the University of Utah is a PAC school.

I see your point, but one slight difference. Pac12 is looking to do this for the sole purpose of making money. Anyone that's stepped foot on campuses in the Pac12 (UCLA, Cal, Stanford, UW, USC, etc) have no problem attracting Asians to the school. This is a way to grow their fan base and make a buck off their Asian student populations. Why do you think they picked China? Not a lot of students from Mexico at their campuses.



BYU isn't looking to make a buck off expanding. It's acutally doing it to educate people and bring attention to the BYU and the Church. In fact, BYU would gladly pay for it all.

I think you are right that money is the bottom line. Especially with Larry Scott's background and connections from his time trying to take professional tennis to China. Remember that the university presidents are the decision makers in a conference, so part of the money they are seeing on the horizon is increased tuition, alumni donations and research grants related to those alumni and potential students to whom they are marketing in China.



I agree that BYU and the church have a more altruistic reason for seeking international exposure, nevertheless, the desire for international exposure is something we have in common. And I think you agree that in the big picture the results of the PAC's marketing to China will dovetail nicely with BYU's and the church's efforts and purposes.

If the Big (misnomer) East with the likes of NJ, CT, and FL can invite teams from Idaho and California to join a conference, I see no reason why the Plaque-12 can't create a China division that eventually plays an exhibition and perhaps decades later a championship game in Hawaii every year.



They can then crown an "international champion" which doesn't even get an invite to the BCS :roll: