PAC-12 Expansion perhaps this week

The original CBS Sports article said the Pac12 still legally maintains autonomous 5 status; the Athletic article disputed it.  I know in our favour - the legalese specifically listed the Pac 12 as one of the autonomous 5 and that was removed when the conference dropped to two institutions but what I haven't seen anyone be clear on is if the Pac12 gets that back as soon as they hit 8 members by virtue of being explicitly named in whatever documents and being a full and vested NCAA conference.

That also doesn't mean it can't be changed whatever it currently means and the SEC and B1G probably will have something to say about it if it means moving the playoff back to 5+7 instead of the current 6+6 since it removes an at large from the table.

This move has a lot of potential. Each of those schools has the ability to play at a high level and will probably continue to grow and grow stronger. It's a move that looks to the future, not the past.

UNLV has to be the next move right?

Per Dellenger: "In negotiations with potential new members, Pac-12 officials and third parties have presented a plan that features a new media rights agreement worth more than the MWC’s current or future television package, as well as the sponsorship potential of the Pac-12 brand."

I guess it's the same in that the 4 mwc teams could have each said no we are staying where we are.. So I guess the four schools can be blamed for the downfall of the mwc. Oregon, etc..could have each said no they didn't. Therefore they are blamed for the downfall of the pac12. The Pac2 simply asked if teams wanted to join we didn't make them or require them. 

As we all know, the bay area doesn't support collegiate sports to a big extent. And SJSU will always be #3 in that market. The following makes zero sense in the short term, but Sacramento State holds more potential if you are looking 20 years in the future. San Jose is driven by high tech and the computer industry. Sacramento is historically much more agriculture and blue-collar based. It would take a sustained effort by the university to build local support but they have more of a foundation as the other state school in San Jose.

For reference, per the 2020 census and 2023 estimates, Sac's metro population is 2.71M. The San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose CSA is 9.48M. Drilling down, from that last number, the San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara MSA is 1.95M. MSA is metropolitan statistical area and CSA is combined statistical area.

edit: I'm not sure why but the Stockton MSA is 801K and Modesto's is 551K, which are both included in the San Francisco CSA and not Sacramento's. 

For reference and interest, the Fresno/Hanford/Corcoran CSA is 1.33M. The Reno/Carson City CSA is 699K. The San Diego/Chula Vista/Carlsbad MSA is 3.27M. The Los Angeles/Long Beach CSA is 18.3M.