In a conversation with Pac-12 journalist and commentator John Canzano of Oregon Live, Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill offered remarks on various subjects connected to the loss of football games against Pac-12 opponents. The Big Sky joins the Mountain West in possibly losing revenue — or at the very least, needing litigation to fight for that revenue — due to the Pac-12’s recent decision to move to a conference-only game schedule.
Observers have various views on the Pac-12’s decision, which followed the Big Ten’s decision to move to a conference-only schedule. Wistrcill’s comments to Canzano might reshape some of those opinions.
One set of remarks in particular do not look good at all for Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.
You can listen to their full conversation here.
Here, below is the relevant segment of Canzano’s article on his discussion with Wistrcill:
“Portland State had non-conference football games scheduled at Arizona (Sept. 5) and at Oregon State (Sept. 19). Those two now-cancelled games would have provided $950,000 in guaranteed compensation to the PSU athletic department budget.
“Wistrcill said he was particularly frustrated that the Pac-12 and others canceled the non-conference games without offering a chance to meet Pac-12 COVID-19 testing standards.
“’I think a lot has been made for the different testing procedures for the virus and how teams are going to prepare for that,’ he said. ‘I think it was disappointing that we weren’t even given the opportunity to meet the standards they set (for testing). Set the money aside, those games are good for everybody.’”
“Wistrcill said he’s done a lot of thinking about the safety of games.
“’I can make the case that it’s safer for Portland State to play Oregon State than it is for Oregon State to play UCLA. Safer for Idaho to play Washington State than it is for Washington State to play Arizona State. It wasn’t surprising that it happened with the Pac-12 after the Big Ten made the decision. They do lots of things together,’ he said. ‘I was disappointed that our schools didn’t even get a chance to try and meet the standards.’”
It’s not a complicated point to grasp: The Pac-12 might have had perfectly good reasons to use a conference-only schedule, but whatever decision it made, it should have at least allowed other affected parties to put forth a plan.
Realize this: The other Power Five conferences — the Big 12, ACC, and SEC — are likely to attempt to play at least one nonconference game if not more. The Pac-12’s stance toward the Big Sky, plus the Mountain West and other conferences affected by the Pac-12’s schedule adjustment, will look different — read: worse — if the Big 12, ACC, and SEC do indeed schedule nonconference games AND manage to play them this fall.
Heckuva job, Larry… as usual.