An enterprising Gael has acquired UCSD term sheet with the WCC via a Public Records request. I suppose this is an interesting new angle of having a public member.
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So the WCC is PAYING UCSD $10 MILLION TO JOIN???
Wow.
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Good thing they put that confidentiality clause in there.
You mean the confidentiality clause that’s trumped by the state’s version of FOIA? 
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But seriously, is UCSD worth $10 million? And only committed to staying through 2037? And a withdrawal penalty that’s a fraction of the $10 million?
Is Stu a doormat?
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Crazy. Stupid. I need 20 characters .
The WCC may be cooked 
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So, bad agreements aside, I was wondering whether, with the Zags gone and UCSD coming, if there any possibility the league could go back to the old travel partner scheme. But, then I paused to double-check on the interweb as to who was coming and going and was reminded that Denver is coming as well.
But, in the same digital breath, AI told me that Gonzaga AND Portland were leaving the conference. I decided to double-check that, and a distinct AI query told me that no, Portland is in the conferences future plans, leaving the conference at 11 teams, not 10.
So first, were there rumors of Portland leaving that I missed?
Second, if we had 10 teams, would a partner concept work? Or do TV demands and the need for more and better non-conference games eclipse any sense of scheduling order?
And with 11 teams, does the 11th place team not get an invite to the WCC tourney? Or do they play the 1st place team’s practice squad to be able to move on?
Portland isn’t leaving. Sounds like the AI was hallucinating. Happens all the time (unfortunately).
Next year will be just 10 teams. My guess is the WCC has plans to bring in a 12th team by the time UCSD comes in July 2027. If their efforts to get a 12th team are unsuccessful, then I’m guessing there would be an 11 vs. 10 “play-in” game.
Twitter says they we are going back to Palm desert for the acurise classic along with Stanford and Seattle
Mississippi’s House just passed legislation that makes NIL money tax free. Oh the SEC…it just means more
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This is a good article about how some major schools are navigating the new revenue sharing era, using the Broncos’ last opponent as a case study. In sum, the thought that Authentic Departments would become for-profit sports franchises attached to non-profit universities is becoming literal truth. I had a little hope that maybe the House Settlement would slow things down for a beat (and it still might), but for the handful of schools that can just keep accelerating, they plan to do so.
Outside of a couple “grumpy” hiccups, this is such a marvelous discussion—thoughtful, informative and insightful. I also want to add that the entire discussion about the Tournament and beyond has been as constructive, entertaining and adult as one could hope for a fan website. Props to PM setting the tone, but all of you have been awesome.
PS, with the exception of San Francisco and Saint Mary’s, I now dislike Kentucky more than any program.
Go Broncos.
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Thanks, JC!
We got a nearly 700 post thread on Bracketology this season! Very cool stuff. And everyone on the board has done an awesome job keeping within the bounds of civility and representation of our Santa Clara community. It’s an awesome group we have here. And once again, anyone lurking is welcome to dive in and be part of our little corner of the internet.
Keep coming back…off-season news should be big in April with the transfer portal. Then schedule updates on May and June. Lots to stick around for.
Go Broncos!
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The board the last two months has been incredible!! I would guess we’ve had more activity in the last two months than anytime in the previous 2 years?
I’m sure there are some metrics available. So much fun discussion!
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Also an article on NIL and DI Hockey. https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/\_/id/48288787/inside-impact-nil-revenue-sharing-college-hockey
Relevant b/c Denver is mentioned and just another indicator of the mess this all is. I just can’t get my head wrapped around it and see any light at the end of the tunnel.
turning a university’s hoops program into a for profit enterprise might be the only way to sustain a full D1 program long term. does that mean that the entity can take on investors and issue shares? or are schools, such as Kentucky, maintaining the entities as a wholly owned subsidiary?
Here are my biggest questions and NIL musings as we head into this critical offseason:
1. Is the University actively moving money? Given the massive national exposure and our positioning in the WCC, is the administration planning an immediate bump to the athletic budget and NIL support this week? These feel like critical days to strike while the brand is at a 30-year high.
2. Who is leading the charge on the “Heavy Hitters”? We have the results and the momentum—who is actively engaging the Sobratos and our other major Silicon Valley alumni to bridge the gap to those “Blue Blood” budgets?
3. Building a “Wake Up Swig” Member Fund: What does it take to create a dedicated Bronco Hoops NIL drive specifically for this community? Most importantly—who among us has the appetite to help run or facilitate it through Mission NIL?
4. The NBA Factor: Is there a world where our NBA family—JDub, Podz, or even Nash—gets intrigued by contributing to or endorsing our NIL efforts to recruit the next generation? Even if it’s too late for the '26-'27 cycle, the “social capital” they provide is priceless.
5. The Tech Connection: We are in the heart of Silicon Valley. Are we doing enough to leverage our deep roster of alumni in the tech space for NIL opportunities?
6. The Bronco Bench Friction: How much is NIL cash competing with the Bronco Bench efforts and needs? Are the legacy fundraising arms incentivized to pivot toward NIL, or are we working at cross-purposes?
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Another good article from The Athletic about NIL and the black box. In sum, no one actually knows how much schools are spending even though it should be subject to public disclosure under public records requests.
Also a good Athletic Article.
Quote from Calipari talking about No. 12 seed High Point, his NCAA Tournament second-round opponent out of the Big South, for its commitment to being competitive.
“It proves my point that coaches win games, administrations win championships,” Calipari said. “They commit to it. Now, the coach has to be a good steward and has to make good decisions. But he can’t do any of that if there’s not enough support.”
Heather? Julie? Are you listening?
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