Oregon State + Wash St to join WCC next two seasons in bball

[t]

The Federal government considers GCU as a for-profit entity. Might as well have invited Devry University to join the WCC.

They got the FTC and the VA coming after them.


Sadly, Stu Jackson and the WCC university presidents have sold their souls to modern day robber baron Brian Mueller.

www.republicreport.org/2024/predatory-colleges-converted-to-non-profit-are-failing/

www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna123050

www.forbes.com/sites/edwardconroy/2024/02/04/grand-canyon-university-faces-ftc-suit-and-va-audit-after-37-million-fine/?sh=6073e3f73566

www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/12/ftc-sues-grand-canyon-university-deceptive-advertising-illegal-telemarketing

“Grand Canyon in 2018 had restructured itself into two entities: a non-profit college, GCU, and a for-profit company, Grand Canyon Education (GCE), that gets paid to provide a range of services to the school. Even though the IRS already had declared GCU a legitimate non-profit, the DeVos Department of Education in 2019 rejected the school’s bid for preferred non-profit status under federal education rules, concluding that “the primary purpose” of the Grand Canyon conversion to non-profit was “to drive shareholder value for GCE with GCU as its captive client — potentially in perpetuity.” The DeVos team couldn’t help but notice that Brian Mueller is the well-paid head not only of the non-profit school but also of the for-profit company has been getting about 95 percent of the non-profit college’s revenue.”

[boothlion]

A youtube video on the new members.  It's about 12 minutes.  
My two takeaways are screen grabbed below.  The budget for each men's basketball program and the 10 year KenPom ranking average.

Attachments:

[thx4leavinjimlynam]

Shocked that our budget is that big!

[LIONS90045]

As part of their higher profile in sports, Grand Canyon plays UCLA today in the NCAA softball tournament.
Grand Canyon seems to be doing it all.

[boothlion]

When Oregon St & Wash St joined the reports said one of their requirements to join was a restructure of the WCC bracket. Guess those reports were false as all they have done is add a game to the front between the 11/10 seed. Really disappointed they didn’t change the bracket format. It makes the WCC a joke every year the bracket comes out. The #1 and #2 seed still start in the Semis; same as before for us, hope for a top 4 finish to start in the Quarterfinals.

[LIONS90045]

The rich get richer

[ALioninWinter]

I really don’t have a problem with this approach. Sure, it favors the best teams. But the best teams deserve an advantage based on their season-long play. I know these league tournaments add games to the schedule (which as fans we all like) and it adds uncertainty to the outcome; I don’t like the fact that a lower performing team can get hot and beat out a season-long higher performer. If the Lions want to be a favored performer in the league tournament, they need to play like winners.

[LIONS90045]

Looks like the PAC-12 is trying hard to reconstitute itself with the pirating of 4 teams from the Mountain West. Perhaps, these two guys will be gone after their 2-year stint in the WCC.
The PAC-12 needs to get to 8 teams to have an automatic invite to the big dance in basketball, so more to come.

[ALioninWinter]

I thought it was interesting news. I wish I could’ve been a “fly on the wall” when the topic was discussed and decided. Boise State is a no-brainer. They’ve been strong contenders in football and basketball for 2+ decades. Geography favors them, they travel very well, and I imagine they’re doing well with NIL money. SDSU makes sense. While footballl has struggled a bit the last couple years, they should do well with fan support and NIL. They also will now represent all of SoCal in the PAC-x. Also, their BB is very strong. CSU and Fresno are a bit of a puzzle. Moderate fan bases, minimal brand recognition, middling to poor success on the field and in the arena. I would’ve thought UNLV would be included; and probably San Jose over Fresno. I wonder - who rejected whom?

Of the speculation on who else might join, the scuttlebutt is the PAC-x will raid the AMERICAN. Memphis makes sense I guess but the other candidates being mentioned (Texas state schools)??

My guess at this point is that the WAC will pick up what no one wants and the MWC will disappear. But what do I know? 😉

[boothlion]

May 10, 2024 11:46:57 GMT -5 boothlion said:

Jeff Goodman is reporting that the WCC is expected to add Grand Canyon and Seattle in the 2025-2026 season.

Well that didn’t last long. GCU pulling out and going to join the Mountain West. Leaving us at 9 members for 2026…I’m guessing Cal Baptist and Denver are the next two calls; especially to protect in case St. Mary’s jumps ship. Not sure of any other possible schools?

[lambdachi1988lion]

Nov 1, 2024 13:28:32 GMT -5 boothlion said:

May 10, 2024 11:46:57 GMT -5 boothlion said:

Jeff Goodman is reporting that the WCC is expected to add Grand Canyon and Seattle in the 2025-2026 season.

Well that didn’t last long. GCU pulling out and going to join the Mountain West. Leaving us at 9 members for 2026…I’m guessing Cal Baptist and Denver are the next two calls; especially to protect in case St. Mary’s jumps ship. Not sure of any other possible schools?

GCU was already an interesting fit - private and christian..but for profit. Also massive compared to all of our other peers in the conference.

I think Denver is a great fit in a great media market. And one that I think if they join the WCC will up their athletic prowess. And Cal Baptist seems to make sense even if it is hard for me sometimes as an Angeleno to think of those in the Inland Empire not just cheering for LA teams, but I guess with less sports draws in the region, they probably have a better chance that us or Pepperdine at really capturing the local crowd/attention.

I think an interesting one, should they decide to take the plunge to D1, would be Chapman. They've really risen the ranks academically, similar profile, size, mission, etc as LMU and the many of the rest of the schools in conference and the location makes perfect sense.