Colorado to exit Big 12 early/Nebraska settles

[JonLP24]

Colorado, Big 12 agree to early exit

The Big 12 will become a 10-team league next year after all in the wake of an agreement on Tuesday by Colorado to forfeit more than $6 million in conference payouts in order to leave the Big 12 after the 2010-11 academic year.

Colorado plans to leave for the Pac-10 on June 30, 2011 and have $6.863 million withheld from its conference revenue.

Colorado initially planned to leave for the Pac-10 after the 2011 season, but Nebraska's announced plans to move to the Big Ten after the 2010 season meant Colorado would have to do the same or force the Big 12 to play a season with 11 teams, along with the Pac-10, who will add Utah after the 2010-11 academic year.

Nebraska and the Big 12 announced earlier Tuesday that it would agree to have $9.255 million of its conference revenue withheld, but that number would fall to $8.755 million if Nebraska was one of two teams in the Big 12 to qualify for a BCS bowl game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5601601

Nebraska, Big 12 agree to settlement

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska's departure from the Big 12 Conference will cost the university more than $9 million.

The Big 12 and the university announced a settlement on Tuesday in which the conference will withhold $9.255 million in conference distributions rather than the estimated $19.4 million the Big 12 had sought to withhold under its bylaws.

"We feel the long-term benefits of entering into the Big Ten, both academically and athletically, will make this a very good investment," athletic director Tom Osborne said.

Under the settlement mediated by Eric Green of Boston, Nebraska can reduce its penalty to $8.755 million if the Cornhuskers are one of two Big 12 teams to play in a BCS bowl game this season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5601182

[Upton]

1. The Pac-12 new division alignment is due to be finalized next month

The league also still has to decide where to play the conference championship game. A neutral field or the team with the best record hosting? I was reading where the Pac-10 officially becomes the Pac-12 on July 1, 2011. Next year should be extra special..

[JonLP24]

2. I would like a rotating site

Maybe NFL stadiums in the mix such as University of Phoenix, Qwest Field, and Invesco as far as newer stadiums go? Maybe they can throw in the 49ers older stadium (are they getting a new one for sure?). LA and Oregon would have to go with college stadiums. I thought about Qualcomm but it would be odd to have a championship game where there are no Pac-10 teams.

[thatsrightimirish]

3. University of Phoenix and Qualcomm are the best bets

Considering the game will take place in December I don't think they will put it in Denver or Seattle. The Bay Area stadiums are ancient and the niners stadium is scheduled to be built by 2014, but that is not going to happen. They could have it at at&t, Cal is playing there next year.

[Upton]

4. AT&T only holds about 45,000 for football..

least that's what Cal is figuring for 2011. That's just not enough for a conference championship game. Las Vegas has been brought up as a possibility too, but is being discounted by many because the stadium there only holds about 37,000..