Letters to the Editor

Letter: College football for Alaska?

College football conferences here in the Lower 48 are going through a turbulent time, with mergers afoot and new sub-BCS teams moving up to the top tier of competition. The PA C12 in particular is struggling, with USC and UCLA off to the Big 10 and Colorado off to the Big 12.

So what can the PAC-12 do to “enhance” its status quo? I am writing in the hopes of expanding the PAC-12 with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and, you guessed it, the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.

Is it time for Alaska and Vancouver to get a Division I college football team? I believe it is. College football fans in the American West would tune in to watch Stanford, Oregon and Washington play UAA and UBC on ESPN.

All great ideas begin with a conversation, so it would be great to see how Alaskans and British Columbians would react to hosting their brand new Division 1 college football team.

Perhaps Phil Knight at Nike might take an interest in “guiding” the development of two brand-new college football programs in Anchorage and Vancouver for TV network broadcasts. He is a merchandising genius, and I’m sure this would bring new revenue to both universities in licensing agreements of team logo sports apparel.

I’m sending this same letter to all the PAC-12 market cities and Sports Illustrated to measure the reaction to two new football programs, coming south from the Great White North to play ball with your pigskin-loving brethren.

Sound off and write in! Good or bad, let the fur fly, and let’s see if this is doable. I love college football and I want to grow the market!

ADVERTISEMENT

At first, I’m sure this will be a very “kinetic” transition for your players, but let’s “trade some paint” and make some great memories!

AC/DC has a song called “Let’s Play Ball.”Give it a listen and just imagine the University of Alaska Seawolves and University of British Columbia Thunderbirds running onto the field in Husky Stadium, Oregon Ducks Autzen Stadium, or better yet, the Los Angeles Coliseum, especially in October when things get a little frigid there.

I’m sure the Big 10 Trojans will make room to play Alaska and British Columbia. Come on down and let’s play ball! What say you?

— Jacques Porche

Las Vegas, Nevada

Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.

ADVERTISEMENT