ACC Network To Start in 2019; Could There Be Conference Expansion Soon?

[Fishy]

ESPN reports: The ACC Network will launch on Aug. 22, 2019, according to commissioner John Swofford. One week later, Georgia Tech and Clemson will face off in the first football game. Could there soon be conference expansion, such as Notre Dame becoming a full member and the ACC adding one other team, such as UConn? Even with UConn's dismal football performance recently, could UConn make a case to become a P5 school?

No.

You have to wonder if Penn State decides it no longer wants to compete against Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State and a difficult crossover game against the BIG West opponent would consider a jump to the ACC? There path to the college football playoffs would be considerably easier. They can be placed in the Coastal and we could be invited to the Atlantic division. They would have as their chief rival Miami and Virginia tech in their their division.

No.

Any other stupid theories that need euthanizing this afternoon?

 

[businesslawyer]

Jack Swarbrick has said in three interviews that the only thing that will cause ND football to join a conference is a mandated P4 conference champ only playoff system being implemented.

That would make it legally impossible for an independent ND to make the playoffs. The Irish football program would join the ACC about ten minutes later.

It is not the same if ND is 11-1 and misses the playoffs under the current system. There is still a legal, legitimate path to the playoffs open to them and they could tell recruits that was an isolated instance.

Swarbrick indicated that ND knows it has to go undefeated to make the playoff most years. ND figures that is just the price of doing business as a football independent and is ok with that.

I agree with Dooley. Making the playoffs this year is a significant event which cements ND's football independence for the foreseeable future.

How is it that we're supposed to just pretend that this nation doesn't have antitrust laws when discussing things like that?

 

[CL82]

How is it that we're supposed to just pretend that this nation doesn't have antitrust laws when discussing things like that?

Easily. The vast majority of the country has no idea that we do or what they say and those that do will continue to turn a blind eye toward their overdue application to college athletics.

 

[Nostical]

Those conference affiliated schools who have to play13 games to get to the playoff aren’t too thrilled with the advantages of Notre Dame’s independent/loosely affiliated model. The reality is that Notre Dame’s brand is bigger than their brawn and their luster as an independent will fade if they continue to take up a coveted spot in the 4 team playoff—and prove once again on the field that they don’t belong. It’s more likely than not that one of this years playoff teams will be exposed as an imposter. I say it’ll be ND. Look for them to be blown out by Clemson. Then listen to the howls from Athens, Columbus, and Orlando.

 

[billybud]

Kind of like when Clemson blew out imposter Ohio State 31-0 in the play off?

 

[TerryD]

Those conference affiliated schools who have to play13 games to get to the playoff aren’t too thrilled with the advantages of Notre Dame’s independent/loosely affiliated model. The reality is that Notre Dame’s brand is bigger than their brawn and their luster as an independent will fade if they continue to take up a coveted spot in the 4 team playoff—and prove once again on the field that they don’t belong. It’s more likely than not that one of this years playoff teams will be exposed as an imposter. I say it’ll be ND. Look for them to be blown out by Clemson. Then listen to the howls from Athens, Columbus, and Orlando.

It seems to me that a lot of playoff teams are blown out.

For instance, FSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan State, Washington and Clemson.

Funny that there isn't much discussion of them being "undeserving", "not belonging" or "exposed".

List of College Football Playoff games - Wikipedia

 

[billybud]

my point..thanks

 

[TerryD]

Yeah, a lot of that "undeserving" talk is just anti-ND bias.

Nobody says the same when other teams get blown out.

 

[JeepCSC]

People said it a lot about Ohio State 10 years ago. As for the Irish, it didn’t help that the first “great” ND team in a generation was blown out in the title game.

 

[TerryD]

Alabama would have blown out many teams that year...or most years since then.

Nobody from that 2012 team is suiting up this season.

 

[billybud]

Alabama would have blown out many teams that year...or most years since then.

Nobody from that 2012 team is suiting up this season.

Goes to show you how tough the SEC is then....Alabama won three conference games by 5 points or less...two of them by 4 points.

 

[JeepCSC]

And Alabama had a loss that year. Put it another way, Saban’s Alabama squads have played 23 top 5 teams. The Notre Dame game still stands as their largest margin of victory in those games and of course the whole country was watching. For most Americans, that was their first (and last until later this month) of a top 5 Notre Dame team in a quarter century. Forgive them if they are skeptical.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

We aren't getting into the ACC with ND. We'll get in when they see a need for more content. Because we can get eyeballs in the Northeast, we still offer a big opportunity for the Big Ten or ACC. The timing and opportunity has to be right for them to capitalize. Despite recent thinking, restoration of MBB and the growth of hockey are huge in this regard, as both will offer money making opportunities for conference networks. I really think UConn Hockey is going to thrive and just explode in popularity over time. Hockey is such a great spectator sport, especially in person and the Northeast loves its hockey.

Myself, I think the ACC will never invite us. I think we burned that bridge when AG Richard Blumenthal sued them. I think if he didn't, we would be in instead of Louisville.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

I was in Tampa last week and there was a game. It was mayhem in the downtown area. I was shocked.

Yes Downtown Tampa is mayhem, but Jeff Vinic - the Lightning owner - is involved. USF School of Medicine is building there and new Condos and Apartments are being built...you can still see that it was industrial by the old railroad tracks in the streets, the ConAgra mill and some small industrial buildings.

 

[buddy]

Myself, I think the ACC will never invite us. I think we burned that bridge when AG Richard Blumenthal sued them. I think if he didn't, we would be in instead of Louisville.

I don't think Blumenthal's lawsuit makes a difference anymore. You must remember that other members were part of the lawsuit as well, although Blumenthal led the charge as it was clear that UConn would end up the loser. Nonetheless, I agree that UConn is not going to the ACC. They would need a plus one to keep things even, the performance of UConn on the football field has only gotten much worse which is the last thing any conference wants at this time. BC, FSU, Cuse, Clemson, NC State, and most importantly, ESPN, will not support UConn to the ACC.

 

[djct1999]

I don't know much, but after watching ACC football the last few years, UConn would fit in just fine. This year's conference championship game highlighted how low this conference has fallen. And its only going to get worse. Much worse, for any school not named Clemson.

 

[buddy]

Actually it would be good as UConn would be a guaranteed win for any of the ACC members. UConn couldn't compete with the AAC. Could you imagine the scores of the games against the ACC teams. As bad as you perceive that the ACC also-rans were this year, they each and everyone would have crushed UConn, even lowly FSU would have won easily.

 

[DefCONNOne]

Myself, I think the ACC will never invite us. I think we burned that bridge when AG Richard Blumenthal sued them. I think if he didn't, we would be in instead of Louisville.

I think you're wrong. The lawsuit excuse died the day they invited Pitt.

 

[billybud]

Pitt and Blumenthal were viewed differently, I think....Blumenthal was out front, and the face of the lawsuit and visible adversary.

Thus some focused on him personally. Pitt signed on but didn't have the gloves on in the corner.

Blumenthal was the one assailing the Miami President, Shalala publicly...Of course Miami went to the then Florida Governor who ordered the State Attorney General to enter a brief for the state to intervene on behalf of Miami.

"This is a fundamental dispute among athletic conferences and universities," said Crist, who was asked by Miami to intercede. "Universities have the right to join any conference that invites them. The law does not compel Miami, or any institution, to rebuff a legitimate overture, as long as existing contractual obligations are satisfied."

With Florida's Governor Crist still on board when Pitt was picked in 2011...I think that Miami (with Shalala) and FSU were surely not going to go Blumenthal's direction.

 

[CL82]

Pitt and Blumenthal were viewed differently, I think....Blumenthal was out front, and the face of the lawsuit and visible adversary.

Thus some focused on him personally. Pitt signed on but didn't have the gloves on in the corner.

Blumenthal was the one assailing the Miami President, Shalala publicly...Of course Miami went to the then Florida Governor who ordered the State Attorney General to enter a brief for the state to intervene on behalf of Miami.

"This is a fundamental dispute among athletic conferences and universities," said Crist, who was asked by Miami to intercede. "Universities have the right to join any conference that invites them. The law does not compel Miami, or any institution, to rebuff a legitimate overture, as long as existing contractual obligations are satisfied."

With Florida's Governor Crist still on board when Pitt was picked in 2011...I think that Miami (with Shalala) and FSU were surely not going to go Blumenthal's direction.

Any source for your assertion that no ill will was harbored toward plaintiff Pitt but ill will was harbored toward Plaintiff Connecticut and that was why Pitt ended up with the invite?

 

[billybud]

Any source from anybody about why UConn not picked in two opportunities (ACC went with Pitt and Louisville)...?

No....But Heck...my comments over a decade, on numerous boards, have now become a defacto history..LOL.

Nobody who was involved will go on record...the votes are not revealed (despite posters who say they know)...

It is my personal feeling...football was important...and probably the over riding factor...

I do know that Florida's Governor was not happy (I worked for his Chief of Staff). I do know that FSU's Wetherell was very supportive of Shalala....other than that...it's just my opinion...like so many others on here.

 

[CL82]

Any source from anybody about why UConn not picked in two opportunities (ACC went with Pitt and Louisville)...?

No....

Ah okay then.

Agree football was the reason Louisville got the nod.

 

[YoungFree]

ESPN reports: The ACC Network will launch on Aug. 22, 2019, according to commissioner John Swofford. One week later, Georgia Tech and Clemson will face off in the first football game. Could there soon be conference expansion, such as Notre Dame becoming a full member and the ACC adding one other team, such as UConn? Even with UConn's dismal football performance recently, could UConn make a case to become a P5 school?

Memphis would get the call from the ACC waaaay before us....and UCF....and USF....and Cincinnati...need I continue?

 

[Mokum]

Memphis would get the call from the ACC waaaay before us....and UCF....and USF....and Cincinnati...need I continue?

Why? By the way, glad to see you have so much respect for Uconn.

 

[YoungFree]

Why? By the way, glad to see you have so much respect for Uconn.

I do actually. I am just being realistic. Boosters, locations, travel partners, media market draw, athletic budget, recent success, etc. point in favor of other schools than UConn.

In the end, both of us can argue our sides and the ACC could pick the University of Dublin and surprise everyone.