Anyone who thinks ESPN isn't driving this confernece realignment is not paying attention.

[whaler11]

BC was still in the league that year...so that was before the reformed Big East.

Well technically it was after the 'original' Big East raid. But yeah I agree anyway, Pitt pretty much sucks - today being the perfect example.

 

[CL82]

You have one of the most meaningful pieces of the big picture in ESPN residing in your backyard. You lobby them and work them. You might not get what you want, but you leave no stone unturned. It is a given that getting ESPN on your side in getting into the ACC is meaningful. Espn will be renegotiating the ACC contract and if ESPN say's "we are a Connecticut company and we want Connecticut in the conference" it will go a long way. I would argue that "packaging 12 teams" (what 12 teams?) and pitching it to NBC is a far more far flung waste of time than having some powerful people get in ESPN's ear. Besides, why would we "package 12 teams" when we want to get into a strong existing conference?

Well here a few points:

1) What is the supposed preasure the State has to apply to ESPN?
Threaten to shut them down? It can't and even if it could it wouldn't particularly in a down economy.

2) What is ESPN's pressure to ACC?
We won't use your product? Why would they do that? They need product to be able to sell air time.

3) Why is it "a given that getting ESPN on your side in getting into the ACC is meaningful"? How so? You seem to think that ESPN is calling the shots. Conversations that direct would be extremely problematic on a lot a levels.

Your original point was that the failure take these type of pointless actions was an example of "yankee do nothingness". I would suggest that is just a recognition of what is possible and what is not.

 

[CL82]

I'm telling you, this thing is going to raise all hell.

As we speak I can guarantee you that university presidents from Conn., NJ, Missouri, West Virginia, etc. are calling their congressional representatives. Teams of anti-trust lawyers are being assembles and it would not surpise me if private investigators are involved.

The only benefit that Pitt and Syracuse bring to the ACC is the potential demise of the Big East. This time people will be fighting for their survival in big-time college athletics and desperate people do desperate things.

Just for the record, I'm not necessarily in favor of congressional involvement or litigation, I'm just fairly certain it will be coming in a big way.

I can see Congressional hearings happening on it. College football is big money, crosses state lines and the de facto elimination of the Big East would certainly seem to negatively impact competition.

 

[whaler11]

Unless the ACC can figure out a way to get Texas or Notre Dame, you have to think that UConn and Rutgers are very much alive as 15/16.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

ESPN does have a TI problem with the Big East. Most contracts will have some version of a "good faith" clause in them, yet ESPN used their negotiating window to destroy the Big East by funding Big East competitors to take away Big East members. UConn is not the only one that has a claim here, the catholics do too.

The right move is to use this raid to dissolve the Big East and sign a deal with Comcast immediately, and tell ESPN that if they even threaten to enforce their deal they will feel the wrath of the full weight of 15 schools suing them on both TI and anti-trust grounds and multiple congressional inquiries. The MWC would be happy to join this action since ESPN funded the raid of Utah and BYU from that league.

In anti-trust it is not illegal to be a monopoly, but it is illegal to act like a monopolist.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Tell me Waylon, if Cuse and Pitt applied to the ACC, how can any BE school claim that the conference was raided?

The is a reason the process is now appears to operate under different criteria (schools requesting admission in conferences).

 

[gars44]

I'm telling you, this thing is going to raise all hell.

As we speak I can guarantee you that university presidents from Conn., NJ, Missouri, West Virginia, etc. are calling their congressional representatives. Teams of anti-trust lawyers are being assembles and it would not surpise me if private investigators are involved.

The only benefit that Pitt and Syracuse bring to the ACC is the potential demise of the Big East. This time people will be fighting for their survival in big-time college athletics and desperate people do desperate things.

Just for the record, I'm not necessarily in favor of congressional involvement or litigation, I'm just fairly certain it will be coming in a big way.

Just to be fair, doesn't sound like your against it either. I'm in favor, btw. I just don't feel guilty about it.

 

[whaler11]

Unless the ACC can figure out a way to get Texas or Notre Dame, you have to think that UConn and Rutgers are very much alive as 15/16.

Based on what is flying around on Twitter sounds like they already have Texas figured out - so UConn is screwed.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Tell me Waylon, if Cuse and Pitt applied to the ACC, how can any BE school claim that the conference was raided?

The is a reason the process is now appears to operate under different criteria (schools requesting admission in conferences).

If you are really that thick that you think they were not already assured of being accepted, then I will not waste my time explaining it to you.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Based on what is flying around on Twitter ....

That's where you lost me. If you are using twitter as your source for information, you are in a lot of trouble.

 

[whaler11]

That's where you lost me. If you are using twitter as your source for information, you are in a lot of trouble.

Well it depends on who it is coming from. There are some pretty intelligent people noting that since the Big 12 knew what was going on with Syracuse/Pitt that means that Texas is involved. It's certainly not a given, but it makes a lot of sense based on how quickly this went down with not even a rumor beforehand.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

If you are really that thick that you think they were not already assured of being accepted, then I will not waste my time explaining it to you.

What either of us believes really happened is irrelevant. If a lawsuit is being threatened, it will come down to what can and what cannot be proven. The way this transpired ot would be impossible to prove anything other than the fact that both BE schools applied to the ACC fdor membership.

If you are really so thick that you do not realize this, I doubt that you have had close to the responsibility in the business world that you have alluded to having over the years.

 

[whaler11]

I'm no lawyer and won't pretend to have any idea what I'm talking about, but if Pitt was highly involved in making sure that the Big East didn't accept the ESPN deal that was on the table while in an important position of influence within the structure..... that certainly seems as though there could be some serious legal implications.

 

[gars44]

That's the ridiculous part. Everyone says that football programs drive the bus. But Pitt and Syracuse are meaningless conference filler. Guess how many BCS bowl games Syracuse and Pitt have played in as the Big East Champion since the original Big East raid? That's right...a total of 0!!!!

This is clearly just a way to kill a competitor.

This is just a clear example of the old style "boys," the country club set of college football (non-Ivys but wanna be pedigree) desiring to congregate together in neo-high football society. They kind of felt bad forgetting to invite auntie Syracuse and uncle Pitt to the family reunion, and even hillbilly cousin West Virginia (they're still family, you know, be polite) get an invite (if they don't come we won't lose any sleep but we have to invite them). Connecticut? Who?