It’s not that simple. ND would have to make a lot of sacrifices if they chose to leave the ACC.
100% but the ACC is only potentially taking one team from the Big East, UConn. Barring some massive change (which of course is far from impossible in 13 years), they're not going to play the football vs. non-football game.
They dont have enough teams. They'd make more because of football. But that wouldn't change in a merger anyway. BE BBall schools never shared the football money. So it's irrelevant. We're talking about the basketball side here.
Well, decisions based on“the basketball side” are entirely meaningless, because the money is on “the football side”. Unless that changes no one is making any decisions based on “the basketball side”
Like what? Playing schools in their neighborhood instead of halfway across the country? The bigger paycheck? What are these sacrifices ND would make by jumping ship from a conference they've only been a part of for a decade? ND has a standing invitation to the B1G and much greener pastures and security unlike basically every other school in the country that's not already in the P2.
Kansas is going to make a lateral move to pay a $50MM exit fee? Um no.
Did you just word yourself?
I wouldn't say meaningless especially when no conference is completely solidified. The ACC finished 6th this year in RPI while the Mountain West finished 4th. Could be a blip or it could be a trend. The bottom of the ACC was anchored by L-Ville, ND, BCU, Cuse, while the Big East was carried by UConn, Marquette, Xavier, Creighton. Even the Big 12 folks like to pump up their basketball success and the Big 12 is considering basketball only additions. No one is competing with the B1G and SEC on the football side so the other conferences need to adjust, which the ACC is currently not doing. The ACC could run the risk of just being mediocre at everything and although it likely won't make any moves, it might be better off rethinking that position.
Exactly. Nobody but the Big East wants any program that doesn't play football. End of story. There's no value in it. Basketball fans are delusional about this. The old Big East hybrid is never happening again. Notre Dame is a unique situation and even they now come pretty close to playing a full slate of ACC football games.
What? KU would have zero interest in this. They are already in the top basketball league, playing local teams. They'd go to the B1G. That's it. I suppose they'd listen if the SEC called, but they won't.
Doesn't the Big12 have a Grant of Rights for 5 years? How can Kansas leave?
This makes no sense to me.
Do you understand that basketball only are worth at most only $.20 on the dollar what schools that play football? In your hypothetical, where the ACC “needs teams” it needs teams that play football. In your hypothetical, where the ACC “needs teams“ it needs teams that play football. Teams without football aren’t relevant in conference realignment because the driving force in realignment is earning broadcast rights dollars.
There will never be an ACC where 40% of the teams have left. The Big 12 comes up again before the ACC does. Let's see what happens, but Cinci, WVU and UConn to the ACC is viable. Then the Big XII can poach the mountain and AZ schools from the PAC, while the B1G gobbles up UW, Oregon, Stanford and Cal.
ND has a standing invite to the Big Ten only for all sports. If ND football joins the Big Ten, they become largely a second tier football program, under OSU and Michigan, in most years.
If the ACC is raided the conference can still continue. Look what happened to the Old Big East after the name was taken over by the New Big East. Even if the ACC loses half their teams, UConn, Army, Navy, Tulane, Georgetown, SMU, and other teams could still join,
Their carve out is quickly approaching zero value, and the people that make the decisions know it. They will hang on to their "independence" in football for as long as they can, but it's nothing more than a charade at this point given how they are contractually obligated to play ACC teams. Right now any team not named Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson are second tier football programs, so ND would not be alone.
The B10 will still be very happy to take them.
Yeah and they know it. They are in the best position with respect to conference realignment. Lucky them.
The B1G12 has always wanted Virginia and UNC. It's been a long running thing for them. They even wanted Georgia Tech and Duke. I'm not sure what happens to little brothers NC State and VT in such a situation, but I'm projecting they get left behind. FSU, Miami, Clemson, 2 of these will join the SEC.