OT: Bleacher Report - ACC schools exploring breakup

[buddy]

Which is why I never understood why UConn seemed so intent on hitching their wagon to NYC. That market, from a TV perspective is already covered by Rutgers. The Boston MSA (which is way closer geographically to UConn than NYC anyways) is the 10th largest TV market in the country and I don't believe is in the B1G footprint.

UConn missed a huge brand pivot opportunity after the first round of conference realignments in 2010 to "claim" the New England sports market and make them an attractive add for the B1G (which I'm sure also has a good alumni base in Boston). It's too late to make that pivot now, probably...

Some BC proponents think they will bring the Boston market to the B1G

 

[McLovin]

For the sake of argument, let's discuss this on the premise that nine votes for dissolution would be sufficient.

If you remember the gyrations the member schools went through when we first reconstituted the BE in 2004 (eight non-football members, eight football members), it was because a group of schools cannot join together, call themselves a conference and have the NCAA accept them as a conference. This was setup so that after eight years (I believe the agreement the schools signed when we added UL, UC, USF, DePaul and Marquette was aligned with NCAA recognition rules) the two factions could leave (we can get into the details later) the member schools could continue as separate valid conferences.

If any school votes for dissolution of the ACC, they would have to know that they have a home in an existing conference. The schools that voted to not dissolve would potentially have a claim for damages against the schools that left and the conferences that took them in. This wouldn't be the BE claiming the ACC was trying to destroy the conference, it would be schools that got left out in the cold (and lost tens of millions in annual revenues) bringing a suit because they did destroy a conference.

I think having a landing spot is what is preventing it from happening. Neither the SEC nor B1G wants to dilute their payouts (smart) and will require their media partners to kick in more money for any school they add during their current deals.

And realistically, if the B1G reports of seeking an additional $200 million to add Oregon and Washington was true, then they will require a TON of cash to bring in 9 (or 7) new members...

 

[Palatine]

Take Clemson, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia and Virginia Tech out of the ACC.

So we can imagine a small but mighty basketball/football conference of

UConn,
West Virginia ( after the B12 break up)
BC,
Syracuse,
Pittsburg,
L'ville,

You need two more, (at least) the candidates would be from among...

Georgia Tech,
Duke,
Temple,
Nova (if they add football which they have tinkered with for a long time),
Notre Dame (maybe as a non-football member only. And if they guarantee to schedule a few football games each year.

This covers most of the large cities on the East Coast. That gives it a little negotiating leverage.

 

[CL82]

Which is why I never understood why UConn seemed so intent on hitching their wagon to NYC. That market, from a TV perspective is already covered by Rutgers. The Boston MSA (which is way closer geographically to UConn than NYC anyways) is the 10th largest TV market in the country and I don't believe is in the B1G footprint.

UConn missed a huge brand pivot opportunity after the first round of conference realignments in 2010 to "claim" the New England sports market and make them an attractive add for the B1G (which I'm sure also has a good alumni base in Boston). It's too late to make that pivot now, probably...

Well, part of our New York brand is the way Connecticut turns out in Madison Square Garden games, which for those of us who have been there, is impressive. Keep in mind though that the fact that Rutgers secured those first tier rates for the Big Ten doesn't mean that we cannot secure them for another conference.

 

[bendm]

I have zero interest in a league of GA Tech, VTech, Cuse, Duke, Wake, and BC. At that point the best option for both the BE and ACC would be to merge together, and force them to ditch the basketball tourney in Greensboro in favor of the BET at MSG

the concept of a coastal league split between football and bball only schools sounds awfully familiar

 

[bendm]

It’s not beatable short of dissolving the conference,

if half the teams leave that's exactly what would happen isnt it

 

[Inyatkin]

Doesn't matter where in Connecticut the university is, the state as a whole is much more closely aligned with NYC than Boston. The rest of New England hardly considers Connecticut to be one of them. We're tri-state area all the way.

 

[McLovin]

Well, part of our New York brand is the way Connecticut turns out in Madison Square Garden games, which for those of us who have been there, is impressive. Keep in mind though that the fact that Rutgers secured those first tier rates for the Big Ten doesn't mean that we cannot secure them for another conference.

No doubt we show out at MSG, it’s awesome. But I think we’d own the TD Garden if we played any Big East (or really any team, including BC) there. We have tons of alumni in Boston, just surprised they never thought it’d be good to stake a claim to that city / the rest of New England.

You’re right we can bring the NYC metro market to another conference (Big12), but IMO the only 2 conferences that matter getting into in the long-term are the B1G and SEC. And I don’t see the SEC using UConn as a way to get into NYC. Then again, I’d love to be wrong about that.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The last time we did something like this with Gonzaga the return game was at TD (I think it was still called Fleet then). Our turnout was quite disappointing.

 

[bendm]

( after the B12 break up)

why is the big12 breaking up? no one wants the programs that are left in it. if anything they are going to add some more pac schools that dont get invited to the BIG.

 

[CL82]

No doubt we show out at MSG, it’s awesome. But I think we’d own the TD Garden if we played any Big East (or really any team, including BC) there. We have tons of alumni in Boston, just surprised they never thought it’d be good to stake a claim to that city / the rest of New England.

You’re right we can bring the NYC metro market to another conference (Big12), but IMO the only 2 conferences that matter getting into in the long-term are the B1G and SEC. And I don’t see the SEC using UConn as a way to get into NYC. Then again, I’d love to be wrong about that.

It's pretty unlikely we are going to make the big two. Our best case scenario seems to be one level below that and are most likely scenario seems to be two levels below that in an ACC leftover conference.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It's pretty unlikely we are going to make the big two. Our best case scenario seems to be one level below that and are most likely scenario seems to be two levels below that in an ACC leftover conference.

This may be true but our goal should be to be an institution that on all levels would fit nicely with the top schools in the B1G. Worst case scenario (if we don't get the invitation) is we'll still be an institution that on all levels would fit nicely with the top schools in the B1G.

 

[Scrutiner]

Conference realignment should make everyone queasy. We all want the old Big East back, but that's never happening. What we have now is the closest we'll ever get.

But that's supposedly not sustainable financially. So we'll take whatever offer we get, and end up in some leftover ACC, or if we're lucky in the Big 12, where we can once again have conference games against UCF.

Fun stuff.

Couldn't resist..........

 

[Scrutiner]

The fact the B1G couldn't get another $200 M for two more Pac12 schools (if true) and ESPN reportedly sinking under the weight of all the overpriced deals they signed in the past ten years may say all we need to know about additional realignment.
From where is the money coming?

The B1G schools are now accustomed to their annual payouts so does anyone really believe they would vote to add more schools if those already in the conference have to take a revenue cut?

It sure would be interesting to know what DB is, or could be, doing to get ready for an opportunity. Do you look weak if you are perceived to be chasing one of the potential landing spots or do you just look aggressive and ready to compete?

I guess this is what "interesting times" look like for an AD.

 

[McLovin]

It's pretty unlikely we are going to make the big two. Our best case scenario seems to be one level below that and are most likely scenario seems to be two levels below that in an ACC leftover conference.

Most likely, you are correct. SEC never happens so B1G is our only shot.

Honestly, from a football perspective, I could care less if we are “big 2” or the level below with the majority of the current FBS programs.

My main concern with getting “big 2” status is because those programs, either directly or indirectly, are going to get massive say in the CBB landscape / tournament. And I want us to have a seat at that table…

 

[NJHusky]

No, as has been discussed ad nauseam, they took them because it allowed them to get first tier pricing into huge population areas. And it was exactly the right move.

Exactly….but this falls apart if channel choice ever becomes an option on streamin/cable packages. They would loose 90% of their NJ revenue imo

 

[CL82]

This may be true but our goal should be to be an institution that on all levels would fit nicely with the top schools in the B1G. Worst case scenario (if we don't get the invitation) is we'll still be an institution that on all levels would fit nicely with the top schools in the B1G.

I'm sure that is our goal, in fact, there is collateral evidence that we are actively working toward it.

 

[UConnJim]

ou can dissolve the conferenceThe realignment click bait stretch of the offseason is apparently under way among college athletics writers.

The GOR has been looked at 100 times by very fancy lawyers. Even assuming 50% of those lawyers are overpaid idiots (a safe assumption when it comes to lawyers), that means the other 50% aren’t, and they still have not found a way to beat the GOR. It’s not beatable short of dissolving the conference, no matter how many times Clemson’s athletic department leaks to the media that they are looking into it.

I agree about looking at the GORs as they are hard to break. That said, I think the schools are now looking at a new strategy: dissolving the conference instead of challenging the GORs. I guess if you can get enough schools involved, you can dissolve the conference, but we don't know how many schools you would need. And, it's unclear if dissolving the conference would rid the schools of the obligation to fulfill the GORs with ESPN, their contract partner.

 

[Stinger92860]

Idk why the B1G would bother with Georgia Tech

Research

 

[Stinger92860]

I could be wrong, but I think they need 9 of 14 on board to dissolve the conference. So they only need 2 other defectors who think their situation could be better...

I don‘t know if 8 or 9 is required but there are 7 now, if your are one of the 7 remaining do you sit and watch, lol. Me, I am calling all 7 looking to leave.

 

[giddyup]

The B1G chasing south is fool’s gold. Just dilutes their counter positioning to the SEC. Going to be North vs South powerhouse conf. that keep things interesting.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The B1G chasing south is fool’s gold. Just dilutes their counter positioning to the SEC. Going to be North vs South powerhouse conf. that keep things interesting.

The B1G just wants exposure in the biggest TV markets they can get their hands on. That's it. If they can grab a top research university while doing so, that's just gravy on top. When you view it through that lens, their recent history with respect to realignment makes a lot of sense.

 

[Rufus]

The top 3 states for football recruiting are Texas, Florida and Georgia. The B1G could get representatives from the ACC in Florida (Florida State, Miami) and Georgia (Georgia Tech). Plus the major media markets in those two states.

 

[Rufus]

Just to make sure I understand-

The B1G expanded and made a crap ton of money.

The SEC expanded and made a crap ton of money.

The ACC expanded and now most of the ACC schools want to break away from most of the teams they added.

One of these things is not like the others.

 

[UCTitleTown]

UNC IS THE ACC. If they leave, the ACC might as well close up shop.