Maryland to Big10 Getting Some Legs

[brasssbonanzaa]

I simply can't buy these rumors. Compton might be more of a Big 10 town than Piscataway, NJ

Buy them. Katz and company don't tweet things that are hypothesis. Could it break down? Sure. But it would be because of an 11th hour change, not because it's a non-story. These reports are real.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I... don't know? I'll admit my perceptions might be tilted by research reputation, rather than undergrad admissions, etc in this case.

There is no basis on which NC State academics can be anywhere near Duke, and not really near UNC either.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

What if MD declines? Their regents are supposedly divided and will have a meeting on Monday. Does the B1G then go for RU and UConn? Or does the ACC make a countermove for RU?

Well, this whole thing is so unbelievable that projecting past statements or actions to future expansion decisions is not likely to be particularly accurate. That said, I don't see the Big 10 starting this process unless Rutgers and Maryland had their bags packed already. Both are gone.

UConn would seem to be the only expansion candidate from an academic and market perspective. Louisville's football program is better this year, but actually over the time in the Big East, UConn and Louisville are pretty close in terms of wins and losses. Louisville is not nearly as attractive a market as Connecticut. Not even in the ball park. But then I never thought the Big 10 would be crazy enough to add Maryland and Rutgers.

Obviously, this is live or die time. Without Rutgers (and possibly Louisville to the Big 12), the Big East is now just the best programs from CUSA and the MWC, less TCU, Utah and BYU (the actual best programs from the MWC and CUSA). That league will get 5-8MM a year for all sports if it is lucky, and there is a very high likelihood that the Hoops schools walk if Rutgers and anyone else leaves.

UConn MUST get in the ACC.

 

[upstater]

What if MD declines? Their regents are supposedly divided and will have a meeting on Monday. Does the B1G then go for RU and UConn? Or does the ACC make a countermove for RU?

The Regents presumably have the health of the entire institution in mind, and given the losses ($$$) they would be batshit insane to turn down an extra $10 million per year (and that's at the low end of things, presumably they'll be making at least $13m more than what the ACC makes.

 

[junglehusky]

Obviously, this is live or die time. Without Rutgers (and possibly Louisville to the Big 12), the Big East is now just the best programs from CUSA and the MWC, less TCU, Utah and BYU (the actual best programs from the MWC and CUSA). That league will get 5-8MM a year for all sports if it is lucky, and there is a very high likelihood that the Hoops schools walk if Rutgers and anyone else leaves.

UConn MUST get in the ACC.

Are you suggesting UConn should #BegHarder? Who are you, and what have you done with nelsonmuntz???

 

[junglehusky]

Also, my recollection was that the hoops schools threatened to walk if UConn or Louisville left, so let's hope that Louisville doesn't leave until UConn's escape route is secured.

 

[TRest]

I fully expect the horde to have zero information about any developments until after a press conference is announced by Pres Herbst and Swofford. So time to start checking ACC country blogs and tweets.

 

[uconNYC]

I am also thinking that UL all this time has been angling for the B12, while UConn has been #BegHarder - ing for the ACC. So there are probably strong channels between UConn and the ACC which puts us in the drivers seat.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

What may give us a leg up is that the B1G is making a play at NYC with RU, adding us to the ACC gives them a player in that market, where a semi-member ND is all they have, and they just lost their main player in DC/Baltimore. UofL, while a better football program, brings little TV-wise.

 

[UConnDan97]

Well, the Big East exit provisions are different. The problem for those schools wasn't the cost, it was the waiting period. But I think the Big East had a mechanism where you could pay more to get out more quickly. So there was wiggle room.

But yeah, Maryland will definitely try. Those are decent arguments Maryland could make to try to get the ACC to give them a discount, sure.

I'd have to read what the conference charter says but presumably Maryland agreed to be bound by any 75% vote to raise the exit fee. There's the meeting of the minds. Of course reasonableness is read into contracts, so there's an argument that $50M is just too high. But I don't think you'd ever see a judge invalidate the whole increase. It's a little harder to claim duress when you're a gigantic academic institution instead of some poor schmuck. And considering the fact that Maryland is exiting the ACC in order to make a whole lot more money, they're in a tough position to cry poverty.

You seem to know quite a bit about contract law for a non-lawyer.

I know so much about contract law that I spelled duress "diress".... Plus, what I thought I knew about contract law and what happens with many of the NCAA rulings seems to be a direct contradiction, so lately I don't even try to understand. I guess that's why some schools have started to involve US Senators and such...

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Some on twitter are positing an interesting idea, after MD and RU, the ACC makes a play for UConn, UL, and Kentucky.

 

[ASweet3781]

Some on twitter are positing an interesting idea, after MD and RU, the ACC makes a play for UConn, UL, and Kentucky.

That idea, on surface, makes no sense.

 

[Silk City]

Rumors or no rumors, I'm just glad #BegHarder has become a relevant expression again

 

[UConnDan97]

Some on twitter are positing an interesting idea, after MD and RU, the ACC makes a play for UConn, UL, and Kentucky.

I can't even imagine a scenario where Kentucky leaves the comfort of the SEC for the ACC, but if this ever happened, that would be the greatest basketball conference in the history of the NCAA (even greater than the Big East at its height, which is really saying something)...

 

[nomar]

Nobody has ever left the SEC.

 

[uconNYC]

I can't even imagine a scenario where Kentucky leaves the comfort of the SEC for the ACC, but if this ever happened, that would be the greatest basketball conference in the history of the NCAA (even greater than the Big East at its height, which is really saying something)...

What the hell - invite Kansas too! They would probably accept - seriously.

 

[junglehusky]

Maybe the basketball nirvana happens after FSU and clemson leave too. Might as well add Kansas then. And as long as we're throwing crap at the wall, Indiana.

 

[whaler11]

What may give us a leg up is that the B1G is making a play at NYC with RU, adding us to the ACC gives them a player in that market, where a semi-member ND is all they have, and they just lost their main player in DC/Baltimore. UofL, while a better football program, brings little TV-wise.

While Louisville isn't big - it was the highest rated market for college basketball ratings last year. And has been at or near the top for the last decade.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I'm certainly not saying it's a possibility, but if a school were to willfully leave the SEC itd be UKY because they're a bball first school and undoubtedly would rather be in a basketball conference with these powerhouses than stuck playing Texas A&M, Mississippi, Miss St, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina every year.

 

[whaler11]

I'm certainly not saying it's a possibility, but if a school were to willfully leave the SEC itd be UKY because they're a bball first school and undoubtedly would rather be in a basketball conference with these powerhouses than stuck playing Texas A&M, Mississippi, Miss St, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina every year.

While that is true - it doesn't do their basketball program any good to join a conference where schools care about basketball. It only makes it more difficult to dominate, get a one seed and play as close to home as possible in the tournament. All while giving up millions of dollars.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

While Louisville isn't big - it was the highest rated market for college basketball ratings last year. And has been at or near the top for the last decade.

The problem is, a high rating in Louisville is only a percentage of people who watched that live in Louisville, so it's based on total population. The NYC DMA dwarfs Louisville, so comparing ratings per city is not an even comparison by any means.

 

[whaler11]

The problem is, a high rating in Louisville is only a percentage of people who watched that live in Louisville, so it's based on total population. The NYC DMA dwarfs Louisville, so comparing ratings per city is not an even comparison by any means.

Yes, I know how it works - but 6% of something is better than 0% of something huge.

I don't see how Louisville doesn't end up in the Big 12 - but I've been waiting for that shoe to drop for months.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Yes, I know how it works - but 6% of something is better than 0% of something huge.

I don't see how Louisville doesn't end up in the Big 12 - but I've been waiting for that shoe to drop for months.

2% of the NYC DMA is 50% of the population of the city of Louisville.

 

[whaler11]

2% of the NYC DMA is 50% of the population of the city of Louisville.

What does NYC have to do with anything though? Is the University of New York City making a conference change? If someone could drive NYC ratings they would have already had their check written.

 

[Adios]

Nobody has ever left the SEC.

Incorrect. Georgia Tech, Tulane, and Sewanee all left.