I missed the part where the ACC has offered us anything and frankly don't care. All they can do now is screw up the deal we're working on with a more stable conference. And that's probably the goal. They had their chances and did nothing for us.
Well, if ESPN pays for UConn to move to the ACC, you have to think it increases the chances they renew the ACC's deal and incentivize the retention of some could-go, could-stay schools that fit well with UConn, like Syracuse, Pitt, BC (sucks, but it's true), and maybe Duke and Louisville. As long as you have that core or something close to it, I think we do okay there. Our fans will be engaged. (There's almost no way NC or Virginia will stay - too valuable options for the SEC and Big 10.)
It's also an identity move. Basketball was once the ACC brand which it diluted by chasing football schools. The addition of UConn would allow it to reassert that brand and arguably buttress it a bit from defections of schools like UNC and Virginia who have good basketball traditions. It would infuriate FSU and Clemson, but at this point, why would the rest of the ACC give two craps about what they think?
The ACC has had two decades for assertive action that would make all the sense in the world for them and they've done nothing but continue to weaken their brand.
They've taken a lot of assertive steps. The raid of the big east ended up killing it as a football league. Ironically, it also ended up killing those teams, which in turn diluted the ACC brand. Their West Coast plus SMU additions were assertive, dumb, but assertive.
That ain't happening. The ACC at best would give us the Cal/Stanford 10 mollion deal and add the rest of our pro rata share to appease FSU/Clemson.
I agree it's not happening, I just see some logic to it.
ACC is run by a bunch of arrogant es that simply don't see the big picture. The fact that they added SMU, Cal, and Stanford before UConn tells you all you need to know about them. Once we are in the B12, you will see Yormark running circles around them with everything.
From the looks of things, the B12 is also ran by a bunch of arrogant fools who can't see the big picture Yormak is pitching them.
it's really infuriating. he single handedly saved the conference from oblivion but now the big12 admins are right back up on their high horses being stubborn and acting like they know better than him. Yormark should be able to do whatever the hell he wants at least until the NEXT tv deal expires in 2040 or thereabouts.
There was a major shakeup at the top of ESPN very recently (announced over this past weekend). The new guy in charge is a Holy Cross (undergrad)/UMass (grad school) alum. I doubt it does much for us but a substantial part of the old guard that helped keep us out is gone.
Ehh, it's just business. That why ESPN screwed us in the past and that's why they're in our corner now.
Yep, it's crazy.
I'm sure Yormark is aware of the conference landscape and the potential of the ACC blowing up. That's not exactly a secret.
the key word in the sentence you quoted is "FIRST" as in: "I think Yourmak's end game is to get UConn first so it will be easier to create his Northwest Pod when they go to 24 teams when the ACC implodes."
In a lot of ways, taking Connecticut makes strategic sense for the big 12. It takes away a tool from the ACC to rebuild after the major programs leave and it may make the big 12 a more attractive destination for East Coast teams.