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Message: [QUOTE="dwalks93, post: 1588643, member: 5598"] Billybud, I am amused you think all the comments on the BY about the ACC are purely spite driven. While there is certainly some hard feelings by UConn fans toward the ACC that does not mean the analysis of the ACC's future is invalid. Bottom line: the ACC did not recognize the financial future of P5 was tied to networks and thus did not expand appropriately. Networks changed the value of teams. For a network, flagship state schools are the key components. You are not marketing to a national audience like on ESPN but instead toward a targeted regional demographic who will pay to see their team. A network requires a school to sell the entire state and small private schools cannot produce the subscriber numbers like big flagships schools. For example, I have family in WV and when I visit there every single person I see is wearing WVU apparel. Most of those people never attended WVU or probably can even read but they cheer for their state school and will pay to see them. To WV residents WVU is WV and every kid in the state growing up cheering for the Mountaineers. One can argue Syracuse, Pittsburgh, BC, and Louisville are athletically superior to West Virginia, Rutgers, Maryland and UConn (actually, probably not but lets assume so arguendo) but there is no question which choice is better for a network. The ACC squandered all the above programs and thus doomed itself to non-network status. That assessment is not said in spite, it is based in reality. The ACC has sold its future to direct sales to media providers. If the ACC is selling its games to ESPN for nationwide distribution then perhaps Louisville-FSU sells better than FSU-UConn in football. But ESPN will never pay the revenue a network can. If you doubt this statement look at the last earning statement from the BIG/SEC. The network conferences are separating themselves...the B12 understands this, I am not sure why the ACC has not reached this conclusion? The ACC needs 2 things to happen: 1. The B12 not to acquire a network. B12 instability helps the ACC. If the Big12 gets a network and the ACC is the only conference left behind, stand by for defections. 2. The market to change. Maybe the unplugging phenomena will eventually make a network less profitable? Maybe direct internet sales will change how programs can make money? Point is the ACC does not have the teams to support a network and unless the current environment changes the money gap is only going to get larger. In the current environment the ACC's future is very clouded. The B12 may be UConn's life line and we all want it. But regardless of what happens with the B12 the above evaluation of the ACC will not change. ...."and that's all she wrote..." [/QUOTE]

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