ACC Big East merger

[80shusky]

I might think this was ok if they dumped BC, Syracuse and the west coast schools they just added.

 

[John]

This might be a fun intelectual excercise, but I find it hard to believe the ACC and BE would ever merge.

This is all about many fewer programs capturing more of the pie (maybe the whole pie). The NCAA tournament is big coin, so it's only logical to go after that, especially when the payroll to attract and retain talent is going through the roof.

From my standpoint this bifurcates into big monied college sports which will probably be most of the current P2 and some sellect programs from the Big12 and ACC. The balance of programs will be under a structure where costs can be more readily controlled, because they will not have the money to do otherwise.

It's my strong sense that UCONN's days at the highest echelons of college basketball are numbered. I'm sure many folks will think that is rediculous in that how could two of the best hoops programs be bypassed. But, if you can't attract and retain talent you simply cannot win consistently and that's especially true in hoops where it only takes a few bodies to turn the tide.

To repeat my broken record. This is full fledged professional athletics with unfettered free agency. It also lacks any guardrails and oversight like salary caps. Greed and ego will drive this, nothing more.........

the UConn South Orange branch won't like this take.

 

[Kolumbo]

I could see the ACC adding only UConn, St. John's, Villanova and Georgetown, locking up the Northeast corridor.

UConn, SJU, Nova, Georgetown would bring basketball to 22. Maybe add 2 more of PC, Marquette, Creighton, Xavier for 24.
UConn, Army and Navy would bring Football to 20. Do the service academies bring enough prestige to help the ACC? Or try to poach Big 12 programs which I think would be unlikely.

I know a merger won't happen but change will occur one way or another. The ACC could do something bold to survive and keep it a premier basketball conference, it could backfill for years and be G status, or it could completely implode. We're all waiting to see.

And when people say the ACC could have done something years ago, remember, it was still solidly the P5 up until just last year. There was no need. Then the PAC 12 imploded, the ACC panicked and grabbed 2 San Francisco "power" programs and a Dallas bag called SMU. Half of the ACC better be very worried that they are going to be left behind unless the conference does something drastic.

 

[uconndogs]

the UConn South Orange branch won't like this take.

Hey, I hope I'm dead wrong, but there seems to be a bit of writing on the wall that it's headed that way.

 

[uh-no]

The ACC has one great team, two above average teams, a couple of scrappy teams and then a giant heap of bad. I don’t know what it is with that conference, but it’s losing “life”. You can almost feel it. It almost feels like the fans of the league are becoming apathetic over the realignment saga and the inevitability of it conceding at some point, with this GOR hanging over its head. Lacks unity like old family anticipating divorce. For that reason, it needs to make a move that feels substantial and will get some buzz, as these desperation oddball moves with Cal/Stanford and SMU feel so forced it only contributes to the perception. It’s like inviting a couple distant cousins from Europe to Thanksgiving hoping the family stays together.

shat on in bowl games, shat on in the sec-acc challenge....still running commercials calling it the "premier basketball conference"

If only they spent that money investing in the league rather than running out of touch ads.

 

[uconnric]

Lengthy discussion on this topic on the Conference Realignment board.

 

[Methalius]

At the end of the day College Football will dictate if a school will get invited to a conference or not. That is where the real money is at and we all know money is what drives these decisions for Universities and Colleges....

 

[RuffRuff]

I don’t hate the idea but regardless, we need to do something to increase our bank roll. Things are only going to get worse and I don’t want to be left in purgatory again while we figure things out…

View attachment 106244

If you’re not the SEC or B10, only way to do it is get big enough to reach critical mass with enough relevant teams to keep you in the mix, but teams that make no sense for the P2. Or rebrand to some unique profile that you can market. This is what the B12 is trying to do on both ends and I applaud them for it. Meanwhile the ACC is just dying on the vine.

 

[RuffRuff]

shat on in bowl games, shat on in the sec-acc challenge....still running commercials calling it the "premier basketball conference"

If only they spent that money investing in the league rather than running out of touch ads.

Really feels like a collection of individual brands right now vs a collective, as you have a couple of FB schools that out distance the pack and want their own thing, and then 1-2 basketball schools that do the same, with one of them now pushing all their $$ into the football pot. It feels like no one is getting along or has the same goals as just a large group with many individual agendas wondering what's going to happen to them. They have a dusty unstable brand, and fans/recruits/donors can feel it.

 

[RedRabbit84]

I've not been bashful about the fact that I'm not a UConn fan, but I've been here because it's the best realignment board going IMO. I do try to be respectful though, cause it's y'all's house.

Anyhow, if you had told me two years ago UConn would ride basketball success into a power football conference, I would've laughed. Now? It seems pretty likely.

 

[bendm]

anyone else remember the theme song for the 2011 BE Tourney? "it's all just a little bit of history repeating..."

a conference of half football, half bball-only schools didnt work out for the BE last time. hopefully the second time around would be different.

 

[UConnSwag11]

The ACC merges with the Big East. The Big East keeps the name and sets the rules.

The ACC raided the Big East and has turned into a flaming pile of dog!!.

 

[Fishy]

I agree. With Cal/Stanford now I could also see Gonzaga being included in the BB-only invites

I think other dominos will fall before this has a chance to happen

Other dominos will learn to fly before this happens.

You guys realize that this is just two old basketball coaches throwing stuff against the wall, right? That it’s not something that is actually happening?

 

[Fishy]

I think you're on to something there. Notre Dame would sure enjoy being with fellow Catholic institutions.

Honestly, I think this has a chance of happening for the reasons I've stated and I think it would benefit both parties.

Laugh all you want, but don't be terribly shocked to see Kansas, WVU, Cincinnati, Utah, Arizona, and UConn with ACC logos on their football jerseys when the dust settles.

 

[Stinger92860]

At the end of the day College Football will dictate if a school will get invited to a conference or not. That is where the real money is at and we all know money is what drives these decisions for Universities and Colleges....

Once the basketball tournament is ripped away from the NCAA there is a lot of money in-play and it will go to the schools directly. Also, the idea of separate Football and Basketball contracts will also provide some level of increase Mainly on the basketball side.

 

[RuffRuff]

Other dominos will learn to fly before this happens.

You guys realize that this is just two old basketball coaches throwing stuff against the wall, right? That it’s not something that is actually happening?

Not a new idea, just bringing it back to the table. What other card does the ACC or Big East have? ACC brings in the UHawaii to tap the Island Market and Somoan recruiting hotbeds?

Neither is going to be relevant if they sit on their thumbs.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Other dominos will learn to fly before this happens.

You guys realize that this is just two old basketball coaches throwing stuff against the wall, right? That it’s not something that is actually happening?

If you think the show is already over and UConn has already lost, then why do you care? Does it make you upset that anyone else thinks there is at least a some percentage chance UConn makes it out of this?

Personally, I have been pretty impressed by UConn's ability to keep kicking the can down the road, hoping for a break, since 2003.

 

[CL82]

I've not been bashful about the fact that I'm not a UConn fan,

Appreciate that.

Who do you root for? Just curious.

 

[NEforceUConn]

........

Wait. That sounds just like the old BE model which blew up for obvious reasons.

At least that scumbag school ND won't be involved........oh wait.