Rumor- UCONN Pursuing ACC Membership?

[Ldandy]

FSU to the Big Ten is crazy, it would never happen. It’s more likely that the PAC 12 invites Guam, Saskatchewan or Cabo San Lucas. As I said in a prior post, strength in football can be fleeting

It's not crazy at all. FSU as a university has improved in leaps and bounds and would love to have an association with The B1G. Throw in a piece of the conference's insane media deal and I believe they would be all in. The conference on the other end would love to plant a flag in one of the fastest growing states in America. Florida is home to a large number of alumni that would love to see their teams in state. The B1G can still leverage cable companies for instate fees on BTN, which would be no small sum in a large state like Florida. This is all before you consider the recruiting implications of both student athletes and students to the rest of the conference from having a member in the south.

 

[CL82]

For what it’s worth FSU is not an AAU university, but is a Carnegie R1 University. Both those things are true about UConn as well.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

It's not crazy at all. FSU as a university has improved in leaps and bounds and would love to have an association with The B1G. Throw in a piece of the conference's insane media deal and I believe they would be all in. The conference on the other end would love to plant a flag in one of the fastest growing states in America. Florida is home to a large number of alumni that would love to see their teams in state. The B1G can still leverage cable companies for instate fees on BTN, which would be no small sum in a large state like Florida. This is all before you consider the recruiting implications of both student athletes and students to the rest of the conference from having a member in the south.

It’s crazy, takes a lot out of the coaching staff, not mention the student athletes and not just in football but all varsity sports. They’ll need a fleet of buses, not to mention two or three or four 747’s. Any AD who signs on to this is out of his mind. It’s nuts, flying all the way to Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Ohio, Ann Arbor, Nebraska, New Jersey.

 

[Ldandy]

For what it’s worth FSU is not an AAU university, but is a Carnegie R1 University. Both those things are true about UConn as well.

AAU is a strong preference not a requirement. If it was then ND would not be a candidate. FSU and Uconn are strong enough academically to be considered peer schools in The B1G without AAU Membership.

 

[Rufus]

Michigan State was not in the AAU at the time they were admitted to the B1G. That came later.

 

[Skies2018]

Florida State, Clemson unhappy with ACC: Financial hurdles face conference powers potentially leaving

Don't expect FSU and Clemson to add to conference realignment unless they clear some financial hurdles

www.cbssports.com

For all those saying it was Clemson and FSU who vetoed UConn…

 

[uconndogs]

I think the conventional views of conference alignment - region, academics, culture are largely irrelevant and will be even more so in the future. This is all about big markets driving big media revenue. Nothing else will really matter. The SEC and BiG are way out front on this and it's hard to see how anybody catches them. Texas to the SEC was a shot across the bow. USC/UCLA to the BiG was the declaration. Given the money involved I think it will be fascinating to see what these conferences do with smaller market programs. How does a Miss. State or even an Indiana fair when all this gets restructured and negotiated?

I know I sound like a broken record, but thinking of this in the conventional sense of college athletics is misguided. These programs will be professional sports franchises. All business. It will have literally nothing to do with academics other than the name of the "sponsoring" university across the jersey.

 

[ScottVib]

Everyone keeps talking about well as long as the ACC is kept whole there are no damages and FSU would be able to escape….

What incentive is there for ESPN, still owned by Disney, in an era where they are being told to hold down costs (and have indicated the need for $5.5B in savings across the business) to take the ACC’s most valued property(ies); send them to the SEC; increase the amount they pay the two properties to keep them on par with the rest of the SEC AND then pay the same amount for an ACC stripped of its most valuable assets?


Even if you felt the SEC games were marketable enough to at least make increases there a wash (and let’s face it, you don’t make this move to break even). How do you come out even in value on the ACC property? You can’t really add enough compelling inventory to recoup those losses.

Furthermore, there are only so many time-slots for SEC games so it’s not like the FSU content is earning you 100% value. So that FSU-UGA game is very compelling, but the actual profit to adding FSU there is the difference between that matchup and the Texas A&M (trying intentionally to pick the mid-tier) - UGA you would’ve otherwise aired in that slot.

There just isn’t a rational business reason for ESPN to enable that move unless you think the net new games not only make enough additional money to cover the additions, but also enough to cover the reduced value of the ACC content plus some additional profit that they don’t already have. I’m extraordinarily skeptical that, that exists.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I think the conventional views of conference alignment - region, academics, culture are largely irrelevant and will be even more so in the future. This is all about big markets driving big media revenue. Nothing else will really matter. The SEC and BiG are way out front on this and it's hard to see how anybody catches them. Texas to the SEC was a shot across the bow. USC/UCLA to the BiG was the declaration. Given the money involved I think it will be fascinating to see what these conferences do with smaller market programs. How does a Miss. State or even an Indiana fair when all this gets restructured and negotiated?

I know I sound like a broken record, but thinking of this in the conventional sense of college athletics is misguided. These programs will be professional sports franchises. All business. It will have literally nothing to do with academics other than the name of the "sponsoring" university across the jersey.

First of all won't the SEC and B1G be diluting themselves with smaller payouts by adding 2 or 3 schools each? If the B1G paid out $48 million to each school and the ACC paid out $36 million, is $12 million more than the ACC going to make that big a difference in success on the field, according to what FSU’s AD said? I think they’re just being plain greedy.

 

[The Viking]

I don’t think the ACC will lose teams at the moment due to the GOR thru 2036, but when the B1Gs next TV deal is up in 2030?

That’s a good halfway point between now and 2036. Exit costs that sound massive now could be a lot more palatable.

 

[Ldandy]

It’s crazy, takes a lot out of the coaching staff, not mention the student athletes and not just in football but all varsity sports. They’ll need a fleet of buses, not to mention two or three or four 747’s. Any AD who signs on to this is out of his mind. It’s nuts, flying all the way to Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Ohio, Ann Arbor, Nebraska, New Jersey.

After 2024 Big 10 Member Schools stand to make 90+ million dollars each. The Big East will be aiming to make one tenth of that in their next deal. Despite this insane dollar differential, it hasn't stopped UConn from signing on to travel to places like Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois. AD Dave must be completely out of his mind...

 

[CONN78SEJ]

After 2024 Big 10 Member Schools stand to make 90+ million dollars each. The Big East will be aiming to make one tenth of that in their next deal. Despite this insane dollar differential, it hasn't stopped UConn from signing on to travel to places like Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois. AD Dave must be completely out of his mind...

I guess you were not privy to the main reason why UConn left the American Conference at Benedict’s and some head coaches urging.

 

[uconndogs]

First of all won't the SEC and B1G be diluting themselves with smaller payouts by adding 2 or 3 schools each? If the B1G paid out $48 million to each school and the ACC paid out $36 million, is $12 million more than the ACC going to make that big a difference in success on the field, according to what FSU’s AD said? I think they’re just being plain greedy.

I don't think so. The BiG and SEC are locking up the largest markets in anticipation of future media deals. The money will only increase from this point. No conference will do anything that they believe to be dilutive to the current membership base and that is especially true for the BiG and SEC who have their pick.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I don't think so. The BiG and SEC are locking up the largest markets in anticipation of future media deals. The money will only increase from this point. No conference will do anything that they believe to be dilutive to the current membership base and that is especially true for the BiG and SEC who have their pick.

When an AD goes crying to the University president and the BOT’s, that B1G teams got an annual distribution that was $12 million more than my $36 million and I can’t give you a competitive team when the distribution is only $36 million, if I’m sitting on the board my first impression would be to give him his walking papers and hire UConn’s AD.

 

[uconndogs]

When an AD goes crying to the University president and the BOT’s, that B1G teams got an annual distribution that was $12 million more than my $36 million and I can’t give you a competitive team when the distribution is only $36 million, if I’m sitting on the board my first impression would be to give him his walking papers and hire UConn’s AD.

I thought we were talking about the value of expansion for the BiG and SEC???????

 

[businesslawyer]

Frank has a decent multi-post thread on the GOR topic:

Well, on this he’s right as this is what I’ve said all along. Is a GOR in this context specifically enforceable? Meaning that the ACC and ESPN could keep showing FSU homes games if it leaves for the Big Ten? Maybe, and maybe not. The existence of the GOR severely ratchets up the risk to an FSU of leaving. But, if it leaves, the ACC is far from certain it can keep showing the games (although it should be able to obtain damages for the loss of the games).

 

[CL82]

Well, on this he’s right as this is what I’ve said all along. Is a GOR in this context specifically enforceable? Meaning that the ACC and ESPN could keep showing FSU homes games if it leaves for the Big Ten? Maybe, and maybe not. The existence of the GOR severely ratchets up the risk to an FSU of leaving. But, if it leaves, the ACC is far from certain it can keep showing the games (although it should be able to obtain damages for the loss of the games).

As FTT notes uncertainty as part of the strength of GOR’s. Where people know the outcome, they can weigh the economic cost of their decisions, but grants of rights, as they apply to conferences are relatively untested. People can take litigation positions on it, but the outcome is far from certain. As you point out, in all likelihood, it will result in either the conference, continuing the on the broadcast rights, or the school, paying a very, very big number to get them back either one isn’t going to be good for the breaching team.

Keep in mind, though, that if the grant of rights remains in place, that doesn’t compel ACC/ESPN to actually broadcast FSU games. They could just leave the games untelevised. Yes, that leaves a lot of money on the table, but it’s also one heck of a disincentive to other teams.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

It’s crazy, takes a lot out of the coaching staff, not mention the student athletes and not just in football but all varsity sports. They’ll need a fleet of buses, not to mention two or three or four 747’s. Any AD who signs on to this is out of his mind. It’s nuts, flying all the way to Minneapolis, Wisconsin, Ohio, Ann Arbor, Nebraska, New Jersey.

USC and UCLA are in the B1G fyi. It is not far fetched at all for B1G to add Florida State.

 

[uconndogs]

Well, on this he’s right as this is what I’ve said all along. Is a GOR in this context specifically enforceable? Meaning that the ACC and ESPN could keep showing FSU homes games if it leaves for the Big Ten? Maybe, and maybe not. The existence of the GOR severely ratchets up the risk to an FSU of leaving. But, if it leaves, the ACC is far from certain it can keep showing the games (although it should be able to obtain damages for the loss of the games).

Given that explanation I could certainly see where the BiG and SEC simply have no interest to get in the middle of something like that. The SEC already has UofF and might easily say to themselves that they can wait the 13 years before locking up the Florida market. FSU is in a tough spot and I'm sure their BOT and boosters are besides themselves watching on the sidelines as the BiG and SEC take control.

My sense is that the BiG and SEC have a wink and a nod to stay north and south, respectively.

 

[UCFBfan]

Given that explanation I could certainly see where the BiG and SEC simply have no interest to get in the middle of something like that. The SEC already has UofF and might easily say to themselves that they can wait the 13 years before locking up the Florida market. FSU is in a tough spot and I'm sure their BOT and boosters are besides themselves watching on the sidelines as the BiG and SEC take control.

My sense is that the BiG and SEC have a wink and a nod to stay north and south, respectively.

I think this is why the West is where the expansion for the B1G will eventually happen if it does. (I'm not convinced they do expand west anytime soon) That and maybe Virginia and/or UNC. The B1G has no need or desire to go south and the SEC has no desire to go north. I think you're right in that FSU and Clemson are screwed in many ways. There is just no incentive for the SEC to get in the middle of that legal mess and add either school. There's no way the B1G has interest.

 

[Luna]

Last week’s tv ratings again proved the value of uconn and villanova …Saturdays games… 12 pm cbs uconn vs st johns 913,000….12 pm fox creighton vs villanova 730,000…then you got providence vs Georgetown on Sunday at 12 pm on fox 422,000….providence should never be on fox… they should only be on fs1… that is just awful for prime time tv…

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Maybe FSU (and Clemson) rightly or wrongly think they'd only be on the hook for their ACC GOR value (i.e. 30 or 40m) versus what they'd be getting from their new conference (i.e. 60-90m)?

 

[uconndogs]

It would seem to make sense that the BiG would want to be in the Bay Area and in Washington/Seattle. Big and affluent markets. Not sure why that didn't happen this round other than maybe they didn't want to obliterate the PAC all at once.

I agree that UNC and Virginia make a lot of sense for the BiG or even the SEC for that matter. But, like FSU, they are mired in the ACC.

 

[ZooCougar]

I could give a crap about the Big 12 or the PAC 12. I think the door is open right now for UConn to get an invite to the ACC in all sports. If Hurley’s boys go all the way this year, and they could, the ACC will be calling at some point. The UConn women are also very attractive to the ACC, not to mention Jim Mora and his football team. Don’t you think the ACC commish and the rest of the conference is looking for ways to prop up Boston College and Syracuse athletics?

There is no door open for us.

Until this uneven revenue distribution is settled there will be zero appetite to add anyone and further dilute what is already a worst in class media deal.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

It would seem to make sense that the BiG would want to be in the Bay Area and in Washington/Seattle. Big and affluent markets. Not sure why that didn't happen this round other than maybe they didn't want to obliterate the PAC all at once.

I agree that UNC and Virginia make a lot of sense for the BiG or even the SEC for that matter. But, like FSU, they are mired in the ACC.

FSU yes, but Virginia and UNC don’t exactly excite me as football behemoth’s. Historically speaking I mean. If you’re talking basketball then yes, UNC and Virginia have a history.