The upside of ND to the ACC

[CL82]

1) The same forces that killed the Big East have just gotten a foothold in the ACC. Let Swofford take a turn at having to deal with this manipulative partner.

2) With a $50 million buyout the ACC is kind of locked down. If someone wants to expand we’ve become option 1, 2 or 3.

3) The basketball schools just lost any leverage they had left.

4) IF the Irish give up their independence, and IF they stay in the ACC, we’re likely to be given a shot to even out the football schedule.

5) With ND out of the picture (theoretically), UConn, Rutgers move up an notch as potential Big 10 candidates.

That’s all I’ve got. I admit it’s speculative (some might say wishful), at best. Anyone got anything better?

 

[Pudge]

Watch the ACC closely in the next days. BC left the BE right about this point where the Exit Fee is being raised. Voice Vote ... followed by execution of documents. I'm not sure the $50m is easily litigated until they are signed.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

Notre Dame will not be able to remain an independent forever. We just need to continue to grow our program, university, and fans to the point that when Notre Dame eventually joins a conference "all-in" we are the no-brain choice as the next team in. There is no doubt in my mind that Notre Dame will be in a conference in my lifetime....I just don't know if that will be in 5 years, 15 years, or 30 years.

 

[The Funster]

Notre Dame will not be able to remain an independent forever. We just need to continue to grow our program, university, and fans to the point that when Notre Dame eventually joins a conference "all-in" we are the no-brain choice as the next team in. There is no doubt in my mind that Notre Dame will be in a conference in my lifetime....I just don't know if that will be in 5 years, 15 years, or 30 years.

I think there is a segment of ND that knows that conference affiliation for all sports is inevitable. The move to the ACC is just the 1st step. When the NBC contrcat is up ND will say, "Hey, we're in the ACC for all other sports and play 5 games of ACC football. Effectively, we're in the ACC so let's just take that last little step." And then all the old guard who wanted to stay independent will go along with it.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Watch the ACC closely in the next days. BC left the BE right about this point where the Exit Fee is being raised. Voice Vote ... followed by execution of documents. I'm not sure the $50m is easily litigated until they are signed.

History does tend to repeat itself.

 

[baggerbob]

Except there is no where for anyone to go, Big 12 is not expanding with Florida St despite all the mountaineer nonsense. ESPN has the deciding vote on expansion, no more money and LHN, texas runs the conference and ESPN runs the LHN.

 

[UCFBfan]

I think there is a segment of ND that knows that conference affiliation for all sports is inevitable. The move to the ACC is just the 1st step. When the NBC contrcat is up ND will say, "Hey, we're in the ACC for all other sports and play 5 games of ACC football. Effectively, we're in the ACC so let's just take that last little step." And then all the old guard who wanted to stay independent will go along with it.

I'll take it a step further. By 2015, when the NBC deal is up, we will be 2 years into the new "Playoff system". ND will have a better idea of what is needed and looked at by the selection committee and make a decision on whether to go all in with the ACC or remain independent. If anything, ND put themselves in the best place they could be in in terms of securing a spot in a conference in case it needs it for the new selection committee. I still don't know why they'd go to the ACC instead of the B1G but that's their call. To me, the B1G has way more money to offer, but then again, they probably know that they won't be able to dominate that league as easily as they will be able to dominate the ACC.