2023 ACC News & Discussion

[stech81]

VT has only been in the ACC since 2004. Why would the state legislature get involved?

because they did to get them in the ACC

 

[Techster]

VT has only been in the ACC since 2004. Why would the state legislature get involved?

They got involved with ACC expansion and pretty much made UVA vote for VT as member. You can read more about it here:

Virginia Tech's unique journey to the ACC :: WRALSportsFan.com

Retired Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer said recently that the day VT joined the ACC was one of the greatest days of his life. Strong stuff from one of the winningest coaches in the history of the game. And yet the union of Virginia Tech and the ACC almost didn't happen.

www.wralsportsfan.com

 

[BurdellJacket]

TV is the big factor for this.. and we are doing reasonable well, for a 3-9 team..

B12/ACC/PAC12 TV VIEWERSHIP

Several things wrong with that. UNC last in ACC, behind NCSU, Duke, Wake & BC? Don't believe it.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I think as long as VT is going to a P5 league, the legislature would not get involved. With the state of college football today, I don't think they'd do that anyway. The B1G is not going to invite VT (most likely); I'm not sure the Virginia Legislature would stand in the way of UVa going to the B1G. Different era than 2004.

 

[bobongo]

If the Big 10 wants to invite us to join their conference, they are going to care about having a presence in Atlanta, and not care about our performance. Otherwise, Rutgers would never have received an invite when they did.

Maybe, but Rutgers averaged over 49,000 attendance for football the year they joined the Big 10. Last year, Tech was at 34,000.
I have to think it makes some difference. Packing Grant Field will make us a more attractive target.
It's about attendance more than performance, but performance affects attendance.

 

[UgaBlows]

I think as long as VT is going to a P5 league, the legislature would not get involved. With the state of college football today, I don't think they'd do that anyway. The B1G is not going to invite VT (most likely); I'm not sure the Virginia Legislature would stand in the way of UVa going to the B1G. Different era than 2004.

As long as Uva and VT can play each other ooc then surely the State will stay out of this

 

[UgaBlows]

Maybe, but Rutgers averaged over 49,000 attendance for football the year they joined the Big 10. Last year, Tech was at 34,000.
I have to think it makes some difference. Packing Grant Field will make us a more attractive target.
It's about attendance more than performance, but performance affects attendance.

I wonder does attendance really have that much of an affect on the BIG’s consideration of us? I would bet they are more interested in TV numbers and also would bet that better matchups against BIG schools with huge alumni bases will bring more visiter fans and better tv ratings compared to your average ACC team aside from Clemson and FSU.

 

[roadkill]

Several things wrong with that. UNC last in ACC, behind NCSU, Duke, Wake & BC? Don't believe it.

Also Louisville at 2nd in the ACC over Clemson doesn't seem right. I'd be interested in seeing if anyone has this kind of TV ratings data from another source, as a cross-check.

 

[iceeater1969]

Duke is an interesting case. There was always an understanding that UNC wouldn't leave the ACC due to UNC, NC State, and Duke protecting each other. Much the same way UVA and VT are tied to each other politically. UNC has had a standing offer from the SEC for decades, and that was admitted to by UNC's former AD. UNC seems to be fine as the SEC is there waiting, but culturally and academically they fit the B1G better. However B1G does not value Duke or NC State at all.

This next conference expansion phase will mean being part of the Haves and Have Nots. When it was only $5-10 million a year payout per team difference between conferences like it was in the 90's and early 2000's, leaving conferences and igniting a political backlash wasn't worth it. However, the SEC and B1G will soon be taking in $100 million+ PER TEAM annually. That's a significant number and difference between the B1G and ACC payouts. Do you want your sports programs to play in the "big pond" or do you want to play in the "small pond"?

There are rumors that the next expansion will also decide the fate of the NCAA. B1G wants to be a "professional" sports organization that rivals pro sports...and the SEC will quickly follow. If you look at all the moves the B1G has made (expanding to the West Coast), rumored moves (getting into Southern markets), and new commissioner hiring (a veteran and mastermind of pro sports media) and all the ducks are falling into place for that to happen. B1G is patiently waiting for their ACC targets to figure out the Grant of Rights with the ACC.

When it comes to GT, I think we are in a good place...for now. IF we (and other ACC targets) can't figure out the GOR exit soon, GT's position with the B1G may look different in 2036 due to rapidly changing market sizes in the South. At that point, Atlanta (and GT) may not be the gem of the South. Also, there's rumblings that GT's fanbase will be our downfall. GT hits the some big marks with our market location, and elite academics, but our fanbase and attendance is near the bottom of P5.

Will the cheap tech alumni keep demanding a long term winning team before starting to give or attending.

Key is here. Batt is here. Stodomdyre is here. Best of all Angel is here. Hope we can be first loyal happy fans and second analytical engineers.

 

[Flajacket]

They got involved with ACC expansion and pretty much made UVA vote for VT as member. You can read more about it here:

Virginia Tech's unique journey to the ACC :: WRALSportsFan.com

Retired Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer said recently that the day VT joined the ACC was one of the greatest days of his life. Strong stuff from one of the winningest coaches in the history of the game. And yet the union of Virginia Tech and the ACC almost didn't happen.

www.wralsportsfan.com

I wasn't aware but I see how that will present challenges when/if the ACC gets divvied amongst the the B1G, BIG12, and SEC.

 

[Techster]

I wonder does attendance really have that much of an affect on the BIG’s consideration of us? I would bet they are more interested in TV numbers and also would bet that better matchups against BIG schools with huge alumni bases will bring more visiter fans and better tv ratings compared to your average ACC team aside from Clemson and FSU.

The bolded part 100%. Our stadium would be packed with GT fans, visiting B1G fans, AND general football fans that want to see marquee teams. Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Mich State, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois fans would rock out BDS. They have great fanbases that travel...and have a LOT of alumni in the Metro Atlanta area.

 

[Techster]

Will the cheap tech alumni keep demanding a long term winning team before starting to give or attending.

Key is here. Batt is here. Stodomdyre is here. Best of all Angel is here. Hope we can be first loyal happy fans and second analytical engineers.

Breaks my heart, brother. To know that BDS was once the center of Southeast sports, not even mentioning that SEC teams played their HOME games at BDS because we had the biggest stadium that would pull in more fans, and to see where we are now...it's so sad.

Growing up a fan in the 90's and early 2000's, BDS on game days was special place for me.

 

[stinger 1957]

Two things increase the eye balls and butts in the seats, winning and playing periodically the likes of SC, UCLA, Ohio State, MI, MSU, WI, Penn St. etc. The Big wants ATL and FL, there's no doubt in my mind, they're headed towards being a nationwide conference, scheduling BIG games within their conference for prime time TV for FB whatever prime time is for CFB, 3:00PM or later, don't know.
Whoever said they'll take GT even if our record is not that good when we're asked I believe is absolutely right., the BIG knows that we will more than likely get there in time, that is why it is so important IMO that the GT administration has gotten behind GTFB and sports, committing to "do whatever it takes to win at the highest level". The GT admin. wants to be a part of all the cooperative research that makes up the BIG schools, that IMO is how Angel sells it to the faculty. The faculty wants to participate in that I am sure. The state of Georgia does not want us to miss out on that I have to believe. The city of Atlanta does not want us to miss out on the big games when they're here in ATL.

 

[stinger 1957]

Breaks my heart, brother. To know that BDS was once the center of Southeast sports, not even mentioning that SEC teams played their HOME games at BDS because we had the biggest stadium that would pull in more fans, and to see where we are now...it's so sad.

Growing up a fan in the 90's and early 2000's, BDS on game days was special place for me.

I know what you're saying but as we know nothing stays the same and CFB is headed for big change whether we like it or not. I'm just glad we're located where we are and who we are because it more than likely will get us included with the survivors when it all plays out.

 

[4shotB]

I know what you're saying but as we know nothing stays the same and CFB is headed for big change whether we like it or not. I'm just glad we're located where we are and who we are because it more than likely will get us included with the survivors when it all plays out.

I question your choice of wording here. College FB IS headed for big changes??? The big changes have already happened and will continue to do so. And I agree with your second part about location, location, location. If Dodd had pulled us out of the SEC AND relocated us to Columbus, Macon, Waycross or Augusta to eliminate traffic congestion and parking issues around our campus, we would be on life support ala WF or Syracuse despite our illustrious history and traditions.

 

[bobongo]

The bolded part 100%. Our stadium would be packed with GT fans, visiting B1G fans, AND general football fans that want to see marquee teams. Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Mich State, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois fans would rock out BDS. They have great fanbases that travel...and have a LOT of alumni in the Metro Atlanta area.

No doubt, but I think it would make Tech more attractive to the B1G if attendance (and the general fanbase in the area) could be increased in the meantime.

 

[stinger 1957]

I question your choice of wording here. College FB IS headed for big changes??? The big changes have already happened and will continue to do so. And I agree with your second part about location, location, location. If Dodd had pulled us out of the SEC AND relocated us to Columbus, Macon, Waycross or Augusta to eliminate traffic congestion and parking issues around our campus, we would be on life support ala WF or Syracuse despite our illustrious history and traditions.

Yep, appeared to me that from somewhere around the time Dodd retired being a CFB team located in a major metro area was a liability, lots of competition for those dollars. Now it's looking like it may be changing back in our favor again but more because it is media driven than butts in the seats. Yes it is already changing but IMO the major part of the change has yet to take place, but I can see it from where we are now, certainly not exactly as to where everybody ends up, but I can easily see 3 major conferences are more than likely to come out of this re-alignment period. I'm guessing the BIG comes out of this with the most schools and the SEC and Big12 to be near each other in number of schools, but we'll see, I could be wrong.

 

[SOWEGA Jacket]

...and our fanbase. Our fans REALLY need to do a better job of attending football and basketball games and showing support to our programs. That will be a factor for us.

Disagree. The fans will come when GT decides it wants fans to come. You can’t pee on us and tell us it’s raining. You want fans GT? Then let our staff bring in players who will win games without worry of their SAT score or high school GPA. You want more fans GT? Then bring in a student body that is from within a 3 hour drive of GT who will actually create a pipeline of GT families who actually watch sports. GT is reaping what they have sowed.

You are yelling at people who do not exist. We have a small fanbase and 4 seasons where even the 30,000 diehards have found better things to do on Saturdays. If you want the few GT fans who are still young enough and close enough to campus to attend games then give us a product worth coming to see.

Cabrera, JBatt, and the coaches all understand this. None of this decline in GT sports is the fault of the fanbase. It’s all at the feet of GT administrators who completely botched every major decision for years.

 

[Techster]

Disagree. The fans will come when GT decides it wants fans to come. You can’t pee on us and tell us it’s raining. You want fans GT? Then let our staff bring in players who will win games without worry of their SAT score or high school GPA. You want more fans GT? Then bring in a student body that is from within a 3 hour drive of GT who will actually create a pipeline of GT families who actually watch sports. GT is reaping what they have sowed.

You are yelling at people who do not exist. We have a small fanbase and 4 seasons where even the 30,000 diehards have found better things to do on Saturdays. If you want the few GT fans who are still young enough and close enough to campus to attend games then give us a product worth coming to see.

Cabrera, JBatt, and the coaches all understand this. None of this decline in GT sports is the fault of the fanbase. It’s all at the feet of GT administrators who completely botched every major decision for years.

You're not wrong.

 

[iceeater1969]

Disagree. The fans will come when GT decides it wants fans to come. You can’t pee on us and tell us it’s raining. You want fans GT? Then let our staff bring in players who will win games without worry of their SAT score or high school GPA. You want more fans GT? Then bring in a student body that is from within a 3 hour drive of GT who will actually create a pipeline of GT families who actually watch sports. GT is reaping what they have sowed.

You are yelling at people who do not exist. We have a small fanbase and 4 seasons where even the 30,000 diehards have found better things to do on Saturdays. If you want the few GT fans who are still young enough and close enough to campus to attend games then give us a product worth coming to see.

Cabrera, JBatt, and the coaches all understand this. None of this decline in GT sports is the fault of the fanbase. It’s all at the feet of GT administrators who completely botched every major decision for years.

The key is to get football ol and dl up to standard with balanced youth to experienced. We need to definitely grow our own ol w great position coach.
The portal is useful for 4 star young defense or rb guys w multiple years eligibility who want to come back south.
We can grow our own qbs if we have credible dl, rb and good ol . So we have some talant and some good wins.
Now for the hard part, we need to be ready to buy a wide receiver that may not be " a all time Tech man of the year" , but is a tall, fast, has wing span and hands of glue. He is a one year and done guy. That wont kill gt , but it will show we are serious. Angel can make it happen. Our goal must be to ""WHIP"" uga one time in the next 5-6 seasons. When we are close, we need to make this happen. That will secure our football future.

This process will take generous giving in hopes of results

The $$ hard part is getting the nongiving alumi to feel they are a vital part of the our football players success. Then to get them to start some small regular donations.

As a regular r donor who has up,up up donations, i am nogoing g to keep upping m till a lot more start giving.

Our future is in hands of Batt and Angel. I am optimistic.