But…
I don’t disagree with most of this post but with regard to the above…
I won’t speculate on the number, but I will confirm the percentage will be 100%
That’s my feeling too; tried to make it in 3rd point. Clem and FSU won’t just slip out. Some others will also want out and everyone remaining will want $$$ for the reason you state… no TV windfall is coming for ACC remnants
It was ESPN that moved Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC which not only neutered the Big 12 but set off the dominos of the B1G expanding and the Pac 12 collapsing. The ACC became a second tier conference simply because of the strength of the expanded leagues. If their goal is to have multiple strong conferences for the CFP then then they have done a really poor job.
The sequence is correct but the causation you’re citing is suspect at best.
UVA is a minor part of all this speculation, but fwiw, I grew up in Virginia and have family members who went to both vpi and uva, including some really plugged into athletics at vpi.. Between the two, vpi far and away fits the sec “selling your soul for athletics” culture more so than uva. In fact, there has been almost an underlying mistrust of money and sports at uva, like the purity of the uva academic culture depends a bit on losing. Also, while the SWVA area is Hicksville, vpi has dominated NOVA for quite a while, really rabid fans in that large media market. Very insecure bunch, tired of uva looking down on them. I don’t know if vpi and uva are a package deal now - maybe someone knows the state politics on that. Historically uva acted independently and vpi was awful until Beamer came back, maybe that changed with vpi getting better at football and joining the acc.
I am a fan of whatever is in the best interest of GT. Right now I don't believe that being in the ACC for the next 12 years while college football and college sports in general are being shaped around two major conferences is a very smart long term plan. Nor do I have any trust in the leadership of the ACC to guide us to any positive future. The ACC is going to either blow up completely or be left in a very diluted state. The only real question is when. My belief is that it is better for us if that happens sooner rather than later. Dragging it out for 12 years helps no one long term.
I think you are downplaying ESPN's likely involvement in the whole process. There is a reason that the Big 12 commissioner sent a cease and desist letter to ESPN and accused them publicly of tortious interference during the OU and UT debacle. He even accused them of trying to lure other programs to other conferences. In Bob Bowlsby's own words:
Wow… you went out of your way to put a really rosy opposite extreme in my mouth!
“Well meaning” and “watching from the outside…” far from it.
ESPN and Fox have certainly been in lockstep through it all… and there is no doubt that the conferences and schools “shopped” all of these moves before making them… but ESPN/ Fox didn’t make the moves. The schools and the conferences did. They certainly did so with assurances from ESPN that it would be lucrative… so in that sense, ESPN could’ve stopped it by saying “no more money.” But if the deal is lucrative, what interest would espn have in blocking it? ESPN has no interest in who ends up where, as long as they make money. It’s not ESPN’s job to preserve the history or sanctity of college athletics (if any sanctity exists). The schools have been exploiting it for profit for years and the schools are still driving that bus… ESPN just realized they can get in on it and the conferences found a very useful and lucrative revenue vehicle in these media deals.
He could be completely lying of course. Im not sure why he would. In reality, ESPN and FOX are the real puppet masters. The SEC and the B1G are their brands and products at this point. They are going to do whatever they need to do to promote that. They aren't standing by watching things happen.
That’s actually really good
Possibly?
www.cbssports.com
