Conference Realignment

[CuseJacket]

 

[Root4GT]

I think it’s interesting that instead of the ACC making moves to add the PAC teams. It’s the BIG 12 and B1G are having conversations. While ACC is sitting on their hands not being proactive. We are going to get left behind, and it feels like we are okay with it. Someone needs to step up and be innovative. It’s beyond frustrating!!!

What value to any PAC leftovers bring to the ACC? Be specific if you can.

 

[oldgold1771]

With all the talk about TV money. Why are we not part of the conversation for the BIG (whatever)? No bigger TV hub in the south for college football than Atl. Seems to me that GT would be prime target for BIG to break SEC strangle hold on biggest TV market in south. UGA vs Miss St couldn’t bring in twice as many TV eyes as GT vs Penn St. On the same day. Am I wrong?

 

[GoJacketsInRaleigh]

With all the talk about TV money. Why are we not part of the conversation for the BIG (whatever)? No bigger TV hub in the south for college football than Atl. Seems to me that GT would be prime target for BIG to break SEC strangle hold on biggest TV market in south. UGA vs Miss St couldn’t bring in twice as many TV eyes as GT vs Penn St. On the same day. Am I wrong?

I think the B1G would love GT with FSU or Miami, UNC, UVA, and maybe Clemson to add several more big markets and stomp right into SEC recruiting territory

 

[g0lftime]

So, Nike and Under Armor in the same conference?

Now, there's an interesting match-up.

Will probably wear Adidas uniforms.

 

[gtjackets930]

With all the talk about TV money. Why are we not part of the conversation for the BIG (whatever)? No bigger TV hub in the south for college football than Atl. Seems to me that GT would be prime target for BIG to break SEC strangle hold on biggest TV market in south. UGA vs Miss St couldn’t bring in twice as many TV eyes as GT vs Penn St. On the same day. Am I wrong?

TV markets are important, but not as much as they were with the shifts in the way people consume games. It's more about how many eyeballs your brand brings to games vs. how many people are in your TV market.

GT is solid, but doesn't move the needle compared to teams like FSU and Clemson nationally, which is why they are the focus

 

[Northeast Stinger]

TV markets are important, but not as much as they were with the shifts in the way people consume games. It's more about how many eyeballs your brand brings to games vs. how many people are in your TV market.

GT is solid, but doesn't move the needle compared to teams like FSU and Clemson nationally, which is why they are the focus

There’s money to be made in more than one way. Atlanta having direct flight access from many points across the country means lots of local businesses, as well as the chamber of commerce, would roll out the red carpet for fans flying in from Ohio, Minnesota or California. A local restaurant having a “Michigan State” dinner special, local stores hawking team merchandise, and more eyes watching conference standings, multiplies the number of financial winnings. The synergy created by that would be a boon to any conference.

 

[Lotta Booze]

I don't like the direction things are going but am interested to watch it play out. How does a PE firm chime in on hiring/ firing coaches?

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I would think Arizona and State would be joined at the hip as far as expansion goes.

 

[slugboy]

I don't like the direction things are going but am interested to watch it play out. How does a PE firm chime in on hiring/ firing coaches?

There are rumors FSU is looking for loans. This could be a loan discussion

I don’t know how they can make the numbers actually work, though

Then, there’s UNC’s AD who said something to the effect of “I wish they’d shut up, pay us all the money, and go”

 

[HurricaneJacket]

What I find amusing is the Big 12 is going the old ACC route of trying to create the best basketball conference. I just don't see that working out for them

 

[stinger 1957]

All of you that keep talking about FSU and Clemson going to the BIG need to understand it ain't happening as things stand now because neither of those schools are "AAU" schools which at the present time is a requirement of the BIG in order to become a BIG member. Miami, GT, UNC, UVA, Pitt are AAU schools. OR, WA, Stanford, Cal, SC, UCLA, ASU are all AAU schools as well as AZ, Utah, but the last two are not in good media mkts which seems to be something the BIG finds important to them according to some of the officials of some of the BIG schools and looking at their expansion moves such as Rutgers (#1 media mkt- NY) , MD (Baltimore, DC, N. VA media mkt) , UCLA, SC # 2 media mkt. If the ACC breaks up my guess is FSU, Clemson end up in the SEC.

 

[g0lftime]

So does FSU plan on paying the exit fee and buyout their GOR. That's a lot of money. They may try the Maryland ploy of making the ACC sue them for the money. They sure are burning bridges in the conference. They have seemed to never really feel they are part of the ACC. Maybe they felt like they should be in control of the conference and couldn't get their way.
I am at the point it may be time to take their money and let them go somewhere. But who wants them until the GOR obligation is settled. All dressed up for the dance and no where to go. They are more like a SEC school with their academic standards, size, and location. I hope they go there and enjoy being very average.

 

[cpf2001]

Borrowing half a billion dollars or whatever to get out of the ACC and move to the sec/Big 10 in a world where the money for new TV deals might be drying up is a bold move.

 

[roadkill]

There are rumors FSU is looking for loans. This could be a loan discussion

I don’t know how they can make the numbers actually work, though

Then, there’s UNC’s AD who said something to the effect of “I wish they’d shut up, pay us all the money, and go”

If FSU is looking for $$, that signals that they aren't planning to "break" the GoR, but simply trying to find ways of funding their football operations if they leave the conference and lose ACC revenue distribution. Still not seeing how they generate enough revenue to give investors a decent return, if the ACC still owns their media rights. An interesting development, regardless.

 

[Techster]

I don't like the direction things are going but am interested to watch it play out. How does a PE firm chime in on hiring/ firing coaches?

FSU is about to make a program killing decision if they do that. PE does NOT care about excuses...they're getting their money either way.

Any program willing to go down that road is dooming their program. I can't believe the school or the state is going to let them do this given the amount of ACC/GOR buyout it will cost, AND the usual financial rigors of PE tied loans.

 

[Vespidae]

If FSU is looking for $$, that signals that they aren't planning to "break" the GoR, but simply trying to find ways of funding their football operations if they leave the conference and lose ACC revenue distribution. Still not seeing how they generate enough revenue to give investors a decent return, if the ACC still owns their media rights. An interesting development, regardless.

It’s an interesting idea. Capitalize the FSU athletic department and sell shares.

The problem with FSU is nobody cares.

 

[Vespidae]

FSU is about to make a program killing decision if they do that. PE does NOT care about excuses...they're getting their money either way.

Any program willing to go down that road is dooming their program. I can't believe the school or the state is going to let them do this given the amount of ACC/GOR buyout it will cost, AND the usual financial rigors of PE tied loans.

Hard to say. FSU WANTS to be nationally relevant again, but it’s increasingly likely that’s not going to happen. It’s the prettiest girl in the sorority who spends Friday nights at home.

There‘s a feeling of desperation here.

 

[travgt01]

 

[slugboy]

If FSU is looking for $$, that signals that they aren't planning to "break" the GoR, but simply trying to find ways of funding their football operations if they leave the conference and lose ACC revenue distribution. Still not seeing how they generate enough revenue to give investors a decent return, if the ACC still owns their media rights. An interesting development, regardless.

The trick is that they’d either need to buy back their rights or live without them for about 12 years. If FSU gets a $40 mil payout per year, but selling off the rights costs the ACC more than that, the ACC would want to charge more than the payout to release the rights.

FSU’s argument is that they’re worth more than what they get paid. If you have a business, and there’s part of the business that is above average in financial payback, you wouldn’t sell that off for the average value of a unit.

I think it’s kind of sad that the P12 carried a terrible Colorado team for ages, then they leave as Colorado finally invests in the program. FSU also had much less interest a few years ago when they stank but still got carried by the rest of the conference. Now that they’ve been nursed back to health and are on the upswing, they want to go.

Not that we wouldn’t say “we’re better than all you stiffs” in a couple of years when we’re on top