Conference Realignment

[roadkill]

I am not sure how to take those numbers. They could be seriously skewed by one or two games against top rated out of conference teams each year. Are 9 of our 21 counted games against UGA?

Their methodology states that they didn't count OOC, bowls, or conference championships, so as to focus just on Conference team ranking, and to discount some of the outliers for a better average. I think the methodology is sound for what it is attempting to do. That said, GT is penalized by several factors - no doubt the uga game would raise our average just as it raises home ticket sales in years where we play them at BDS. Another factor is that we did play for a conference championship vs FSU during the period sampled, and also had a number of high-profile games against other SEC teams such as Tennessee, none of which were counted. Conversely, leaving out bowl games helped us, since we missed them during the last 3 years of the sample.

Our overall ranking of 41 isn't that bad considering all these factors, and if one were picking the top 40 teams for a super conference, we would be on the bubble. I'm hopeful that Key will improve our reputation with more wins.

 

[Roswellgoldmember]

Their methodology states that they didn't count OOC, bowls, or conference championships, so as to focus just on Conference team ranking, and to discount some of the outliers for a better average. I think the methodology is sound for what it is attempting to do. That said, GT is penalized by several factors - no doubt the uga game would raise our average just as it raises home ticket sales in years where we play them at BDS. Another factor is that we did play for a conference championship vs FSU during the period sampled, and also had a number of high-profile games against other SEC teams such as Tennessee, none of which were counted. Conversely, leaving out bowl games helped us, since we missed them during the last 3 years of the sample.

Our overall ranking of 41 isn't that bad considering all these factors, and if one were picking the top 40 teams for a super conference, we would be on the bubble. I'm hopeful that Key will improve our reputation with more wins.

They also only included games with national coverage, the number of which varied significantly school to school.

 

[Techster]

1. The schools "reported" to have met. Not openly speaking out, only FSU has been public. And even if they are saying that the current situation is not good, is that a desire to leave or to squeeze more out of ESPN? I even saw one report that am FSU insider said the public FSU fits have been to try to squeeze more out of ESPN. (Not that I put much faith in one report). I didn't see the "magnificent seven" making public statements, it was all "reporting". Even among those reported seven, not all of them would have a landing spot if the conference was ended, so it doesn't make a lot of sense.

2. FSU being the biggest brand is certainly arguable. They have the second most revenue. I think they are too caught up in proximity belief. If you get outside of the Southeast, they are not a highly regarded brand. It is definitely saber rattling. They have had one good season in the last several years, and believe they are the same as the 90s teams again.

3. The Big10 and SEC are getting better media money for the next 6-7 years. The Big12 is getting smaller media money for the next few years. We don't know what will happen in 7 years. The money in the ACC might increase, or the current contract might not look too bad if ESPN isn't pushing negotiations higher for the other conferences.

Like I said earlier, seven years ago all the pundants said that the ACC was the weakest of the P5 and would be the next to fall. Currently the ACC is third in media money and third in football. It will be hard to get to a level higher than either the Big10 or SEC, but still higher than the Big12.

I don't know what the situation will be in seven years, but reading the tea leaves seven years ago, the ACC should be extinct already. That didn't happen yet. The current furvor is just hysteria. GT should do everything possible to be prepared for all kinds of contingencies. Giving into our believing in the hysteria will usually cause you too fail, even if the worst part of the hysterical fear doesn't come to pass.

1. Where do you think the uneven revenue sharing (based off of postseason performance) came from? You think the ACC got ahead of everything and proposed the idea revenue distribution based on postseason play out of good will? It's pretty obvious the ACC was pressured into that by the bigger programs. The reality is the ACC as a conference did not have to contractually do that because what are the teams going to do? Leave? Not until 2036...yet they changed the terms of distribution. Why do you suppose they did that? Who do you think pressured the ACC to do that?

2. You can argue whether or not FSU is a "brand" and where they stack in the ACC order. That's an argument you will have to personally come to terms with. Metrics by viewership has indicated FSU is getting the most eyeballs in the ACC. Whether FSU is good or not doesn't matter...what matters is the amount of eyeballs they command. Right now, they are top draw in the ACC, regardless of how putrid they've been until last year.

This isn't hysteria. This is more like an earthquake shifting tectonic plates. Some will say it's just a course of nature, others will think the world is ending. What's true is somewhere in between, but with any earthquake, lines will be shifted. If you think the ACC is in a safe spot, I guess you'll be comforted. As I said, I care about GT, not the ACC. GT should have left the ACC a decade ago, but we didn't. Our fate will be left to others to decide now.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

In the future I can’t imagine the networks will be happy with an Alabama vs a William and Mary or Ohio State vs a Bowling Green. I know if I was spending that kind of money, I’d want the best value for the buck. Conversely that would hurt the little guy.

 

[RonJohn]

This isn't hysteria. This is more like an earthquake shifting tectonic plates. Some will say it's just a course of nature, others will think the world is ending. What's true is somewhere in between, but with any earthquake, lines will be shifted. If you think the ACC is in a safe spot, I guess you'll be comforted. As I said, I care about GT, not the ACC. GT should have left the ACC a decade ago, but we didn't. Our fate will be left to others to decide now.

You misunderstand me. I don't think the ACC is safe forever, not even safe until the end of the GOR. I think it is safe for another 5-7 years. I don't think anyone knows what the situation will be like in seven years. I have used the beliefs about the ACC being the fifth P5 conference seven years ago as an example of that.

The ACC might be stronger at that point, or might dissolve at that point. What GT should be doing is working towards being as strong as possible and preparing for both of those situations, and other situations too.

Too many people seem to think the ACC won't be around in seven years, but they thought that seven years ago. Too many people think GT has no shot in seven years, but I am not one of those. In life you can worry about everything, while someone nothing. It you can work very hard to be your best while preparing for every commitment that you can prepare for. GTAA needs to be working instead of worrying.

 

[EddieK]

 

[GCdaJuiceMan]

"A third school, ND" would have been a lot more fun to read. Hand up, I don't know much about SMU outside of they are in Texas(recruiting), there's a lot of old money there, and they were black balled from ncaa a long time ago.

Maybe this also means ND is the proverbial 4th school to join down the line at some point.

 

[RonJohn]

As much as people say that tv markets don't matter, Dallas and Texas would add a lot of revenue to the ACC.

 

[UgaBlows]

i’m ready for FSU to quit pussyfooting around and go for it, throw every legal theory you can at the ACC and see what happens

 

[cpf2001]

FSU should try it, screw em.

IMO the GOR seems like it would open the networks up to federal copyright liability if they tried to pay FSU for something that the ACC has the rights too.

I’d love to see a billion lawsuits over it kill FSU over five years by a thousand cuts and let everyone else find out what the deal is without having to be the guinea pig.

 

[slugboy]

i’m ready for FSU to quit pussyfooting around and go for it, throw every legal theory you can at the ACC and see what happens

Why don’t they just let the Seminole tribe take over the stadium, add slot machines, and put the AA under the authority of the tribal council? They could have a completely different legal system.

 

[Techster]

i’m ready for FSU to quit pussyfooting around and go for it, throw every legal theory you can at the ACC and see what happens

One of the posts in that thread:

Tom Mars (an attorney who frequently battles the NCAA) brought up sovereign immunity in a tweet, and one of his lawyer followers wrote the following:

"Sovereign immunity does not extend to contractual breaches in Florida. If the legislature decided to grant it via legislative act, they may have a problem with FL constitutional provision preventing impairment of contract obligations. Art 1, Sec 10."

Mars said he agreed, so it seems like this argument wouldn't work for Florida schools.

 

[Vespidae]

As much as people say that tv markets don't matter, Dallas and Texas would add a lot of revenue to the ACC.

SMU’s viewership is measured in fractions. I’m not sure what this gets the ACC.

College Football TV Ratings

College football TV ratings for the 2023 regular season, bowls, College Football Playoff and National Championship.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

5	Dallas-Ft. Worth
6	San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

Cal, SMU, Stanford and their TV markets. Might play a role.

 

[RonJohn]

SMU’s viewership is measured in fractions. I’m not sure what this gets the ACC.

College Football TV Ratings

College football TV ratings for the 2023 regular season, bowls, College Football Playoff and National Championship.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

$3 million per month for the Dallas market alone. If Houston is considered in market, then much more.

However, I'm not convinced that the ACC is considering SMU.

 

[cpf2001]

Why don’t they just let the Seminole tribe take over the stadium, add slot machines, and put the AA under the authority of the tribal council? They could have a completely different legal system.

Speaking of that elephant in the room, imagine if FSU got out of the ACC, announced they were joining the Big 10, and the Big 10 got a ton of backlash - especially from their newest members and territory - that blew it up.

 

[slugboy]

SMU’s viewership is measured in fractions. I’m not sure what this gets the ACC.

College Football TV Ratings

College football TV ratings for the 2023 regular season, bowls, College Football Playoff and National Championship.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

5	Dallas-Ft. Worth
6	San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose

Cal, SMU, Stanford and their TV markets. Might play a role.

It’s not like the college presidents said “we need SMU to put an academic halo on our addition of Stanford and Cal”. This seems like a coached move. I don’t see why the ACC commissioner and ADs would do this unless someone (ESPN) suggested it

 

[Techster]

As much as people say that tv markets don't matter, Dallas and Texas would add a lot of revenue to the ACC.

 

[Vespidae]

It’s not like the college presidents said “we need SMU to put an academic halo on our addition of Stanford and Cal”. This seems like a coached move. I don’t see why the ACC commissioner and ADs would do this unless someone (ESPN) suggested it

Look at SMU’s average viewership. It’s never over 1 million and often, less that 300K. If you are looking to improve the ACC, this is dilutive.

The path forward for the ACC is to improve the quality of its programMing. Schedule better OOC opponents and improve the competititiveness of the teams you do have.

Dilutive markets with increased travel costs is a bust. IMO.

 

[cpf2001]

ESPN, Penn Entertainment partner on sportsbook

Penn will rebrand its current sportsbook to ESPN BET this fall in the 16 states where it is licensed after a licensing deal was reached Tuesday.

www.espn.com

ESPN selling their name for a sports book for 150M a year + other stuff to try to supplement their revenue