Expansion Talk 2021

[GoJacketsInRaleigh]

I’m not sure any basketball fans (or Dook, UnC, etc) will be pissed if we added Oh St, Mich, Indiana, Mich St, Md, Ill, etc to our schedule or hold your nose Barn, L$U, Bammer, Usce, Tn, Vandy, etc. One way or another we’re going to come to the fork in the road. We’re either going right towards a big time athletics conference or left to play in an inferior conference with the likes of Xavier, Ecu, Ucf Usf, Uconn, Southern Miss, Ga St, etc.

Correct. We should be trying to merge with the B1G and their network deal. It gives them more markets and more money and aligns us with a great super conference. It also eliminates options for ND.

The only holdup is the academic side and the AAU stuff for the B1G presidents. They can't pick and choose from the ACC because of the GOR agreement we are all stuck in for 15 more years. They would need the entire conference or the conference to fold because most of the teams are headed somewhere else (the SEC is only taking FSU, Clemson and maybe NC State or Va Tech IMO in that scenario)

 

[LibertyTurns]

@GoJacketsInRaleigh It’s what Tx & Ok are banking on with their move to the SEC. They’re hoping to reap a windfall when the remainder of the conference folds in somewhere else & they don’t get saddled with the exit fee. In either case for them it’s a long ball play. They’ll easily recoup the small potatoes they’ll dish out to the Little 8 after a very short time in the SEC.

 

[UgaBlows]

@GoJacketsInRaleigh It’s what Tx & Ok are banking on with their move to the SEC. They’re hoping to reap a windfall when the remainder of the conference folds in somewhere else & they don’t get saddled with the exit fee. In either case for them it’s a long ball play. They’ll easily recoup the small potatoes they’ll dish out to the Little 8 after a very short time in the SEC.

I actually hope the big8 survives by adding a couple teams (like maybe Housten and BYU) to replace TX and OK and sticks it to them on the exit fees. And it would be sweet to see a Big8 team in the playoffs while TX and OK sit home and watch....

 

[Vespidae]

I think this is a completely short-sighted approach. If there's no one in the stands, then there aren't going to be many fans watching on TV. If the ratings are poor, revenues decline. Again, am I missing something?

No. Even TStan said ... they look at total attendance. FWIW, even Alabama has attendance problems.

 

[augustabuzz]

Define "weaker teams." Obviously, the SEC would come at it from the position of strength and would say who gets culled. I can't see them eliminating any of their own, so it would be ACC schools being left behind. How many teams would/should remain?

The 4 with the $Billions in research could merge with the B1G.

 

[slugboy]

I don't see much reason for the SEC to want to merge with the ACC. FSU is big revenue, and would be a little above average for the SEC. Clemson would be at or below average, but they've got huge football prestige. They're looking at schools that pull in $$$.
If I were in the SEC's shoes, I'd want the Penn States and the OSUs and the schools with 80k+ seat stadiums--picking off the cream of the B1G and P12, and mostly the B1G. That's the move they've already started making. The SEC could have just merged wholesale with the B12--they didn't want teams like Baylor, even though they just won the NCAA basketball championship.
The move that makes more sense to me is for the B1G to defensively merge with another conference. I wouldn't be thrilled about it if I were the B1G commissioner, but my hand might be forced. I believe they are more interested in the P12, but aside from the lack of Olympic sports at some of our schools, the ACC is an option.
The only way the B1G and SEC can add schools without diluting per-school revenue is poach each other's teams, or maybe a few top end schools from the ACC or P12--but only the top teams.

 

[yjack]

The 4 with the $Billions in research could merge with the B1G.

GT, UNC, Duke, and UVa?

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I’m not sure any basketball fans (or Dook, UnC, etc) will be pissed if we added Oh St, Mich, Indiana, Mich St, Md, Ill, etc to our schedule or hold your nose Barn, L$U, Bammer, Usce, Tn, Vandy, etc. One way or another we’re going to come to the fork in the road. We’re either going right towards a big time athletics conference or left to play in an inferior conference with the likes of Xavier, Ecu, Ucf Usf, Uconn, Southern Miss, Ga St, etc.

I’m confused about the fork in the road. All those SEC teams you mentioned are a left turn out of Atlanta not a right turn.

 

[Coloradojacket]

I actually hope the big8 survives by adding a couple teams (like maybe Housten and BYU) to replace TX and OK and sticks it to them on the exit fees. And it would be sweet to see a Big8 team in the playoffs while TX and OK sit home and watch....

It is kind of funny. Oklahoma has re-asserted, but prior to that Baylor and TCU were dominating the B12 and they still are in the top 3 in that conference. Texas is really about 4th or 5th in that conference.

 

[TruckStick]

The OU/TX move is pre-emptive for the other 3 big ones to make a move or combo. IMO, Big10 combines with ACC to counter. Then SEC has nothing left to get. Therefore the Big10/ACC combo has more leverage and footprint then SEC in the power move to become the junior NFL.

Should it happen? Yes. Will it happen? It’s gonna take some balls from Big10 and ACC to do it but if they can do it it would be the biggest move in college sports ever.

 

[yjack]

To further spur speculation, what if the SEC and B1G conspire to take down the ACC. The SEC might take Clemson, FSU, Miami, and Va Tech to get to 20 schools. The B1G could pick off the 5 AAU schools plus ND to get to 20 schools. Would those 10 schools be enough to vote to disband the ACC?

 

[RonJohn]

To further spur speculation, what if the SEC and B1G conspire to take down the ACC. The SEC might take Clemson, FSU, Miami, and Va Tech to get to 20 schools. The B1G could pick off the 5 AAU schools plus ND to get to 20 schools. Would those 10 schools be enough to vote to disband the ACC?

A few things. I think your math is off. You listed four teams to the SEC. I only count four ACC teams as AAU members. That adds up to 8 instead of 10.

As to whether the ACC would be disbanded if 8 out of 14 teams leave, we would have to look at the ACC charter and contracts. I don't know where to find them and am not interested enough to read through all of them to find out.

ESPN would be totally against such a realignment. The Big10 Network isn't an ESPN property.

 

[RonJohn]

The move that makes more sense to me is for the B1G to defensively merge with another conference. I wouldn't be thrilled about it if I were the B1G commissioner, but my hand might be forced. I believe they are more interested in the P12, but aside from the lack of Olympic sports at some of our schools, the ACC is an option.

The ACC, Big10, and Pac12 could work to shore up either the Big12 or AAC. Not taking from those three conferences, but by getting some additional football schools in one of those two. They could then have the CFP go to a conference champion only format with the champions of ACC, Big10, Pac12, and Big12/AAC. Leave the SEC out of the CFP entirely and say that it is because the SEC is doing their own thing.

That would help keep additional P5 (more appropriately P4) schools from leaving for the SEC. I don't see this as a likely scenario, but if the other conferences believe that the SEC does intent to take the big schools from the other conferences and become their own league, doing this proactively would force the SEC to go solo sooner than they want to.

 

[yjack]

A few things. I think your math is off. You listed four teams to the SEC. I only count four ACC teams as AAU members. That adds up to 8 instead of 10.

As to whether the ACC would be disbanded if 8 out of 14 teams leave, we would have to look at the ACC charter and contracts. I don't know where to find them and am not interested enough to read through all of them to find out.

ESPN would be totally against such a realignment. The Big10 Network isn't an ESPN property.

AAU in the ACC: GT, UNC, Duke, UVa, and Pitt. Then include ND and that becomes 6 schools. The 4 schools to the SEC adds up to 10.

Are 10 schools enough to vote to disband the conference? I dunno.

The BTN is tied to Fox. ESPN tries to do a lot of manipulating, but they aren't in the absolute position to dictate.

But it is all speculation of what likely won't happen.

 

[RonJohn]

AAU in the ACC: GT, UNC, Duke, UVa, and Pitt. Then include ND and that becomes 6 schools. The 4 schools to the SEC adds up to 10.

Are 10 schools enough to vote to disband the conference? I dunno.

The BTN is tied to Fox. ESPN tries to do a lot of manipulating, but they aren't in the absolute position to dictate.

But it is all speculation of what likely won't happen.

You are correct about Pitt, and I wasn't counting ND in that mix.

 

[slugboy]

Dropped with no comment:

An Open Letter to the ACC, From The SmokingMusket

Dear ACC, I know we’ve had our differences in the past but with the current college football atmosphere I think we can both let bygones be bygones and move towards a new beginning. You see, West...

www.smokingmusket.com

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Dropped with no comment:

An Open Letter to the ACC, From The SmokingMusket

Dear ACC, I know we’ve had our differences in the past but with the current college football atmosphere I think we can both let bygones be bygones and move towards a new beginning. You see, West...

www.smokingmusket.com

Man! They are putting on the makeup and their prettiest dress, spritzing the perfume and arranging the fresh cut flowers in the foyer.

They have been trying to get this date a long time. Are they too desperate or are they the good catch they imagine?

 

[yjack]

Man! They are putting on the makeup and their prettiest dress, spritzing the perfume and arranging the fresh cut flowers in the foyer.

They have been trying to get this date a long time. Are they too desperate or are they the good catch they imagine?

It ain't closing time. Let's not get desperate.

 

[reckrider]

I’m ready for a split between college athletics and cheating semi-pros. Let Clem’s son and the Criminoles leave. Let Ohio State and Michigan leave for the SEC. Then the three 12 team power 3 (ACC, Big 10 and PAC 12 and a combo AAC/Big 12 can play old fashioned football with student athletes. I’ve given up the NFL and haven’t missed it and won’t shed a tear if I never watch another leghumper game.

 

[bobongo]

Man! They are putting on the makeup and their prettiest dress, spritzing the perfume and arranging the fresh cut flowers in the foyer.

They have been trying to get this date a long time. Are they too desperate or are they the good catch they imagine?

Well, they're a fish out of water in the Big 12, but fall central in the ACC footprint. I would be glad to have them in our conference.