ACC Spring Meetings

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Scooch]

Unequal revenue sharing will ruin the conference. It never works.

 

[Bayside44]

Unequal revenue sharing will ruin the conference. It never works.

It's nice that FSU got decent in football, but would the SEC schools make more money by adding a somewhat redundant mouth to feed?

Seems that TV sports -cable, streaming, RSNs, etc are on a massive collision course.

 

[sutomcat]

Unequal revenue sharing will ruin the conference. It never works.

Yup. FSU was the school that drove the ACC to expand, that drove it to sign a contract immediately at a time when the market was bad (no patience or foresight) and to extend the contract when the market was even worse (again no patience or foresight).

They are the dumbest school in the conference and every time they don't get their way they threaten to leave.

Those idiots shouldn't even be allowed to attend the meetings.

 

[Scooch]

It's nice that FSU got decent in football, but would the SEC schools make more money by adding a somewhat redundant mouth to feed?

Seems that TV sports -cable, streaming, RSNs, etc are on a massive collision course.

I doubt the SEC is eager to include them, unless they're looking to add a bevy of additional schools and try to renegotiate their media deal (yet again). It's possible, but I doubt the SEC is super motivated by FSU (and Clemson) alone.

 

[kcsu]

Yup. FSU was the school that drove the ACC to expand, that drove it to sign a contract immediately at a time when the market was bad (no patience or foresight) and to extend the contract when the market was even worse (again no patience or foresight).

They are the dumbest school in the conference and every time they don't get their way they threaten to leave.

Those idiots shouldn't even be allowed to attend the meetings.

Let them leave. Replace them with Central Florida.

 

[cusefan88]

If I'm Clemson I never leave the ACC. They have a clear path to the playoffs every year. They would be good but bludgeoned more frequently in the SEC.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Unequal revenue sharing will ruin the conference. It never works.

If it is merit based, then it could work. So if Wake goes 8-4 and FSU goes 6-6, Wake gets more money. But that doesn't seem to be what is in discussion, and it wouldn't be a significant amount of money.

That being said, unequal revenue sharing does nothing to really address the issue. Even if FSU gets $12M more per year, they are still way behind the SEC schools. So what is the point? They still will be looking to eventually leave for more money if given the opportunity.

Which brings up the point, what is the motivation for a school like SU to agree to unequal revenue sharing? It is in SU's best interests to keep a full share of the pie and not give up crumbs to FSU.

FSU cannot go leave anytime soon. Why keep them happy the next 10 years if they are going to leave you anyway in 12 years? And that is assuming that FSU has options, which might not even be the case. Giving up money to FSU makes your own Athletic Department worse short term and does nothing to improve your long term situation.

I would be extremely disappointed if SU agreed to it.

 

[PhatOrange]

Unequal revenue sharing 'just because' won't work. Unequal revenue sharing based on merit seems fine to me. But they should take the aggregate success of all the sports programs. In terms of 'football' skim a percentage off the top of the bowl money that gets 'shared' and then let the schools keep the rest that they've earned for making it.

 

[721Comstock]

Unequal revenue sharing 'just because' won't work. Unequal revenue sharing based on merit seems fine to me. But they should take the aggregate success of all the sports programs.

In terms of 'football' skim a percentage off the top of the bowl money that gets 'shared' and then let the schools keep the rest that they've earned for making it.

THIS, exactly.

Maybe make it something like:
50% of a team's bowl revenues, it keeps.
50% goes into the shared pool with all the other conference teams, of which they then get their split of that.

So a team like Clemson (for example) gets to keep more of the $ they generate from being in a Playoff bowl game(s), so there's incentive and reward for doing so.

 

[elimunelson]

the beginning of the end.

football schools want out. they are asking for the moon and won't get it.

they'll force their way out next. SU/Sveryvud and BC/Leahy should figure out a way to lock arms going forward here. they need to move with us whereever we go. it's gonna get ugly. hopefully nd puts their gigantic financial arms around boht of us and lead us to safety.

 

[Chip]

If I'm Clemson I never leave the ACC. They have a clear path to the playoffs every year. They would be good but bludgeoned more frequently in the SEC.

Is it sustainable? As the separation of money gets bigger and bigger, it has to eventually hurt them in terms of bringing in talent. The SEC and B1G will undoubtedly just take over the playoffs at some point. I don't see how it's avoided. Wait until Texas/Oklahoma and USC/UCLA start playing in their new homes.

 

[oldpinepoint]

ACC is dead in the water, might not be today or tomorrow but eventually it’s done.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The larger issue of realignment seems to be a topic on the Twitters today.
@aadelsonESPN and I wrote about this in March... Virtually every ACC school has had lawyers review the grant of rights in G'boro -- either to see what the potential outs are or to see how safe things are.

What we were told in March: "Is it worth the paper it's written on?" one AD said. "If one school starts to leave, then another, how strong is it? It would involve a major legal battle."

But what if 7+ teams decide to bolt? Well, 1) that would also involve a major legal battle and 2) would not necessarily be a clear path to dissolving the league and most importantly 3) wouldn't necessarily result in those teams finding a more lucrative alternative.

I've been told again and again that if the ACC were to disappear tomorrow, only a handful of teams would def have a spot in the B1G or SEC. So any others going along with a plan to leave would be doing so without a safety net.

2 other issues I do think will get real traction this week: a) Addressing ACC men's hoops "rep" -- can there be adjustments to NET or ACC strategy to help end of season rankings? b) tie-breakers now that there are no divisions. Arguments over what metrics to use.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Xanadu]

Stupidity from the non-Clemson an FSU schools. If they nuke the conference then I hope we resurrect a modern version of the Big East with schools from the NE and as far down as NC. Maybe throw in UCF/USF.

 

[kcsu]

Click bait garbage

 

[mscanlo]

I doubt the SEC is eager to include them, unless they're looking to add a bevy of additional schools and try to renegotiate their media deal (yet again). It's possible, but I doubt the SEC is super motivated by FSU (and Clemson) alone.

Obviously (incremental) money is a big factor, but I do think there is a scenario the SEC expands so they can keep the brand of “best football conference”, especially if Big 10 adds some additional powerhouses

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Obviously (incremental) money is a big factor, but I do think there is a scenario there SEC expands so they can keep the brand of “best football conference”, especially if Big 10 adds some additional powerhouses

There are no more powerhouses for the B16 to add, outside of Notre Dame. The SEC doesn't need to make a move now. IMO they will let the latest expansion settle in a few years before looking at any further expansion.

Even then, I would think they are only interested in FSU, Clemson, UNC, and VA Tech. NC State they would only look at if they cannot get UNC. UVA they would only look at if UNC requires UVA as a condition to join, which means bye VA Tech. FSU would be a hard sell given their ability to recruit Florida. Miami would be an even harder sell. Although I could see a scenario where the SEC takes Miami (who is a lessor threat than FSU) in order to keep the B16 out of Florida. Which means FSU is left out.

That all goes back to my earlier point that only UNC is completely safe should the GOR be broken. So why would the other schools be eager to break it?

 

[Bayside44]

There are no more powerhouses for the B16 to add, outside of Notre Dame. The SEC doesn't need to make a move now. IMO they will let the latest expansion settle in a few years before looking at any further expansion.

Even then, I would think they are only interested in FSU, Clemson, UNC, and VA Tech. NC State they would only look at if they cannot get UNC. UVA they would only look at if UNC requires UVA as a condition to join, which means bye VA Tech. FSU would be a hard sell given their ability to recruit Florida. Miami would be an even harder sell. Although I could see a scenario where the SEC takes Miami (who is a lessor threat than FSU) in order to keep the B16 out of Florida. Which means FSU is left out.

That all goes back to my earlier point that only UNC is completely safe should the GOR be broken. So why would the other schools be eager to break it?

Outside of UNC and UVa don't see why they would care about secondary schools in states.

 

[All4SU]

If I ever start my own new conference, rule #1 will be that you can’t have more than two teams from the same state.

 

[Orangezoo]

Haven't been as active reviewing all of this but has there been modeling of projected revenue and costs once apathy sets in from the fanbases on the outside looking in? I dont see how there is a way to avoid impacts like viewership decline and reduced ratings and how that could be a time bomb woven into the mega conference model longer term.

Consolidation brings this much closer to being basically an NFL G league.

 

[kcsu]

The GOR isn't going away and ESPN isn't going to do anything to upset what it has with the ACC. If anything, it will secure the third position for them. I believe that we will see an alliance between the PAC and ACC brokered by ESPN which will help both leagues. Long term which is over a decade away who knows. But for the foreseeable future I don't see any movement.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Even if the 7 schools had landing spots, I think the rest of the ACC should stick together. You can create the best BBall conference and the FB conference would still get the conference champ into the playoffs. Plus look at all that exit fee money.

Let's assume the 7 leave for the B16 and SEC:

B16- Miami, UNC, UVA
SEC- FSU, Clemson, NC State, VA Tech

I would think the B16 also grabs GA Tech, which leaves 6 ACC schools and Notre Dame. Notre Dame wants to stay Indy so you can convince them to add a 6th ACC game per year. That helps the new TV contract. Also if you keep the conference at 12 or less teams, you get Notre Dame every other year. Which means one home in 4 years vs the current one in 6 years. That is more money from attendance.

Then you add teams to fill out the conference.

IMO the best options are USF (for Florida recruiting and TV market), UConn (for BBall and increased Northeastern market presence), and one of Temple or Villanova (for BBall and TV market). That gets you to 9 teams and you will need at least one more add.

Realistic options (I don't think you can get WV, Cincy, UCF to leave the B12):

-Florida Atlantic (increased Florida presence and added market)
-James Madison (add state of VA)
-Army and Navy as football only

I like the idea of Army and Navy. They fill in geographic holes. For TV $ you get the Army/Navy game. You can then stop at 11 teams or you can add one of FAU and JMU to get to 12.

Since Army/Navy are football only, I would take Georgetown and St Johns for all other sports. You fill in those markets for BBall, and you kill off the Big East. That means the ACC has no real competition in the Northeast, which will bring more TV money.

Can you imagine a BBall conference of SU, Duke, Louisville, UConn, GTown, Nova, St Johns, Notre Dame, Pitt, BC, Wake, USF (and maybe FAU or JMU)? Oh and an ACC Tournament yearly in MSG?

With all that exit fee money, reduced travel costs, regional rivalries for attendance, major TV markets, BBall brands, splitting FB playoff money only 12 ways, one would think financially the remaining ACC schools are better off sticking together vs going to the B12. On top of that you have easy access to making the football playoffs.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Piggy backing off of my last post, would ESPN be willing to give a decent bump if the ACC expanded now by raiding the Big East and convincing Notre Dame to add a 6th football game? Especially with BBall being undervalued?

With only five Notre Dame games the ACC only owns two games every other season. Going to six would give the ACC the rights to three games every year.

Fox having the Big East diverts eyeballs from ESPN during BBall season. If the Big East were to lose its big market teams, those eyeballs stay with ESPN and you add TV markets to the ACC. You would be killing off competition and be making the ACC the only conference with a major presence in the Northeast.

By adding 2 FB teams you increase FB inventory (extra 12-14 games), although it is poor inventory.

By adding 4 BBall teams you significantly increase BBall inventory (extra 70-75 games), add major markets, and add pretty big brands.

So would ESPN give a decent bump in TV money if the ACC:

-Added UConn
-Added Nova as long as they agree to go FBS in football
-Added St Johns
-Added Georgetown

That kills off the Big East. It adds Philly to ACC FB and BBall. You add 4 big BBall brands and a lot of titles (9 of them). You add BBall teams in NYC and DC.

Scheduling is doable:

FB you play 2 teams yearly plus 6 more games rotated with the other 13 teams. Which means you play those other teams 6 times over 13 years. Now instead of getting Notre Dame 3 times over 9 years, you play them 3 times over 8 years.

BBall you play 2 teams yearly twice a year. The other 16 teams you play once a year, so home every other year.


It also adds stability for SU, BC, Pitt, Duke, Wake, Louisville, and Notre Dame. Should the other 8 ACC schools leave for the B16/SEC then you still have 8 FB and 11 BBall schools. You can then add USF/FAU and call it a day. You don't have to worry about finding a new home.

You would think this would be attractive to ESPN. It would make the schools looking to eventually leave happier for the rest of the GOR. The left behind schools would be better off. Notre Dame would be happy. FSU and Clemson would have easier access to the FB playoffs in the ACC and the two FB adds are not a threat to them. It seems like the best option for all over the next dozen years.