Explosion: Hands untied--This May be For Real: Realignment by Conference not Teams

[Jeepers]

Glad the news is coming out of the B12 first and not the ACC.

I'm very skeptical of this happening, but if it did I'd rather see a coastal alliance between the ACC and the PAC. Then, let the B12 partner with the SEC. I'm pro-joining the B10, but if we aren't doing that, let the B10 rot out in the midwest.

 

[Cuseregular]

Okay, just received word from source that I can talk this...and to provide a link for you all to read. What is taking place is a forum of conferences to discuss possible alliance...and guess who the bedfellows may be: ACC, Big 12 and the Pac 12. I know, amazing if it comes about because it just may stop conference expansion! Apparently, as I have been told, this has been under consideration for a month or so and is a primary reason why nothing has been heard/leaked on the ACC's negotiation with ESPN. If something like this alliance was to take place, there would be little if any team movement but rather conference allignment to work together to maximize dollars for their alliance.
NOTE THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL. I have been told by source, that the Big 12 will be discussing this coming week and that the ACC has already held preliminary discussions with its universities. This could become the BIGGEST COLLEGE SPORTS EVENTS OF THE NEW DECADE AND NEW BCS. Stand-by for additional updates.

Link: (notice where it is first announced: CBSSports.com)

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...king-to-partner-up-with-acc-two-other-leagues

oy ve, thanks for the perspective, but wake me up when all this is said and done.

 

[arbitragegls]

An alliance means they won't poach each other. I'm assuming there would be a financial advantage to not poaching.

If the 3/4 conferences band together and generate enough revenue to dwarf SEC and B1G, then they won't be as ripe for poaching from those schools. I think that's the idea.

Here is the advantage if something likes this takes place:
1. Realignment has taken teams out of their geographic home. Forget how many Maryland fans went to FSU for games (not a lot) now tell me how many will go to watch Iowa or Nebraska
--going to stadiums is no longer a priority and fan #s are decreasing
--fan loyalty is wavering because of loss of rivalries
--going outside your alumni base footprint is not a good thing...you all know that less than 10% of FSU's alumni are in the Big 12 footprint
2. B1g and BTN took Maryland more out of spite because of ND (midwest) going to ACC
--this obviously is not good news for ACC
--Big 12 schools have been approached by B1G
3. Pac 12 is land locked...can only go for Big 12 schools or an eastern pod...hello 'Cuse

...and lastly, a network of TV, digital, and apps that also offer one time charge for a game or monthly subscription will outlive the BTN charges on cable TV...cause ala carte is on its way.

 

[Btstimpy]

Here is the advantage if something likes this takes place:
1. Realignment has taken teams out of their geographic home. Forget how many Maryland fans went to FSU for games (not a lot) now tell me how many will go to watch Iowa or Nebraska
--going to stadiums is no longer a priority and fan #s are decreasing
--fan loyalty is wavering because of loss of rivalries
--going outside your alumni base footprint is not a good thing...you all know that less than 10% of FSU's alumni are in the Big 12 footprint
2. B1g and BTN took Maryland more out of spite because of ND (midwest) going to ACC
--this obviously is not good news for ACC
--Big 12 schools have been approached by B1G
3. Pac 12 is land locked...can only go for Big 12 schools or an eastern pod...hello 'Cuse

...and lastly, a network of TV, digital, and apps that also offer one time charge for a game or monthly subscription will outlive the BTN charges on cable TV...cause ala carte is on its way.

I really hope Virginia turns down the Big Ten if they come calling for the simple reason that we have no history at all with the teams in the Big Ten other than Penn State and Maryland of course. And we have no affinity at all with the midwest. It would really suck to give up games against our traditional rivals to go watch football on some cowfield on the tundra of Iowa or Minnesota at 11:00 in the morning. I'm actually excited to see the new ACC members play Virginia. We already have a rivalry with Syracuse in Lacrosse. We've played Pitt a few times in the past decade in football in some good games. Louisville we haven't played in a while. And Notre Dame is exciting because it's Notre Dame. We just got knocked out of the Lacrosse tournament by them this past spring.

The Big Ten will come calling first on AAU member schools. In the ACC that list is Pittsburgh, Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, and Georgia Tech. They also like contiguous states which makes UVA a target now that Maryland jumped into the fire. Your point about Maryland fans to games in Tallahassee is valid, but Maryland can't bring fans to College Park for football games. Forget it much further away. The ACC is much better off with Louisville IMO. I won't miss Maryland at all.

The ACC needs to find a way to close the gap in revenue between the ACC and the Big Ten. The quality of the ACC products is not 50% less than the Big Ten by any logic. The Big Ten is very boring football, and the playoff will showcase it as very overrated as well. Maryland and Rutgers won't give it any sort of bounce either.

I hope the Alliance will work toward closing the revenue gap. My only worry is that in some of the rural areas there isn't sufficient internet speed for good streaming video. That's going to have to roll out more to make the digital model fly.

 

[Resonator]

If this were to happen, uconn and Cincy would be epically .

Epically screwed? For UConn, I sure hope so.

PS...SIAP

 

[Resonator]

Glad the news is coming out of the B12 first and not the ACC.

I'm very skeptical of this happening, but if it did I'd rather see a coastal alliance between the ACC and the PAC. Then, let the B12 partner with the SEC. I'm pro-joining the B10, but if we aren't doing that, let the B10 rot out in the midwest.

IIRC, the ACC and Pac-12 broached that very subject about 18-24 months ago. Both should have said yes. It would have been a good move for both, IMHO.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Look, this is a Hail Mary by the bevo.

They got 10 teams, and 80% are useless depending on sport.

They're a house of cards. Billy Joel titled an album after them...Glass Houses.

Steven Wright says their house is made out of balsa wood and he picks it up over his head to scare the neighborhood kids.

The 1st thing I'd tell the bevo if I was the PAC and ACC, is...you're at least going to 12, and its not coming from 1 of us.

After that, this could be a go.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Regardless, they won't take storz.

F them, they're useless.

 

[DomeStranger]

There are many reasons why the ACC brought on Louisville ... the most important reason may have been they knew they were first in line for the B12. Especially knowing they could have grabbed Cincy with them if they needed 2 it was definitely a defensive move as well as an offensive move.

 

[All4SU]

I see this as a defensive move by the Big 12. They don't have enough teams for future superconference requirements. Texas and Oklahoma, the 2 lynchpins, are susceptible to being poached. For all the talk of the Big 12 getting Florida State, etc., that to me seemed bluster. They are the weakest link.

Zactly right.

 

[All4SU]

In every one of these conference discussion threads, so many people always seem to forget a critical factor. It's about MARKETS people. Not how many fans travel. Not how high a team is ranked. Not geography. Not the color of their uniforms. Markets.

 

[arbitragegls]

Invert one of these conference discussion threads, so many people always seem to forget a critical factor. It's about MARKETS people. Not how many fans travel. Not how high a team is ranked. Not geography. Not the color of their uniforms. Markets.

...well said...and the primary reason this all must come to a halt before it eats itself.

 

[TexanMark]

There are many reasons why the ACC brought on Louisville ... the most important reason may have been they knew they were first in line for the B12. Especially knowing they could have grabbed Cincy with them if they needed 2 it was definitely a defensive move as well as an offensive move.

Louisville was a strategic checkmate versus the B12. I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't Swofford's way of saying FU to the B12 for re-starting this expansion crap last Spring by hiring underemployed 'eer fans to stir up the Internet.

What the WVU loser fans don't understand is TV contracts are not static. ACC teams won't move to the B12 for a few million a year.

Guess who is on an island with floundering FB and BB teams?

 

[Btstimpy]

In every one of these conference discussion threads, so many people always seem to forget a critical factor. It's about MARKETS people. Not how many fans travel. Not how high a team is ranked. Not geography. Not the color of their uniforms. Markets.

But the fans care about rivalries, gameday experience, ability to get to games, and rankings. If you spread the markets out too much, you will lose the fan interest.

 

[All4SU]

But the fans care about rivalries, gameday experience, ability to get to games, and rankings. If you spread the markets out too much, you will lose the fan interest.

Since when have the fans mattered? I have followed CFB for a long time. It has never -- in my experience-- been about the fans. Not trying to be cynical. Just saying...

 

[riskylogic]

Since when have the fans mattered? I have followed CFB for a long time. It has never -- in my experience-- been about the fans. Not trying to be cynical. Just saying...

The market value of the fans has always mattered. Just saying...

 

[midloviking]

But the fans care about rivalries, gameday experience, ability to get to games, and rankings. If you spread the markets out too much, you will lose the fan interest.

old fans will die off, new fans will be born and all they will know is their current rivalries. Things change. Change has always been about power and wealth.

 

[HtownOrange]

old fans will die off, new fans will be born and all they will know is their current rivalries. Things change. Change has always been about power and wealth.

To an extent this is very true. When I was young, you only saw a handful of select teams on TV. Naturally they had nationwide fanbases and those fanbases remain stronger than most to this day.

Now we see these same teams attempting to direct realignment to secure their permanent seats in power. The reality is that they know they need bottom feeders if they wish to remain in power and are selecting the bottom feeders for their pleasure.

It may be that they are realizing they are losing their grip and must act soon before parity levels the field even more that the scholarship levels.

Just a thought.

 

[longtimefan]

Since when have the fans mattered? I have followed CFB for a long time. It has never -- in my experience-- been about the fans. Not trying to be cynical. Just saying...

I think we are finding out more and more that fans don't mean much to the North American pro leagues, either.

 

[DoctorBombay]

I think we are finding out more and more that fans don't mean much to the North American pro leagues, either.

And its the fans' own fault.
The NHL comes back to sold out arenas after a long strike, along w/ NFL/NBA/MLB.
And nowadays fans don't even have to show up live for leagues to make TV money- so why should they bother?

 

[omniorange]

In every one of these conference discussion threads, so many people always seem to forget a critical factor. It's about MARKETS people. Not how many fans travel. Not how high a team is ranked. Not geography. Not the color of their uniforms. Markets.

It's about football royalty (Kings and Barons) first which is why the ACC went with Miami, the BiG went with Nebraska, and the SEC went with A&M.

Once you're out of football royalty options then it seems markets come into play with SU and Pitt to the ACC (although a case could be made that that move wasn't just about markets but to get a football King or two interested), Mizzou to the SEC, and Rutgers and Maryland to the BiG.

The ACC picking Louisville is a case where potential football beat out markets with UConn and Cincy.

Cheers,
Neil