ACC, PAC-12, and BIG alliance / conference realignment

[djorange1989]

If Stanford and Cal do get added, I guess the conference would go to a 1-7-7 format for scheduling? Make BC our annual rival and toss in at least one game each year against two blah PAC 12 teams, that could be favorable for SU, getting rid of FSU and Pitt as an annual game. At least I hope BC would be our rival game

 

[djorange1989]

I think the plan should be add Stanford, Cal, SMU now (no UConn). When the B12 gets P12'd try to get three B12s to get to 20. Then when the ACC teams leave fill up with the best leftovers.

I guess without divisions, having 17 teams wouldn’t be a big deal vs an even number so probably ok to not add a 4th team. Not a bad call. Do they just go 8-8 with the schedule under that scenario? Interesting stuff

 

[Chris02M]

If Stanford and Cal do get added, I guess the conference would go to a 1-7-7 format for scheduling? Make BC our annual rival and toss in at least one game each year against two blah PAC 12 teams, that could be favorable for SU, getting rid of FSU and Pitt as an annual game. At least I hope BC would be our rival game

could see it going the other way, from 3 to 4 perm rivals as a way to get some on the fencers to go along with it. a 4 annual -4/4/4 is doable or taking a page out of the big ten's playbook with not the same number of perms for every team

 

[HRE Otto IV]

It is, let's just say, interesting for sure. Yes, SMU is in a great market (Dallas/Fort Worth) but so is Boston College. And, just like its small private counterpart BC, SMU is also in a broader pro sports town first and foremost with the Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars and Rangers. Therefore, it doesn't and won't capture that market, etc.

Additionally, SMU is currently ranked 72nd in the latest academic US News & World Report rankings, well behind the likes of BC at 36. At 72, SMU's academic standing is equivalent to NCST's 72nd ranking and Clemson's at 77.

They get the ACCN into Texas (more $).

The Dallas market will help with Tier 1 TV and advertising on the ACCN (more $).

With NIL they can legally cheat like they did in the 80s. They were like a mini U in that regard. Recently they did buy a BBall program for a few years before getting in trouble.

They will steal Texas recruits from the B12 which will weaken that product. There will also be a few kids going to other ACC schools. Not significant but every little bit helps.

Adding SMU and pairing them as perm rivals with Stanford and Cal means less trips to SF for everyone else.

As a school they fit with most of the ACC private and act like private schools.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

could see it going the other way, from 3 to 4 perm rivals as a way to get some on the fencers to go along with it. a 4 annual -4/4/4 is doable or taking a page out of the big ten's playbook with not the same number of perms for every team

I think the ACC needs to go to 4 perm rivals to bring back all of those lost annual games. So you have your 4 yearlies and then play everyone else 4x over 11 seasons. I hate that there are rivalry games that have been played 100+ times that are no longer played yearly. With 4 you can have every rivalry that has been played over 57x still played.

 

[kcsu]

For others in this world, would the ACC schools be able to have some type of exclusive academic/research exchange or joint projects with Cal and Stanford? That brings the schools tremendous value for their true mission.
Also, as some have mentioned, Stanford is the best sports program in the country, year in and year out. The ACC teams upgrading their Olympic and Women’s sports to compete with Stanford would be great. Those type of games games are great for satisfying streaming needs.

If Stanford joins the ACC, they will be competing for conference championships within 5 years in football.

 

[kcsu]

They get the ACCN into Texas (more $).

The Dallas market will help with Tier 1 TV and advertising on the ACCN (more $).

With NIL they can legally cheat like they did in the 80s. They were like a mini U in that regard. Recently they did buy a BBall program for a few years before getting in trouble.

They will steal Texas recruits from the B12 which will weaken that product. There will also be a few kids going to other ACC schools. Not significant but every little bit helps.

Adding SMU and pairing them as perm rivals with Stanford and Cal means less trips to SF for everyone else.

As a school they fit with most of the ACC private and act like private schools.

SMU will be hard to compete with if they are able to join the ACC. The talent level there is as good as it gets.

 

[CousCuse]

Well, as funny as it may sound, maybe their ultra rich, mouth-breathing alums will go all Pony Express again and throw millions at the players. They love me some football down there.

And now it doesn't matter like in the '80's - there is no Death Penalty issue. Just throw money at the best players. If I was 18, broke and offered a million a year to go to a rich kids' country club school in Dallas - I'd take it.

It wouldn't be any different than the University of Spoiled Children is in Los Angeles.

 

[DuxburyO]

What I don’t understand is if these possible new schools forego their network revenue for 5-7 years, what happens to the existing schools amounts once the time has passed? Wouldn’t it cause the same problems schools are complaining about now, just 5-7 years later?

Oh and screw the FSU babies.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I'd argue that - long term - Cal and Stanford bring more than Oregon/Wash do to the Big 18. Cal has 450,000 alumni - all over the country. Admittedly, many or most may not care about athletics. But it's a bigger alumni pool than UNC and a far bigger pool than say, UVA.

The Bay Area is also a massive market. Maybe 4th largest in the country?

Finally - Stanford isn't gonna always be mediocre in hoops/football. They literally have unlimited resources - and a lot of their alums do care about doing well in sports - it's an ego thing. They've had Harbaugh, Bill Walsh, etc. as their FB coach.

Truly hoping this happens. Ambivalent about SMU - happy to be proven wrong.

Historically in football they've been really good. Basketball they have been awful. One tournament in the last 14 seasons. The only time they were ever good in basketball was under Mike Montgomery.

 

[Chris02M]

What I don’t understand is if these possible new schools forego their network revenue for 5-7 years, what happens to the existing schools amounts once the time has passed? Wouldn’t it cause the same problems schools are complaining about now, just 5-7 years later?

Oh and screw the FSU babies.

maybe espn agrees to chip in at that point as we do have a look in scheduled for 26 or 27

 

[NYCCuse826]

I think the plan should be add Stanford, Cal, SMU now (no UConn). When the B12 gets P12'd try to get three B12s to get to 20. Then when the ACC teams leave fill up with the best leftovers.

That's an assumption that the B12 would fall apart. With the only outliers being Cincy and UCF, that's a strong regional conference.

Since we're spitballing, why not look at adding Tulane since SMU is part of the conversation?

 

[CousCuse]

I would not offer UConn until they have a definitive offer from the B12 and even then I probably wait to decide until around 2030.

Why? You didn't enjoy all the rivalry wars the Orange had with them in basketball, like the greatest game of all-time, the 6 ot game in the BET? The football rivalry was getting going strong too. BC has none of that with SU, a rivalry in name only.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

SMU will be hard to compete with if they are able to join the ACC. The talent level there is as good as it gets.

They are the 7th or 8th team in their state.

These additions would be horrible and firmly cement the ACC as 4th teir and worse than the Big 12.

Noone cares about college sports in the Bay Area or has any affiliation with Stanford or Cal two elitist schools impossible to get into...forget the political angle with them.

 

[HouClone]

Maybe Stanford's interest will pick up going to the ACC.

Stanford's homecoming game against ASU in 2022.

 

[NYCCuse826]

They are the 7th or 8th team in their state.

These additions would be horrible and firmly cement the ACC as 4th teir and worse than the Big 12.

Noone cares about college sports in the Bay Area or has any affiliation with Stanford or Cal two elitist schools impossible to get into...forget the political angle with them.

More than no one caring in the region, the administrations themselves have shown they don't care for sports which have caused Cal and Stanford to fall from grace.

 

[dasher]

Why? You didn't enjoy all the rivalry wars the Orange had with them in basketball, like the greatest game of all-time, the 6 ot game in the NCAAT? The football rivalry was getting going strong too. BC has none of that with SU, a rivalry in name only.

The 6 ot game was in the Big East tournament. Not the NCAA T

 

[Toga]

That's an assumption that the B12 would fall apart. With the only outliers being Cincy and UCF, that's a strong regional conference.

Since we're spitballing, why not look at adding Tulane since SMU is part of the conversation?

Geographically Tulane works. They are also in the preseason Top 25. When we played them down there a few years back, I think we had more fans than they did so eyeballs could be a problem in a pro town. Good roadie though.

 

[CuseCactus]

Geographically Tulane works. They are also in the preseason Top 25. When we played them down there a few years back, I think we had more fans than they did so eyeballs could be a problem in a pro town. Good roadie though.

Tulane would be great also. Hoping my boy goes there - if only for the parents weekends.

 

[djorange1989]

could see it going the other way, from 3 to 4 perm rivals as a way to get some on the fencers to go along with it. a 4 annual -4/4/4 is doable or taking a page out of the big ten's playbook with not the same number of perms for every team

Good point, could well be

 

[djorange1989]

Tulane would be great also. Hoping my boy goes there - if only for the parents weekends.

Hey I hoped the same when my daughter was looking at San Diego State and that happened, so wishes sometimes come true!

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

The academics? How are they going to hold the ACC together and get the TV contract to 50mil? They’re not.

Nobody is.

 

[ElwoodJBlues]

So you’re telling me Cal might be able to get back into this game?

 

[Orangefizz]

So it looks like Cal is also willing to play for not pay for a while, so each current ACC school can expect something in the neighborhood of a 7-8 million increase in annual revenue. That is a substantial bump.

Again, some would go to cover additional travel costs but for olympic sports, we are probably talking about one extra extended road trip to stop at the 3 additions. Can’t be that much. They would surely clear over 5 million each year in extra money. Hard to turn that down.

One thought. Adding 3 schools gives the ACC 17 schools for football, 18 for everything else. Not good to have an odd number of teams ina conference that plays football. It means someone can’t play a conference game during the conference season every week.

This can be done by scheduling OOC games through the season (most would probably be against ND). Or by spreading byes for ACC schools through a couple of months of class Terence okay. Neither is ideal.

The more I think about it though, the more comfortable I am with it given ND can serve as the de facto 18th football conference team 5 weeks of the season (hopefully 6). That mitigates the issue some.

Assuming these three get added today, still wouldn’t be shocked to see the ACC seriously consider adding one more school to make scheduling easier. If they do, thinking it would be San Diego State, Tulane or UConn.
thought I saw UConn rumored to offer to forgo revenue for 5 to 7 years as well. Guessing the others would too.

So one more team probably means more money still to current ACC members. That would get them in the range of 10-12 million in extra revenue per school per season.

Probably not going to happen but something to think about….

With 17 teams 2 permanent rivals + (7/7). ND plays Stanford+ 5/year

 

[WoadBlue]

Geographically Tulane works. They are also in the preseason Top 25. When we played them down there a few years back, I think we had more fans than they did so eyeballs could be a problem in a pro town. Good roadie though.

What Tulane does not have that SMU, for example, does have is a sizable number of rich alums who will donate small fortunes to NIL programs to rebuild a football program with top level talent.