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

[Toga]

Not Wake or BC - total waste of time and money, even if done for a dollar.

The simple fact is that the ACC is way behind the 8 ball in all this because we have far too many private schools, too many smaller state schools, not enough state Flagships and Land Grants, and not even a third as many schools with 80K+ stadiums as we need.

What that means is that if either FSU or Clemson leaves, then the ACC as we know it is going to start to collapse. That's why the most stupid thing Syracuse can do is take any stand that FSU and Clemson find detrimental to them. The ACC can lose Syracuse and not miss a beat, but the ACC must keep both FSU and Clemson because losing one means both are gone, and so will UNC and UVA and Miami and anybody else who can get into either SEC or BT.

In that case, what is left of the ACC will be worth less to TV than is the current Big 12. ESPN then would fold up the ACCN and merge what it can with the SECN. The remaining ACC (meaning those who could not get into the Big 12) would be a peer of the new Pac.

The ACC can survive at full strength, but it will take the league office and the least valuable members acting very wisely and carefully. I think it will require league membership pruning, and replacement with large state schools, for ESPN to cough up better money and so stabilize things.

What state schools might join?

 

[SWC75]

Not Wake or BC - total waste of time and money, even if done for a dollar.

The simple fact is that the ACC is way behind the 8 ball in all this because we have far too many private schools, too many smaller state schools, not enough state Flagships and Land Grants, and not even a third as many schools with 80K+ stadiums as we need.

What that means is that if either FSU or Clemson leaves, then the ACC as we know it is going to start to collapse. That's why the most stupid thing Syracuse can do is take any stand that FSU and Clemson find detrimental to them. The ACC can lose Syracuse and not miss a beat, but the ACC must keep both FSU and Clemson because losing one means both are gone, and so will UNC and UVA and Miami and anybody else who can get into either SEC or BT.

In that case, what is left of the ACC will be worth less to TV than is the current Big 12. ESPN then would fold up the ACCN and merge what it can with the SECN. The remaining ACC (meaning those who could not get into the Big 12) would be a peer of the new Pac.

The ACC can survive at full strength, but it will take the league office and the least valuable members acting very wisely and carefully. I think it will require league membership pruning, and replacement with large state schools, for ESPN to cough up better money and so stabilize things.

I think we'll wind up in a cozy little conference of "far too many private schools, too many smaller state schools" and might be having more fun than we are now.

 

[WoadBlue]

I think we'll wind up in a cozy little conference of "far too many private schools, too many smaller state schools" and might be having more fun than we are now.

Well, Syracuse could make that choice right now. And so could BC and Wake.

 

[WoadBlue]

What state schools might join?

Depends on how the ACC proceeds. If the SCC is happy top sit back, none would that can matter. If the ACC is aggressive to be the 3rd of 3 Major conferences, then it will be able to draw rather. freely from the Big 12, over a few years, as long as ESPN and/or some other entity will pay for a league larger than 17. If the ACC is passive, over time the ACC will lose its most valuable members to the SEC and BT, and most of the rest will want to get into the Big 12. AS Yormark has seemed rather sincere in his silly desire to have UConn basketball, I assume he'd want Syracuse. But I do not think he'd want BC or Wake.

 

[DomeStranger]

UNC piece in NYT:

Documents reveal UNC’s conference realignment approach: A code name, ACC ‘in financial decline’

UNC’s behind-closed-doors exploration of conference realignment and its future in the ACC was known by only a code name.

www.nytimes.com

I wouldn't be be surprised if UNC leaked this info. They read about the FSU, Clemson, Miami sweetheart deals and want in.

 

[Cusester]

Oh look, Woad is here again to tell us how screwed we Syracuse fans are. He is kind of a reverse RutgersAl. Instead of telling us how great his school is, Woad tells us how bad our school is. Al is always welcome here. Woad? Not so much.

 

[HtownOrange]

Not Wake or BC - total waste of time and money, even if done for a dollar.

The simple fact is that the ACC is way behind the 8 ball in all this because we have far too many private schools, too many smaller state schools, not enough state Flagships and Land Grants, and not even a third as many schools with 80K+ stadiums as we need.

What that means is that if either FSU or Clemson leaves, then the ACC as we know it is going to start to collapse. That's why the most stupid thing Syracuse can do is take any stand that FSU and Clemson find detrimental to them. The ACC can lose Syracuse and not miss a beat, but the ACC must keep both FSU and Clemson because losing one means both are gone, and so will UNC and UVA and Miami and anybody else who can get into either SEC or BT.

In that case, what is left of the ACC will be worth less to TV than is the current Big 12. ESPN then would fold up the ACCN and merge what it can with the SECN. The remaining ACC (meaning those who could not get into the Big 12) would be a peer of the new Pac.

The ACC can survive at full strength, but it will take the league office and the least valuable members acting very wisely and carefully. I think it will require league membership pruning, and replacement with large state schools, for ESPN to cough up better money and so stabilize things.

If you carry through with your expressed thoughts above, you will discover you disprove your own arguments. Don't let facts get in the way of a false narrative.


Woad's arguments: "Wake and SU cause all of the ACC's problems. UNC with Clemson and FSU will save the day."

 

[DoctorBombay]

Depends on how the ACC proceeds. If the SCC is happy top sit back, none would that can matter. If the ACC is aggressive to be the 3rd of 3 Major conferences, then it will be able to draw rather. freely from the Big 12, over a few years, as long as ESPN and/or some other entity will pay for a league larger than 17. If the ACC is passive,(AGAIN!!), over time the ACC will lose its most valuable members to the SEC and BT, and most of the rest will want to get into the Big 12. AS Yormark has seemed rather sincere in his silly desire to have UConn basketball, I assume he'd want Syracuse. But I do not think he'd want BC or Wake.

History has shown that on matters such as this, the ACC has typically been a reactive, rather than proactive, conference. ACC leadership is a lot like the French in WWII, dutifully fighting the last war, although the reality on the ground has drastically changed.
Say what you will about Yormack but he takes action for the B12, instead of just sitting around and waiting to see when the next shoe will drop. Hell, he seems prepared to invite everyone and their half-brother if that's what it takes.
The ACC is the one with the TV network, East and Atlantic coast presence and potential eyeballs to be mined. Now is when ACC leadership should be looking to shore up the conference's foundations, by approaching ESPN on sweetening the deal, looking at alternatives like Amazon, Netflix, and other streaming services as potential options. I'm not a fan of private equity, but it should definitely get a long hard look from Charlotte HQ.
This is no longer bizness-as-usual, this conference is on the precipice of total annihilation. Time for Phillips to make some bold and decisive moves moving forward. The Big12 should not be the one w/ more options as the 3rd best conference.