In reading the boards, this much is clear to me

[IthacaMatt]

The Big East's exclusive negotiating window with ESPN passed last week.

This week, 2 more Big East old guard members appear to be out the door, leaving an already-weakened TV property worth very little.

Fox's purchase of a portion of the YES Network, coupled with its investment in the Big 10 Network, makes the Big 10's acquisition of Rutgers far more sensible. Same corporate ownership.

NBC buying the English Premeier League's broadcast rights from Fox shows that they are serious about growing their sports network. Fox's moves in return show they are just as serious about defending the sports footprint.

Maryland going to the Big 10 - usually, when something gets this far along, it happens. But since Maryland is a state school, with state officials involved in its finance, their move to the Big 10 may not be the slam dunk that its administration thinks it is. Remember Virginia in 2003, anyone?

The nuclear option that was mentioned (Big 10 going all in to add 4 teams - Rutgers, UConn, Maryland and U Va), would really really really hurt us from a geographic footprint perspective in the ACC. Don't get me wrong, I'm much happier to have a seat in the boat, but if the ACC loses our bridge to the Carolinas, then that makes us real outliers in terms of travel costs, future rivalries, etc. We would still have BC and Pitt, but our next closest school would be about 800 miles away. Not good.

 

[wfschrec]

The Big East's exclusive negotiating window with ESPN passed last week.

This week, 2 more Big East old guard members appear to be out the door, leaving an already-weakened TV property worth very little.

Fox's purchase of a portion of the YES Network, coupled with its investment in the Big 10 Network, makes the Big 10's acquisition of Rutgers far more sensible. Same corporate ownership.

NBC buying the English Premeier League's broadcast rights from Fox shows that they are serious about growing their sports network. Fox's moves in return show they are just as serious about defending the sports footprint.

Maryland going to the Big 10 - usually, when something gets this far along, it happens. But since Maryland is a state school, with state officials involved in its finance, their move to the Big 10 may not be the slam dunk that its administration thinks it is. Remember Virginia in 2003, anyone?

The nuclear option that was mentioned (Big 10 going all in to add 4 teams - Rutgers, UConn, Maryland and U Va), would really really really hurt us from a geographic footprint perspective in the ACC. Don't get me wrong, I'm much happier to have a seat in the boat, but if the ACC loses our bridge to the Carolinas, then that makes us real outliers in terms of travel costs, future rivalries, etc. We would still have BC and Pitt, but our next closest school would be about 800 miles away. Not good.

Va Tech is still within 800 miles ... I'm just outside Atlanta and Ga Tech about 1000 miles away. Quite frankly MD is so awful and in such a spiral that moving to the B1G really doesn't help their situation. The only product that would improve its standing would likely be their mens hoop squad. I think UVa would be in the same boat ... frankly cough up $50 mil will be real tough for some schools to swallow. In the end of the ACC expands right they can close that financial gap on the B1G in the long term. If you look at who the B1G would add from a program quality perspective the ACC (especially with ND in the fold) would still own the eastern seaboard. But hell if we are worried about replacing MD I hear Maine or UMass is available, they have a better football team