Maryland is the Detroit of College Sports

[SWC75]

We all have our opinions. And in my opinion, everything you just wrote between "F" and "choice" would make the success of SU football that much more difficult.

I know people think that Connecticut would somehow hurt our recruiting but how does having Notre Dame in the conference, (but not for football), help SU, specifically?

 

[javadoc]

I know people think that Connecticut would somehow hurt our recruiting but how does having Notre Dame in the conference, (but not for football), help SU, specifically?

Stability. They still bring $ value to the conference through the TV contract, and probably played a big part in persuading some schools to sign the GOR.

Plus, their snubbing of the B10 caused Delany to take away the ACC's most distressed property, and Louisville stepped in as replacement.

 

[Chip]

I know people think that Connecticut would somehow hurt our recruiting but how does having Notre Dame in the conference, (but not for football), help SU, specifically?

They're playing 5 ACC games per year, of which we'll participate. And that's great exposure, as well as something to sell to recruits.

It provides more money for the TV contract, which provides more money to SU.

Their contract (so it was said by Swofford and posted here) means if they do decide to join all-in somewhere before 2027, it has to be the ACC. Maybe that doesn't matter anyway, but should the landscape ever force them to give up independence, it seems more likely to me that the ACC would be the place.

Being aligned with ND is a good thing to me.

Giving UConn an avenue to the big boy table makes it easier for UConn to recruit. As a school (SU) that doesn't sit in fertile recruiting territory, why would we want that? If only Rutgers could have been left out as well, but the one thing we can't change about them, is their location.

 

[FAL]

They're playing 5 ACC games per year, of which we'll participate. And that's great exposure, as well as something to sell to recruits.

It provides more money for the TV contract, which provides more money to SU.

Their contract (so it was said by Swofford and posted here) means if they do decide to join all-in somewhere before 2027, it has to be the ACC. Maybe that doesn't matter anyway, but should the landscape ever force them to give up independence, it seems more likely to me that the ACC would be the place.

Being aligned with ND is a good thing to me.

Giving UConn an avenue to the big boy table makes it easier for UConn to recruit. As a school (SU) that doesn't sit in fertile recruiting territory, why would we want that? If only Rutgers could have been left out as well, but the one thing we can't change about them, is their location.

Killer bullet points! I'm not crazy about ND either but no way, no how can anybody argue with this logic. Well done!

 

[gbo]

Keep Maryland and bring in West Virginia. Go North south. Northern Division: Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Louisville, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Virginia.

Switch Mary for ND and I like it.

 

[SWC75]

They're playing 5 ACC games per year, of which we'll participate. And that's great exposure, as well as something to sell to recruits.

It provides more money for the TV contract, which provides more money to SU.

Their contract (so it was said by Swofford and posted here) means if they do decide to join all-in somewhere before 2027, it has to be the ACC. Maybe that doesn't matter anyway, but should the landscape ever force them to give up independence, it seems more likely to me that the ACC would be the place.

Being aligned with ND is a good thing to me.

Giving UConn an avenue to the big boy table makes it easier for UConn to recruit. As a school (SU) that doesn't sit in fertile recruiting territory, why would we want that? If only Rutgers could have been left out as well, but the one thing we can't change about them, is their location.

If they aren't bringing their football team they aren't bringing their "brand". And exactly how dependent are we on Connecticut recruits?

 

[Chip]

If they aren't bringing their football team they aren't bringing their "brand". And exactly how dependent are we on Connecticut recruits?

We recruit in many of the same areas as UConn, and not all of those areas are in that giant state of Connecticut. So leveling the playing field from a conference perspective, a money perspective, I just don't think that's a good idea. We have the better brand of course, but if two schools are in the same league with the same exposure, then brand doesn't solve everything. Is it worth finding out the answer to this question? Will you miss that game that much?

Notre Dame made more of a commitment with their football team than they ever did in the Big East. That helped secure a better TV deal. That helped secure a Grant of Rights. That helped secure stability, something SU desperately needed.

It seems that other power conferences are starting to make noise about ND's sweet setup, and it will get louder as the playoffs approach. Who knows if they would ultimately have the power to strongarm them into a conference, but anything's possible when the SEC and B1G get on the same page with an issue. And if it happens, the ACC is the place ND would go.

ND = Good

UConn = Bad

I really don't see how anyone can argue it. Calhoun isn't even there anymore. Once Duke and UNC play their games in the Dome this year, I assure that no one outside the Nutmeg State will miss UConn's presence in our same league all that much.

 

[Townie72]

I could have this wrong, but wasn't it more than just a stadium expansion of seats? I thought it was primarily very expensive luxury suite additions, and when they weren't able to fill them, the #'s obviously tipped well out of balance. Big dreams...

Chip, you are partially correct. They did build 63 luxury suites as part of the $60 Million total, But they also put in 2500 seats as part of Phase 1 of the project along with the luxury suites. Then in Phase 2 they added another 8,000 seats.

I'm not sure how well the suites are selling. I would think demand was low. But they certainly aren't selling out the 60,000 seats they now have. And by B1G standards, Byrd is small.

 

[SWC75]

We recruit in many of the same areas as UConn, and not all of those areas are in that giant state of Connecticut. So leveling the playing field from a conference perspective, a money perspective, I just don't think that's a good idea. We have the better brand of course, but if two schools are in the same league with the same exposure, then brand doesn't solve everything. Is it worth finding out the answer to this question? Will you miss that game that much?

Notre Dame made more of a commitment with their football team than they ever did in the Big East. That helped secure a better TV deal. That helped secure a Grant of Rights. That helped secure stability, something SU desperately needed.

It seems that other power conferences are starting to make noise about ND's sweet setup, and it will get louder as the playoffs approach. Who knows if they would ultimately have the power to strongarm them into a conference, but anything's possible when the SEC and B1G get on the same page with an issue. And if it happens, the ACC is the place ND would go.

ND = Good

UConn = Bad

I really don't see how anyone can argue it. Calhoun isn't even there anymore. Once Duke and UNC play their games in the Dome this year, I assure that no one outside the Nutmeg State will miss UConn's presence in our same league all that much.

"And if it happens, the ACC is the place ND would go." That's what the Big East thought.

 

[Chip]

"And if it happens, the ACC is the place ND would go." That's what the Big East thought.

I think we all know by now what value to place on the visionary thoughts of the Big East leaders. But just in case anyone doesn't, then go to ESPN.com, go to the NCAAF link, go to Teams, and find the Big East conference. Hint: don't spend too long searching.

The ACC at least has this locked into a contract for a certain # of years. All contracts can probably be broken by smart attorneys, but better to have it in writing, then to have it in hope alone.

If, in 10 years, ND joins the B1G, we won't have to give back any of the ACC revenue distribution that was attributed to them.

 

[HtownOrange]

"And if it happens, the ACC is the place ND would go." That's what the Big East thought.

I understand your point and agree with it to some extent. The difference being that ND's agreement with the Big East was gentlemanly and then they were denied by UConn and Rutgers because both schools demanded to be treated as being on equal footing with ND, demanding ND appear at their respective home stadiums and foregoing the option of a nearby NFL stadium. Since neither team spent more effort than the initial offer from ND, we can assume they either did not want to play ND or they were stupidly arrogant (my personal opinion).

The ACC has a contract, ND has already scheduled the first several years, 5 games annually.

 

[Chip]

Chip, you are partially correct. They did build 63 luxury suites as part of the $60 Million total, But they also put in 2500 seats as part of Phase 1 of the project along with the luxury suites. Then in Phase 2 they added another 8,000 seats.

I'm not sure how well the suites are selling. I would think demand was low. But they certainly aren't selling out the 60,000 seats they now have. And by B1G standards, Byrd is small.

I didn't realize they were up to 60,000 seats. Please come soon Ohio State and Michigan and Penn State! Someone needs to sit in them.

 

[Townie72]

I didn't realize they were up to 60,000 seats. Please come soon Ohio State and Michigan and Penn State! Someone needs to sit in them.

They'll sell out Penn State. The Terp fans are crazy to beat Penn State,

Which is curious because the last Maryland QB to beat Penn State was Dick Shiner in 1961 or thereabouts. Shiner had a long NFL Career with Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

 

[SU2NASA]

I didn't realize they were up to 60,000 seats. Please come soon Ohio State and Michigan and Penn State! Someone needs to sit in them.

I'll be there for the Michigan games. I expect it to be a lot like Northwestern with 35,000 Michigan fans.

 

[MadNY3]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I said Maryland would never go to the B1G because my Terp Club fans were so against it.

It's unclear Maryland can afford to go to the B1G. They have to spend big dollars to upgrade facilities and to insure football players can get 21 meals a week. And they don't have any money. So now the plan is to go to the boosters who were against leaving the ACC to get money so they can compete with Ohio State and Michigan,

Good luck with that.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...a58258-0423-11e3-88d6-d5795fab4637_story.html

I do business with the University of Maryland. They will be fine and be in the Big Whatever.

(Note: this is not an endorsement of how the AD has been run.)

 

[Townie72]

I do business with the University of Maryland. They will be fine and be in the Big Whatever.

(Note: this is not an endorsement of how the AD has been run.)

The University of Maryland and the University of Maryland Athletic Department are almost two separate entities. That's because by Maryland law the Athletic Department has to be self-sustaining. University funds cannot be used to fund the Athletic Department. So while UMCP might be in great shape financially, the athletic departmen, a separate, self-funding entity, is not.

Right now the main campus (UMCP) is loaning money to the Athletic Department.

The UM Athletic Department's decision to accept the B1G bid was based on it being the only avenue that had any promise of getting it into a situation where they weren't bleeding cash. They had to know it was going to be fraught with problems, including a need to greatly improve their facilities. It wasn't "The Solution" it was the best alternative they had. They could either stay where they were with the glide slope of the planned pointed down or try the B1G that had at least a promise of getting them into a cash neutral situation.

I'd liken it to a guy who is so desperate he goes to the mob for a loan. He really doesn't want to do it, but he has to. It's a lousy solution, but its the only one they had.

The ACC enforcing the $52 Million departure fee is putting a huge crimp in Maryland's plan. Or should I say, Kevin Anderson's plan.

 

[Moontan]

The ACC enforcing the $52 Million departure fee is putting a huge crimp in Maryland's plan. Or should I say, Kevin Anderson's plan.

It would have been very naive of him to believe that the ACC wouldn't.

Every other conference has enforced exit fees that were in place at the time. The only deviation to that was the acceptance of even higher fees for a quicker exit.

Assuming a $20M exit fee would be allowed, when twice-operating-expenses was the actual exit fee, appears to have been yet another bad bet/gamble made by the AD.

 

[SWC75]

I thought this would an article about Maryland' financial problems:

http://college-football.si.com/2013/08/16/adopt-a-team-maryland-terrapins/?xid=nl_siextra

 

[arbitragegls]

I thought this would an article about Maryland' financial problems:

http://college-football.si.com/2013/08/16/adopt-a-team-maryland-terrapins/?xid=nl_siextra

I especially like the word Adopt in the article headline...poor orphan Maryland...needs some handouts from anyone willing to give a square meal to its athletes...
It's Good to Be 'Cuse!

 

[omniorange]

"And if it happens, the ACC is the place ND would go." That's what the Big East thought.

Big East fans may have thought that, but Big East leadership knew better. They couldn't even get them to put in writing a verbal statement made by AD White to play 'x' number of Big East teams every year.

ND isn't giving up independence, but if it did, this ACC/Best of BE set-up is where they will wind up now. Only way that doesn't happen is if the ACC gets picked apart in another phase of expansion.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[omniorange]

The University of Maryland and the University of Maryland Athletic Department are almost two separate entities. That's because by Maryland law the Athletic Department has to be self-sustaining. University funds cannot be used to fund the Athletic Department. So while UMCP might be in great shape financially, the athletic departmen, a separate, self-funding entity, is not.

Right now the main campus (UMCP) is loaning money to the Athletic Department.

The UM Athletic Department's decision to accept the B1G bid was based on it being the only avenue that had any promise of getting it into a situation where they weren't bleeding cash. They had to know it was going to be fraught with problems, including a need to greatly improve their facilities. It wasn't "The Solution" it was the best alternative they had. They could either stay where they were with the glide slope of the planned pointed down or try the B1G that had at least a promise of getting them into a cash neutral situation.

I'd liken it to a guy who is so desperate he goes to the mob for a loan. He really doesn't want to do it, but he has to. It's a lousy solution, but its the only one they had.

The ACC enforcing the $52 Million departure fee is putting a huge crimp in Maryland's plan. Or should I say, Kevin Anderson's plan.

Does how they got in the BiG truly matter? Ultimately, the institution of Maryland will be fine there. Their fans will grudgingly accept the fact after a decade or so and then new fans will develop who will only know the BiG. If I were a Twerps fan I certainly wouldn't mind playing footall in the same division with PSU, Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Townie72]

Does how they got in the BiG truly matter? Ultimately, the institution of Maryland will be fine there. Their fans will grudgingly accept the fact after a decade or so and then new fans will develop who will only know the BiG. If I were a Twerps fan I certainly wouldn't mind playing footall in the same division with PSU, Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State.

Cheers,
Neil

My observation and experience is that sports fans tend to hold grudges for a very long time. Witness the 40+ SU non-relationship with Notre Dame after the disputed game in 1961. Maryland certainly didn't need to give Marylanders a reason to not support them. There's sooo many other things to do in DC on a Saturday afternoon in the Fall.

Of course, all might be forgotten and forgiven after a decade or so. That is, if Maryland can be at least as competitive as they were in the ACC ... which is not all that high a bar to set. If not, expect to see a very long period of active discontent.

Its important to remember why Maryland did this and who did it (The President and the AD, who are both "outsiders" with B1G roots. It was done only because they were in such a hole financially and this was the only way they saw with even a possibility of getting out of their conundrum. The UNCP administration has tried to downplay that fact. But if they were't in a financial hole with no clear way out they would have never moved to the B1G.

 

[Btstimpy]

My observation and experience is that sports fans tend to hold grudges for a very long time. Witness the 40+ SU non-relationship with Notre Dame after the disputed game in 1961. Maryland certainly didn't need to give Marylanders a reason to not support them. There's sooo many other things to do in DC on a Saturday afternoon in the Fall.

Of course, all might be forgotten and forgiven after a decade or so. That is, if Maryland can be at least as competitive as they were in the ACC ... which is not all that high a bar to set. If not, expect to see a very long period of active discontent.

Its important to remember why Maryland did this and who did it (The President and the AD, who are both "outsiders" with B1G roots. It was done only because they were in such a hole financially and this was the only way they saw with even a possibility of getting out of their conundrum. The UNCP administration has tried to downplay that fact. But if they were't in a financial hole with no clear way out they would have never moved to the B1G.

The Maryland AD, Kevin Anderson, isn't a B1G person. The Maryland President, Wallace Loh, and the Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, Brit Kirwin, are the B1G folks. Kevin Anderson came from the University of California, Berkley, and Army. UC-Berkley is another athletic department with troubled finances that cut 5 sports in 2010. One of them was baseball that was saved at the last minute by donations from the San Francisco Giants and even Stanford University, who didn't want to lose the rivalry. I know this because UVA played them in the NCAA College World series in 2011 when they had just been "saved", and the media hype about them was nauseating. But anyway, Kevin Anderson, is used to deficits in the athletic department.

 

[All4SU]

It would have been very naive of him to believe that the ACC wouldn't.

Every other conference has enforced exit fees that were in place at the time. The only deviation to that was the acceptance of even higher fees for a quicker exit.

Assuming a $20M exit fee would be allowed, when twice-operating-expenses was the actual exit fee, appears to have been yet another bad bet/gamble made by the AD.

Exactly. Not very smart on the part of the Maryland leadership. (And yes, these decisions were not made by the AD alone.)

Beyond that, while jumping to the B1G MIGHT get them more money at some point down the road, I have to think that the alumni -- those swell folks who support athletic departments through donations -- favored remaining in the ACC. Perhaps they should have just threatened to go to the b1g in order to draw more money from the alumni.