Pete Thamel on ACC / MSG

[MikeSU02]

I'm in total agreement. It has to be MSG. Do not settle for anything else:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130314/acc-madison-square-garden/

 

[Marsh01]

I'm in total agreement. It has to be MSG. Do not settle for anything else:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130314/acc-madison-square-garden/

Absolutely. There is no doubt that this will be bigger than the BET ever was if it goes there.

 

[orangenirvana]

His column was fine until he started going on a tangent about the possibility of the ACC getting poached soon. He must get his info from West Virginia fans.

 

[thebigeast44]

Nirvana - I hope you're right but his thoughts on further conference moves seem perfectly logical based on the events of the past few years. I certainly don't feel comfortable that SU and the ACC have nothing to worry about.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Nothing truer has ever been said in print. It's like Thamel is channeling the Dave Gavitt of 1982. The writing IS on the wall. The time IS now. If Swofford has the nuts we all think he has, he will drag the Tobacco Road loyalists kicking and screaming into the future the way that Gavitt pushed a reluctant bunch of small regional schools into the future so many years ago. This could cement Swofford's legacy and position the ACC for dominance, both on the court and on TV. Getting ND AND NYC would be the ultimate kick to Delany's nut sack. Neuter the BiG now while you can.

I have a feeling if the ACC does not move now we'll see a million articles this summer about how the BIG is negotiating with MSG. The window of opportunity will not be there forever, and the ACC will forever regret leaving their destiny on the table.

 

[jekelish]

Will the Catholic 7 have the funds to get a deal with MSG? If not then SOMEONE is going to move its tournament there. I'd hate for it to be anyone other than the ACC.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Will the Catholic 7 have the funds to get a deal with MSG? If not then SOMEONE is going to move its tournament there. I'd hate for it to be anyone other than the ACC.

I would think that the writing is on the wall down in ACC country. I can't see the schools or the coaches poo-pooing the idea. It will be old stodgy southern businessmen behind the scenes that will try to deep six the idea. The Greensboro loyalists. Personally, I think Swofford is trying to figure out how to break the news to Greensboro and avoid a lawsuit on breaking that contract.

My opinion: Swofford has to make the move, and has to cement it soon. He will pay off the Greensboro people with a nice 'exit fee' and probably give them two or three OOC neutral court match-ups a year. The ACC will be in MSG by 2015. Bank on it.

Arb, your thoughts?

 

[arbitragegls]

I would think that the writing is on the wall down in ACC country. I can't see the schools or the coaches poo-pooing the idea. It will be old stodgy southern businessmen behind the scenes that will try to deep six the idea. The Greensboro loyalists. Personally, I think Swofford is trying to figure out how to break the news to Greensboro and avoid a lawsuit on breaking that contract.

My opinion: Swofford has to make the move, and has to cement it soon. He will pay off the Greensboro people with a nice 'exit fee' and probably give them two or three OOC neutral court match-ups a year. The ACC will be in MSG by 2015. Bank on it.

Arb, your thoughts?

PeteC, good point..and right on target. The discussions have been underway for a while and nearly all ACC teams are falling in step to do this...the question is how many years in a row and how to make sure the ACC embraces all members needs from a geographic perspective. I believe something will be unveiled within the next month or so...MSG is not looking for a one and gone and one and gone tournament but more likely years in a row...a leaving for a year or two and then back for more years in a row...ACC working on it...neither side is ready to commit to the needs of the other...but moving closer.

 

[Orangemen]

It's the best ACC-MSG argument I've seen so far.

Taking over MSG is a statement if nothing else. If the ACC is who they say they are, they need to take MSG. If they don't, I wouldn't be surprised to see the B1G take a shot at it.

 

[Madbiker]

The ACC tournament in MSG would be like the BET on steroids. Will be great for the ACC. Get it done.

 

[Chip]

I'm sure Swofford understands this completely. But he also has a tough sell. Has to tell someone like UNC that he's preserving the tradition of the league they love, then tell him all the teams he's adding and that he's moving their beloved conference tournament right out of their region.

Hopefully schools like UNC have embraced the latest changes in the college landscape and understand what their league needs to do to compete and survive in today's college sports world.

 

[mantonio]

Here's how to make everyone happy & turn this into something really special.

Have the early rounds in Greensboro, then send the winners to an ACC FINAL FOUR in MSG. It would become a MINI ME of the Big Dance, & eventually be nicknamed the Little Dance...

 

[arbitragegls]

Here's how to make everyone happy & turn this into something really special.

Have the early rounds in Greensboro, then send the winners to an ACC FINAL FOUR in MSG. It would become a MINI ME of the Big Dance, & eventually be nicknamed the Little Dance...

Creative thinking...i like that attempt!

 

[Orangemen]

I'm sure Swofford understands this completely. But he also has a tough sell. Has to tell someone like UNC that he's preserving the tradition of the league they love, then tell him all the teams he's adding and that he's moving their beloved conference tournament right out of their region.

Hopefully schools like UNC have embraced the latest changes in the college landscape and understand what their league needs to do to compete and survive in today's college sports world.

Yeah, he's walking a fine line.

If he argues that tradition is dead, and it's all about money, then why does UNC need to stay in the ACC, with the B1G offering more money?

 

[senorpalmer]

Of course its the right move. If the acc blows this, su should be begging the big 10 to take them. That would clinch the big 10's takeover of the ny market.

 

[Chip]

Yeah, he's walking a fine line.

If he argues that tradition is dead, and it's all about money, then why does UNC need to stay in the ACC, with the B1G offering more money?

Yep, that's the one thing I worry about with all this talk of moving the tourney to NYC. UNC being the key. They could let the B1G and SEC get in a bidding war over them if they ever thought the ACC as they know it is dying.

 

[cuse522]

In that perfect world of our imaginations, I think a really cool idea would be to split into North/South divisions and have the brackets set up accordingly... North at MSG, South in Greensboro, Title in DC.

That's too amazing of an idea and too much of a logistical nightmare to happen though. Out of curiosity, are those types of brackets allowed? That'd make the ACC at MSG pretty cool. Southern half and Northern half of the bracket... Basically the old Big East tourney followed by the winner vs. Duke/UNC or the random team that upsets the old ACC.

 

[Stern]

Mike Francesa on his radio show today said he was told MSG wants the Catholic 7/NEW Big East tournament and has already told the ACC they aren't interested in their tournament

 

[mantonio]

Mike Francesa on his radio show today said he was told MSG wants the Catholic 7/NEW Big East tournament and has already told the ACC they aren't interested in their tournament

If this is true, MSG is making a HUGE mistake, & will regret it going into the future.

Within 5 years, the teams at the top of the new Big East will be not much better than Mid-Major programs again, because all the talent will be siphoned off by the ACC & other Majors. Then, MSG will be host to a tournament that no one will watch on TV except the fans of the two teams playing, & they won't be able to sell enough tickets to make money.

The ACC will make a deal with the Barclay Center & that will become the new MECCA of the Sports World...

 

[Jasoncuse]

Mike Francesa on his radio show today said he was told MSG wants the Catholic 7/NEW Big East tournament and has already told the ACC they aren't interested in their tournament

That would be absurd. Bigger fanbases, better programs and more intrigue in the ACC than the BE going forward. SU/Duke/UNC/L'ville/Pitt/ND>>>GTown/Marquette/Villanova/Butler/Xavier. Nobody gives a crap about the rest of either league. MSG would be insane to pass on the ACC and those programs to hang on to the little Catholics with puny fanbases.

 

[Cusefan95]

Mike Francesa on his radio show today said he was told MSG wants the Catholic 7/NEW Big East tournament and has already told the ACC they aren't interested in their tournament

Highly unlikely they would say anything else until the ink was dry on a new deal anyway - remember that in conference expansion every school has denied they were moving until days before the announcement.

 

[Knicks411]

Mike Francesca is also an idiot. So there is that.

Would be a terrible idea. If MSG passes on the ACC, Barclays should be all over that.

 

[Old hank]

The ACC is in NYC this year, well besides G'town.

 

[realorange]

Once the present ACC schools/fans experience the ACC tournament at MSG, they'll never look back.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Mike Francesa on his radio show today said he was told MSG wants the Catholic 7/NEW Big East tournament and has already told the ACC they aren't interested in their tournament

Bull. The 7 won't draw. The only reason would be to free up Ranger games.