Sorry to be away for a few weeks: Commissioner of Big 12 Speaks

[arbitragegls]

I know you all are looking for information...but the truth is there is nothing coming to the surface as yet. Part of the reason is that Maryland suit has kept the ACC in a low "talk" mode...not wanting to give anything away. This does not mean nothing is being discussed and/or will take place in the coming weeks or months. However, here is a link to a interview Commissioner Bowlsby of the Big 12 just recently gave. Some of the points he raised are as follows:

• "there's no question it's the lure of TV contracts that's creating a sort of musical chairs among conferences as schools try to squeeze as much revenue as possible from their brands. "
• "There are some very bad decisions that are being made by certain institutions based only on the money and not on traditions of rivalries and what may be best for the institution in other ways."
• He points to adding Rutgers and Maryland to the Big 10 "makes little sense from a competitive standpoint but it will bring two huge markets full of cable subscribers to the Big 10: New York and Washington, D.C."
• He points to the reorganization of the ACC: "The majority of the value, even for a league that has the most storied tradition in men's basketball -- is driven by the sport of football."
• Schools risk losing other sports as they dash to monetize their pigskin team.
• Bowlsby goes on "What we've done is commoditize institutions of higher education and I don't think that's a path down which we really want to go."

It almost seems as if Bowlsby is questioning what realignment is all about. We know from a number of articles being written, that WVU feels "out on an island" and the travel costs are ridiculously high...and questioning the worth especially for teams other than football...and even bball has questions let alone baseball, volleyball, swimming etc.
This interview is important because it reflects what is being discussed by ACC Conference and its teams (as related to me). No ACC team has said yes to moving to another conference...there are offers...but most everyone is being deliberate and reasoning what is best for its universities and student athletes...perhaps another $10,000,000 doesn't make the difference a lot of people thought it would...insofar as the "goodness" of the institution.
There will be an update soon...perhaps not days but certainly in the coming weeks. It is this boards expectation and my goal not to carry unreasonable and worthless guesses as to what may happen...rather lets stick to the facts of what is being discussed, for real, and discuss. Go 'Cuse!

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/march-madness-and-big-business-college-sports

 

[AirForceOrange]

You have been gone?? Haven't missed ya...as you never bring anything worthwhile to us...

 

[chakka3421]

Hey Arbit - no worries most of us are more focused on the final four these days. Just wondering if Maryland would reconsider for whatever reason or is it just way too late from a contractual perspective?

 

[AAM62]

Hey Arbit - no worries most of us are more focused on the final four these days. Just wondering if Maryland would reconsider for whatever reason or is it just way too late from a contractual perspective?

I say good riddance. Louisville is an upgrade from Maryland, IMO.

 

[TexanMark]

I'd take UMD back in a heartbeat and keep Louisville. Most UMD fans not happy about B1G move.

 

[Btstimpy]

I say good riddance. Louisville is an upgrade from Maryland, IMO.

Found this interesting. Some Okahoma Sports Writer is Second Guessing the Big XII for "Letting Louisville Get Away." Louisville could very easily turn out to be a big coup for the ACC.

http://newsok.com/how-did-the-big-12-conference-let-louisville-get-away/article/3778376/?page=1

 

[domedog]

We know from a number of articles being written, that WVU feels "out on an island" and the travel costs are ridiculously high...and questioning the worth especially for teams other than football...and even bball has questions let alone baseball, volleyball, swimming etc.

Well, BC has now been on the island and look at their recent lack of success in football and basketball. They have now been rescued.

Good luck (not!) to Maryland!

 

[gocraz4dasu]

Wonder if that ACC-BIG12 alliance is getting closer to coming to fruition than expected. I know Bowlsby is a big supporter of it and he carries a lot of weight out there to throw around. It'll be interesting in the coming months to see how everything plays out.

 

[Townie72]

I say good riddance. Louisville is an upgrade from Maryland, IMO.

Ahhhh, have to disagree with that.

Maryland is an original ACC member located in one of the nation's most populous areas. It draws many of its students from the same areas as SU does (NY, NJ, PA).

And its a real university ... and not a open enrollment community college in some mid-South State most SU fans couldn't locate on a map.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Ahhhh, have to disagree with that.

Maryland is an original ACC member located in one of the nation's most populous areas. It draws many of its students from the same areas as SU does (NY, NJ, PA).

And its a real university ... and not a open enrollment community college in some mid-South State most SU fans couldn't locate on a map.

While I agree that Maryland would be preferable as an ACC member, Louisville is certainly NOT an open enrollment school. It is a moderately selective research university that accepted 73% of its applicants in 2011, probably about 70% in 2012. Louisville is about the same size as SU with 15,000 undergrads and 5,000 grad students. It's no Maryland or Syracuse, but it isn't a Memphis State either.

 

[Townie72]

While I agree that Maryland would be preferable as an ACC member, Louisville is certainly NOT an open enrollment school. It is a moderately selective research university that accepted 73% of its applicants in 2011, probably about 70% in 2012. Louisville is about the same size as SU with 15,000 undergrads and 5,000 grad students. It's no Maryland or Syracuse, but it isn't a Memphis State either.

I'm unsure what "moderately selective"means. But a 70% acceptance rate among the applicants from this part of Kentucky dips way down into the pool. While Maryland high schools are near the top of the US, I'm guessing KY's are near the bottom .

UL isn't a Maryland, or SU, or BC, or Duke, or UVA or any of the rest of the ACC schools. It's an Athletic Program and a fan base with a school attached to it.

If Maryland hadn't dug itself into a huge financial hole, there's no way they would have jumped.

Maryland is the top school in the DC - Baltimore area in terms of fan and media interest. But some of that is driven by the large number of alums from other ACC schools that are in this geographic area.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Moderately selective means Louisville is not an open enrollment community college. That's all I was saying. I am not arguing that it is a peer institution to Maryland or SU or what have you.

 

[Moontan]

While I agree that Maryland would be preferable as an ACC member, Louisville is certainly NOT an open enrollment school. It is a moderately selective research university that accepted 73% of its applicants in 2011, probably about 70% in 2012.

While 70% is better than Kansas State's 98.9%, it's nowhere near the same as most of the ACC.

While ACC rates (27-58%, if you drop the highest and lowest) may seem high, keep in mind that this is after some self-selection on the part of the students. By this, I mean that there are students that know that they have no shot at getting into some these schools. They therefore choose not to apply to those schools. For example, my son was shocked to find that many of his peers were wait-listed at GA Tech, some were even offered a 1-year deferred admission. These kids are bright students and had GA Tech at the top of their list.

I suspect that Louisville doesn't pose the same self-selection hurdle to KY students. Syracuse's relaxation of admissions criteria is something that I hope to see reversed so that it climbs to at least the middle of the pack in the ACC.

Example: School (admittance rate) = Mid 50% ACT score range...
Louisville (75%) = 21-28

NC State (54%) = 23-28
Syracuse (49%) = 23-28
FSU (58%) = 25-28
VPI (67% = 25-29
Clemson (58%) = 26-30
Pittsburgh (58%) = 26-31
UNC (31%) = 27-31
Wake Forest (40%) = 27-31
GA Tech (52%) = 28-32
Miami (38%) = 28-32
UVA (27%) = 28-32
BC (28%) = 29-32
Duke (11%) = 30-34

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Moontan -- I said that Louisville is a moderately selective research university, NOT an open enrollment community college. I am 100% correct in what I said. As a private college consultant, I am fully aware of the CDS stats for the ACC members, the former BE members, etc. My argument with Townie, who I agreed with in all other ways, had to do with his hyperbolic assertion that Louisville was a "community college." In academic parlance, it ain't.

 

[Moontan]

Ok, so it's not an open enrollment institution... But like its athletics programs* it does appear to take "partial qualifiers".
If Louisville is able to improve its profile, and perception, it would be good for all concerned.

* it used to, any way

 

[midloviking]

So, do the numbers make West Virginia University (84.82%) a 4 year community college?

 

[HtownOrange]

So, do the numbers make West Virginia University (84.82%) a 4 year community college?

No, that's the GED equivalency. The CC degree takes a little longer.