Texas, Oklahoma reach out to the SEC

[DaCuse]

Even in the off chance the ACC and Big Ten combined in someway they would leave schools like Boston College, Syracuse, and wake forest out!

 

[zjscuse]

Even in the off chance the ACC and Big Ten combined in someway they would leave schools like Boston College, Syracuse, and wake forest out!

if we actually start winning some football games we won’t be

 

[NineOneSeven]

We we need to change these conference names. "Atlantic Coast Conference" with teams like Cincy or Texas (!!) just gives me irrational but actually sort of rational disdain.

 

[NineOneSeven]

What a thread. Amazing how popular these realignment threads are. Sad how much $$ drives things, all the time.

 

[Phillymoose]

I don't see the B10 standing still . They only have two blue-bloods. Mich and OSU. They have a few perennially decent teams like Penn St and Wisc. That is nowhere near Texas, OU, Bama, UGA, Florida, LSU, Auburn and A&M.

Not that it's important but I am confused by these suggestions that Penn State is not a blue-blood. What qualities does Michigan possess, either presently or historically, that PSU does not?

 

[Alsacs]

The information is out there and people don’t get realignment with some of these ideas.

We are basically on borrowed time.
If you aren’t going to go all-in for college football then it’s over.

The ACC can survive if the annual payouts are within the same atmosphere. If they are half of the SEC or Big Ten then it’s over.
Also most people ignore ESPN in this stuff. Htown was on the money earlier.
ESPN has played a major role in this behind the scenes.
They don’t like Fox getting into college football and getting a bunch of the highest rated games.
Here are the top 10 Highest rated games in the regular season

1. Nov. 7: Clemson vs. Notre Dame (NBC): 10.1 million
2. Dec. 19: Notre Dame vs. Clemson (ABC): 9.9 million
3. Oct. 17: Georgia vs. Alabama (CBS): 9.6 million
4. Dec. 19: Alabama vs. Florida (CBS): 8.9 million
5. Dec. 19: Ohio State vs. Northwestern (FOX): 8.0 million
6. Nov. 28: Alabama vs. Auburn (CBS): 6.7 million
7. Oct. 31: Ohio State vs. Penn State (ABC): 6.5 million
8. Nov. 7: Florida vs. Georgia (CBS): 6.3 million
9. Oct. 24: Nebraska vs. Ohio State (FOX): 6.2 million
10. Nov. 21: Indiana vs. Ohio State (FOX): 6.1 million

This explains why ESPN paid 300 million dollars a year for the SEC tier 1 rights.
Fox has the top Big Ten games now.
Fox gets a lot of Texas and Oklahoma games.

ESPN already cut out CBS in 2024 they want to get Oklahoma and Texas as well.
ESPN knows the Big Ten is going to stay with Fox unless they are overpay.
The ACC is under the ESPN umbrella already no need for them to spend more money when they own it.
ESPN owns the American for cheap money.


The PAC-12 is split between Fox and ESPN. I think the PAC-12 and Big Ten will do an alliance reading the tea leafs.

The ACC is in big time trouble.
I just don’t want Notre Dame at this point I see where the end game is and just those jackwagons to be forced into a conference.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

The American is going to pickup the Big XII scraps.

As again ESPN owns that conference and will give them a slight bump up in an annual payouts to take the leftovers from the Big XII.
The Big Ten won’t take any of the Big XII teams.
Neither will the ACC.
It’s the PAC-12 that will consider it but the ones not selected will probably end up in the American.

Makes more sense for the B12 to take the Top AAC teams. The AAC has too much fat 9crappy teams) that needs to be cut. It also has a weaker brand. Also the AAC already has 2 Texas teams how is that attractive for the 3 Texas teams in the B12 or ESPN? The B12 is still a good BBall league. Doesn't the B12 own the Sugar Bowl now? That's a pretty big asset to give up.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

The information is out there and people don’t get realignment with some of these ideas.

We are basically on borrowed time.
If you aren’t going to go all-in for college football then it’s over.

The ACC can survive if the annual payouts are within the same atmosphere. If they are half of the SEC or Big Ten then it’s over.
Also most people ignore ESPN in this stuff. Htown was on the money earlier.
ESPN has played a major role in this behind the scenes.
They don’t like Fox getting into college football and getting a bunch of the highest rated games.
Here are the top 10 Highest rated games in the regular season

1. Nov. 7: Clemson vs. Notre Dame (NBC): 10.1 million
2. Dec. 19: Notre Dame vs. Clemson (ABC): 9.9 million
3. Oct. 17: Georgia vs. Alabama (CBS): 9.6 million
4. Dec. 19: Alabama vs. Florida (CBS): 8.9 million
5. Dec. 19: Ohio State vs. Northwestern (FOX): 8.0 million
6. Nov. 28: Alabama vs. Auburn (CBS): 6.7 million
7. Oct. 31: Ohio State vs. Penn State (ABC): 6.5 million
8. Nov. 7: Florida vs. Georgia (CBS): 6.3 million
9. Oct. 24: Nebraska vs. Ohio State (FOX): 6.2 million
10. Nov. 21: Indiana vs. Ohio State (FOX): 6.1 million

This explains why ESPN paid 300 million dollars a year for the SEC tier 1 rights.
Fox has the top Big Ten games now.
Fox gets a lot of Texas and Oklahoma games.

ESPN already cut out CBS in 2024 they want to get Oklahoma and Texas as well.
ESPN knows the Big Ten is going to stay with Fox unless they are overpay.
The ACC is under the ESPN umbrella already no need for them to spend more money when they own it.
ESPN owns the American for cheap money.


The PAC-12 is split between Fox and ESPN. I think the PAC-12 and Big Ten will do an alliance reading the tea leafs.

The ACC is in big time trouble.
I just don’t want Notre Dame at this point I see where the end game is and just those jackwagons to be forced into a conference.

If the end game is 2 super conferences, we will make the cut. Who gives a flying if the ACC is in trouble? The schools that need to really worry are Wake, Pitt, Louisville, and maybe Miami. Also if ESPN and FOX are playing chess as you claim, why would either want 2 super conferences? That just drives up the price of TV contracts.

 

[elimunelson]

If the end game is 2 super conferences, we will make the cut. Who gives a flying if the ACC is in trouble? The schools that need to really worry are Wake, Pitt, Louisville, and maybe Miami. Also if ESPN and FOX are playing chess as you claim, why would either want 2 super conferences? That just drives up the price of TV contracts.

politics will end up in the discussion if b12 is completely taken apart. These are schools where football matters to their people.

I think that’s a good thing too IMO. The people aren’t going to sit idly and be ok w the consumption of only 2 conferences unless these conferences operate more like leagues and just fold others in

 

[Briancuse]

Not that it's important but I am confused by these suggestions that Penn State is not a blue-blood. What qualities does Michigan possess, either presently or historically, that PSU does not?

Most all time wins. Psu. Is a lot like us in bball not quite a blue blood in that next tier.

 

[Cusefan69]

So I am thinking one league getting cannibalized is enough shifting of the landscape at a time. My guess is the Pac grabs a few and I am not sure where the others settle. It sounded like the Texas and Oklahoma discussion had been going on for some time. Who owns the Big12 rights? ESPN? It will be interesting to see if ESPN views the loss of the two programs as a breach type of action and looks to pull money. It will be more interesting to see where ESPN would reallocate those funds. Does the SEC get a bump? The ACC?

 

[JimBoston]

No matter what happens, the #1 priority has to be to protect Syracuse athletics. Thus, there needs to be a plan B if the biggest schools leave the ACC in the next year or 15 years from now. I have to believe all ACC schools are thinking about their LT options right now.

 

[Orangefan1]

I don’t think based on what I’m reading at this point that this is a good outcome for Syracuse and it’s future. As it has been alluded before we haven’t been great in Football for a long time and it’s clear we don’t have the money or facilitates to keep up.

 

[longislandcuse]

If ACC stands pat through all of this, we’re basically in the old BE. SEC and B10 are going to just pick the conference apart. ACC is done IMO if it can’t figure out something big.

Agreed.

Big XII is done.
PAC is likely soon-to-be-done.

ACC has a fighting chance to be a 3rd super conference, but if they aren’t/can’t be proactive in a meaningful way, I think most of us see how this ends….

SEC Super Conference

B1G Super Conference

Syracuse probably has a chance at being invited to an eventual B1G Super Conference, but that’s not anything I feel supremely confident in.

 

[SURU]

The B1G isn’t making a super conference unless it’s all great research schools. The conference splits $12 billion in research grants annually through the Big Ten Academic Alliance (sans Nebraska). The B1G could completely drop athletics and still make more than the SEC could ever dream.

edit: the B1G dream scenarios would be something like KU, UNC,UVA,GT

 

[qdawgg]

The B1G isn’t making a super conference unless it’s all great research schools. The conference splits $12 billion in research grants annually through the Big Ten Academic Alliance (sans Nebraska). The B1G could completely drop athletics and still make more than the SEC could ever dream.

edit: the B1G dream scenarios would be something like KU, UNC,UVA,GT

Schools don’t want to be left out of a potential super conference. B10 doesn’t have to share the research $ with any school that doesn’t contribute to it. Pretty easy solution to that. B10 can still make a super conference and just not split research $ between everyone.

 

[CuseLegacy]

My twitter feed is full of WVU fans wanting to join the ACC.

 

[Hokie Mark]

The information is out there and people don’t get realignment with some of these ideas.

We are basically on borrowed time.
If you aren’t going to go all-in for college football then it’s over.

The ACC can survive if the annual payouts are within the same atmosphere. If they are half of the SEC or Big Ten then it’s over.
Also most people ignore ESPN in this stuff. Htown was on the money earlier.
ESPN has played a major role in this behind the scenes.
They don’t like Fox getting into college football and getting a bunch of the highest rated games.
Here are the top 10 Highest rated games in the regular season

1. Nov. 7: Clemson vs. Notre Dame (NBC): 10.1 million
2. Dec. 19: Notre Dame vs. Clemson (ABC): 9.9 million
3. Oct. 17: Georgia vs. Alabama (CBS): 9.6 million
4. Dec. 19: Alabama vs. Florida (CBS): 8.9 million
5. Dec. 19: Ohio State vs. Northwestern (FOX): 8.0 million
6. Nov. 28: Alabama vs. Auburn (CBS): 6.7 million
7. Oct. 31: Ohio State vs. Penn State (ABC): 6.5 million
8. Nov. 7: Florida vs. Georgia (CBS): 6.3 million
9. Oct. 24: Nebraska vs. Ohio State (FOX): 6.2 million
10. Nov. 21: Indiana vs. Ohio State (FOX): 6.1 million

This explains why ESPN paid 300 million dollars a year for the SEC tier 1 rights.
Fox has the top Big Ten games now.
Fox gets a lot of Texas and Oklahoma games.

ESPN already cut out CBS in 2024 they want to get Oklahoma and Texas as well.
ESPN knows the Big Ten is going to stay with Fox unless they are overpay.
The ACC is under the ESPN umbrella already no need for them to spend more money when they own it.
ESPN owns the American for cheap money.


The PAC-12 is split between Fox and ESPN. I think the PAC-12 and Big Ten will do an alliance reading the tea leafs.

The ACC is in big time trouble.
I just don’t want Notre Dame at this point I see where the end game is and just those jackwagons to be forced into a conference.

One thing no one has been able to explain to me: why would ESPN lock up all media rights to the ACC, then severely devalue those rights by grossly underpaying? If that was the plan all along, I have to question that plan...

 

[elimunelson]

One thing no one has been able to explain to me: why would ESPN lock up all media rights to the ACC, then severely devalue those rights by grossly underpaying? If that was the plan all along, I have to question that plan...

To that end, are we underestimating new media like Amazon/Netflix/Apple from getting involved in these negotiations and a different pathway to conferences operating "as is" going forward?

I wonder if some forward thinkers see e-sports/lacrosse/soccer/college baseball incrementally increasing eyeballs in next 20-30 years.

I think looking at this purely from football lens is going to prove out wrong in the very long term (prob the "i'll be dead" longterm).

 

[Alsacs]

The B1G isn’t making a super conference unless it’s all great research schools. The conference splits $12 billion in research grants annually through the Big Ten Academic Alliance (sans Nebraska). The B1G could completely drop athletics and still make more than the SEC could ever dream.

edit: the B1G dream scenarios would be something like KU, UNC,UVA,GT

This is so wrong.
Research goes out the window as soon as it is convenient.

Ohio State voted their Big Ten partner Nebraska out of the AAU.
If research mattered then they wouldn’t have.
If research drove the Big Ten then Pitt is already in the Big Ten because of Pitt medical.

Research is used by people who want to use it as PR.

If the Big Ten could pick up Notre Dame and Alabama tomorrow they would and research wouldn’t matter.

 

[elimunelson]

My twitter feed is full of WVU fans wanting to join the ACC.

That is a great PR article for WVU.
I’m all in on WVU if they rebuild the divisions to reflect the old big east

Syracuse
BC
TECH
WVU
MIAMI
PITT
Ville

 

[Alsacs]

One thing no one has been able to explain to me: why would ESPN lock up all media rights to the ACC, then severely devalue those rights by grossly underpaying? If that was the plan all along, I have to question that plan...

ESPN got a great deal in 2010.
Swofford screwed up those negotiations.
He didn’t get proper value.

So the only solution for the ACC was to expand to force a clause put into the contract that allowed for renegotiations if expansion took place.
The ACC added Pitt and Syracuse to activate that clause.

ESPN upped the annual rights fees but got an extra 4 years tacked onto their existing deal from 2010.

Then the ACC went back to ESPN and said help us do a network.
ESPN said okay but we want a GOR and we want an extra 6 years on the deal till 2036.

So now ESPN has all ACC teams locked up till 2036.
The original deal Swofford signed in 2010 would have expired in 2024.

ESPN upped the payments to keep the conference from being raided but gobbled up the rights for a extra 12 years for a couple of million extra per team,
It was a great deal for ESPN.
This was around when the Big Ten was trying to kill the ACC.

ESPN stepped up to protect its inventory from being raided and the Big Ten going on to the market which it did and taking those teams to Fox which it did.

ESPN is doing the reverse now to the Big XII they want all of Oklahoma and Texas home inventory and away from sharing with Fox.
ESPN picked up all SEC rights for a long while.
So getting them out of the Big XII saves ESPN having to pay the Big XII a lot of money in 2024 or losing them to Fox, CBS or NBC.

That kills the Big XII and allows ESPN’s other property the American to swoop in and take any valuable Big XII leftovers for pennies on the dollar for the American and ESPN.

This chit is all done because of TV partners.

 

[Alsacs]

My twitter feed is full of WVU fans wanting to join the ACC.

WVU isn’t getting into the ACC unless Clemson or Florida State basically say invite them or we are out.

I doubt either will and thus I doubt they ever get in.
I wouldn’t want them either after the crap that fanbase pulled with TheDude.

 

[SU94]

To that end, are we underestimating new media like Amazon/Netflix/Apple from getting involved in these negotiations and a different pathway to conferences operating "as is" going forward?

I wonder if some forward thinkers see e-sports/lacrosse/soccer/college baseball incrementally increasing eyeballs in next 20-30 years.

I think looking at this purely from football lens is going to prove out wrong in the very long term (prob the "i'll be dead" longterm).

Good point here. CFB's movers and shakers need to be very careful to protect against CFB becoming regionalized to its own detriment. If 90+% of the college game's power programs play in two conferences that largely exclude the West Coast, the Northeast and the Mountain Time Zone, they'd have severely limited themselves in terms of potential reach or engagement, whether you are talking total consumers (important), streaming (growing), cable households (less so, but still important in the present) or even prospective college students (the lifeblood).

In this scenario I painted, CFB might just be trending the wrong way and a good chunk of the sporting public could resent college football for what it has become and who it has excluded.

 

[Alsacs]

If the end game is 2 super conferences, we will make the cut. Who gives a flying if the ACC is in trouble? The schools that need to really worry are Wake, Pitt, Louisville, and maybe Miami. Also if ESPN and FOX are playing chess as you claim, why would either want 2 super conferences? That just drives up the price of TV contracts.

Miami’s way above Syracuse in the pecking order. Pitt as well.
Louisville is 50-50. We are above Wake.

I don’t think we will make the 2 super conference break off.
Our football really sucks. That drives the bus.
If we were Wake Forest the last 5 years then yes we would be fine.

We suck and suck badly nationally perception wise.