With all this chirping about a ND move to the B1G... | Syracusefan.com

With all this chirping about a ND move to the B1G...

44PRIDE

All Conference
Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
3,800
Like
2,917
So Tim Brando wanted some more Twitter traffic and started talking out his arse about ND moving to the B1G. While these rumors were quickly debunked, it brings up a good question. Now that the realignment dust has settled and everyone's been able to catch their breath, would any other ACC bluebloods (looking at you Virginia) consider a move like that?
  1. Virginia's athletic department operated at a loss in 2015
  2. There was already noise about the B1G considering them. Whether Va actually considered a move is another topic for another time.
  3. ACC teams currently make about $22m per year (give or take) while B1G teams are in line to make approximately double that ($40m)
  4. With an established stand-alone network, the B1G wins the Conference Network Games. They have more leverage for future negotiations than any other conference.
There are other schools in similar situations, so the discussion shouldn't be limited to UVA. And while ND is the prize, would the B1G consider making a play other ACC schools?
 
I could see the B1G trying, but I am not too sure if it would be accepted. Rutgers and Maryland would love it for regional rivals and I doubt PSU would be upset. All the other schools would claim better access to a talent rich area (both DMV and the Newport area) but I wonder if UVA would want to pay the exit fee and the TV rights issues associated with the exit. In addition, it would seem odd given the way they lobbied to get VPI into the ACC over us in 2003. I see WVU as being ripe for someone's attention. I don't know if they fit the B1G, or the ACC, but if the BigXII falls due to say Oklahoma and Okie State shipping to the B1G, all bets are off for them, and I see WVU lobbying the ACC (still I see the B1G as a better fit for the school's profile. They are a state school and I have heard they are looking to push enrollment over 40k).

To your point, I would have to think FSU is on a lot of expansion lists
 
BC - No, can't match up with State/landgrant school, Jesuit school would have issues with much of the research of the B1G
Syracuse - Only if the stars aligned just right (a.k.a. destruction of the ACC), large private school but not a land grant, smaller enrollment that the big state U's of the B1G. May soon enough have a med school or another ed school tie-in to regain AAU. Big on research, not as big as the B1G
Pitt - See Syracuse, plus would have to overcome the issue of no new market for the BTN and possible PSU objections
Louisville - Academically insufficient (read, they are not significant enough in football like UNL), also Louisville is second fiddle in the State of Kentucky
VATech - Uh, no. VATech built its reputation on cheezy scheduling. Not that the B1G didn't, but one Rutgers is enough and they caused problems within the Big East when they didn't get the ACC invite, then used politics to force the ACC invite. Not exactly the kind of school to build a long term realtionship with (Maybe 20-50 years down the road.)
UVA - Duh! Great research U, land grant, premier school in the state - would increase the average B1G rankings, IQs and research budgets (I think), but they like their friends on the east coast, have no interest in the mid-west and why give up the influence they have in the current conference to become just another member in the B1G.
UNC - See UVA, only deeper southern roots. Didn't really want Syracuse and BC at first. Why would they want Michigan, Indiana, MState in hoops when they have at least that good of a line up so much closer (with ND, Syracuse and Pitt thrown in to boot)
NCState - Would the B1G want them? Second State school in the state, but third/fourth school in desirability. Unruly fanbase (like WVU)
Wake - Small private school, religious, not going anywhere
Duke - Private school, great research, no interest in the mid-west, see UVA, and UNC
Clemson - Not really a bad option for the B1G other than location. They have no interest in the rust belt, mid-west. Playing UNL would be cool, as would Michigan, PSU, tOSU and MState, but the others would be too much of a drag.
GATech - B1G has interest, but not happening. Unless there are travel partners, GATech would not give up the southern connections.
FSU - Only for football. FSU has no interest in most of B1G schools. See Clemson.
Miami - Private school with heavy recruiting in Jersey down the east coast (like Duke). No real interest.

What is lost in the idea that the B1G is killing it in the TV revenue game is that the difference may seem large, but it is merely peanuts. Each of the universities in both leagues are billion dollar organizations with several being multi-billion dollar/year organizations. $15MM -$25MM is not worth the hassle in the big picture. Leaving the Big East with few academic ties made sense. Leaving the ACC for the B1G or vice versa makes little sense except for PSU, possibly (even that is weak in comparison to a Big 12 team moving on). Revenues will cap off and level out soon enough. The B1G is slowly losing its audience and the ACC is growing its audience.
 
Here's my thought, not that it counts for very much:

If you can't balance a budget bringing $20 million in TV revenue alone, your athletic department has far bigger problems than $40 million dollars would solve. It's a financial management issue, not a revenue issue. If you're bad with $20 million, you'll be bad with $40 million
 
Here's my thought, not that it counts for very much:

If you can't balance a budget bringing $20 million in TV revenue alone, your athletic department has far bigger problems than $40 million dollars would solve. It's a financial management issue, not a revenue issue. If you're bad with $20 million, you'll be bad with $40 million
Well put. Please forward to Rutgers and Maryland.
 
Virginia is an elite school which values its rivalries with North Carolina, Duke and traditional ACC teas. If the school isn't put in a Big East North division they should be happy in the ACC. The school has a pretty big endowment and a lot of their alums endow scholarships. I doubt they would leave the ACC for the Big Ten over money.
 
If I'm the BigXII, I add:

Cinci
Houston
BYU
and either South Florida or Central Florida

Get's you to 14 - and outside of Houston - the rest of the teams are solid but are not Texas, Oklahoma.
 
There's no doubt the B1G covets UNC and UVa. But UNC and UVa posters on this board (some of whom are 'in the know') have stated that the ACC would have to fall apart in order for their administrations to even consider the B1G.
 
If the Big XII is stupid enough to expand without Texas being on board the conference is dead long term,
Texas will not take it lightly that it loses a key vote. If Texas loses this vote they could move to another conference and not be tied to the hip to anyone else or care about them.

I wonder who the Big XII will add? and how many teams. Cincinnati has to be an obvious choice and the question is it 1 more or 3 more.
 
Alsacs said:
If the Big XII is stupid enough to expand without Texas being on board the conference is dead long term, Texas will not take it lightly that it loses a key vote. If Texas loses this vote they could move to another conference and not be tied to the hip to anyone else or care about them. I wonder who the Big XII will add? and how many teams. Cincinnati has to be an obvious choice and the question is it 1 more or 3 more.

Way too much smoke last year about Houston for it not be a strong possibility too.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
174,642
Messages
5,272,361
Members
6,198
Latest member
NickMar

Online statistics

Members online
22
Guests online
1,883
Total visitors
1,905


P
Top Bottom