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Message: [QUOTE="BlazeOrange, post: 668479, member: 683"] The problem with 15 or any odd number of teams is that someone will have to have a bye or OOC game every week during the season. That was workable in the past with 9- and 11-team conferences, but with everyone maximizing their in conference games among even larger-sized conferences, quality mid-season games are going to be tough to schedule. I was against the hybrid model before, but am starting to lean toward the Navy/Georgetown hybrid. Especially since the state of Maryland is no longer ACC country and we've opened the bag with ND. Wouldn't do it until ND goes all-in though. I wonder if a "provisional membership" approach would work for the final two spots? Invite two of the left out schools (whichever two you like) to compete in the ACC for a [U]set[/U] time period, say 5 or 10 years. If ND changes their mind during that time and opts to join in FB, you allow one of the provisional contracts to expire (or both if the Irish insist that a different team joins with them). If the Irish contnue to hold out, you just renew the provisional contracts or pull in a different school if desired. Could even make renewal automatic unless certain conditions are met (i.e., ND all-in) so the two schools would effectively be in the ACC as long as the prevailing theory about ND independence holds. I think you could find a pair of outside-looking in schools that would accept that arrangement, especially if they got an equal share of all conference benefits (except full-time member status). It would be tempting to give them a lesser deal than the rest, but I wouldn't do it that way. [EDIT: Didn't think enough about the other sports that already have ND, meaning the hoops conference could have 17 teams. Could either work with that or maybe it makes the Navy/Georgetown hybrid attractive even without ND in FB right away.] [/QUOTE]

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