The Conference Realignment Vigil- Update: Terps to Big10?

[Class of '94]

The play here isn't UMD and Rutgers. It's trying to desablize the ACC, maybe fatally.

Give Delaney credit, he picked the easy target. Between UMD's ego and and it's insecurities, they're happy to show the Carolina schools who is boss.

With the Big Ten and SEC both at 14, the vultures will come calling to pick at the ACC. I hate it, but I'd rather see Duke get one of the two seats at the Big Ten table than stuck in combo of the ACC and Big East minus FSU, Clemson, Tech and UVa. Or Carolina.

If the ACC can't get ND to be a full member, and between this move and NDs unlikely (and a bit lucky) season this year, the conference's leverage is zero, then what's left? UConn or Louisville? Maybe Cincy? That's not going to save the conference.

I'm worried for Duke. We could be left on the outside looking in, and the revenue shortfall will be crippling. Even, eventually, to basketball.

I don't know about this...Not saying the end result wouldn't be the same; but Delaney really wanted to try to purposefully cripple and destabilize the ACC, wouldn't the BIG go after another team in the ACC instead of Rutgers (although there are rumors that GT is trying to supplant Rutgers as a BIG target)?

In the end, I don't think it's going to be great for MD sports outside of the supposed cash winfall. Losing MD soccer, basketball and Lacrosse, for example, would hurt the ACC but not destabilize it. The ACC got nothing from MD football in recent years. As I said previously, I think it would MD's sports teams more than help it because the BIG isn't a good match for all of MD's non-revenue and olympic sports. And as far as filling up the stadium with incoming visits from Mich, OSU, and teams like Nebraska and Penn State, MD at best will see these teams once every 2 years depending on which division they go into; and I just can't see the MD fans traveling to Indy or Chicago in the middle of winter on a regular basis for the BIG basketball tournament. If MD joins and BIG is smart, they'll add DC into a rotation for hosting their tournament.

[throatybeard]

Can someone explain to me the difference between first-, second-, and third-tier rights? I thought I knew, but then my parents asked me to explain it and I wasn't completely equal to the task.

Losing Maryland, (who has always hated the conference) and Rutgers (who isn't even in the conference) to the B1G doesn't trouble me much. We''re always going to be a fifth fiddle to the other four big conferences, but we're not going to disintegrate. And we still have the DC television market in the Virginia schools. I suppose you do lose Baltimore.

[-jk]

Yes, the vaunted DC and NY markets. I don't think these conference leaders really believe Maryland or Rutgers brings NY or DC with them. The DC market is a fickle one and MD might dominate the WaPo and the like but most DC residents are transplants and don't have any interest in MD college football...

I can't speak for Maryland as a whole or the DC metro market, but the vast majority of folks in my corner (MoCo, just outside the Beltway) who are college fans are Terps - and there are a (regrettably large) bunch of them.

Whether that translates into actual viewership, I can't say. I can say that during my kid's soccer games that overlapped with md football games, most of the parents were constantly checking scores.

-jk

[wilko]

I'm finding it very hard to manufacture concern and care at this point.
I've hit my saturation point...

I'm sure my wife would like me to pay less attention to sports and work more on the never ending "to-do" list she has for me.
She is seemingly close to getting her wish.

[RoyalBlue08]

Can someone explain to me the difference between first-, second-, and third-tier rights? I thought I knew, but then my parents asked me to explain it and I wasn't completely equal to the task.

Losing Maryland, (who has always hated the conference) and Rutgers (who isn't even in the conference) to the B1G doesn't trouble me much. We''re always going to be a fifth fiddle to the other four big conferences, but we're not going to disintegrate. And we still have the DC television market in the Virginia schools. I suppose you do lose Baltimore.

My understanding is it just 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for games. For example CBS has 1st tier for SEC, so they pick the best matchup on every week. ESPN has second tier and shows the next best games. Then the SEC network local games are third tier so they pick up whatever is left over.

[sagegrouse]

My understanding is it just 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for games. For example CBS has 1st tier for SEC, so they pick the best matchup on every week. ESPN has second tier and shows the next best games. Then the SEC network local games are third tier so they pick up whatever is left over.

Here's an alternative view. Each conference will have a blanket agreement with ESPN or another network (or consortium). This is Tier 1. A second, usually regional package covers other games and sports not included in Tier 1. That's Tier 2. All the non-covered sports and events are available for the university to do with as it wants. That's Tier 3.

When I get the chance, I will find a more authoritative link than my failing memory.

sagegrouse

[ns7]

My understanding is it just 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for games. For example CBS has 1st tier for SEC, so they pick the best matchup on every week. ESPN has second tier and shows the next best games. Then the SEC network local games are third tier so they pick up whatever is left over.

Bingo. Here is an article that explains it further, with a negative take on Swofford's negotiation with ESPN.

To quickly cover the basics: there are three tiers of media rights. The first and second tiers are generally controlled by the conferences, which sell them – either separately or combined – to national networks like ABC/ESPN, CBS and Fox. The first tier rights holder gets first pick of the conference’s televised sporting events, usually for over-the-air broadcasts. The unselected games then pass to the second tier rights holder, and games chosen at that level are generally aired on cable networks. The technical definition of “third tier” varies from conference to conference, but it mostly consists of what remains after the first two tier selections have been made. For most conferences, third tier rights belong to the conference members, who are free to monetize them as they see fit.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmi...he-conference/

The B1G pools their third-tier rights together into the B1G Network. The ACC has sold most of them to ESPN. The SEC teams currently hold their third-tier rights, but Mike Slive announced that they will be launching an SEC Network soon. The Big 12 teams hold their third-tier rights as well, and Texas has kept theirs to launch the Longhorn network. This is what killed the Texas to the PAC 12, Texas was not willing to give up their rights and the PAC 12 launched their own network based on pooling the third-tier rights.

[sporthenry]

I can't speak for Maryland as a whole or the DC metro market, but the vast majority of folks in my corner (MoCo, just outside the Beltway) who are college fans are Terps - and there are a (regrettably large) bunch of them.

Whether that translates into actual viewership, I can't say. I can say that during my kid's soccer games that overlapped with md football games, most of the parents were constantly checking scores.

-jk

Well yeah, I was more speaking for NOVA and DC where I can't remember much being made about MD apart from a passing mention by the local TV station of their games. I can't see them getting into NOVA and the problem is that the DMV is one of the most educated areas, i.e. most people holding a bachelors so they have their own Alma Maters. The DC bars never had major specials or showed big MD games although I guess MD hasn't really had a big game in a while. I guess local bars don't need to be a Maryland bar but many bars were Penn State, Ohio State, etc. bars.

[blazindw]

Well yeah, I was more speaking for NOVA and DC where I can't remember much being made about MD apart from a passing mention by the local TV station of their games. I can't see them getting into NOVA and the problem is that the DMV is one of the most educated areas, i.e. most people holding a bachelors so they have their own Alma Maters. The DC bars never had major specials or showed big MD games although I guess MD hasn't really had a big game in a while. I guess local bars don't need to be a Maryland bar but many bars were Penn State, Ohio State, etc. bars.

Maryland, of the local schools, dominates the local media here in DC. Georgetown might get more billing during basketball season, but of the local schools, Maryland gets most of the coverage.

[roywhite]

This from the Newark Star-Ledger

http://mobile.nj.com/advnj/pm_29222/...tguid=eTJiw5sn

sounds like the source is a Terp blogger, so not sure how much weight that carries

[senkiri]

Local coverage is starting to make this seem like its a done deal:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/t...,3071485.story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...501_story.html

Never liked Maryland or their fans much, but they were sort-of the cousin you hate but love at the same time because they are family. They are (?were) a good fit with the ACC -- academically, geographically and non-revenue sports wise as well. Really disappointed to see a charter member of the ACC leave -- and more importantly, really worried about what this does to half-hearted members of the league like Georgia Tech and Florida State.

Definitely think the ACC should go scorched earth on the B1G and MD here. No more ACC-B1G challenge. No ACC school should play MD in any sport at all. They want to go, they should get to know their new conference friends and not have ACC schools making their travel schedule any easier in lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, etc...

Which networks cover the B1G's media rights/tiers? I know the BTN is a Fox sports network... Is this helpful to ESPN to potentially destabilize the ACC? And when is the ACC's renegotiated contract taking into account Notre Dame's entrance to the league coming out? Hopefully the per school money will go up significantly and put the ACC at least roughly on par with the other leagues so this doesn't spin out of control.

[superdave]

Didnt the ACC up the exit fee? I thought it was supposed to be prohibitive.

Super "Time to pursue Texas and Oklahoma." Dave

[DukeSean]

Didnt the ACC up the exit fee? I thought it was supposed to be prohibitive.

Super "Time to pursue Texas and Oklahoma." Dave

You'd think a $50M exit fee would be prohibitive for a school struggling with its athletics finances like MD, but with a guy like Kevin Plank (Under Armour founder) pushing the move, you'd figure he'd contribute to that exit fee fund.

[uh_no]

Didnt the ACC up the exit fee? I thought it was supposed to be prohibitive.

Super "Time to pursue Texas and Oklahoma." Dave

I think the contention is that they will law suit their way out of some of it, or at least threaten lawsuit enough to make a deal. As someone else pointed out, in all the other moves, no one has paid full exit fee.

[Class of '94]

Local coverage is starting to make this seem like its a done deal:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/t...,3071485.story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...501_story.html

Never liked Maryland or their fans much, but they were sort-of the cousin you hate but love at the same time because they are family. They are (?were) a good fit with the ACC -- academically, geographically and non-revenue sports wise as well. Really disappointed to see a charter member of the ACC leave -- and more importantly, really worried about what this does to half-hearted members of the league like Georgia Tech and Florida State.

Definitely think the ACC should go scorched earth on the B1G and MD here. No more ACC-B1G challenge. No ACC school should play MD in any sport at all. They want to go, they should get to know their new conference friends and not have ACC schools making their travel schedule any easier in lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, etc...

Which networks cover the B1G's media rights/tiers? I know the BTN is a Fox sports network... Is this helpful to ESPN to potentially destabilize the ACC? And when is the ACC's renegotiated contract taking into account Notre Dame's entrance to the league coming out? Hopefully the per school money will go up significantly and put the ACC at least roughly on par with the other leagues so this doesn't spin out of control.

Apparently, Gary Williams supports the move; and has the audacity to use the "MD was never important to the ACC" as justification for leaving just because DC only had the tournament once. I wonder how many times DC will host the BIG 10 tournament? Here is the link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...ve-to-big-ten/ .

I get the money grab...Just say it; but don't try to hide it with BS; the veilled reference of the ACC being NC centric has worn thin with me...Academically, the BIG 10 will be just as good a fit as the ACC; but there is no way their sports teams gain more exposure in the BIG 10 when the BIG 10 doesn't play as a conference in many of their sports. If MD leaves, I'm now on the side of "See ya...". I hope MD stays but if they don't, God bless them but I hope no ACC school plays them in any sport (unless it's for a National Championship) once they are members of the BIG 10.

That said, I'm sure teams remaining in the Big East have felt the same way about schools that defected to the ACC. And the way MD and the BIG 10 kept this quiet from other members of the ACC is eerily similar to how it went down with Pitt and Syracuse talking with the ACC about joining the conference. I guess there are many that will say, "you reap what you sow". Regardless, if the ACC makes the right choice in the selection of MD's replacement, the ACC could be even better and stronger than what it would've been with MD.

[Son of Jarhead]

You'd think a $50M exit fee would be prohibitive for a school struggling with its athletics finances like MD, but with a guy like Kevin Plank (Under Armour founder) pushing the move, you'd figure he'd contribute to that exit fee fund.

Again, I have to ask, if Plank would pay the exit fee, why not just give them the money to get out of debt instead?

This has to be an ego driven power play. I agree with Senkiri on most parts of his 'scortched earth' suggestion. I'll add to his list that if any ACC schools have under armour contracts, tear 'em up and sign with Nike, and if under armour makes any products using any ACC school logos, pull the licensing... I don't have any idea if they do, but if so, I imagine it would hurt losing Duke&UNC basketball and FSU&Miami football name&logo recognition and the sales dollars they would bring.

This whole Maryland thing is just so stupid!

[ricks68]

What will happen with all of the rabid MD lacrosse fans? I mean, MD is a hotbed of lacrosse, and while not a big revenue producer, losing the ACC lacrosse play ------ including the upcoming addition of ND and Syracuse I think will be a tremendous hit. Actually, it will end up being devasting to their lacrosse fans. I say, let 'em go, however, as our players and their families will be a heck of a lot safer when going to see any kind of a sport at MD.

ricks

[Olympic Fan]

If they want to leave ... good riddance. I still remember the chants directed at JJ Redick, the vulgar t-shirts and, most of all the bottles thrown at the Boozer family. I remember the riots on those rare occasions when they beat us ... and the riots on the frequent occasions when we beat them. I'm sick of their whining that the conference office is gainst them and they never get any calls.

I'll be glad to see them sneaking out the door.

In fact, I'll chip in $10 to help cover their exit fee. Between the DBR users we can come up with $100 or so to help defray the $50 million (and they are deluding themselves if they think they can weasel their way out of the fee ... asked a lawyer tonight and his response was "it's something called a contract")

Losing Maryland is not going to kill or destabilize the ACC. It's not going to start a stampede to other conferences.

We'll be fine -- with or without them.

[uh_no]

If they want to leave ... good riddance. I still remember the chants directed at JJ Redick, the vulgar t-shirts and, most of all the bottles thrown at the Boozer family. I remember the riots on those rare occasions when they beat us ... and the riots on the frequent occasions when we beat them. I'm sick of their whining that the conference office is gainst them and they never get any calls.

I'll be glad to see them sneaking out the door.

In fact, I'll chip in $10 to help cover their exit fee. Between the DBR users we can come up with $100 or so to help defray the $50 million (and they are deluding themselves if they think they can weasel their way out of the fee ... asked a lawyer tonight and his response was "it's something called a contract")

Losing Maryland is not going to kill or destabilize the ACC. It's not going to start a stampede to other conferences.

We'll be fine -- with or without them.

well, there are out of court settlements...there are also all the other schools who changed conferences recently who snuck out with less than the stated exit fee. either way, the ACC situation may play out differently...who knows?

[sporthenry]

If they want to leave ... good riddance. I still remember the chants directed at JJ Redick, the vulgar t-shirts and, most of all the bottles thrown at the Boozer family. I remember the riots on those rare occasions when they beat us ... and the riots on the frequent occasions when we beat them. I'm sick of their whining that the conference office is gainst them and they never get any calls.

I'll be glad to see them sneaking out the door.

In fact, I'll chip in $10 to help cover their exit fee. Between the DBR users we can come up with $100 or so to help defray the $50 million (and they are deluding themselves if they think they can weasel their way out of the fee ... asked a lawyer tonight and his response was "it's something called a contract")

Losing Maryland is not going to kill or destabilize the ACC. It's not going to start a stampede to other conferences.

We'll be fine -- with or without them.

Yeah, I'm sure UMD could go after the whole changing rivals, bringing in Pitt/Cuse, and raising the exit fee against their wishes but not sure they'll win. Someone mentioned that nobody ever paid the full exit fee but WVU did pay a hefty sum although they said it was to leave early. Mizzou and A&M lucked out but no indication the ACC would be as nice and many were perplexed the B12 was so nice. Perhaps they'll settle out of court but that would also set a precedent for a team like FSU to get out with similar fees so they might want to go for the full 50 and just stick it to Maryland as one last "Thank You."

I would agree it won't kill the ACC but it could destabilize them a bit. I'm not really sure why the B1G would want G. Tech at all but the ACC could lose 5 teams when all is said and done. They'd still have 9 teams and sure the conference would have to pick up the scraps of the BE but Duke really has no chance of being left out in the cold nor does the ACC. There is always Temple, and Uconn on the East coast and perhaps they'll go after Louisville, Cincy, etc. So it might not be as pretty but they'd still be in contention to be one of the major 4 conferences but would probably be the weakest behind the SEC, B1G and Pac12.

Either way, the Big 12 is in more danger and a Baylor is in more danger than a Duke. Would the SEC really want FSU/Clemson over a Texas or an Oklahoma. Heck, even KSU, KU, or ISU would fit better for the B1G than G. Tech. I guess the Pac12 could go after OSU, OU, UT, and TT and then the SEC would poach FSU and Clemson. But that would still leave KU and KSU along with WVU up for grabs to replace MD and whoever left for the B1G.