The Conference Realignment Vigil- Update: Terps to Big10?

[jafarr1]

Realistically, if Notre Dame becomes available in all sports, the ACC has to take them. At that point, the question becomes who joins them as the 16th team. I don't really see a scenario where the ACC stays at 15.

[ForkFondler]

Realistically, if Notre Dame becomes available in all sports, the ACC has to take them. At that point, the question becomes who joins them as the 16th team. I don't really see a scenario where the ACC stays at 15.

The above proposal is predicated on the idea that ND is willing ot play 6 conference games, but no more. The above proposal is a way to make them "in" for football, where "in" means they are competing for the league championship. I have yet to think of way to make that happen with 16 teams.

[Class of '94]

I found this link this morning: http://www2.newsadvance.com/sports/2...on-ar-2070395/

The writer makes some interesting points although he may be given too much weight to ND as a ratings draw. That said, I thought it was interesting that by allowing ND to be a partial member now could pave the way for ND to be a full member in the future if the landscape of college football changes in the future. Of course, it doesn't look like that worked for the Big East.

[uh_no]

I found this link this morning: http://www2.newsadvance.com/sports/2...on-ar-2070395/

The writer makes some interesting points although he may be given too much weight to ND as a ratings draw. That said, I thought it was interesting that by allowing ND to be a partial member now could pave the way for ND to be a full member in the future if the landscape of college football changes in the future. Of course, it doesn't look like that worked for the Big East.

not only that, but having partial members is why the big east has been in such dire straights

[Class of '94]

not only that, but having partial members is why the big east has been in such dire straights

I agree...The best case scenario for both Notre Dame and the ACC might be to have a transition plan in place that would require ND to move towards being a full member over a period of "x" amount of years. That being said, there is really no real motivation for ND to be a full member in the ACC or Big 10 if NBC contiues to give them a big TV contract and a league like the Big 12 is telling them can remain independent in football while being able to place their basketball and Olympic sports team in the Big 12.

I'm torn on this but I still lean towards the idea (assuming it's going ot happen regardless) that I'd rather have ND in the ACC as a partial member than in the Big 12 or Big 10 (or any other conference) as a partial member.

[Class of '94]

In lieu of all the things going on at Penn State, I wanted to respectfully pose this question to folks. Would the ACC accept Penn State as a full member if Penn State was expelled from the Big 10.

There are some reports (see espn, for example) that the Big 10 has not ruled out expelling Penn State with respect to all that has happended there. I honeslty don't believe the league would kick Penn State out; but if they did, should or would the ACC offer membership to Penn St?

[SmartDevil]

In lieu of all the things going on at Penn State, I wanted to respectfully pose this question to folks. Would the ACC accept Penn State as a full member if Penn State was expelled from the Big 10.

I think this would be a very foolish action on the part of the ACC. Period.

[DukeSean]

In lieu of all the things going on at Penn State, I wanted to respectfully pose this question to folks. Would the ACC accept Penn State as a full member if Penn State was expelled from the Big 10.

I think this would be a very foolish action on the part of the ACC. Period.

If PSU were expelled from the Big 10, it's impossible to imagine they'll stay unaffiliated forever. Someone is going to offer them membership. And in that case, why not the ACC?

[Duvall]

In lieu of all the things going on at Penn State, I wanted to respectfully pose this question to folks. Would the ACC accept Penn State as a full member if Penn State was expelled from the Big 10.

There are some reports (see espn, for example) that the Big 10 has not ruled out expelling Penn State with respect to all that has happended there. I honeslty don't believe the league would kick Penn State out; but if they did, should or would the ACC offer membership to Penn St?

Not today, but perhaps after some period of reflection and reform it might be worth considering.

[A-Tex Devil]

"Champions Bowl" contract between SEC and Big XII may require that both conferences have a title game, ergo Big XII have at least 12 teams.

[Duvall]

"Champions Bowl" contract between SEC and Big XII may require that both conferences have a title game, ergo Big XII have at least 12 teams.

That makes absolutely no sense. Why would such a provision make it into a contract between the SEC and the Big 12? Why would the Big 12 bind themselves to creating a title game when they still had only ten teams? If they wanted to expand, they could just expand. And why would the SEC care if the Big 12 has a title game? And the TV deals and bowl site for the "Champions Bowl" have yet to be determined, so there aren't any other parties to the contract. Why would there be a term in the contract that benefits neither of the parties *to* the contract?

This seems even more nonsensical than the typical Chip Brownian-blather from BIG 12 SOURCES.

[Class of '94]

That makes absolutely no sense. Why would such a provision make it into a contract between the SEC and the Big 12? Why would the Big 12 bind themselves to creating a title game when they still had only ten teams? If they wanted to expand, they could just expand. And why would the SEC care if the Big 12 has a title game? And the TV deals and bowl site for the "Champions Bowl" have yet to be determined, so there aren't any other parties to the contract. Why would there be a term in the contract that benefits neither of the parties *to* the contract?

This seems even more nonsensical than the typical Chip Brownian-blather from BIG 12 SOURCES.

And I don't get why the writer inatantly brings up Fla St and ND rumors to the Big 12. As been said previously, where is the incentive for the Big 12 to expand to 12 outside of possibly doing it for the is bowl game? It really doesn't make any sense; and I can't imagine that the clause in the contract is true.

[formerdukeathlete]

If PSU were expelled from the Big 10, it's impossible to imagine they'll stay unaffiliated forever. Someone is going to offer them membership. And in that case, why not the ACC?

Penn State could align within a geographic footprint which makes more sense (including within the growing demographic of the Southeast), with less travel time, particularly for non-rev sports, thereby placing greater emphasis on academics and on doing the right thing. For them to be interested and for us to be interested it may require that the Program be shutdown for a period of time, first.

[TexHawk]

Bumping this back up, as the Big 12 TV deal is finally done, after 6+ months of haggling. A little over $20 million per school, for Tiers 1 and 2 only. Each school controls their own Tier 3. For KU, I think this was around $7 million in 2011-12. But they/we have a national hoops brand, I don't see ISU/KSU/TTech being able to take much advantage of this.

[throatybeard]

I can handle some change in life, y'know, like Texas A&M in the SEC feels all right. Virginia Tech seems like a naturalized citizen of the ACC.

But every time I see that West Virginia is in the Big Great Plains Conference, I'm like WTH happened here?

[opossum]

I can handle some change in life, y'know, like Texas A&M in the SEC feels all right. Virginia Tech seems like a naturalized citizen of the ACC.

But every time I see that West Virginia is in the Big Great Plains Conference, I'm like WTH happened here?

Completely agree. Especially on Virginia Tech.

As for WVU, I think they jumped the gun. They signed up for partial shares of Big 12 distributions for years to come and a lot of debt back when the conversation was about whether the Big East would lose its AQ status, when a few years in the new Big East might have given them a leg up to the 4-team playoff and raised their value now that AQ is moot. And now they've reportedly signed some kind of grant of rights to the Great Big Prairie Conference or whatever it's called. I hope for their sake it's as ironclad as the 27-month Big East notice period (and since wandering-eyed Texas and Oklahoma signed it, it probably is). They're better fits long term in the SEC or ACC*, and I think they'd agree.

The least the Big 12 could do for them is add Louisville and Cincy so they have some neighbors if they're truly stuck out there.

*I know about the small market and academics, but a chalk the academic issues up to state government admission mandates driving down their US News ranking. I'd guess the top half of their professors and students stack up just fine against the top half of many current and future ACC schools. It's still a state flagship university albeit of a poor state with lots of public education challenges.

[opossum]

If ND doesn’t want to come as a full member, I’d rather stick with 14 or take UConn and Rutgers. But, as a third alternative, I’d grudgingly accept the following three-pronged proposal:

• Two divisions, one with seven teams, and another with eight. ND will always be in the seven team division.
• Within-division records will be the primary determinant of the conference champions. Extradivisional records would only be used to break ties. The teams in the eight team division would play two extradivisional games each for a total conference schedule of nine games, and 16 total intradivisional games. Four of the teams in the 7 team division would play 3 extradivisional games for a nine game conference schedule. Two of the teams would play two extradivisional games for an 8 game conference schedule. ND would play no extradivisional games for a six game conference schedule.
• The memberships of the divisions will vary from year to year. Pods could be used to mix things up while still providing some consistency in the schedule. For example, the three possible combinations of the following pods could be cycled every three years:

[table="width: 500, align: center"]

Outlier	North	Central	South
BC	Maryland	Duke	Clemson
Miami	Pitt	UNC	FSU
ND	Syracuse	NC State	GT
	VT	UVA	Wake

Who would own the rights to: the BC and Miami games at ND, the other intradivisional ACC games at ND, and the ND nonconference home games? If the answer to all three is the ACC, this is a great solution (VT might not like being in the north, though). If not, we might find other conference members seeking similar deals, and it could be destabilizing overall to the conference, making it not worth the trouble. But if Notre Dame wants its nonconference scheduling flexibility and is willing to concede on revenue sharing to get in this could work.

[TexHawk]

Ok, several things I don't understand with this...

As for WVU, I think they jumped the gun. They signed up for partial shares of Big 12 distributions for years to come and a lot of debt back when the conversation was about whether the Big East would lose its AQ status, when a few years in the new Big East might have given them a leg up to the 4-team playoff and raised their value now that AQ is moot.

1-- The BE is currently in talks with ESPN about a new contract. Last year, the conference turned down a reported offer of $11 million per team from ESPN, and that was WITH Pitt, Cuse, and WVU in the fold. Replace them with Memphis, Boise, SDSU, and they won't see that much again. WVU is now going to pull in $20+ million (at least) every year in the Big 12. This is bad for them, how?
2-- Do you really think WVU would sniff the Top 4 of the coming playoff whipping up on those 3, Louisville, UCONN, South Florida, and Cincinnati? All while earning about half of their national competition does in TV revenue? (When the SEC renegotiates its deal, BE teams will be lucky to see about 25% of what those schools get.)

And now they've reportedly signed some kind of grant of rights to the Great Big Prairie Conference or whatever it's called. I hope for their sake it's as ironclad as the 27-month Big East notice period (and since wandering-eyed Texas and Oklahoma signed it, it probably is). They're better fits long term in the SEC or ACC*, and I think they'd agree.

1-- I know it's funny to call the Big12 names, but I encourage you to visit Lawrence, Dallas, and/or Austin for a weekend (just not Manhattan please).
2-- This deal has a 13 year grant of rights for Big12 teams. If Texas/OU decide to go to the Pac12 in 27 months, the Big12 would still own their TV revenue every year until 2025.

[ForkFondler]

(VT might not like being in the north, though).

OK fine. Swap VT for Duke. We can officially become the NJ of the south and MD can be our rival. Then VT can play Cheater Hill. I'm good with that.

[Class of '94]

I asked this in the ND thread; and I thought I'd ask it here now.

With ND joining the ACC as a partial member, does that now open the door for the ACC to look at adding another school, like UConn, as a full member to balance out the non-footlball sports like basketball or does the ACC remain at 15 (or an odd number of) schools for basketball and other non-football sports for a while?