644 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: No bad blood at conference's spring meetings, but divorce between ACC, Florida State and Clemson still likely

https://www.cbssport...n-still-likely/

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Inside the future of Florida State: AD Michael Alford offers perspective amid potential ACC exit

https://www.cbssport...ntial-acc-exit/

[BSLMikeLowe]

Action Network: Big Ten, SEC Unlikely to Add Florida State if ACC Survives

 

Several sources added they weren’t convinced they could “trust” Florida State as a new member.

 

“Look what they did: getting the attorney general involved, accusing [former ACC commissioner] John Swofford of rigging the television rights to help his son, filing a suit to expose ESPN’s TV deals — something the other three power leagues are against, by the way,” the source said. “They’re not a good partner. There’s no congeniality. No one wants that."

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yikes. 

 

So... Big 12?

[BSLMikeLowe]

Seems like it. Which sounds like a pretty bad ending considering all the money FSU will have spent, whether to buy their way out of the grant of rights or via settlement....only to end up in a conference that probably won't pay them much more, if any, than the ACC did.

 

Clemson doesn't really get mentioned, but have to think they'd be in the very same boat.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Big 12, UConn discuss Huskies joining conference; commissioner Brett Yormark to meet with league presidents

https://www.cbssport...gue-presidents/

[BSLZackKiesel]

The Pac-12 announces that they’ll be adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State beginning in 2026.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Which brings the Pac-12, two years from now, from 2 teams to 6 teams. I think a name change is in order for that conference. Gotta love modern college athletics.

[Pedro Cerrano]

The “PAC 12/2”

[BSLMikeLowe]

They’ll still need two more members by 2026 to be a football playing conference unless they get an NCAA waiver. Maybe they think Cal and Stanford will get sick of all the travel to the East Coast? Or the ACC will implode by then?

[Chris B]

They’ll still need two more members by 2026 to be a football playing conference unless they get an NCAA waiver. Maybe they think Cal and Stanford will get sick of all the travel to the East Coast? Or the ACC will implode by then?

Can’t imagine the ACC allows to leave given the GOR. It’d essentially be what FSU and Clem are arguing so they can get out (albeit with no current destination available).

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Bust up the ACC and take the top schools and form a 6 team east coast side of the PAC 12. Actually could make a pretty good conference.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Can’t imagine the ACC allows to leave given the GOR. It’d essentially be what FSU and Clem are arguing so they can get out (albeit with no current destination available).

FSU and Clemson would have to go first. That might result in ESPN voiding the TV deal, which would then void the GOR, since those two things are directly tied together.

 

I think even then it’s unlikely. The whole reason Cal and Stanford are in the ACC in the first place (despite all the travel and only getting a 1/3 revenue share) is because their academic snobbery would never allow them to be in a conference with a bunch of “State” schools.

[BSLChrisStoner]

FSU and Clemson would have to go first. That might result in ESPN voiding the TV deal, which would then void the GOR, since those two things are directly tied together.

 

I think even then it’s unlikely. The whole reason Cal and Stanford are in the ACC in the first place (despite all the travel and only getting a 1/3 revenue share) is because their academic snobbery would never allow them to be in a conference with a bunch of “State” schools.

 

Think FSU plans to leave after '27, arguing that's when the GOR actually ends.

 

They have to give notice a year prior.  See some people think they'll give notice Summer '25.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Re: Pac 12...  outside of Cal and Stanford as possibilities...  what's the status of the teams which just left for the Big 12?
How hard would it be for them to leave again?  And would they want to?

 

Big 12 looks pretty solid to me.

 

The new Pac 12... that's a decent core, but I'm not sure how they fill it out. 

 

Steve mentioned the ACC...  might be something there, because both seem vulnerable.

[BSLMikeLowe]

No chance any of those that went to the Big 12 go back. Of the four, Utah and Arizona State seemed like they were least enthused about it, but the money will be 2-3x greater in the Big 12, so even with added travel they will cash the check and make it work.

 

Of the other options, if the Pac 12(6) had a wish list it would probably look like:

1) Cal/Stanford - This is not very realistic. Not only is getting out of the ACC right now a thorny issue, but the whole reason those two were willing to take 1/3 of the payouts and the travel headaches to be in the ACC is because their academic narcissism wouldn't allow them to be in a conference with the likes of Fresno and Boise St.

2) Top programs in the AAC - This would be the likes of Memphis, Tulane, USF etc. I'd say this is mildly realistic. The Pac-12 might be able to offer more money than the AAC (which pays around $10M per school), but would it be enough to be worth the extra travel? This might be less of an issue for Texas schools like UTSA and North Texas, more so for those east of the Mississippi. And while they are in the Sun Belt, maybe add Texas State to that list.

3) Take your pick of the two best schools remaining in the MWC. Probably UNLV and ??? I guess Air Force would be the next best choice, but if they bolt the MWC they may prefer to go join Army and Navy in the AAC. After AF, the pickings are slim. UNLV may be tricky too. They are under the same system and board of regents as Nevada (Reno), and speculation is there is political pressure for the two schools to be bound together. No chance the Pac takes Nevada just to get UNLV.

 

The Pac got arguably the three top non-power football brands in the country in BSU, FSU and SDSU. All have been ranked in the Top 25 and beaten power conference foes at various points in recent years. Colorado State, not so much. They're much more speculative. They did build a new $270M stadium a few years ago, and their MBB team has made the tourney two of the past three seasons, so the commitment to invest in improving seems there. They expand the footprint too, which may make it slightly easier to sell a couple schools east of the Rockies.

 

I don't see two slam dunk choices right now. I don't believe the ACC's issues will get ironed out before the Pac-12 must meet the July 2026 deadline to reach 8 teams. I'm sure they'll keep a couple seats at the table open in case ACC chaos presents an opportunity to grow to 10 or 12 teams, but for now they'll have to get two more schools from a list that doesn't have extensive resumes. Like with Colorado State, their choice will be a spec play, and you have to be pretty careful there. The schools that are paying a big price to leave the MWC are doing so because they're tired of sharing money with bottom-feeders, so they don't want to go through all that just to share more money with more bottom-feeders.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Bruce Feldman reporting that the Pac-12 is showing interest in adding Memphis and Tulane.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Yall should check out the real travel costs in both money and time. Many make this a big issue when talking about conference alignment. I did an extensive look at this back when BSU was being considered for the Big 12. The bottom line is that it's not even close to the issue it's made out to be.

Fir example, guys would say it's a 4 hour flight between X and Y where as its only 1.5 flight between X and Z. So what? What you really have to look at total door to door time. Time from campus to airport, time through security, time to campus at other end. What it ends up showing is the actual time in the air may not even be more than half the trip time. BSU is 10 minutes from the airport and there is no wait or lines at security. How long does it take the Terps to get to BWI/DULLES/National and get checked in?

Bottom line is that it's not close to the issue it's made out to be. Even the costs were surprisingly not as different as you'd think.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Yall should check out the real travel costs in both money and time. Many make this a big issue when talking about conference alignment. I did an extensive look at this back when BSU was being considered for the Big 12. The bottom line is that it's not even close to the issue it's made out to be.

Fir example, guys would say it's a 4 hour flight between X and Y where as its only 1.5 flight between X and Z. So what? What you really have to look at total door to door time. Time from campus to airport, time through security, time to campus at other end. What it ends up showing is the actual time in the air may not even be more than half the trip time. BSU is 10 minutes from the airport and there is no wait or lines at security. How long does it take the Terps to get to BWI/DULLES/National and get checked in?

Bottom line is that it's not close to the issue it's made out to be. Even the costs were surprisingly not as different as you'd think.

 

Can't really compare the travel for football vs other sports. Most football teams charter planes when they fly because they have so many people traveling, so they don't have to deal with airport security, connections, cancelled flights and lost luggage like the rest of us. It's the other sports that do travel on regular commercial flights that have it rough.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Can't really compare the travel for football vs other sports. Most football teams charter planes when they fly because they have so many people traveling, so they don't have to deal with airport security, connections, cancelled flights and lost luggage like the rest of us. It's the other sports that do travel on regular commercial flights that have it rough.

Correct but the cost of a charter is mostly the initial cost. Extra flight time is more sure but the upfront cost is the major factor. But the point stands. The whole travel excuse is overblown.