342 replies to this topic

[Chris B]

George Mason to stay in the CAA. No word yet on VCU or ODU.

http://www.caasports... ... =205426308

[BSLMikeLowe]

Boise St's decision will likely come down to what the Big East can get in TV money. The MWC's TV deal is horrible and won't be tough to beat. As long as the financials are more favorable (after travel is taken into account) I would think they'd stick with the Big East, even if it means putting their other sports in the carcass that is the remains of the WAC.

[BSLChrisStoner]

NBC Sports / College Football Talk: FSU board 'unanimously in favor of seeing what Big 12 might offer'
http://collegefootba...12-might-offer/

[BSLChrisStoner]

NBC Sports / College Football Talk: FSU board 'unanimously in favor of seeing what Big 12 might offer'
http://collegefootba...12-might-offer/

[Nuclear Dish]

NBC Sports / College Football Talk: FSU board 'unanimously in favor of seeing what Big 12 might offer'
http://collegefootba...12-might-offer/

Yeah, I heard about this. The Chairman of their Board of Trustees is tired of the league favoring UNC and dook.

The funny thing is that the ACC secretly wants nothing more than for FSU to dominate the league in football and win national championships, thereby improving the league's reputation and profile. If FSU hadn't failed the league (1-5 in BCS bowl games, only national championship in 1999, no BCS bowl games since Jan. 2006) in the one sport in which it was most needed, maybe they'd have gotten the respect it craves.

Is it any wonder that the league is more or less conceding that it's a basketball-first league after the big football additions have more or less tanked?

Good riddance.

[Nuclear Dish]

NBC Sports / College Football Talk: FSU board 'unanimously in favor of seeing what Big 12 might offer'
http://collegefootba...12-might-offer/

As I posted in the other thread:

Yeah, I heard about this. The Chairman of their Board of Trustees is tired of the league favoring UNC and dook.

The funny thing is that the ACC secretly wants nothing more than for FSU to dominate the league in football and win national championships, thereby improving the league's reputation and profile. If FSU hadn't failed the league (1-5 in BCS bowl games, only national championship in 1999, no BCS bowl games since Jan. 2006) in the one sport in which it was most needed, maybe they'd have gotten the respect it craves.

Is it any wonder that the league is more or less conceding that it's a basketball-first league after the big football additions have more or less tanked?

Good riddance.

[Chris B]

Can't blame FSU for looking. Clearly their main interest is football, which coincides with the majority of the Big XII. If they do end up switching conferences, it'll be interesting to see what the ACC will do. Clearly the football product will be much weaker. Do they try to shore that up or go the basketball route by adding someone like UConn or Louisville?

[Chris B]

Just for the sake of speculation, let's say FSU and Clemson go to the ACC. The ACC would be comprised of the following:
Duke, Maryland, NC State, UNC, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Virginia
Virginia Tech, Miami, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse

IGiven the conference landscape, I would be shocked if the ACC stays pat at 12. I expect they'd add UConn (to replace FSU) and maybe Rutgers (to replace Clemson). At that point, the ACC would be comprised of 7 "original members" and 7 from the old Big East.

[BSLChrisStoner]

If the ACC were to lose FSU, and Clemson; I'd be surprised if we did not again hear rumors of Maryland to the Big Ten. Would still be unlikely to happen, but the rumors would be back.

The additions of 'Cuse, and Pittsburgh were panned by some as not making sense. It was always about being proactive, and realizing that losing two Southern teams could happen.

[jsh]

A few things. I'll number them so it's easier to rebut.

1. Just LOL at FSU. They had a representative on the committee that negotiated the TV contract. If they weren't happy with it than they should of said something. They also claim Tier 3 basketball games weren't included but that's false. I also love the claims of the conference catering to Duke/UNC. They must forget that the ACC jerryrigged the divisions to make sure FSU got to play Miami every year and that they played the conference title game in Florida for 4 years for FSU. And if they think it's bad in the ACC, wait until they get to the BEVO conference. They complain about the local SEC schools having more money than them, wait until they join a conference where one team makes 10-15M more a year than they do.

2. I don't think this is happening. This BOT guy is on his way out within the next two weeks. Sounds to me like a guy just pandering to the crowd on his way out of power. FSU's AD just said Friday that he was happy with the ACC and they weren't looking anywhere else.

3. Why I don't think this happens? It makes no sense for ESPN. The ACC is the #1 provider of content on ESPN. They control 100% of the rights to ACC games, that can't be said for any other power conference. If FSU went to the B12 than not only would ESPN have pay the B12 more money (not only the 40M or so to equal the current payouts but another 20M or so for the conference title game) but they'd weaken their own inventory. As I said earlier, FSU had a voice in the negotiation room, if they had a problem with the contract than I think ESPN would've been happy to pay a few extra million to preserve the ACC.

4. If FSU and one other team left (Clemson or Miami) than what happens next would depend on ESPN. Personally, I think ESPN would honor the contract they just signed so everyone's payouts would increase with two less teams. Why would they do this? Because if they tried to decrease the payout than more teams would leave which would mean even less inventory for ESPN.

If they were to add two teams than I think they'd focus on basketball. No matter what they did, they'd still remain 5th when it comes to football. Instead of working to improve football they should just solidify their strength as a basketball conference and add Louisville. I could see them taking Rutgers over UConn though just because no one likes UConn.

[jsh]

NBC Sports / College Football Talk: FSU board 'unanimously in favor of seeing what Big 12 might offer'
http://collegefootba...12-might-offer/

Yeah, I heard about this. The Chairman of their Board of Trustees is tired of the league favoring UNC and dook.

The funny thing is that the ACC secretly wants nothing more than for FSU to dominate the league in football and win national championships, thereby improving the league's reputation and profile. If FSU hadn't failed the league (1-5 in BCS bowl games, only national championship in 1999, no BCS bowl games since Jan. 2006) in the one sport in which it was most needed, maybe they'd have gotten the respect it craves.

Is it any wonder that the league is more or less conceding that it's a basketball-first league after the big football additions have more or less tanked?

Good riddance.

I'd actually love to get rid of FSU. Their BOT member who ran his mouth knew nothing about the contract. He claimed Tier 3 men's hoops were kept by the schools instead of given up to ESPN. That's not true. Football and men's hoops tier 3 rights are given to ESPN, all remaining (non-revenue) tier 3 rights are kept by the schools.

I also enjoy FSU whining about adding Cuse/Pitt. I'm guessing they're ignoring the fact that without those two schools the ACC wouldn't have been able to renegotiate the TV contract.

[jsh]

Just for the sake of speculation, let's say FSU and Clemson go to the ACC. The ACC would be comprised of the following:
Duke, Maryland, NC State, UNC, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Virginia
Virginia Tech, Miami, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse

IGiven the conference landscape, I would be shocked if the ACC stays pat at 12. I expect they'd add UConn (to replace FSU) and maybe Rutgers (to replace Clemson). At that point, the ACC would be comprised of 7 "original members" and 7 from the old Big East.

It all depends on ESPN. If they'll keep the payout the same, much like they did for the B12 when Nebraska/Colorado left, than there's no reason for the ACC to expand. I actually think the ACC has the leverage here because if ESPN tried to reduce the payouts than you'd see more defections and then ESPN would lose not only quality programming but they'd also lose a large quantity of programming.

If, for whatever reason, the ACC wanted to expand than UConn and Rutgers are the favorites, Louisville a darkhorse. That's assuming Notre Dame still keeps their independence.

As I said in the other thread, I still don't see this happening. FSU BOT just looks like a blowhard who has no knowledge whatsoever of the TV contract.

[jsh]

Florida State University regrets that misinformation about the provisions of the ACC contract has unnecessarily renewed the controversy and speculation about University's athletic conference alignment. Florida State respects the views of the Chair of its Board of Trustees that, of course, any university would examine options that would impact university academics, athletics or finances. At the same time, Florida State is not seeking an alternative to the ACC nor are we considering alternatives. Our current commitments remain strong.

http://www.cbssports...ut-acc-contract

[Chris B]

Ugh, it's all political speak. Who knows what the actual truth is.

[Chris B]

https://twitter.com/#!/Bushido247

"Clemson has now contacted FSU and Big 12 to get serious." -- Brian Ethridge of http://Baylor.247sports.com

[Nuclear Dish]

I'd love to see FSU embarrass themselves by leaving the ACC for a disjointed, dysfunctional conference like the Big 12, especially if Texas or Oklahoma then decided to leave, whether to go independent or to join the Pac-12. Nothing would make me happier if they left than to see them have to play against Southern Miss, Tulane, Rice, and SMU in their conference games.

[Nuclear Dish]

The ACC would be comprised of the following:
Duke, Maryland, NC State, UNC, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Virginia
Virginia Tech, Miami, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse

At that point, the ACC would be comprised of 7 "original members" and 7 from the old Big East.

I hope the quotation marks are to account for Georgia Tech and Virginia, who are not original members. The original ACC had the four North Carolina schools, plus Maryland, Clemson, and South Carolina. Virginia joined 7 months later to make it an even 8 schools. South Carolina left in 1971 over disputes over the league's recruiting rules, and they added Georgia Tech in 1978. FSU joined in 1991.

Also, Rutgers and Virginia Tech are hardly schools from the "old" Big East. More like from the new Big East. Rutgers joined in 1995, and VT joined in 2000. Even Pitt isn't a charter member of that conference, only joining in 1982.

Interesting tidbit: Rutgers was invited to join the Big East as a charter member in 1979, along with Holy Cross. Both schools declined.

[Chris B]

VCU to the A10 for 2013.

http://www.cbssports... ... y/19042989

I'd argue VCU and Butler are better than the departing A10 schools (Temple and Charlotte).

Honestly, as much as I'd love to see the Catholic League if the Big East splits, right now, I'm pretty content with the A10. If only we could just rid ourselves of LaSalle and Fordham...

[jsh]

FSU's president issued a memo today where he weighed the pros and cons of leaving the ACC. The two things to take away from the memo, one the President lists more positives for staying than negatives and two, he says the faculty are adamantly against joining a conference that is academically weaker.

[BSLMikeLowe]

4. If FSU and one other team left (Clemson or Miami) than what happens next would depend on ESPN. Personally, I think ESPN would honor the contract they just signed so everyone's payouts would increase with two less teams. Why would they do this? Because if they tried to decrease the payout than more teams would leave which would mean even less inventory for ESPN.

I think ESPN would agree to maintain the recently negotiated payout with two provisions: 1) The move to an 18-game basketball schedule still takes place, and 2) They still go to a 9-game conference football schedule as planned. As long as those two things occur, then the reduced inventory won't matter as much to ESPN.