ACC Realignment Scenario…

[HailToPitt725]

With the UNC trustees beginning to advocate for their exit from the ACC, let’s imagine a scenario where Clemson, FSU, and UNC all leave for the Big Ten or SEC. Who would you like to see take their spots?

I think the first two calls have to be to Washington State and Oregon State. Not only are they P5 schools (giving the ACC credibility since they aren’t just backfilling with G5 programs), but they’d also reduce travel for Cal and Stanford.

If you want to get back to 17 football schools (I’d be fine with staying at 16), UConn would be my next call. They’ve won a football conference championship before and have the best basketball program in the nation right now. My runner-up would be USF; they’re a previous power-level school who is in the process of building their own stadium. If we were to lose FSU, they’d help maintain our position in the Sunshine State.

Not sure who else would be attractive enough. I wouldn’t want us to add Memphis, Tulane, etc. unless we absolutely had to in an effort to not water down the conference.

 

[HailtoPitt]

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Colorado
Arizona
Oklahoma State
UCF

 

[HailToPitt725]

Colorado
Arizona
Oklahoma State
UCF

If the ACC can poach Big 12 schools, it flips this question on its head.

 

[ThePanthers]

If the ACC can poach Big 12 schools, it flips this question on its head.

Big XII teams aren't coming here. If anything, the NC States and VTs of the world, if they don't land in the P2, are likely to go there.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Big XII teams aren't coming here. If anything, the NC States and VTs of the world, if they don't land in the P2, are likely to go there.

Agreed, which is why I didn’t list any of them in the OP.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Big XII teams aren't coming here. If anything, the NC States and VTs of the world, if they don't land in the P2, are likely to go there.

Depends on timing. The B12 TV deal is up in 2031 and they are going to get a massive haircut. If the ACC can stay mostly intact until then, we can pull some teams from the truck stop league.

 

[Chem95]

Big XII teams aren't coming here. If anything, the NC States and VTs of the world, if they don't land in the P2, are likely to go there.

If that happens then ESPN is basically the SEC and nothing else. Fox would have two of the top three conferences.

More likely, by the time the three amigos or sloppy sevens or whatever they are calling themselves this month depart, the major players of the B10 & SEC end up in some sort of version of the NFL triple A league.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Big XII teams aren't coming here. If anything, the NC States and VTs of the world, if they don't land in the P2, are likely to go there.

Why would they go there? There is no advantage to the B12.

 

[pittdan77]

If that happens then ESPN is basically the SEC and nothing else. Fox would have two of the top three conferences.

Which is why ESPN will do what it can to to flip the switch on things. I have no idea why there is this perception, other than the Big12 fanboy dogma, that the Big12 is a premium landing spot for ACC schools. They haven't given any thought to the notion that every single original Big12 school wanted a better eastern television footprint.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Why would they go there? There is no advantage to the B12.

Because of stupidity? A league of Pitt, Lou, Syr, VT, NC St, GT, Duke, Wake, and lets say UConn and USF isnt any worse than the Truck Stop League. And maybe you get WVU, UCF, and Cincy. Why do those schools need to be associated with also-rans in Arizona?

 

[happjack]

Because of stupidity? A league of Pitt, Lou, Syr, VT, NC St, GT, Duke, Wake, and lets say UConn and USF isnt any worse than the Truck Stop League. And maybe you get WVU, UCF, and Cincy. Why do those schools need to be associated with also-rans in Arizona?

Yeah, the Big 12 is a bigger Island of Misfit Toys than the ACC, it makes no sense outside of stupidity for an ACC team to move over there. But, I do wonder that after then next shake up if the schools in both the ACC and Big 12 say "F It" and shuffle teams around so both conferences make geographic sense.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah, the Big 12 is a bigger Island of Misfit Toys than the ACC, it makes no sense outside of stupidity for an ACC team to move over there. But, I do wonder that after then next shake up if the schools in both the ACC and Big 12 say "F It" and shuffle teams around so both conferences make geographic sense.

Some type of merger and geographical matching would make total sense.

Call it something like the Premier Athletic League and then have 2 divisions

ACC
Pitt
WVU
Syr
BC
Lou
Cin
Iowa St
UConn
VT
NC St
Wake
Duke
GT
UCF

Big 12
Kan
KSU
OK St
TT
Baylor
SMU
TCU
Arizona
Arizona St
Colorado
Utah
BYU
Cal
Stanford

 

[CrazyPaco]

Yeah, the Big 12 is a bigger Island of Misfit Toys than the ACC, it makes no sense outside of stupidity for an ACC team to move over there. But, I do wonder that after then next shake up if the schools in both the ACC and Big 12 say "F It" and shuffle teams around so both conferences make geographic sense.

In any hypothetical, it will all depend on who remains a member of the ACC, and how much ESPN is willing to pay for it (and/or how much Fox is willing to pay for an expanded B12).

However, various school leaderships, particular trustee boards, have show an astounding propensity for irrational panic over thoughtful long term strategy, so that is a wildcard too.

And of course, a lot could change very quickly, including what happens with this giant NCAA settlement that may happen this month.

 

[Pitt2009]

Stanford and Cal would rather go independent than to the Big 12. I’d imagine presidents at the remaining ACC schools would rather associate with the ACC than the Big 12.

I try to lure Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah (and UCF if FSU and Miami leave). If they say no, I’m OK with standing pat. No other Big 12 schools move the needle.

*If I’m Pitt I push for WVU. But the ACC will not add WVU.

 

[Atlanta Panther]

Depends on timing. The B12 TV deal is up in 2031 and they are going to get a massive haircut. If the ACC can stay mostly intact until then, we can pull some teams from the truck stop league.

"the Truck Stop League"

LOL

 

[Gep Dawg]

If 2-4 teams leave I have a feeling the rest of the league stays the same. Assuming this was even talked about and agreed to when Cal and Stanford joined. I have a feeling they were offered a share of the exit fees (which I don't believe can or will be waived regardless of what happens with the grant of rights) to join up and give up their TV shares for a couple of years.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

If 2-4 teams leave I have a feeling the rest of the league stays the same. Assuming this was even talked about and agreed to when Cal and Stanford joined. I have a feeling they were offered a share of the exit fees (which I don't believe can or will be waived regardless of what happens with the grant of rights) to join up and give up their TV shares for a couple of years.

Lets say Clem, FSU, UNC, and UVa leave, I don't understand why a VT or NC St or Louisville or Pitt would feel so scared that they'd have to run off to a league which has WVU, Cincy, UCF, and a bunch of far-flung schools.

 

[Dointhatrag]

West Virginia
Oklahoma St
Baylor
Kansas

Thats the right amount of basketball and football

 

[Las Panteras]

Every team in the ACC that wants to remain relevant should pay an annual $5 million to Notre Dame

FSU Clemson and the like are already spending much more for an uncertain outcome

Its a steep price, but it not only saves the ACC but also throws the Big 10 and SEC off path and guarantees the security of Pitt (if they wish to pony up)

None of the scenarios put forth offer anything close to the current ACC with ND aboard, and regardless of what ND says....they too have a price.

The notion that they can name their price sucks but it is true

Only then do we find out who is serious about staying relevant and who is not.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Stanford and Cal would rather go independent than to the Big 12. I’d imagine presidents at the remaining ACC schools would rather associate with the ACC than the Big 12.

I try to lure Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah (and UCF if FSU and Miami leave). If they say no, I’m OK with standing pat. No other Big 12 schools move the needle.

*If I’m Pitt I push for WVU. But the ACC will not add WVU.

Pitt pushed for WVU to the ACC in 2011.

 

[ThePanthers]

Why would they go there? There is no advantage to the B12.

Perception. And like it or not, when you have board members and people who make the decisions, that is a big key. Just listen what the UNC and FSU board members are saying. It sounds like a fanboy message board post. And they fully believe it, and will make the rash decisions based on it.

And I know we make fun of it, but the ACC fanbase, media, and even some of it's members are so poo poo about the conference, a lot w/o merit, the ACC is seen below the Big XII right now from a national standpoint, even though on the field/court/monetarily, it is not. Wait until the cream of the crop leave.

Once the Big XII took Arizona, AZ State, Colorado and Utah, it became the better option as the "best of the rest" conference IMO as soon as FSU, Clemson, UNC, UVA, Miami, or whoever else leaves.

The days of like minded, goal oriented universities coming together are gone. It's about the narrative and the money, and the ACC is losing the narrative game by a mile to the Big XII. Adn that is what will drive some schools there when the wheels fall off the ACC and not the other way around.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Perception. And like it or not, when you have board members and people who make the decisions, that is a big key. Just listen what the UNC and FSU board members are saying. It sounds like a fanboy message board post. And they fully believe it, and will make the rash decisions based on it.

And I know we make fun of it, but the ACC fanbase, media, and even some of it's members are so poo poo about the conference, a lot w/o merit, the ACC is seen below the Big XII right now from a national standpoint, even though on the field/court/monetarily, it is not. Wait until the cream of the crop leave.

Once the Big XII took Arizona, AZ State, Colorado and Utah, it became the better option as the "best of the rest" conference IMO as soon as FSU, Clemson, UNC, UVA, Miami, or whoever else leaves.

The days of like minded, goal oriented universities coming together are gone. It's about the narrative and the money, and the ACC is losing the narrative game by a mile to the Big XII. Adn that is what will drive some schools there when the wheels fall off the ACC and not the other way around.

You are reading too many B12 fan posts. None of that is going to matter. The most important thing will be $.

 

[ThePanthers]

You are reading too many B12 fan posts. None of that is going to matter. The most important thing will be $.

I’m not reading any of them. I’m reading the quotes of the fsu board members, unc board members and some reputable national media, namely Russ dellenger and Pete Thamel.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

You are reading too many B12 fan posts. None of that is going to matter. The most important thing will be $.

He's right about one thing. These boards do have a lot of message board-type fanboys. Usually, its millionaire business owners who get on these boards and often these guys aren't the brightest bulbs. Its kind of an interesting phenomenon. Look at the old POTUS. Not an intelligent guy but has great business savvy and those are the types of people serving on these boards. Don't get me wrong, you have to be somewhat intelligent to build a business from scratch but most of these folks dont have doctor-level IQ's. Watching that FSU BOT meeting was tough. It was as if they let anyone from Warchant serve on their board.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Why would they go there? There is no advantage to the B12.

It diminishes the ACC, though. And they care more about football. So make no mistake, when FSU, Clemson and some others announce they are parting ways, the Big 12 is going to come calling. Pitt had better hope they are included in some way. But, at the end of the day it really doesn't matter. It's already over. And to think of the bs given to Maryland on here for having the courage to make the RIGHT move years ago.

 

[Houclone4]

Lets say Clem, FSU, UNC, and UVa leave, I don't understand why a VT or NC St or Louisville or Pitt would feel so scared that they'd have to run off to a league which has WVU, Cincy, UCF, and a bunch of far-flung schools.

Cal, Stanford, and SMU say hi.

 

[Houclone4]

Depends on timing. The B12 TV deal is up in 2031 and they are going to get a massive haircut. If the ACC can stay mostly intact until then, we can pull some teams from the truck stop league.

Could be a little off the sides and top in 2031 but won't be the buzz cut coming in 2036.

 

[pittchagg]

I think they should listen to Coach K:

“Instead of further following the dictates of football, Krzyzewski has another idea.

‘We have a conference that in a lot of ways wants to split,’ he says. ‘I’d like to see us talk to the Big East and say, ‘Let’s form the best football-basketball conference.’ Not everyone has to play football. There’s only one conference that thinks about basketball every day of the year—that’s [commissioner] Val Ackerman and the Big East. If you’re a partner with them, that’s a really good thing.’”

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I think they should listen to Coach K:

“Instead of further following the dictates of football, Krzyzewski has another idea.

‘We have a conference that in a lot of ways wants to split,’ he says. ‘I’d like to see us talk to the Big East and say, ‘Let’s form the best football-basketball conference.’ Not everyone has to play football. There’s only one conference that thinks about basketball every day of the year—that’s [commissioner] Val Ackerman and the Big East. If you’re a partner with them, that’s a really good thing.’”

Also what I've said. Lets go to the Big East and form our own little football league, maybe we can even call that the Big East:

Pitt
Syr
Lou
Syr
BC
Duke
Wake
UConn
etc

No interest in starting rivalries with Great Plains farming schools

 

[BigChungus90210]

Also what I've said. Lets go to the Big East and form our own little football league, maybe we can even call that the Big East:

Pitt
Syr
Lou
Syr
BC
Duke
Wake
UConn
etc

No interest in starting rivalries with Great Plains farming schools

This conference would be a total after thought on the national stage from August - February considering most people don't even pay attention to basketball till March. Voluntarily going to this would effectively be committing relevancy s*icide.

 

[FireballZ]

Also what I've said. Lets go to the Big East and form our own little football league, maybe we can even call that the Big East:

Pitt
Syr
Lou
Syr
BC
Duke
Wake
UConn
etc

No interest in starting rivalries with Great Plains farming schools

K must be reading your stuff on Message Board Geniuses.

 

[Pitt2009]

Also what I've said. Lets go to the Big East and form our own little football league, maybe we can even call that the Big East:

Pitt
Syr
Lou
Syr
BC
Duke
Wake
UConn
etc

No interest in starting rivalries with Great Plains farming schools

Or we could call it the ACC leftovers?

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Also what I've said. Lets go to the Big East and form our own little football league, maybe we can even call that the Big East:

Pitt
Syr
Lou
Syr
BC
Duke
Wake
UConn
etc

No interest in starting rivalries with Great Plains farming schools

That makes the Big 12 look like the NFL. Boy would that be depressing.

"Let's wheel out another 500-seat bleacher at Highmark; we're playing Louisville for the de facto Big East Championship, and we expect a crowd!"

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

That makes the Big 12 look like the NFL. Boy would that be depressing.

"Let's wheel out another 500-seat bleacher at Highmark; we're playing Louisville for the de facto Big East Championship, and we expect a crowd!"

And a home schedule of

Baylor
Utah
Iowa State
Kansas

isnt?

 

[HailToPitt725]

And a home schedule of

Baylor
Utah
Iowa State
Kansas

isnt?

It’d be depressing for everyone except for me!

 

[pittchagg]

Utah (and Arizona State) would absolutely bolt out of the Big 12 at the first opportunity - they’ve basically publicly ridiculed the Big 12 from their president on down from the minute they joined. Colorado would probably feel the same way as soon as Deion leaves.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Utah (and Arizona State) would absolutely bolt out of the Big 12 at the first opportunity - they’ve basically publicly ridiculed the Big 12 from their president on down from the minute they joined. Colorado would probably feel the same way as soon as Deion leaves.

From an institutional perspective, I could see those two (or four including Arizona and Colorado) wanting to reunite with Cal and Stanford in the ACC. There’d also be the lure of aligning themselves with Duke, Georgia Tech, etc.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

And a home schedule of

Baylor
Utah
Iowa State
Kansas

isnt?

I find playing Syracuse, Cincinnati, BC, and Uconn to be next-level depressing. Might not even be any merit to it, but there is just something about those teams.

But yeah - an October day in front of 1,200 fans at Duke or Kansas is also pretty bad.

Between the two conferences - presuming UNC, Miami, Clemson, and FSU leave -there are actually a few teams I'd be excited about playing most years. Baylor, Utah, NC State, Virginia Tech, TCU, Louisville, WVU, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, BYU... I honestly have no rhyme or reason as to why.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I find playing Syracuse, Cincinnati, BC, and Uconn to be next-level depressing. Might not even be any merit to it, but there is just something about those teams.

But yeah - an October day in front of 1,200 fans at Duke or Kansas is also pretty bad.

Between the two conferences - presuming UNC, Miami, Clemson, and FSU leave -there are actually a few teams I'd be excited about playing most years. Baylor, Utah, NC State, Virginia Tech, TCU, Louisville, WVU, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, BYU... I honestly have no rhyme or reason as to why.

See, for me, playing those Big 12 JUCOS is depressing and it does nothing for me. Like, let's say that 6-1 #18 Texas Tech comes in here in October. Like, who cares? For me, its worse than hosting 3-3 Syracuse or UConn.