The ACC has no chance to move to Madison Square Garden in the immediate future, as MSG has a deal signed with the Big East through 2026. Multiple sources described that contract as "air tight." A source with direct knowledge of the contract said that Joseph M. Leccese, the Big East's lawyer with prominent firm Proskauer Rose, spent an inordinate amount of time making sure that MSG couldn't get out of the deal with the Big East. (The Garden is considered the Big East's best asset.)
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20140314/acc-tournament-barclays-center-2017/
...well isn't that nice to hear.
Yes, saw that last night... this is good news.
Considering ACC has a tourney rotation now (NC, Wash DC, Barclays), that would mean that 2020 would be the next time ACC would try for MSG. Great to hear our contract is "air tight"... maybe they won't bother trying for another decade.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10606349/barclays-center-negotiates-10-acc
Officials for the Barclays Center are negotiating with the ACC and the Atlantic 10 to work out a deal for 2017 postseason tournament dates that could involve a scheduling alliance and nonconference doubleheaders between the conferences, multiple sources told ESPN on Friday.
Sports Illustrated first reported that the ACC's conference tournament would move to the Barclays Center in 2017 and 2018 after it goes to Greensboro, N.C., in 2015 and Washington, D.C., in 2016.
But the A-10 has a five-year deal with the Barclays Center that finishes with the 2017 tournament. The A-10 is open to moving the days of its 2017 tournament if it would get something in return from the ACC in terms of scheduling with the league to help raise its profile, a source with direct knowledge told ESPN. But that won't work for the Barclays Center.
Barclays Center officials are talking with the A-10 about giving up its 2017 dates there and have suggested possibly moving the conference to Nassau Coliseum, which will be under the Barclays property and is scheduled for a renovation. The New York Islanders are moving to the Barclays Center in 2015.
The Barclays Center, according to a source, isn't open to having college basketball tournaments go for more than a week and pushing the Islanders and Brooklyn Nets, the two primary tenants in 2017, on the road. But the A-10 hasn't been sold on the idea that Nassau Coliseum will be an alternative site.
The arena is trying to make itself the center of college basketball in the New York City area, competing with Madison Square Garden, in trying to secure the ACC and keeping the A-10 under its properties, as well.
The A-10 doesn't want to have Barclays as part of its rotation of host cities in future years. While the A-10 legally has the 2017 dates, the leverage rests with the arena because the A-10 wants to be in the building in future years.
Multiple sources said the ACC deal will be done before the spring meetings in May and could be announced during the NCAA tournament. The ACC is sensitive to its Greensboro home, where the conference has had a long-standing relationship. The ACC is expected to rotate its tournament within its footprint and return to North Carolina in future years, to either Greensboro or Charlotte.
ACC commissioner John Swofford said in a statement that there would be no announcement about future sites during this year's tournament.
"Future tournament sites is not a new topic, as it's been discussed for the last several years and continues to be under discussion," he said. "At this time, the ACC tournament will be in Greensboro in 2015 and Washington, D.C., in 2016. Our schools will determine where it is held beyond 2016, and while we appreciate all of the interest in the future of this great event, we do not have anything to announce at this time, nor will we during the course of this tournament."
A Big Ten official told ESPN earlier in the season that the conference would have an East Coast rotation for its tournament in later years, with the additions of Rutgers and Maryland, with possible destinations being New York or Washington, D.C.
The A-10 is also looking at sites for 2018 and beyond and is open to moving its tournament around, possibly returning to the Philadelphia or Washington areas.
Multiple ACC sources said the league is well aware of the A-10's deal with the Barclays Center and that no deal has been signed. The ACC would like to get into Madison Square Garden, but MSG has a deal with the Big East through 2026, according to SI.
A source with connections to MSG told ESPN during the season that the arena would love to have the Big East and the ACC in the same week, but that would mean having the Big East move earlier in the week, which is unlikely to occur.
I don't know about you, but I've loved Fox Sports 1 coverage of the BET (granted, a bottle cap might have more of a personality than Austin Croshere).
Having the bright lights of MSG, with Raft and Gus Johnson, is awesome. Erin Andrews is icing on the cake.
Regardless how the conference has evolved, the Big East tourney belongs in NYC.
I really enjoyed the Big East on FS1 and CBSSN! I don't mind Austin. He has a funny smile.
Tell this to Tim Brando. Was listening to him on Sirius 91 this morning and he had a bit of a diatribe on how weak the Big East is this year and how in short order the ACC will be taking the MSG contract.
It was a bit weird for Tim Brando to go off like this. He is usually pretty milquetoast giving props to the A-10, AAC, WCC, etc...
Quote from: Wade for President on March 14, 2014, 04:03:52 PM
I don't know about you, but I've loved Fox Sports 1 coverage of the BET (granted, a bottle cap might have more of a personality than Austin Croshere).
Having the bright lights of MSG, with Raft and Gus Johnson, is awesome. Erin Andrews is icing on the cake.
Regardless how the conference has evolved, the Big East tourney belongs in NYC.
I agree that FS1 has put together a fantastic "A team" with Gus, Raft and EA. However, the dropoff to the guys who did the day games in the BET and some of the regular season games was pretty dramatic.
All in all, good performance for year 1, but I hope the next couple of years leads to a bit more overall quality in the commentators.
Quote from: GooooMarquette on March 14, 2014, 05:04:59 PM
I agree that FS1 has put together a fantastic "A team" with Gus, Raft and EA. However, the dropoff to the guys who did the day games in the BET and some of the regular season games was pretty dramatic.
Compare that to some of the ESPN+ guys like Dickie Simpkins (sp?) and it is still a step up!
With each passing day, I hate the ACC that much more!
Quote from: MarquetteDano on March 14, 2014, 04:56:50 PM
Tell this to Tim Brando. Was listening to him on Sirius 91 this morning and he had a bit of a diatribe on how weak the Big East is this year and how in short order the ACC will be taking the MSG contract.
It was a bit weird for Tim Brando to go off like this. He is usually pretty milquetoast giving props to the A-10, AAC, WCC, etc...
Two reasons. He works for Raycom Sports that does the ACC Tourney in those markets. His good friend is Mike Aresco, commissioner of the Big East and now called AAC.
Quote from: GooooMarquette on March 14, 2014, 05:04:59 PM
I agree that FS1 has put together a fantastic "A team" with Gus, Raft and EA. However, the dropoff to the guys who did the day games in the BET.
That would be Justin Kutcher & Tarik Turner. Kutcher did the most BE games this year and does college football.
I like when they had Brian Anderson, Eric Collins, Dick Stockton or Wayne Larrivee do play by play.
Quote from: GooooMarquette on March 14, 2014, 05:04:59 PM
I agree that FS1 has put together a fantastic "A team" with Gus, Raft and EA.
Frankly, I think they need to bring Ines Sainz into the fold to upgrade the quality of the telecasts.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ZjMUoaamHXU/TN36rhdxNtI/AAAAAAAAClE/Rc2Y8Me6sjU/ines8_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800)
ACC to Barclay's in 2017-2018. It's a done deal. ;)
http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-acc-tourney-york-17-18-202149635--spt.html
So they couldn't kick out the A10 for 2017.
Quote from: Litehouse on March 25, 2014, 08:17:00 PM
So they couldn't kick out the A10 for 2017.
The A-10 agreed to leave early for ESPN's 30 coins of silver.