If the Big 12 expansion raids the AAC to free UConn, would you...

[Pakuni]

I agree with the last part... but if it were a financially positive move, I don't think that FSU or Clemson would really care about whether they had to play UCONN in football or not; it's not like UCONN is worse than Duke (or how bad UNC would be if they had to send their players to actual classes).

UConn is a lot worse than Duke these days.

[Marcus92]

UConn is a lot worse than Duke these days.

There's really no comparison between UConn and Duke.

As a university, Duke has an endowment of $7 billion. UConn's is less than 1/10 of that at $437 million. (Marquette's is over $500 million, by the way.)

When it comes to men's basketball, the difference is almost as great. True, UConn has won 4 men's national championships to 5 for Duke. But the Huskies have missed 2 of the last 6 NCAA tournaments. Duke has made 20 straight. And Duke has made an incredible 16 Final Fours versus 5 for UConn.

Looking at the program overall, the Huskies are more likely to become Memphis in the next 5-10 years than to challenge Duke for another title.

[Benny B]

I was referring to UCONN's football program.  In twelve years at FBS, it's been to six bowl games.  Duke has been to six bowl games in the last 55 years.

Maybe Duke has turned things around for good, but it's hard to say that UCONN would be a greater drag on ACC football than Duke has been over the last century.

[GGGG]

I was referring to UCONN's football program.  In twelve years at FBS, it's been to six bowl games.  Duke has been to six bowl games in the last 55 years.

Maybe Duke has turned things around for good, but it's hard to say that UCONN would be a greater drag on ACC football than Duke has been over the last century.

No conference brings in new football programs thinking they'd be worse than all but one of the current conference programs.

[Marcus92]

I was referring to UCONN's football program.  In twelve years at FBS, it's been to six bowl games.  Duke has been to six bowl games in the last 55 years.

Maybe Duke has turned things around for good, but it's hard to say that UCONN would be a greater drag on ACC football than Duke has been over the last century.

Yes, Duke's football past has been totally pathetic. But they've been competitive in the ACC (.500 conference record or better) the past 3 seasons, including winning their division a couple years ago. The ACC's a lot tougher level of competition than the AAC — which, in my opinion, is still riding on the former standing of the Big East when it comes to bowl game invites.

If I were the commissioner of some hypothetical conference looking to expand and had my choice between Duke football and UConn football, I'd go with Duke every time.

[Benny B]

No conference brings in new football programs thinking they'd be better than all but one of the current conference programs.

No argument here.  My point was that if the money were to flow positive with UCONN in the ACC, nobody in the ACC is going to balk because of how bad UCONN football is.

[GGGG]

No argument here.  My point was that if the money were to flow positive with UCONN in the ACC, nobody in the ACC is going to balk because of how bad UCONN football is.

Yep. See the B10 and Rutgers and Maryland.

[Marcus92]

The more I think about it, the more UConn's aspirations to be a "great university" seem delusional — or at the very least, conceited.

Every single school in the ACC has a larger endowment than UConn, most by a factor of two or more. The same holds true for the Big 12. In fact, according to the latest figures I could find, more than half the schools in the Big East have larger endowments than UConn: Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, St. John's and Villanova.

Somehow UConn still insists it belongs with the big boys. Granted, endowment is only one measure of a university's stature and success. But it sure seems like football should be the least of their worries.

[GoldenWarrior11]

All of this public posturing and political swaying will all be for naught.  The Big 12 has all of the data, figures, and research it needs to make a decision - and I would guess that they have their list ready to go.  If fans/alumni think that one powerpoint, one presentation, or one brochure (like UConn is trying to do) is going to flip a switch with the Big 12 to extend them an invitation, then they are sorely mistaken.  The publicity for the G5 schools is really for their fans, students and alumni (in an attempt that they will be treated as a legitimate candidate, and in order to boost interest and donations - "See?  We were so close! We need to raise prices and ask for more money to get over the hump."

[forgetful]

Yep. See the B10 and Rutgers and Maryland.

The problem is that UCONN isn't going to even be a break even school for any of the conferences.  Not enough of a market draw in football. 

[brewcity77]

The problem is that UCONN isn't going to even be a break even school for any of the conferences.  Not enough of a market draw in football.

No, but when someone poaches an ACC team, they'll be an acceptable replacement.

[forgetful]

No, but when someone poaches an ACC team, they'll be an acceptable replacement.

Good point.

[Coleman]

Right, which is why I think UCONN will be fine languishing in the AAC for the time being, even if it is a few years. Eventually, the Big 10 will poach another 2 teams from the ACC. At the point, UCONN will be one of the few decent options left for the ACC to reload.

They will get to the ACC eventually, although it will be a weakened ACC lacking 2 of its more valuable schools, perhaps North Carolina or Virginia, who will have fled to the Big 10 by then. At that point, UCONN would make sense for the ACC.

I'd take UCONN into the Big East, I just don't think it is going to happen.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The SEC and B1G will both add two more schools in the future. My guess is that all 4 will come from the same conference, either the ACC or the B12. My money right now would be on the ACC but we will see. What will be interesting is if the B12 is then able to attract 2 ACC programs. That would be six programs gone and all of the sudden the ACC looks like the AAC.

There are other factors too that might greatly change the college sports landscape.   UAB already dropped football but got cold feet. Idaho is going FCS. Eastern Michigan, Hawaii, and New Mexico State are all considering FCS. Some schools are giving up on the dream of football money. Probably a while (if ever) before any P5 schools reach that point but the thought is out there now. The Big East is perfectly positioned in the basketball only world to have their pick of schools who want to get out of the football chase.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I would like to see how any ACC  team gets around the grant of rights when the B1G come calling.

[HouWarrior]

Houston doesn't make sense to me. Why take another school in Texas when you already have 4? There are way more Texas, Baylor, TCU, and Tech fans in Houston than there are Cougar fans.

BYU is solid though.

Houston, a recent Tier One School designate,  spurred the Big 12 to this action. After a 13-1 season and beating Fla State in a New Years Bowl, UH doubled down with generous contracts etc shooting for another New years bowl this year. Its the most aggressive non Power 5 program in the country about wanting to join the power 5.

To that end, just a few days before all the Big 12 expansion announcements, a local report (dont think it was noticed much nationally) had UH meeting with PAC 12 officials about joining. Not coincidentally B12 almost immediately announced an expansion study, and upped it to 4 teams. UT (who kept UH out of the original group joining B12) has already come out in favor of UH now joining.

With TAMU going to the SEC,  Houstonians have a 2-3 hr drive before they get to any B12 venue. The B12 needs to be in Houston and UH will be one of the choices....yes there is the politicking needed with the northern schools' votes,  but the northern Division isnt the political strength of this conference.

There is a timing issue due to AAC withdrawal issues and the phasing in of new Big12 members to full shares UH wont be B12 with full B12 shares until the end of this decade.

[MUDPT]

I would like to see how any ACC  team gets around the grant of rights when the B1G come calling.

This, isn't it like a $50 million exit fee now?

[lessthannick11]

What did Maryland pay?

[Marcus92]

A big plus in Houston's favor is simply the enormity of Texas. With more than 27 million people, the state's population is larger than Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma combined. There's plenty of room for Houston in the Big 12.

In fact, from 1976 to 1996, Houston's football program belonged to the same athletic conference as 7 other Texas schools (Baylor, Rice, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, TCU and Texas Tech) as part of the Southwest Conference.

[Benny B]

What did Maryland pay?

Maryland was before the grant of media rights.


Guys (and gals)... what the ACC did with their media rights is essentially bulletproof.  The whole driver behind conference expansion is the ability to add content (i.e. games to broadcast on the cable network).  So all of the ACC schools essentially signed away their home media rights to the ACC, meaning that if UNC left to join the B?G, all of their home games would still belong to the ACC Network (or whoever the ACC contracts with).  In short, the ACC completely cock-blocked their members from the siren song of the SEC or B?G through 2027.

Nobody is being poached from the ACC for another decade.  And by then, the relegation of football to "stepchild" status will probably be in swinging across the the P5.

[GoldenWarrior11]

This about sums up UConn, Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis and all of the AAC schools:

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Maryland was before the grant of media rights.


Guys (and gals)... what the ACC did with their media rights is essentially bulletproof.  The whole driver behind conference expansion is the ability to add content (i.e. games to broadcast on the cable network).  So all of the ACC schools essentially signed away their home media rights to the ACC, meaning that if UNC left to join the B?G, all of their home games would still belong to the ACC Network (or whoever the ACC contracts with).  In short, the ACC completely cock-blocked their members from the siren song of the SEC or B?G through 2027.

Nobody is being poached from the ACC for another decade.  And by then, the relegation of football to "stepchild" status will probably be in swinging across the the P5.

I get that. But people smarter than me have told me that a GoR just makes poaching delayed and difficult. Not impossible. I do agree that the B12  expanding is the last football driven expansion for awhile, but I don't know that there won't be more before the GoR expires in 2036

[Benny B]

I get that. But people smarter than me have told me that a GoR just makes poaching delayed and difficult. Not impossible. I do agree that the B12  expanding is the last football driven expansion for awhile, but I don't know that there won't be more before the GoR expires in 2036

Put it this way, the B?G or SEC could always purchase the media rights for the team they poach from the ACC.  Considering the ACC gets to name their price, you're absolutely correct... it would be difficult but not impossible. 

Unless the price is:

https://www.youtube.com/e/cf7uJDhVZIE

[MU82]

I agree it's possible. But if a conference wants to poach a team from the ACC, it had better REALLY want that team.

[Herman Cain]

Maryland was before the grant of media rights.


Guys (and gals)... what the ACC did with their media rights is essentially bulletproof.  The whole driver behind conference expansion is the ability to add content (i.e. games to broadcast on the cable network).  So all of the ACC schools essentially signed away their home media rights to the ACC, meaning that if UNC left to join the B?G, all of their home games would still belong to the ACC Network (or whoever the ACC contracts with).  In short, the ACC completely cock-blocked their members from the siren song of the SEC or B?G through 2027.

Nobody is being poached from the ACC for another decade.  And by then, the relegation of football to "stepchild" status will probably be in swinging across the the P5.

The ACC put a lot of effort into making the media rights deal happen with Florida State. Florida State is fully committed and believes the ACC is the best place for them now. They are the football crown jewel and as long as they keep renewing the media rights deal the league will stay in tact.