More conference realignment talk

[Herman Cain]

UCLA was in significant debt . Was potentially looking at cutting sports until this Big Ten deal came along.

Is something  similar to what happened with Maryland when the Big Ten came calling for them.

https://www.si.com/college/2022/07/05/ucla-significant-debt-before-big-ten-move-martin-jarmond-says

[WhiteTrash]

What an absolutely horrible place for the PAC12 to be in: https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/34198300/pac-12-accelerates-negotiations-media-rights-deals-wake-ucla-usc-exits

If I'm FOX or ESPN or Apple or Amazon, I don't even take their call. That or I offer $100 and see what they come back with.

I've been on both sides of negotiations like this. I feel really bad for the PAC 12 people.

[The Sultan]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/acc-pac-12-discuss-loose-partnership-that-could-include-championship-game-in-las-vegas/

"The ACC and Pac-12 have discussed what has been termed a "loose partnership" that could end the season with the conferences playing a "championship game" in Las Vegas, sources confirm to CBS Sports.

The concept, believed to have been proposed by the ACC, is seen as a way for the conferences' common rightsholder, ESPN, to increase the value of their current media rights contracts."

Yeah, this season the game would have been Pittsburgh v. Utah.  But regardless, I wonder what schools like Miami, Clemson and Oregon think about this.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/acc-pac-12-discuss-loose-partnership-that-could-include-championship-game-in-las-vegas/

"The ACC and Pac-12 have discussed what has been termed a "loose partnership" that could end the season with the conferences playing a "championship game" in Las Vegas, sources confirm to CBS Sports.

The concept, believed to have been proposed by the ACC, is seen as a way for the conferences' common rightsholder, ESPN, to increase the value of their current media rights contracts."

Yeah, this season the game would have been Pittsburgh v. Utah.  But regardless, I wonder what schools like Miami, Clemson and Oregon think about this.

Against all odds, the B12 looks like they are going to be the 3rd conference that survives realignment. This feels like rearranging chairs on the Titanic. I think by the time this is over, Washington State and Oregon State may be the only 2 current P12 teams left and the ACC's best football programs will be Syracuse and Pitt.

[The Sultan]

Yeah, I think Oregon State and Washington State could be Googling "Mountain West Conference application" pretty soon.

It's too bad because they are both solid schools with some sports success, but one is "the D1 public university in Oregon where Phil Knight isn't an alum" and the other is "the D1 public university in Washington that isn't in Seattle."

[CTEagle91]

Notre Dame and North Carolina are the linchpins at this point. Both the SEC and Big will want them. If SEC got them along with FSU and Clemson they would rule the sport. If Big can land UNC and ND it would maintain 2 league balance. Of course the grant of rights is the issue with the ACC, but will it hold under all this pre$$ure?

[brewcity77]

Notre Dame and North Carolina are the linchpins at this point. Both the SEC and Big will want them. If SEC got them along with FSU and Clemson they would rule the sport. If Big can land UNC and ND it would maintain 2 league balance. Of course the grant of rights is the issue with the ACC, but will it hold under all this pre$$ure?

ND is probably Big 10 only. Can't see them going to the SEC with all their worry about tradition and rivalries. UNC could go either way. My question is when they go, what happens to the rest of the Tobacco Road schools? I'm not sure any of them are all that attractive on their own merits.

[The Sultan]

ND is probably Big 10 only. Can't see them going to the SEC with all their worry about tradition and rivalries. UNC could go either way. My question is when they go, what happens to the rest of the Tobacco Road schools? I'm not sure any of them are all that attractive on their own merits.

The only thing I read about ND and the SEC is that they may find playing in the south and Texas preferable from both an athletic and general student recruitment point of view.  They like their affiliation with the ACC for that reason.

[CTEagle91]

Without major conference football money there could be schools following the UConn path of giving up their expensive and money losing football dreams. Among them: Stanford, Kansas, Duke, Wake, Syracuse, BC. Then the Big East becomes relevant again in the conference realignment talk.

[The Sultan]

Without major conference football money there could be schools following the UConn path of giving up their expensive and money losing football dreams. Among them: Stanford, Kansas, Duke, Wake, Syracuse, BC. Then the Big East becomes relevant again in the conference realignment talk.

I would be extremely surprised if any of the above give up football.

[WhiteTrash]

Without major conference football money there could be schools following the UConn path of giving up their expensive and money losing football dreams. Among them: Stanford, Kansas, Duke, Wake, Syracuse, BC. Then the Big East becomes relevant again in the conference realignment talk.

Has UCONN stopped playing football? I know they went independent but hadn't heard they gave up on football. (honestly I don't follow UCONN football). 

[brewcity77]

I would be extremely surprised if any of the above give up football.

I don't think any give up football. But I can see some programs having to change what they envision their football program to be. I think Stanford will find a home, but some programs like Wake Forest, Boston College, Kansas, or Syracuse that are poor at football, non-AAU members, small and private, or a combination of those factors may have to take a severe downgrade in their conference affiliation or follow the UConn route and go independent with football.

The number of seats at the big boy table is shrinking and there will definitely be some programs left standing up when the music stops.

[The Sultan]

I don't think any give up football. But I can see some programs having to change what they envision their football program to be. I think Stanford will find a home, but some programs like Wake Forest, Boston College, Kansas, or Syracuse that are poor at football, non-AAU members, small and private, or a combination of those factors may have to take a severe downgrade in their conference affiliation or follow the UConn route and go independent with football.

The number of seats at the big boy table is shrinking and there will definitely be some programs left standing up when the music stops.

My concern isn't that they don't go independent in football. My concern is that the ACC left-overs recruit UConn as a full member.

Hypothetically, if you have a conference of BC, Pitt, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Duke, etc. as the left overs, why wouldn't you look at potentially adding schools like UConn, Temple and a couple of American programs?  That provides you with a decent all-sports league and wouldn't require you to do something else with your football program.

[brewcity77]

My concern isn't that they don't go independent in football. My concern is that the ACC left-overs recruit UConn as a full member.

Hypothetically, if you have a conference of BC, Pitt, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Duke, etc. as the left overs, why wouldn't you look at potentially adding schools like UConn, Temple and a couple of American programs?  That provides you with a decent all-sports league and wouldn't require you to do something else with your football program.

They might, and if they do, so be it. That's why the Big East put a huge poison pill in UConn's original entry. But what UConn already recognized was that being in an AAC style conference wasn't all that attractive, and when you have a monster Big 10, SEC, and mini-monster Big 12, the difference between the current AAC (before their best programs go B12) and a new reformed ACC will be cosmetic at best. They will be closer to a Mountain West than they will be any of those bigger three conferences.

Is that worth it? Maybe. But they will have to make the same decision UConn already made, which is picking the high-level basketball conference over the decent all-sports league with football. Are Duke, Syracuse, and BC football along with the AAC leftovers all that much more attractive than Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF, all of whom are better football programs than any of the ACC remnants will be and already programs UConn abandoned when they came here in the first place?

[The Sultan]

They might, and if they do, so be it. That's why the Big East put a huge poison pill in UConn's original entry. But what UConn already recognized was that being in an AAC style conference wasn't all that attractive, and when you have a monster Big 10, SEC, and mini-monster Big 12, the difference between the current AAC (before their best programs go B12) and a new reformed ACC will be cosmetic at best. They will be closer to a Mountain West than they will be any of those bigger three conferences.

Is that worth it? Maybe. But they will have to make the same decision UConn already made, which is picking the high-level basketball conference over the decent all-sports league with football. Are Duke, Syracuse, and BC football along with the AAC leftovers all that much more attractive than Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF, all of whom are better football programs than any of the ACC remnants will be and already programs UConn abandoned when they came here in the first place?

I would think that Duke, Syracuse and BC football are most definitely NOT more attractive football programs than the AAC. But they are MUCH better all sports members than the AAC, and IMO probably better than the BE. Especially if you can park football there.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

My concern isn't that they don't go independent in football. My concern is that the ACC left-overs recruit UConn as a full member.

Hypothetically, if you have a conference of BC, Pitt, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Duke, etc. as the left overs, why wouldn't you look at potentially adding schools like UConn, Temple and a couple of American programs?  That provides you with a decent all-sports league and wouldn't require you to do something else with your football program.

I don't see UConn leaving. That version of the ACC would be roughly equivalent to the AAC that they left when they joined the Big East. I think they've come to terms with the reality that their football program will never be relevant and will stick with maximizing their basketball program. I could see schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Wake, Boston College, etc doing the same thing. The dream is that Duke and Kansas follow that path.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I would think that Duke, Syracuse and BC football are most definitely NOT more attractive football programs than the AAC. But they are MUCH better all sports members than the AAC, and IMO probably better than the BE. Especially if you can park football there.

I think all that version of the ACC would have on the Big East is Duke basketball. After that, it gets pretty desolate. Personally, I believe that Duke will make the B1G/SEC cut.

[Herman Cain]

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-07-06/the-pac-12-has-to-partner-with-the-big-12-to-avoid-losing-so-schools-and-folding

[Uncle Rico]

I don't see UConn leaving. That version of the ACC would be roughly equivalent to the AAC that they left when they joined the Big East. I think they've come to terms with the reality that their football program will never be relevant and will stick with maximizing their basketball program. I could see schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Wake, Boston College, etc doing the same thing. The dream is that Duke and Kansas follow that path.

Never underestimate the desire to chase football glory, aka, the money, regardless of the cost to the university. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I don't see UConn leaving. That version of the ACC would be roughly equivalent to the AAC that they left when they joined the Big East. I think they've come to terms with the reality that their football program will never be relevant and will stick with maximizing their basketball program. I could see schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Wake, Boston College, etc doing the same thing. The dream is that Duke and Kansas follow that path.

FWIW - UConn FB already has games scheduled against BC, Syracuse, NC State and Duke.

For WhiteTrash, they hired Jim Mora as head coach.

[Warrior of Law]

In a crazy turn of events, I can see UCONN football becoming an interesting piece. If the ACC elite gets picked off by the SEC & Big Ten, the Syracuse/Pitt/Wake/Va Tech contingency will need to add some warm bodies, and, well, UCONN is a warm body.  Left for dead a few years ago, UCONN may be given CPR by it's very own killer.

[Scoop Snoop]

Never underestimate the desire to chase football glory, aka, the money, regardless of the cost to the university.

In a crazy turn of events, I can see UCONN football becoming an interesting piece. If the ACC elite gets picked off by the SEC & Big Ten, the Syracuse/Pitt/Wake/Va Tech contingency will need to add some warm bodies, and, well, UCONN is a warm body.  Left for dead a few years ago, UCONN may be given CPR by it's very own killer.

I laughed off the talk on the Boneyard about UCONN leaving for the ACC, but now agree that it actually could happen. Kerching for the BE from the exit fee if it happens.

[CTEagle91]

This is why I think UNC is key. They are, like ND and Texas, a huge national sports brand. If UNC departed the ACC then NC ST, Duke, Wake, Virginia, etc all are devalued and the athletics departments will feel the pain of carrying modern D1 football without full stadiums or big TV $. UConn could not afford to play in that game and many others will be similar.

[lawdog77]

I laughed off the talk on the Boneyard about UCONN leaving for the ACC, but now agree that it actually could happen. Kerching for the BE from the exit fee if it happens.

This says $30 million
https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-sp-clb-uconn-big-east-contract-20190626-20190626-44voas7itffazjtcnrseuaspeu-story.html

[Uncle Rico]

This is why I think UNC is key. They are, like ND and Texas, a huge national sports brand. If UNC departed the ACC then NC ST, Duke, Wake, Virginia, etc all are devalued and the athletics departments will feel the pain of carrying modern D1 football without full stadiums or big TV $. UConn could not afford to play in that game and many others will be similar.

Yup, yup, yup.  UNC is the next big brand outside of Notre Dame that knocks down a few more dominoes. 

I am curious what those associated with UNC think.  That's a very tight-knit community from alum through administrators.  They might be one of the schools outside Notre Dame that doesn't chase the bag, at least immediately.