More conference realignment talk

[Uncle Rico]

UCLA's football money was so good it ran a $100MM deficit the last three years and was going to axe multiple sports.

They've been mismanaged for a long time in the athletic department. 

[Newsdreams]

Exactly.

Even really bad football money is much better than most basketball money.

Bring back MU football, COLE would grow exponentially.

[muwarrior69]

By this argument, the Big East does not have an academic reputation either.

23. Georgetown
49. Villanova
63. Connecticut
83. Marquette
103. Creighton
127. DePaul
127. Seton Hall
172. St. John's
(PC, Butler, and Xavier are not national schools.)

The SEC in US News' rankings isn't that bad in comparison:

14. Vanderbilt
28. Florida
48. Georgia
68. Texas A&M
99. Auburn
103. Tennessee
117. South Carolina
122. Missouri
127. Kentucky
148. Mississippi
148. Alabama
162. Arkansas
172. LSU
196. Miss St.

Why? What is a national school?

[TallTitan34]

Possible Pac-12 ACC merger?

https://www.si.com/college/2022/07/06/acc-pac-12-espn-tv-partnership-discussions

[The Sultan]

Possible Pac-12 ACC merger?

https://www.si.com/college/2022/07/06/acc-pac-12-espn-tv-partnership-discussions

It doesn't sound like a merger. More like a deeper alliance between two conferences that have been mismanaged for awhile now. The Pac 12's issues have been well stated, but the ACC's television contract is terrible. They signed a 20 year deal with ESPN back in 2016 with no out for renegotiation, and it is likely that the B10 and SEC schools are going to make three times annually what ACC schools make.

This is a backdoor into getting that contract renegotiated.

[DFW HOYA]

Why? What is a national school?

"National Universities offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research or award professional practice doctorates....regional Universities offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and some master's degree programs but few, if any, doctoral programs."

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings

[The Sultan]

It doesn't sound like a merger. More like a deeper alliance between two conferences that have been mismanaged for awhile now. The Pac 12's issues have been well stated, but the ACC's television contract is terrible. They signed a 20 year deal with ESPN back in 2016 with no out for renegotiation, and it is likely that the B10 and SEC schools are going to make three times annually what ACC schools make.

This is a backdoor into getting that contract renegotiated.

BTW, I also think that this shows that the remaining P12 schools aren't terribly interested in getting into bed with the current B12. Of course, we will need to see how this all plays out.

[MurphysTillClose]

Interesting. Jim Mora pitching UCONN football recruits with the goal of joining the ACC in the next 5 years:

https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/article/uconn-football-coach-jim-mora-recruits-17289940.php

[brewcity77]

@BradenKeith: North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State, and Clemson are all negotiating to join the SEC. ESPN is trying to void their TV deal with the ACC.

[The Sultan]

Interesting. Jim Mora pitching UCONN football recruits with the goal of joining the ACC in the next 5 years:

https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/article/uconn-football-coach-jim-mora-recruits-17289940.php

"But he also talked about how there are no professional teams in Connecticut, so if you can just get the attention and respect of everyone in Connecticut, we will have a good fan base."

What a goal!!!

[TallTitan34]

Interesting. Jim Mora pitching UCONN football recruits with the goal of joining the ACC in the next 5 years:

https://www.ctinsider.com/uconn/article/uconn-football-coach-jim-mora-recruits-17289940.php

In five years will there even be an ACC?

[brewcity77]

UConn joining the ACC in 5 years:

Where did everyone go?

[The Sultan]

@BradenKeith: North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State, and Clemson are all negotiating to join the SEC. ESPN is trying to void their TV deal with the ACC.

While this may be true, the fact that this was broke by SwimSwam.com, and not yet verified by any more well known source, is a bit of a red flag for me.

[CTEagle91]

So much for the idea that academic universities (Virginia) are averse to joining the SEC

[Uncle Rico]

While this may be true, the fact that this was broke by SwimSwam.com, and not yet verified by any more well known source, is a bit of a red flag for me.

Virginia and UNC could be leaking to test the waters, so to speak

[Hards Alumni]

Virginia and UNC could be leaking to test the waters, so to speak

"Hey B1G, we're going to jump over here if you don't invite us already"

[TallTitan34]

UConn joining the ACC in 5 years:

Where did everyone go?

I like it.  They can pay the Big East their exit fee then return when the ACC folds.

[lawdog77]

I like it.  They can pay the Big East their exit fee then return when the ACC folds.

And pay an entrance fee again

[The Lens]

"Hey B1G, we're going to jump over here if you don't invite us already"

It may be easier to get from ESPN to ESPN than ESPN to FOX.  This is a network war right now. 

[Billy Hoyle]

The AAC makes less per school than the Big East does despite having football. I think that is the type of contract the likes of Syracuse, Pitt, Wake, Oregon State, etc. have to look forward to once their conferences are pillaged, maybe worse.

I think people are making the mistake of thinking that this will be like when the P5 left the Big East behind in football. They became a football mid-major but were still D1. I think this will be more akin to turning the SEC/B1G (and possibly the B12) into their own league and every one else into a separate lower league with the viewership of FCS football. And this time, I don't think there will be any future realignment to pin your hopes on.

If I recall correctly, you said similar about UConn years ago and I see them listed in the Big East standings at the left of the screen. And if you weren't the one, there were plenty who did. Any non-B1G/SEC athletic program worth their salt is currently researching all possible options, to not to would be negligent (and yes, I include Big East programs in that equation).

I did not. The bigger issue for UConn was whether they should drop football or drop down to FCS all things considered. Travel costs and lost
ticket revenue killed off any additional money they made from the AAC TV deal. They also stood to make more money from NCAA Tourney revenue (more teams making the Dance, fewer teams to split the revenue).

However, there is a big difference between the lack of money of the AAC TV deal and what a Big 12 program receives. After UConn left the AAC signed a "lucrative" TV deal getting each school $7 million per year (while UConn was running a $30 million deficit). Meanwhile, the Big 12 schools in 2021 were receiving $34.7 to $36.5 million each through their media rights deals. One estimate was that could fall to a minimum of $28 million with the addition of four new schools (thought BYU would bring more in), but that's still a significant amount.

The Big East's deal pays $4.6 million annually. While it will hopefully increase it will still dwarf the Big 12's deal.

[jfp61]

Its naive to think in a different structure, OSU football will even share with any of its other teams let alone continue to allow Rutgers to get TV money. Once the NCAA breaks, the floodgates will really open. We'll see a schools get bounced.

Luckily breaking up the NCAA will allow college basketball to renegotiate its horrible CBS deal

[The Sultan]

Luckily breaking up the NCAA will allow college basketball to renegotiate its horrible CBS deal

Be very careful what you wish for. If the NCAA breaks apart, the big schools will have no motivation or need to share basketball revenue with anyone.

From Paint Touches.

https://twitter.com/PaintTouches/status/1545125374945902594

[CTEagle91]

Unfortunately, I think in the years ahead the Big East has to grow or die. Add as many basketball centric programs as we can to remain competitive. How about: Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse, Pitt, Kansas, Gonzaga, Cal? 20 team conference, play everyone once. Best basketball in the country.

[The Sultan]

Unfortunately, I think in the years ahead the Big East has to grow or die. Add as many basketball centric programs as we can to remain competitive. How about: Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse, Pitt, Kansas, Gonzaga, Cal? 20 team conference, play everyone once. Best basketball in the country.

All those schools, except one, play football though. They aren't giving that up to join the BE.

[CTEagle91]

No, probably not. Just a fantasy. Cal is probably more likely to declare all competitive sports to be fascist and ban them altogether.