ACC-Big East merger?

[Pakuni]

"I have great relationships with other commissioners, great respect for [ACC commissioner] Jim Phillips in particular," Ackerman continued. "I would say, I can't really comment on it, but there's been some conversations about what we could all be doing together, again, not only to secure our own futures, but to make sure that college basketball stays strong and relevant as football interests continue to dominate much of the headlines and much of the bandwidth of the leagues that we consider peer conferences."

https://awfulannouncing.com/college-basketball/big-east-commissioner-acc-merger.html

[CountryRoads]

There isn't a whole lot to comment on since specifics aren't given, but this is a pathetic comment by Val if you ask me:

"When you've got two Hall of Famers opining about, not only the history of college basketball but the future of college basketball, you have to listen."

I'm sure Coach K really had our best interests in mind when he made that comment

I'd have absolutely no interest in a full merger. It'd be terrible for us. It'd immediately turn into separate classes of members. "Of course Duke needs to continue playing their two Saturday night games against UNC, of course they need a game at the Garden every year, etc." Meanwhile we would play Duke at home once every 3 or 4 years and be stuck with a home slate filled with the dregs of the ACC and DePaul versus what we have now.

Even in a "scheduling alliance", I'd only have an interest in playing like 4 of their 18 teams maybe. Would much rather continue to build relationships with the Purdues and Iowa States of the world than get hooked up with the ACC. The ACC is disjointed garbage and are desperate as a result.

[The Sultan]

There isn't a whole lot to comment on since specifics aren't given, but this is a pathetic comment by Val if you ask me:

"When you've got two Hall of Famers opining about, not only the history of college basketball but the future of college basketball, you have to listen."

I'm sure Coach K really had our best interests in mind when he made that comment

I'd have absolutely no interest in a full merger. It'd be terrible for us. It'd immediately turn into separate classes of members. "Of course Duke needs to continue playing their two Saturday night games against UNC, of course they need a game at the Garden every year, etc." Meanwhile we would play Duke at home once every 3 or 4 years and be stuck with a home slate filled with the dregs of the ACC and DePaul versus what we have now.

Even in a "scheduling alliance", I'd only have an interest in playing like 4 of their 18 teams maybe. Would much rather continue to build relationships with the Purdues and Iowa States of the world than get hooked up with the ACC. The ACC is disjointed garbage and are desperate as a result.

Pathetic? She is just reacting to something that was publicly stated. No biggie at all.

And I doubt this has anything to do with an actual merger. A scheduling alliance would be fine.

[1SE]

Yeah, given our positioning in the current iteration of the BE I'm sure we'd be fine - they want us and Uconn playing Dyke and UNC

[The Sultan]

Also these conversations aren't happening BECAUSE of K and Pitino. They are happening because the two weakest of the P5 conferences are finding ways to align and strengthen themselves. The Big East needs to do this sort of stuff to put them in a good place should there be a breakaway.

[avid1010]

Val's earned more respect

There isn't a whole lot to comment on since specifics aren't given, but this is a pathetic comment by Val if you ask me:

"When you've got two Hall of Famers opining about, not only the history of college basketball but the future of college basketball, you have to listen."

I'm sure Coach K really had our best interests in mind when he made that comment

I'd have absolutely no interest in a full merger. It'd be terrible for us. It'd immediately turn into separate classes of members. "Of course Duke needs to continue playing their two Saturday night games against UNC, of course they need a game at the Garden every year, etc." Meanwhile we would play Duke at home once every 3 or 4 years and be stuck with a home slate filled with the dregs of the ACC and DePaul versus what we have now.

Even in a "scheduling alliance", I'd only have an interest in playing like 4 of their 18 teams maybe. Would much rather continue to build relationships with the Purdues and Iowa States of the world than get hooked up with the ACC. The ACC is disjointed garbage and are desperate as a result.

Val's earned more respect than you are giving her.

[Jay Bee]

Yeah, given our positioning in the current iteration of the BE I'm sure we'd be fine - they want us and Uconn playing Dyke and UNC

Bruh

[WhiteTrash]

I think Coach K is a proponent because he knows Duke v UNC is soon to be a non-conference game and only once a year.

As it stands right now, I'm not in favor of this merger but Val would not be doing her job if she isn't looking at all options. I trust Val.   

[TallTitan34]

A scheduling alliance would be fine.

Scheduling alliance worked out great for the Pac-12.

[The Sultan]

Scheduling alliance worked out great for the Pac-12.

The Pac-12's issues were beyond something that a scheduling alliance could fix.

[The Lens]

When we talk ACC i would assume we're talking about these schools:

Boston College
Duke
Georgia Tech
Louisville
Miami (MAYBE)
Notre Dame (MAYBE)
Pittsburgh
SMU
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

[WhiteTrash]

When we talk ACC i would assume we're talking about these schools:

Boston College
Duke
Georgia Tech
Louisville
Miami (MAYBE)
Notre Dame (MAYBE)
Pittsburgh
SMU
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

How can you have an ACC without Stanford and Cal????

[MUfan12]

I would hope Val is exploring every avenue to keep the league in a position to survive post-2032. Even if it sounds "out there" I'm glad things are being discussed.

[The Lens]

How can you have an ACC without Stanford and Cal????

I gave you SMU...don't be so ungrateful.

[Zog from Margo]

We can be assured that Coach K is always looking out for the best interests of the Big East. That's why he used MU to get Wojo out of Duke's line of succession discussion.

Not sure the BE should be making decisions based on the advice of the Grecian Formula club.

[Mr. Nielsen]

https://x.com/Ourand_Puck/status/1893657062783012934

[WhiteTrash]

I gave you SMU...don't be so ungrateful.

I suppose. I just don't know if I want to live in a world where Cal and BC don't play each year. Might as well take Christmas from us. 

[muwarrior69]

I would be in favor of the merger only if the ACC's one condition be that Marquette change their mascot back to Warriors.

[SaveOD238]

When we talk ACC i would assume we're talking about these schools:

Boston College
Duke
Georgia Tech
Louisville
Miami (MAYBE)
Notre Dame (MAYBE)
Pittsburgh
SMU
Syracuse
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

The problem with this arrangement is that I don't want to be shackled to mediocre schools long term.  We tried that once and it was a mess.  Unless we have some sort of veto on adding adding the UABs and South Floridas of the world to fill out a football conference.  They bring NOTHING in hoops.

A conference with Duke, Wake, Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame, Villanova, UConn, Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, Georgetown, and St. Johns is a BIG DEAL in college basketball.  It's a lot uglier if it also drags along Seton Hall and BC and the California schools.

[WhiteTrash]

The problem with this arrangement is that I don't want to be shackled to mediocre schools long term.  We tried that once and it was a mess.  Unless we have some sort of veto on adding adding the UABs and South Floridas of the world to fill out a football conference.  They bring NOTHING in hoops.

A conference with Duke, Wake, Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame, Villanova, UConn, Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, Georgetown, and St. Johns is a BIG DEAL in college basketball.  It's a lot uglier if it also drags along Seton Hall and BC and the California schools.

I think it would be awesome to play Stanford. We could make fun of the losers that could not get into UW-Madison.

[MarquetteDano]

I find this so depressing.  Big East has a unique identity being basketball only... so many brands have been ruined joining conferences that don't make sense for them.

The Big East makes so much sense for us. I guess I will enjoy it while it lasts.

[The Sultan]

I find this so depressing.  Big East has a unique identity being basketball only... so many brands have been ruined joining conferences that don't make sense for them.

The Big East makes so much sense for us. I guess I will enjoy it while it lasts.

I wouldn't worry about it. She was asked about the merger idea, and this was her response:

"I take very seriously any idea around the future of college basketball, what it means for the Big East, what the Big East should be doing. I'm not sure I can opine right now what that sort of combination would look like. But we've got some related ideas that we're hatching here about alliances, about who we should be working with as we look to secure, not only the future of the Big East, but the future of college basketball."

I would guess that a merger is NOT where this is heading, but a closer relationship? Sure.

[MarquetteMike1977]

"I take very seriously any idea around the future of college basketball, what it means for the Big East, what the Big East should be doing. I'm not sure I can opine right now what that sort of combination would look like. But we've got some related ideas that we're hatching here about alliances, about who we should be working with as we look to secure, not only the future of the Big East, but the future of college basketball."

Copied this quote and was about to post this very same quote. But saw it was just posted.

[MDMU04]

I don't see how an actual merger between these two leagues benefits anyone at this point in time. Mainly, too many things would need to transpire for the ACC to reach the point where they need to bolster basketball for their members as a matter of survival.

Perhaps they know where the next wave of realignment will leave them, and losing their College Football Playoff guaranteed eligibility is a fait accompli. That is a huge assumption though, and I don't see it. Though their options for adding may be extremely bleak, they will still most likely be able to keep 8-10 football playing programs together.

As of now, the only thing I can see making sense is a scheduling alliance.

[wadesworld]

She basically said, "SEC, B1G, and to a lesser extent B12 football are making all of the decisions that come with D1 college athletics.  The ACC and us are trying to decide ways to make sure we have some kind of say in this, at least as far as the basketball side of things go."  She's not even specifically saying a merger between the two conferences.  Just "who we should be working with as we look to secure, not only the future of the Big East, but the future of college basketball."