The Official Conference Realignment Rumors Thread

[FanSince88]

Some new links:







http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssport...32522/32135950

Big East should have been inviting Navy a year ago instead of *****ing around with Villanova.

[waroriole]

I'm certain that the bean-counters at VPI see why. When you hear about the overall money in some of these TV deals, yeah, $20 million might not sound like much. But even with their new TV deal, the individual ACC schools are getting about $13 million/yr each. So take away an entire year of TV revenues, add another $7 million you have to come up with, and factor in the fact that as a new member of the SEC they may not get a full share of conference revenues for a year or two....and that is a whole lot of money. I won't say that a $20 million exit fee makes the ACC's membership ironclad, but I'd say it comes damn close.

Maybe get all SEC schools to chip in with the fee. I would imagine they make more money in the long run with VT.

[Birds of B'more]

Maybe get all SEC schools to chip in with the fee. I would imagine they make more money in the long run with VT.

That would be the first time I've heard of something like that. The closest would be when the former Pac-10 loaned Colorado the $7 million for its exit fee from the Big XII....money that is being paid back through deductions from Colorado's conference revenues over time. But there's a big difference between loaning $7 million and giving $20 million. Now if the SEC were willing to work out a similar arrangement to the Pac, where the money is paid back over an extended period, then that might work from VT's perspective, but that's still $20 million up front the conference needs to raise....or about $1.7 million from each of the current 12 schools.

[CrimsonTribe]

That would be the first time I've heard of something like that. The closest would be when the former Pac-10 loaned Colorado the $7 million for its exit fee from the Big XII....money that is being paid back through deductions from Colorado's conference revenues over time. But there's a big difference between loaning $7 million and giving $20 million. Now if the SEC were willing to work out a similar arrangement to the Pac, where the money is paid back over an extended period, then that might work from VT's perspective, but that's still $20 million up front the conference needs to raise....or about $1.7 million from each of the current 12 schools.

Here's a good link to the SB Nation SEC blog where they discuss something like that (you seem to be pretty right on):

If the SEC chooses to go to 16 members, it will need to poach anywhere from one to three ACC schools to get there. West Virginia is the only Big East school likely to be a candidate. That includes TCU, by the way, as it is redundant TV-wise given A&M and doesn't fit with the conference as a whole as a small private college (one Vanderbilt is enough). Missouri is there but might go to the Big Ten. Figure out those two and you know how many ACC schools are necessary.

A "high-ranking SEC official" told the Sporting News' Matt Hayes that "every option is on the table now". Presumably that means any kind of gentleman's agreement about not taking schools from current SEC states is off. It also probably means that the conference will move forward without any concerns of stepping on others' toes. The ACC broke the realignment seal by actively taking schools from another conference, so the SEC and Pac-12 can now act without having to feel like they started this. They can point to the ACC and say they're just reacting to current events. It also means ACC schools are fair game for the SEC and Big Ten, as them taking ACC members is no different from what that conference just did to the Big East.

As for the $20 million ACC exit fee, it's a not a huge deterrent. Imagine the SEC ends up with either Missouri or West Virginia and must go get two ACC schools to get to 16. It's tough for a school to come up with an extra $20 million in one year, so let's imagine that the other 14 SEC members decide to front them some of the fee to be repaid with reduced shares of the TV money over time.

If you split the $40 million 16 ways, it costs everyone just $2.5 million each. If the ACC schools pay half of their fees and the rest is shared among the other 14, it's just $1.43 million per school. The league office might have a rainy day fund to help kick in some change too, and the new SEC-16 TV contracts, which would be richer on a per-year basis than the existing SEC deals, would far exceed the ACC's current contracts. If the ACC schools run their first SEC year's budget as though they're on the old ACC deal ($13 million from TV annually), then however much above $13 million it ends up being is money they can use towards the exit fee. It's totally doable.

With the gentleman's agreement, if it ever existed, likely dead, an SEC headed to 16 teams would likely target Florida State above all other ACC schools. It has the largest national profile and would essentially claim the entirety of Florida's large TV markets for the SEC (not even people in Miami really care about Miami). From there, a quest for completely new TV markets would probably lead the league to explore adding Virginia Tech and/or NC State.

ACC Played Its Cards Correctly, but SEC Still Looms

Total speculation, but interesting nonetheless.

[PrivateO]

As the Big East has flirted — but mostly sat on its butt — with expansion for the last year, Navy’s name has come up on a recurring basis. So has East Carolina’s, but the Big East has made it abundantly clear that they want the Pirates like the ACC wants West Virginia.

That reportedly didn’t stop the Pirates from applying though for the 27th time.

No, seriously.

Pete Thamel of the New York Times tweets that “East Carolina (again) applied to the Big East today. They didn’t want it a secret, as ’50 people were copied on the e-mail.’”

Seriously that's hilarious.

[PrivateO]

PeteThamelNYT: The Pac-12 will not expand. On a conference call tonight presidents affirmed their decision to remain a 12-team conference."

Well, see y'all next year.

[Birds of B'more]

Here's the official statement:

PAC-12 AFFIRMS DECISION NOT TO EXPAND
WALNUT CREEK, Calif.-- In light of the widespread speculation about potential scenarios for Conference re-alignment, the Pac-12 Presidents and Chancellors have affirmed their decision to remain a 12-team conference. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said, “after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference. While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve. With new landmark TV agreements and plans to launch our innovative television networks, we are going to focus solely on these great assets, our strong heritage and the bright future in front of us.””
- Pac-12 -

[PrivateO]

Here's the official statement:

Where things could go:

1. Everything stays the same for a year (excluding TAMU to SEC, Pitt/Syracuse to ACC). It's happened before, it could happen again.
2. Big XII tries to pick up combo of WVu, UL, UC, and BYU to get stronger.

[Birds of B'more]

Where things could go:

1. Everything stays the same for a year (excluding TAMU to SEC, Pitt/Syracuse to ACC). It's happened before, it could happen again.
2. Big XII tries to pick up combo of WVu, UL, UC, and BYU to get stronger.

Oklahoma to the SEC? Probably not, since they won't go anywhere without OSU and the SEC won't take OSU. One would think the SEC would really want to go to 14 for scheduling purposes...although the Big Ten spent about 20 years as an 11 team conference, so it's feasible.

I wouldn't be surprised of the Big XII stays at 9. As long as it doesn't void any TV contracts, it's one less member to share with. And it also means 4 non-conference games per season instead of the current 3....which means more opportunities for Texas to show football games on the Longhorn Network, which will please ESPN.

[andrewochs615]

Dont understand all the hate for WVU. Considering WVU football team is better then any school so far that as been rumored or has moved around between the big east, acc and sec

[Sanfran327]

Just a bit off topic, but I really hope that one of the end results from all of this money grubbing is letting teams sell beer during the games. Having to sneak airplane bottles into Virginia Tech games is getting old. I mean, what sober adult drinks eight regular sodas at a football game?

[andrewochs615]

Just a bit off topic, but I really hope that one of the end results from all of this money grubbing is letting teams sell beer during the games. Having to sneak airplane bottles into Virginia Tech games is getting old. I mean, what sober adult drinks eight regular sodas at a football game?

Don't some schools do that? This may not come to no surprise to anyone but WVU started doing that this year. figures 2 years after I graduate they start.

[Sanfran327]

Don't some schools do that? This may not come to no surprise to anyone but WVU started doing that this year. figures 2 years after I graduate they start.

I think some of the schools with off-campus stadiums do that. Not exactly sure what the rules are. I mean, it's never stopped me from getting absolutely ripped at a game before, but it sure would make it a lot easier.

[andrewochs615]

I think some of the schools with off-campus stadiums do that. Not exactly sure what the rules are. I mean, it's never stopped me from getting absolutely ripped at a game before, but it sure would make it a lot easier.

Its prob like 8 bucks a beer though but thats the same as every other sport event

[CrimsonTribe]

Dont understand all the hate for WVU. Considering WVU football team is better then any school so far that as been rumored or has moved around between the big east, acc and sec

It's not really about quality of the programs although that's a lesser factor. It's really about money and WVU doesn't bring much of that to the table.