For Funsies: Conference Reallignment/Creation

VCU Heel said:
Here’s a very long Twitter thread to explain the ACC situation and what the options are:


Here are the five options:


And here’s the conclusion in the final 2 tweets if you don’t want to read it all:
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Pretty good summary. One option that they're missing is expansion/merger/dissolution and reassembly with another ESPN property like the Big 12. ESPN would likely be willing to terminate it's GoR and increase the payout if it could cherry pick which schools would be in the new conference, and then the other schools would be left out to dry. The one issue is that Clemson and FSU likely have little interest in that new conference over the SEC, but perhaps with a high enough payout they could be convinced to stay.
 
VCU Heel said:
There were a lot of rumors back in March that they were in talks.
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I know, but it still doesn't make sense. I have no insight to what conversations have occurred or their outcome, but I wouldnt be surprised if both sides came away with it just doesn't make sense. The Pac12 would have been a better home for them. With that said, the Big12 makes more sense than the Big East for Gonzaga.
 
Violet Ram said:
Gonzaga doesn't make sense, especially without Western schools. First is the Tavel budget. Second, what happens when Few retires?
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The Big 12 is adding BYU (which is over 700 miles from the next closest Big 12 school), so it's probably not an issue at this point.
 
Violet Ram said:
With that said, the Big12 makes more sense than the Big East for Gonzaga.
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Absolutely true. I cannot fathom what people are thinking when they suggest Gonzaga could go to the Big East. It makes so little sense for the basketball team and far less sense for non-revenue sports, other than the fact that Gonzaga is successful and fits the Big East mold. If Gonzaga moved to the eastern half of the country, they could be in the Big East tomorrow, but clearly that's not happening.
 
SteveMM said:
Absolutely true. I cannot fathom what people are thinking when they suggest Gonzaga could go to the Big East. It makes so little sense for the basketball team and far less sense for non-revenue sports, other than the fact that Gonzaga is successful and fits the Big East mold. If Gonzaga moved to the eastern half of the country, they could be in the Big East tomorrow, but clearly that's not happening.
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Nobody believes that is practical outside of the HolyLandofHoops crowd. Let them tell the story Duke, Cuse, Pitt ND etc will be going independent(sans ND of course) in football and move the rest of their sports to the Big East.
 
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Mercury said:
Nobody believes that is practical outside of the HolyLandofHoops crowd. Let them tell the story Duke, Cuse, Pitt ND etc will be going independent(sans ND of course) in football and all sports Big East.
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They definitely rely more on faith than reason over there 😉.

They weirdly want to stop at 14 teams. It's extremely strange since they wouldn't be able to do a round robin and all the conferences that have chosen over the last decade to avoid expansion are now the ones getting picked off.

They also seem to think that only teams that are better/more prestigious than their top school adds value, despite the fact that the value of the cable contract is more closely aligned with the average team. I saw some of their fans think adding Gonzaga would bump their yearly media payout 125%.
 
I see an ESPN 30 for 30 show in the future called:
"The ACC: How football saved the conference and then killed it"

Plus with how dynamic conferences are these days with additions, subtractions and increases in size, the ACC has sort of shot itself in the foot with the GoR. I don't think many want to join a P5 conference today and be basically locked into that conference for the next 15+ years with no escape except through financial ruin. Granted, it is keeping the conference together for the time being but it is basically a dam that is on the verge of collapsing. When that happens, it sounds like there is going to be a mass exodus from a once proud and extremely strong basketball conference.

I am not sure the ACC will be able to resurrect itself if the collapse happens. Ha....maybe ODU get's it's wish to join a severely depleted ACC trying to save itself with mediocre football and basketball. But the conference will be a shell of its' former self. I suppose what is left of the ACC could invite some teams from the AAC and Sunbelt as an attempt to rebuild the conference, but would it really be a P5 level program? Alternatively, either BE teams go to ACC or the remaining ACC teams go with the BE. But that would require the football side of things move to some other conference and not sure other P5 conferences would welcome those teams.
 
It seems like the whole world of sports is going loco...

So much talk of expansion in SOOOoooooo many sports. Even beyond all the NCAA madness (who's current model seems unsustainable)

MLS just raked in 500 million dollars in franchise fees for the new San Diego team...that makes THIRTY teams for the MLS. The attendance numbers claim a very wide variance (if they are even accurate) with half the teams averaging less than 20K per match

NFL is looking to expand internationally, and since the Houston Texans joined the NFL 20 years ago (for a now paltry 700 million bucks) and NEW franchise would cost BILLIONS.....

Speaking of overrated sports....there's also the USFL (all teams owned by FOX) and XFL (purchases for 15 million)....and I have yet to meet anyone who gives a rat$ a$$ about either one of those OR who could name a single player on any team.

NHL expansion is heating up...last 2 teams in (Vegas and Seattle) paid 500 million and 650 million for the honor....Houston and Atlanta are rumored to be next

MLB, oddly enough, seems to be content with their current model....as they are proactively trying to win new fans and make the game a little faster/smoother....no talk of expansion. Same with the NBA...holdin steady

Even in the NWSL....in 2021, 3 new franchises paid 5 million each for their entry into the league.....word is 2 more teams will be added at 50 million per franchise

What do all these things have in common?? Massive expenditures by massive corporations/Global wealth leaders......I suppose it's possible that EVERY sport listed above is running healthy profits with healthy tv/streaming numbers with Fans out the wazoo......but something seems amiss in my little monkey brain, it just seems like WAY too much for a population that has SO MANY THINGS it can view at any given moment.

My point? Expect the NCAA to continue to F&#K up a good thing in order to make mountains of dough...at least we'll have the good ol days
 
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MLS just raked in 500 million dollars in franchise fees for the new San Diego team...that makes THIRTY teams for the MLS. The attendance numbers claim a very wide variance (if they are even accurate) with half the teams averaging less than 20K per match
and most of the stadiums average 20,000--25,000 capacity.
 
Maybe espn doesn’t care, or at this point doesn’t have the cash, as outside of watching live sports I don’t know anyone that tunes into their programming outside of waiting rooms and airport bars but… I would think they would want the ACC to continue on as one of the power 5 conferences to keep eyes on the screen. Would they be willing to sweeten their deal with the ACC midway through their contract just to keep the league together?
 
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