Is the ACC about to come apart at the seams?


The ACC's problem is that they already have too many schools that don't bring a lot of value. Here are my thoughts on the 4 targets mentioned:

Oregon and Washington - I think they could potentially add some value to the TV deal but not significantly. On the flip side, Oregon and Washington are next in line for a Big Ten offer (This is the opinion of someone who works in a Big Ten athletic department), they aren't signing a deal with the ACC that locks up their GOR for until 2036. However, if the ACC could get the ears of UO and UW, they'd probably have to add Stanford and California as well to give them a west coast pod.

SMU - It expands your footprint into Texas but this doesn't really add value to your TV contract. And honestly, the ACC already has too many small private schools that don't register. They don't need another one.

West Virginia - The ACC should have added WVU a long time ago. WVU, at the very least, has break even value for the ACC and they are already rivals with multiple ACC teams (VT, Pitt, etc). However, now they are locked into the Big 12 contract and it wouldn't really make sense to leave the Big 12 for the ACC, despite it making more sense geographically. Big 12 should make just as much money, if not more, and Big 12 teams aren't actively looking to leave.
 
Desperation. Trying to buy a mansion with zero credit and no cash...

ACC schools are in a tough spot. I'm not sure this magnificent 7 stuff is going anywhere. Legally they can't just void their contract and they don't have the votes to dissolve the league. They probably will move towards unequal revenue sharing but that's not going to make any significant difference when it comes to the revenue gap between the Big Ten/SEC schools and the ACC schools that are worried about it.
 
The ACC's problem is that they already have too many schools that don't bring a lot of value. Here are my thoughts on the 4 targets mentioned:

Oregon and Washington - I think they could potentially add some value to the TV deal but not significantly. On the flip side, Oregon and Washington are next in line for a Big Ten offer (This is the opinion of someone who works in a Big Ten athletic department), they aren't signing a deal with the ACC that locks up their GOR for until 2036. However, if the ACC could get the ears of UO and UW, they'd probably have to add Stanford and California as well to give them a west coast pod.

SMU - It expands your footprint into Texas but this doesn't really add value to your TV contract. And honestly, the ACC already has too many small private schools that don't register. They don't need another one.

West Virginia - The ACC should have added WVU a long time ago. WVU, at the very least, has break even value for the ACC and they are already rivals with multiple ACC teams (VT, Pitt, etc). However, now they are locked into the Big 12 contract and it wouldn't really make sense to leave the Big 12 for the ACC, despite it making more sense geographically. Big 12 should make just as much money, if not more, and Big 12 teams aren't actively looking to leave.
Can I get an Amen?!! Been saying it for years. And Cuse (Trophy game)/BC are the other 2
 
Put down the crack pipe, @della. Enjoy that you beat Bama last year for the first time in modern CFB history. Aside from that, your Vols are still a has been team looking for respect for accomplishing literally nothing in 2 decades.
We don't dodge them like y'all have for 50 years. Have y'all played them twice in the last 24 years? You seem to think you're some kind of dominant force, but you have actually only eeked out one win against them in the last forever.

It don't matter though, y'all will die on the Hill this year so there is that.
 

Nebraska president just told everyone the plan here. Timing is the biggest unknown IMO.

Here's what I can gather from my sources and from what's known publicly:
- Big Ten wants to expand east with ACC schools when they're available but there's no clarity on when that's going to happen. The feeling is that it won't go until 2036.
- Notre Dame remains the big prize but the Big Ten believes they will only join when they are backed into a corner. If the ACC falls apart, they may feel the need to join the Big Ten. I'm not completely convinced this is the case. I could see the Irish retreating back to the Big East and remaining Independent if the ACC falls apart. But that's just my speculation.
- The feeling is if the Big Ten expands in the east, they can't leave USC and UCLA alone on an island. The big question is how many PAC 12 teams should be added? It sounds like Oregon and Washington will be added at some point. They could add up to two more after that. Stanford, California and Utah remain under consideration. USC and UCLA are pushing hard for Cal and Stanford to be included.

If I'm going to speculate irresponsibly, I think this is what the conferences end up looking like:

Big Ten has their 16 current members and adds Washington, Oregon, Stanford and California from the PAC. Then adds Virginia, North Carolina, Miami and Georgia Tech. I think the Big Ten will make a push for Florida State and it's possible FSU chooses the Big Ten and takes GT's spot.

SEC adds Florida State and Clemson. Maybe the SEC feels the need to get to 20 and they add NC State and VT. My gut feeling is that the SEC doesn't add those two, however.

Big 12 will pick up the pieces that they want from the PAC and ACC. They could go to 24 and add Arizona and CU from the PAC, NC State, Duke, VT, Pittsburgh, and Louisville from the ACC and UConn from the Big East.

ACC is left with Wake Forest, Boston College, and Syracuse. They backfill with Tulane, Navy, Temple, Memphis, USF, SMU, ECU, JMU, and Marshall.

PAC is left with Arizona State, Utah, Oregon State and Washington State. They backfill with San Diego State, Fresno State, Boise State, UNLV, Colorado State, Air Force, New Mexico, UTSA, Rice, UTEP.
 
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