Lets Talk Big 10 Expansion

[PSU4U]

Bingo. The conferences have their preferences, but at the end of the day, if somebody says "we want team A, F, V, and Z" and we'll add "this much" $$$, the conferences are going to roll with the money.

The networks don't care about anything but ratings, which in turn leads to advertisers paying higher ad fees. They would pay to add IMG to the SEC if the audience was there.

There is still a tug of war with FOX and the Presidents over Stanford but at the moment with the tie-up in the ACC Stanford is stuck. They have one other avenue for getting into the Big 10 and that would be if ND said they were coming but not without Stanford. Again, FOX wants Miami, and the presidents want Stanford, but Miami is tied-up in the ACC and waited to long to act with FSU and Clemson so that's out for at least a year or two. Miami officials sunk their own ship for getting to the Big 10 quickly or maybe at all. The stomach turns in Miami.

 

[africamurphy]

I keep saying...look to history for precedent.

It's hard to figure out how the entire ACC will land...because you have to take one piece at a time.

Maryland didn't cause the fissure that Delany hoped it would because ESPN ponied up some money and Swofford got the rest of the ACC presidents to bite on the worst TV deal in college sports history. And Maryland wasn't a pillar of the ACC.

The Pac-12 dissolution is our best model for the ACC. It lost its tent poles and then collapsed...

UCLA and USC went. The writing was on the wall...the Pac-12 was scrambling for TV deals and hypothetical backfill teams.

A few months later...and almost simultaneously...UW/OU to the Big Ten at reduced shares...and the four corners schools to the Big 12. Then the Bay Area duo stumbled into the ACC.

FSU, UNC, and maybe Clemson are the UCLA/USC in all this. But instead of one suitor (the Big Ten for the Pac-12's best teams), we have two--the SEC and Big Ten.

And that's why this round is so fascinating. Who will the USC/UCLA combo be? How many will each conference take? Will the SEC or Big Ten come up the winners in this round...or will they both win?

 

[lazydave841]

I keep saying...look to history for precedent.

It's hard to figure out how the entire ACC will land...because you have to take one piece at a time.

Maryland didn't cause the fissure that Delany hoped it would because ESPN ponied up some money and Swofford got the rest of the ACC presidents to bite on the worst TV deal in college sports history. And Maryland wasn't a pillar of the ACC.

The Pac-12 dissolution is our best model for the ACC. It lost its tent poles and then collapsed...

UCLA and USC went. The writing was on the wall...the Pac-12 was scrambling for TV deals and hypothetical backfill teams.

A few months later...and almost simultaneously...UW/OU to the Big Ten at reduced shares...and the four corners schools to the Big 12. Then the Bay Area duo stumbled into the ACC.

FSU, UNC, and maybe Clemson are the UCLA/USC in all this. But instead of one suitor (the Big Ten for the Pac-12's best teams), we have two--the SEC and Big Ten.

And that's why this round is so fascinating. Who will the USC/UCLA combo be? How many will each conference take? Will the SEC or Big Ten come up the winners in this round...or will they both win?

ACC schools are still locked in, and they added members to withstand an initial loss of teams if it somehow occurs. That's the key differences right now.

The money is also locked in for 12 more years and is probably a sweetheart deal for ESPN compared to trying to re-up right now.

ACC isn't likely to pull a PAC 12 and die, but it will be officially 2nd tier football at some point.

 

[ryoder1]

ACC schools are still locked in, and they added members to withstand an initial loss of teams if it somehow occurs. That's the key differences right now.

The money is also locked in for 12 more years and is probably a sweetheart deal for ESPN compared to trying to re-up right now.

ACC isn't likely to pull a PAC 12 and die, but it will be officially 2nd tier football at some point.

What is the status of FSU, Clemson and UNC regarding the ACC? Are they in litigation?

All this talk about them leaving but to your post it seems that may not happen for 12 years. If that is true then this discussion is totally irrelevant for the time being.

 

[lazydave841]

What is the status of FSU, Clemson and UNC regarding the ACC? Are they in litigation?

All this talk about them leaving but to your post it seems that may not happen for 12 years. If that is true then this discussion is totally irrelevant for the time being.

I don't think anybody actually knows for sure. I would say it's strictly they are locked in until something let's them out of the contract. That could be days, weeks, months, years away. It could be never.

I would guess that with certain teams being the loudest and most vocal "we want out!", it keeps the news cycle revolving around them. I just haven't seen anything that puts forth any time frame because quite frankly, how do you break the terms of the contract without paying media rights fees? Somebody will figure something out at some point when enough money greases the right hands.

Until then, it's all just speculation.

 

[PSU4U]

Who do you have going to the Big 10 from the ACC? Stanford is back in play by the way.

ACC said to be on a track to collapse this year and play their last full ACC schedule in 2025. Not my prediction!

Band of 7 still active behind the scenes on the 8-team dissolution theory.

ND doing some internal assessments, they were the ones to ask the Big 10 to hold off on inviting a rush of teams. So, the brakes were put on FSU and Clemson to the Big 10 for now.

I think ND pretends to sort things out while trying to hold the ACC together, I will never trust ND on this issue. One ND insider states that they know the collapse is coming and some think trying to save the ACC is a waste of time and resources.

 

[LandoComando]

ACC said to be on a track to collapse this year and play their last full ACC schedule in 2025. Not my prediction!

Band of 7 still active behind the scenes on the 8-team dissolution theory.

ND doing some internal assessments, they were the ones to ask the Big 10 to hold off on inviting a rush of teams. So, the brakes were put on FSU and Clemson to the Big 10 for now.

I think ND pretends to sort things out while trying to hold the ACC together, I will never trust ND on this issue. One ND insider states that they know the collapse is coming and some think trying to save the ACC is a waste of time and resources.

We're still pretending Clemson and FSU are the top targets huh?

 

[psu00]

I don’t know why anyone at the Big Ten would listen to Notre Dame and back off FSU and Clemson (or anyone else). ND should be ignored completely. Let them hang out in a watered down ACC with Stanford, Cal , Georgia Tech and Wake Forest while everyone else moves on.

Right now the ACC breakup is on hold until judges rule and everyone finds out what the penalties will be when the good teams leave. That’s going to take years and it’s in the ACC’s favor to drag it out to the very end.

The question is how long do Florida State and Clemson play along before they just say screw it and leave anyway to fight out the $ details later. It may be better for them to leave and get a court order (whatever they call it) preventing the ACC from taking their GOR money until the lawsuit is settled. In that case the game flips and it’s to Clemson and FSU’s advantage to stall and fight it out to the end hoping the ACC dissolves and they owe nothing.

 

[Op2]

It seems to me when it comes to ND, you tell them "Of course we want you, and if you want some specifics on the offer or whatever, let us know, but it doesn't make any sense for us come to you again and again or base our potential expansion on you eventually coming when we have no idea whether you'll ever come. We're planning our future as if you're not going to be in the Big Ten, but of course we'd love to have you in the Big Ten so let us know if the time comes that you're actively interested." And then move on.

 

[LandoComando]

I don’t know why anyone at the Big Ten would listen to Notre Dame and back off FSU and Clemson (or anyone else). ND should be ignored completely. Let them hang out in a watered down ACC with Stanford, Cal , Georgia Tech and Wake Forest while everyone else moves on.

Right now the ACC breakup is on hold until judges rule and everyone finds out what the penalties will be when the good teams leave. That’s going to take years and it’s in the ACC’s favor to drag it out to the very end.

The question is how long do Florida State and Clemson play along before they just say screw it and leave anyway to fight out the $ details later. It may be better for them to leave and get a court order (whatever they call it) preventing the ACC from taking their GOR money until the lawsuit is settled. In that case the game flips and it’s to Clemson and FSU’s advantage to stall and fight it out to the end hoping the ACC dissolves and they owe nothing.

We aren't. If we wanted Clemson and FSU then by adding them it would force ND's hand. Just more nonsense.
Clemson and FSU don't currently have anywhere to go or they'd call the bluff IMO

 

[LMTLION]

It seems to me when it comes to ND, you tell them "Of course we want you, and if you want some specifics on the offer or whatever, let us know, but it doesn't make any sense for us come to you again and again or base our potential expansion on you eventually coming when we have no idea whether you'll ever come. We're planning our future as if you're not going to be in the Big Ten, but of course we'd love to have you in the Big Ten so let us know if the time comes that you're actively interested." And then move on.

ND will need to join with a partner. I can see them acting high and mighty and try to help out a service academy or a school like BC or Stanford.

 

[Op2]

ND will need to join with a partner. I can see them acting high and mighty and try to help out a service academy or a school like BC or Stanford.

I don't like this reality but IMO it is a reality and that is that ND can join however they like and with or without whoever they like.

 

[LMTLION]

I don't like this reality but IMO it is a reality and that is that ND can join however they like and with or without whoever they like.

They need to make it look like giving up their independence is not a money grab, and they need to solidify their national reach. They will claim charity with a school like BC, but it will all be about them.

 

[lazydave841]

They need to make it look like giving up their independence is not a money grab, and they need to solidify their national reach. They will claim charity with a school like BC, but it will all be about them.

NDs independence has been a great money grab for them. They have their own deal with NBC. No sharing. The only team being promoted until they bought into airing B10 games.

Until the playoff group decides to eliminate them from contention without conference membership, they have zero reason to move. Costing them a 1-4 slot was a great first step since they will never have a bye under this format.

 

[LMTLION]

NDs independence has been a great money grab for them. They have their own deal with NBC. No sharing. The only team being promoted until they bought into airing B10 games.

Until the playoff group decides to eliminate them from contention without conference membership, they have zero reason to move. Costing them a 1-4 slot was a great first step since they will never have a bye under this format.

They make slightly less than the current B1G tv deal.