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M
mwke OP
Aug 08, 2023 at 09:49 AM ET
ACC strategy - if Stanford and Cal join, is this move potentially
about appeasing (as much as possible) some of the current ACC members who ultimately will land in the B1G and SEC by creating a "holding pen" for two others that offer brand recognition when the P2 decide timing is right to add additional members? It's tough to add so many teams all at once - both logistically as well as not eroding economics for existing members - but if UNC, UVA, Miami, VT (fingers crossed) and even Clemson and FSU already know they are headed elsewhere, but not until the cost of exiting and GOR come more in line with timing and $$ available by joining the P2, would adding two strong west coast names to the stable for the near term while positioning for the long term potentially be the play? Seems like there has to be a longer term play here vs. adding two to the stable that don't make sense for the long haul?

4 Replies

V
VT757to276
A PAC ("own the coasts") merger was a scenario 20 months ago before it was
picked-apart...Even then, probably a long-shot to get that many (ACC+Pac) universities on-board and willing to commit long-term and could have unlocked the GOR gate(?). My current half-baked(?) scenario is for the Mag 8 to block-negotiate with the SEC (or B1G, but I think we have more value to the sec). We view this from our eyes vs the "buyer", but shouldn't if you're the seller... Both value teams within the ACC, but guessing there's an intangible component for the SEC to value more. The closer we get to 2030 (assuming no media bankruptcies), any thoughts of group negotiation dissolve as it's "every man/woman for himself" as GOR subsides year-by-year. Who knows..not I...I really like the ACC, the regionaility, the schools (most of 'em)
T
The_VT_Rock
This could influence voting
Bring in two more members that would want to keep the ACC around - thus, it increases the amount of schools to approve something to break up the league.
T
TDVick
This is an interesting point. This might be as much about stacking the
vote as anything else. Sort of a poison pill.
M
mwke OP
But would Stanford and Cal really want to keep the ACC around? Or...
would they rather land in the B1G long term, that isn't likely to happen for the next 5-10 years, so why not join a league that gives good (not great) economics, has member institutions that care more about things you care about than other options like the Big12, and then when the next round comes they'll be positioned to exit and land in one of the coast-to-coast P2s along with others in the ACC that are ultimately headed that route?? Again, just feels like a longer term under current could be playing out here for the have's vs. the have nots.