Sucking azz to the B1G and SEC isn't a viable strategy so I say roll the dice and move our mice.

A merge is not a good idea for the ACC. If FSU still wants out around 2028 or so, we negotiate with them to let them out early. We will backfill with one or a handful of the best teams from the B12 at that time. A couple of them will look very good, having been in a few CFP games (OK State, TCU, whoever is hottest). We might repeat that process with Clemson or someone else in 2032 or so. But the smartest way to handle it is to let out one at a time, a few years apart, make them pay bigly, and then replace them with the best B12 team available. Let the B12 backfill from the American or new PAC. We have time to plan it to avoid a big implosion. If we can boot Wake Forest along the way, all the better.

I’ve listed some already, such as a series of annual games among the four Ohio River schools (Pitt, WVU, Cincy and UL). Yormark impresses me as the kind of commissioner who would be savvy to those kinds of opportunities. So I don’t think a flat out merger would be required to really affect the bottom line, which is really what this is all about.

or a new one based on currently available information would be the choice to lead, IMO. ** Edited by 2hhoop3 at 12/7/2023, 10:28:51 PM

The Big XII has much of what is in between geographically. That's a true Nationwide Conference put together. Unruly, but Nationwide.

Cal and Stanford for WVU and UCF would make both conferences more sensible geographically.

the reality today.

The best properties have been purchased. Yes, there are some solid properties left (eg: FSU, UNC, Clemson, Miami, VT, Arizona, ASU,)... but not enough of a block that you can build hotels on. The Big12 is mostly a bunch of railroads and electric properties now. Not sure if the ACC ever had a chance to land any of the luxury properties in the past (TX, OK, Wash, Oregon) as I always thought they could have, but they are no longer available. If you could take the best 20 teams left in the ACC and B12 that would not be a bad conference though and would have a lot of distinct states. ** Edited by jesuisvtguy at 12/7/2023, 6:47:06 PM

you are still behind the SEC and B10. But perhaps you could close the gap enough to survive as a P3 instead of just becoming the best of the G5/7

football in the B12 this year. As a fan, it's a lot more fun now (for me). Basketball season has started, and this season has potential to be better than last season. the B12 will not be the richest conference, but it will be a lot of fun, and they will be competitive in the expanded playoffs next year - I can't wait. Think about how many blue bloods in the SEC and BIG that will be home watching with 2 or three losses because they cannibalized each other? Again, given the present situation, what choices are there? Backfilling the ACC with Tulane, Rice, or Memphis? I left out USF because they actually have potential to be a decent add if FSU leaves.

the B1G and SEC...

in football. I think it's a fallacy that people think that the Indiana's, and Mississippi States are going to dominate because of media money. It's just plain silly.

new, intriguing or remotely thought provoking in the current episode. Drake's head appears to be so far up Yormark's behind that when Yormark farts Drake burps.

You basically cross schedule games between these two conferences and let the P2 play with each other.

When ours is up for renegotiation in 2036.

cross divisional games each year like the NFL? The point would be to have one governing body, and do away with the traditional conference stuff. Make the non revs regional with the ability to schedule coast to coast with some pretty good matchups. Don't shedule the football years out, so that there are some really good regular season matchups outside the division. OOC could be done the way it's done now, but really, that only comes down to scheduling a few G5 schools, or a traditional rival from the SEC or BIG. ND can be ND, as they would need a place to land their basketball and olympic sports. Let them schedule whoever they want as long as it's 3 home and 3 away games if they want to play ball. Negotiate basketball media rights separately, and maybe allow ND, Gonzaga, and some Big East schools to join, giving an even more regional flavor for the non rev sports. We need to bring geography back into the equation.

What do you propose for deciding which school is the odd man out?

VT for example, didn't want to be in the same pod as BC, Cuse, Pitt, and WVU, they could be mid Atlantic with Virginia, NC State, Louisville, Cincy, Duke, Wake, - I mean it would be very difficult. A 5 team pod is 4 games a season. That leaves a lot of flexibility in scheduling Miami for example.

and it is likely they would want to be grouped together to protect their rivalries. At least I don't see VT wanting to be in a different division than UVA. UVA wouldn't want to be in a different division than UNC and probably Duke. UNC, Duke, and NC State would want to be in the same division. While Wake would want to be in the same division as the other 3 NC schools. I mean the whole point to dividing up into geographically based rivalries is to protect as many rivalries as possible.

If the Big XII ever approached the ACC about a potential merger, then I do believe that would be an important issue for the ACC. It is even possible that the Big XII would have to compromise to agreeing to pair up 2 divisions so 1 protected game could be included in the conference schedule to preserve that rivalry. It would also open up the possibility to the divisions using the zipper model so 1 division wouldn't have an advantage in recruiting players from the Southeast Region or more specifically Florida. Remember the reason the ACC went with the zipper model for its divisions is for that exact reason. It is also the reason I picked the division I picked because it would mean playing 2 games against FL schools every year (1 at home and 1 away).

can get away from your location. May as well put ND in there, and play Kansas every year in basketball.

technically only has 4 teams (Clemson, FSU, GT, and Miami). Likewise, the Northeast Pod would only have 4 teams (BC, Syracuse, Pitt, and WVU) too. Regardless of which VA school ended up in the Northeast Pod, it would technically be outside their "region" given that both schools belong in the VA-NC Pod. That is the problem with a conference covering the entire East Coast because it likely means at least 1 school will find itself in a pod outside its "region." Also, there is a possibility that Miami would want to be placed in the Northeast Pod because of the schools connection to that part of the country.

I also don't think the PODS actually have to have equal number of members to make this work. Some could have 4 and others 5.

ACC. However, it would also mean the conference would have 33 members for football and 34 for all other sports instead of 30 for football and 31 for all other sports. For scheduling purposes it is possible all the pods would need to have the same number regardless whether the conference plays 8, 9, or even 10 conference games. The same issue would come up for the conference schedules in the other sports too. Is that feasible for everyone to play the same number of conference games regardless of the sport if the 33 members (or 34 members for non-football sports) were divided up into 6 pods?

those games be scheduled in football outside the pod? If the mega conference has 8 or nine games in football, there could be protected out of pod rivalry games. Maybe give each school the ability to choose one. The point of geography is not the football, or even the basketball matchups - it would be the regionality and travel for the non revs. I also think that they schedule non pod games on matchups that would be good for ratings. If you have a VT and a K-State in the top 10 one year, you immediately schedule them for a 1 and 1 the next two years. Goes for any team in the mega conference. If K-State and Wake go 1-10 for instance, schedule them for a 1-1 for the next two years. No one wants to watch an undefeated VT play a one win K-State, so take a portion of the schedule (2 games?) and schedule the next year for ratings. Same with basketball. That kind of scheduling flexibility would be an easy sell to the networks. ** Edited by Big12 guy at 12/7/2023, 8:48:33 PM

mean rotating the remaining pods for 5 more conference games. FWIW when the WAC expanded to 16 members back in the '90s, the conference divided up into 4 quads. The 4 quads were paired up with 2 quads rotating between the divisions so everyone got to play everyone at some point. Even the NFL incorporates that idea in its scheduling formula. Why wouldn't the conference/league do the same thing? Assuming teams are keeping with the 12 game schedule, then it would likely mean 4 OOC games unless the conference/league plans to only play games against itself. It is worth mentioning that 1 of the reasons the WAC broke up, which caused 8 schools to leave to form the MWC, is because everyone was not happy with what quad they were placed in. Quad 1: Hawai'i, Fresno St, San Diego St, and San Jose St Quad 2: UNLV, Air Force, Colorado St, and Wyoming Quad 3: BYU, Utah, New Mexico, and UTEP Quad 4: Tulsa, TCU, SMU, and Rice Quad 1 was always in the Pacific Division and Quad 4 was always in the Mountain Division. UNLV was upset because they wanted to be in with Quad 1. BYU was upset because of the impact it had on the BYU-Hawai'i rivalry. BYU and Utah were upset that they weren't with Air Force, Colorado St, and Wyoming. UTEP was upset that it wasn't included with the other Texas schools (sound familiar?). On top of that at least half of the conference was concern about the additional travel cost given that the league stretched from OK/TX to HI. Even if we assume that Clemson, FSU, and Miami are gone to the P2s, the Leftover League could end up facing a lot of similar issues as what the WAC faced back then given that it would stretch from coast to coast. Travel could be a big concern because the money may not be there regardless of who the Leftover League decides to add to fill any vacant slots. If the Leftover League goes from 33 to 30 members with the loss of the 3 ACC schools, then the Southeast Pod would only have 2 schools (GT and UCF) which would mean that pod would have to pull from outside the region. Also, for all other sports the Leftover League would have 31 members given that Notre Dame is a non-football member. What happens then given that 1 of the pods would have 6 members in it? If the Southeast Pod ends up with VT, L'ville, and Cincy to get to 5, then I guess Notre Dame could be added to it for all other sports. I guess I got my wish of playing Notre Dame too after all. ;-)

significant logistical issues and disagreements among the members than with a smaller group. The conference would have to deal with 32 schools who have a lot of geographic and cultural differences, and probably generate more financial issues. The regional rivalries among the various conference members that currently exist would suffer even more when there are a much greater number of schools, particularly if you are trying to achieve some parity in scheduling.

if they keep expanding. I believe at some point those conferences will implode. It may take a while, but the differences will eventually rise to a level where they become too burdensome.

Texas is used to controlling the conferences it is in. RE: Southwest Conference and Big 12. Can't imagine Texas coming into the SEC and trying to throw it's weight around.

...go sit in the corner while the adults run the show...lol

which is teams leaving ACC - between 2024 and 2036 - at a min FSU - they’ve said as much - not if but when - ACC - may be able stop it or others from leaving - with alliance, merger or whatever that creates value in the realm of B10 or SEC

a real and tangible negotiation position with the networks. If a new mega conference is made with players being paid, maybe a salary cap discussion should be had. I am also a proponent of teams keeping the bulk of their post season bowl, playoff, or tournament money. Share the base media money, but let the schools that invest in their programs keep the gravy. Such a conference might make schools take a second look at switching conferences.

day. They are very good. As a whole is the whole Locked on thing good or not?

They don't know much more than I do usually, but it is good shower listening.

a proposal that would fundamentally change how the game is managed, it has got my full attention. This is way beyond "conference realignment" now.