Clemson and FSU would make the media rights more valuable for the SEC. North Carolina and Virginia would make the media rights more valuable for the SEC. Conference realignment is all about making a conference’s media rights more valuable. How quickly we forget that the commissioner of the B1G was part of an Alliance with the ACC and PAC12 with the stated goal of working together which included not poaching conference members. Also, the commissioner of the SEC was working closely with the Big 12 commissioner on a new playoff model while at the same time he was secretly plotting to bring Texas & OU into his conference. What conference commissioners say publicly matters little. IMO, FSU and Clemson have never been interested in joining the B1G or the Big 12, but are seeking SEC membership and have been for the last two year. You can ignore the FSU lawsuit, the Clemson lawsuit, and the two ACC lawsuits against members. You can ignore the ACC commissioner comments about fighting for his conference (survival), but the way Phillips once again danced around the ACC’s media rights extension continues to raise questions about his conference’s future. It reminds me of the way George Kliavkoff danced around questions about his conference’s media rights during the PAC-12 media day last year. George Kliavkoff (2023): “The longer we wait for the media deal, the better our options get. He also pointed out that the conference is on track to ink a new deal at about the time the conference was initially supposed to do, had the Pac-12 not begun seeking a new media deal early. He said, “In the end, we are on track to announce our deals at about the same time everyone would have predicted before conference realignment. … [the Pac-12] will be rewarded in the near future. We are not announcing our media deal today on purpose because we want the focus to be on football. ” Jim Phillips (2024): “Our partnership with ESPN is not going away. It’s not going away. We have talked to them about additional resources and how do we monetize it. We’re 50/50 partners on that. They’re as motivated as we are to generate more revenue for the overall television deal. I’m very optimistic about where we’re going with them. They understand the importance. I’ll just leave it at that.” If ESPN had informed Jim Phillips that they have finalized the decision to extend the ACC media rights contract until the year 2036 then why not just say it. Why not make that revelation your opening statement? Why not make the announcement with ESPN officials at the podium with you? The future of the the ACC is riding on whether the media rights agreement ends on 2027 or 2036. The only reason I can think of why Phillips hasn’t emphatically stating when the media rights contract will end is because he doesn’t know and that should be concerning to all members.

and it aint the B1G or SEC who are more than happy with the status quo and will only act if they have to- i.e. the ACC implodes. Nope our friends in the B12 need to openly recruit FSU and Clemson (they won't succeed) as an act of preemptive self preservation. Because IMO the Mag7 (8 or 9 or 10) is a much more viable route if the ACC implodes (and then subsequently picking off a few select B12 schools) then FSU/Clemson joining a massive , water downed B12.

litigation. We should not forget the ACCN. There is a non zero chance that FSU/CU ends up in the B12, but I certainly wouldn't put any money on it. I suppose there is a non zero chance that the ACC re forms itself as a MAG 7+, but currently, that is only being talked about on you tube channels, and those are not the B12 hacks everyone here seems to believe are full of it. I'd put my money on the ACC staying together, but will not get P2 money. Maybe FSU/CU have landing spots, and that whole B12 rumor mill could have been started by FSU as a negotiation tactic, just as it could have been the B12 trying to be seen as a P3.

the Big XII consistently has been losing its top draws. The Big XII is a stepping stone right now. The ACC may be hanging on by a thread, but it is hanging on. Neither are in a great spot at all.

but the "beauty" of the Mag7 (or more) is they likely do have a path to dissolving the ACC should they choose, likely with the blessing of the networks, and renegotiating a new deal . Sure it may mean ultimately settling with the WF, BCs but that is doable. Guess my bigger point is the B12 commish's "wolfing", is more a sign of fear then anything.

They already evaluated this and determined it to be too difficult. This was before 3 more teams are added.

obviously the FSU preference (and likely Clemson) is to get invited to the big boy tables. The VT's of the world are better served by waiting things out then pushing succession. But I think the diligence has been done and in a worse case scenario (which I define as the only option left is to go in the B12) they will exercise the succession option, because it leaves open better options going forward.

I guess it was "The Waiting" to sum up the board's mood this Summer. Could have been: Refugee Breakdown Don’t Come Around Here No More Free Fallin Runnin’ Down a Dream I Won’t Back Down I Need to Know Into the Great Wide Open Don’t Do Me Like That Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around Even the Losers Change of Heart You Got Lucky You Wreck Me Jammin’ Me

When the B1G was just taking USC and UCLA, it seemed like it wouldn't be good. Getting UW and UO made much more sense for travel and regional fan interest. Even if the B1G would take FSU AND Clemson, I still think there should be more.

Yes we need fillers all across the country as well as Pacific. San Diego State, Colorado State, Oregon State, Nevada Reno, Rice, Tulane, etc. are all on my list that work athletically and academically. Washington State and Memphis are academic disasters. So NO to them, but the ACC has other options. As we've discussed before, work to grow the ACC Network.

We have got what 18 now? If 6 leave, which to me is highly unlikely, why isn't 12 enough or even 10? Way smaller revenues so fewer slices to the pie may have merit.

Exposure would be the big issue.

What major network or streamer wants to carry anything more than the P2 + ND.

We all know who they are

So for the sake of this discussion it is Clemson, FSU, UVA, and UNC to the SEC, Stanford to the Big with ND or back to the new PAC along with Cal. So that leaves VT, NCSU, Wake, Duke, Cuse, Pitt, BC, GT, Miami SMU and Lville. So who are the 6? Or are Stanford and Cal among them? If so who would be the 4 from the 11 listed above and why would anyone think that current G5 teams would be better? Now I will give you Memphis, Tulane and USF. But who else has a better chance than Wake, BC and Cuse which are the 3 most mentioned teams this board would like to ditch?

Can wash stete and oregon st merge the pac 12 with the acc and the acc imherits all fhe pac 12 money left behind??? Merger isnt shutting the door but evolving .

Because every time a conference makes a decision based on academics, it makes a mistake.

Especially with the ACC and Big Ten. Big Ten requires AAU according to 6 votes from what I understand. ACC has standards. But of course there is the need to satisfy the athletic need for football. I don't see it as a mistake. I don't see it as what broke up the PAC12 either. There issue was isolation out west. The country's TV markets are East Coast for the main population.

Therefore, whatever “standards” the ACC has seem to be applied rather selectively. Whatever lip service is given to academics, sports should be about sports. Otherwise, we would see ridiculous things like the ACC admitting a commuter school just because it’s athletic department tends to turn a profit, or failing to sanction a member that encourages no-show classes to keep athletes eligible.

-ally. Also, Stanford, Cal and SMU will have a vote in about a week. So it’s not close to the same situation now IMHO.

We know ND is a B1X target, but a "smoke and mirrors" program like Miami?

at the current time, and probably never. In a similar way, Texas tried something similar and failed. If Texas can’t do it, IMHO no one else can either.

and a risky one too since it’s probably based on Private Equity money. They are full of schools that were two years ago available to the SEC and B1G and didn’t get an invitation. They have some schools I would love to have in the ACC like WVU and Kansas as an example. However, the heavy hype master Brent Yormark seems to be able to sell ice to Eskimos, but the problem with hype, is that it’s almost always, if not always not sustainable. The Eskimos eventually figure out that they have plenty of ice. I know that’s rough, but eventually Barnum and Bailey have to go to the next town, because people get bored with the hype, and they need a new town to “sell” their act IMHO. ** Edited by Stech at 7/23/2024, 9:55:36 PM

There are reports of of UVA/UNC B1G stuff. I'm sort of sick of it. UVA is ACC. Yes the B1G would work, but Maryland went there and wins less. It's a black hole. I don't want UVA there, but if there is no ACC I'll have to hope for it. I want to see a more aggressive Jim Phillips, and we did.

solid, even strong, regional conference, and right now the ACC is the best choice, so long as ACC leadership fights for a better TV (or whatever) deal for it's strongest members. I'm no genius but my one observation regarding all the programs that moved from their traditional regional conference to one of the P2 over the past 15 years is stagnation or failure: Nebraska Maryland Rutgers aTm Missouri SEEMS to have benefitted but their success has been cyclical, just like many other progams. Let's take a look at Oregon and UW in a decade and see how they do.

ask for. Believe what you want of me, but I think the ACC is a unique and strong conference. Are they as good in football as the SEC? No. Are they as rich (athletics) as the Big 10? No. Do they belong in a conference with teams from Iowa down to Texas? No. Even if they lose FSU and Clemson, the ACC is a tremendous conference. They just are not the football top 1/3, and they will not command the media money that some think they should. Is it the end of their athletics? Of course not. This board is VT centric, and lets face it, there are some very passionate football fans, and they want to be at the national level table when it comes to media money. Both the B12 and ACC are trying to figure out how to compete in the new landscape. The B12 leftovers landed in a pretty secure spot, but they do not have the traditions, regionality, nor the academics of the ACC. Very good institutions, but State Universities were started and exist for the State populations first. Some have risen academically, and some continue their founding mission. They all have a place to serve the students that attend. It was a crying shame that the PAC as we have known it faltered. We discuss all of the reasons, but at the end of the day, it comes down to football, money, and the ability to compete at the national level. It amazes me that almost 100% of you guys would accept an invitation to the SEC to hobnob with fine academic institutions like Mississippi State, Alabama, USCs, and others. So the ideal of academics, traditions, and rivalries are thrown to the wayside, yet, close to 100% of you do not want to end up in the B12. The only difference between the SEC and B12 are some football brands and 30 pieces of silver. So, all you are doing at that point, is negotiating the price. ** Edited by Big12 guy at 7/24/2024, 10:37:05 AM

and what are they fighting about now???? something they signed twice

Completely different situation this time around, obviously, but don't believe a word these guys say publicly.

ACC won't agree to a settlement with FSU and Clemson. FSU and Clemson cases will go nowhere. ESPN nods its head and agrees to keep the ACC contract until 2036. Which means there's no movement until the early 2030s. Which will drive folks crazy.

will tell !

Except something may happen again when ND decides to move. But they are the biggest domino and IMHO all effort will focus on tipping their independent status over. After they are on board the P2 will complete the final pieces. Until ND moves there is not a big enough piece to take action.

It was my understanding that Notre Dame committed that IF they joined a conference it would be the ACC. Wasn't this part of the GOR agreement. As such, is Notre Dame subject to the same restrictions as FSU/Clemson? In terms of realignment, is ND potentially unable to freely leave (instead of unwilling)? If so, is the real push on overturning the GOR intended to free up Notre Dame to join the BIG? In this case, is FSU's role simply to free up ND for the next round of realignment?

before 2036. So if ND joins the B1G before 2036, that would be a breach of contract and ND would owe the ACC damages for that breach. Now how much would those damages be? Nobody really knows. But ND joining any other conference before 2036 would be very expensive and messy legally.

ND's home TV rights are not subject to an ACC GOR, since it is with NBC. The rest of ND's sports, except hockey, are under the ACC GOR. ND is subject to the ACC exit fee, whatever that ends up being after this litigation. There is allegedly an ND/ACC contract, but nobody outside the parties have seen it. ND doesn't want to move, wants the current status quo, has the ideal setup it worked for years to achieve.

The football part of the deal with the 5 games signs them up to only join ACC if they join a conference, but it is not part of the GOR. ND is not the one trying to leave. They have their next TV deal. So this is all Clemson/FSU. Who have created this huge mystery about their destination. They are not AAU, so no B1G. And the SEC views them as toxic. The Big 12 is currently less money. Are they a windfall there? Don't know. I don't want Clemson to leave. FSU is a pain in the arse. Just go. ** Edited by HOO86 at 7/23/2024, 10:29:34 PM ** Edited by HOO86 at 7/23/2024, 10:34:58 PM

Both John Skipper and Bob Thompson were adamant the 🏀 money is coming. All they need to do is expand to about 96, and pay the Sweet 16 like the 🏈 playoff. That means the early rounds will pay for Olympic Sports and D3’s etc. I have an impeccable source at UVA in an Olympic Sport that has said the number of roster spots will be cut, but those that make the roster will be paid. The school has already informed them the amount of roster spots they are going to have…I mean the exact number. PS If FSU lets USF in a Power Conference, they are going to regret that IMHO, they are good because of Florida High School football, splitting that pie more, could hurt them. I think Clemson “could “ be jockeying for more ESPN money to the ACC. Their approach on this, has been completely different than FSU’s as you know.