I think that the ACC schools are stuck until the GOR runs out. Say the schools leave, the remaining schools pick up UConn and two other meh schools and keep taking the money from the leaving schools because of the media rights. You think Clemson is getting left behind now, how much worse if they leave and get little to no money from their new conference until the GOR ends and no money from the ACC? I don't think there is any chance the ACC lasts once the GOR expires in any recognizable form, but I do believe none of the schools can afford to go without any conference income to leave before it expires.
If we were going to make this the Big Twenty, who would be the 4 other additions?
- Thread starter KentuckyBoiler
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You’re leaving yourself an out… my prediction is that somehow, someway, the GOR won’t last.
do you really think that Clemson /FSU will be content on losing money (relatively speaking) over the next 14 years?
The ACC is a powder keg… and some now unknown spark will set it off…. And in retrospect it will look so obvious.
Pretty simple to get around it if/when there is no ACC, which, is where things are headed.
It will be very easy for ND to go to court if necessary and argue that they made a choice to commit to an entirely different ACC...a full ACC...that the ACC (if it even remains) is not the ACC that they had committed to.
Devils on the details. I suspect one way or the other that’s addressed in the deal. Regardless since this is just for fun and speculative My prediction is the big ten is trying to force the acc to implode and leaking rumors they are looking at the two schools the sec would want most, FSU and Miami. SEC bites and takes clemson, FSU, Miami, and a B12 team (Oklahoma state or Baylor), B12 takes several teams from ACC, Big 10 sits on sidelines, sees ACC implode and gives ND an out to join Big 10, and then takes Washington, Oregon, and Stanford to create a 20 team league including 4 divisions (West = UCLA, USC, Oregon, Washington, Stanford) (East = Maryland, Rutgers, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State), (North = Minny, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Iowa, Nebraska) and (Central = Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Ohio State).
Three teams leaving the ACC is not nearly enough to cause it to implode. You need 8 or in some accounts 10 teams leaving the conference all at the same time to have the votes to disband the ACC. ND was foolish and did not ask for or get a clause that stated WHO or how many teams had to be in the ACC for their contract to be valid, and as long as the 4 core teams are still there, UNC, NCSt, Duke, and Wake you would have a VERY hard time in court saying that the remaining 13 teams plus whoever is added is not functionally the same conference or so similar as to make the contract still valid.
I agree the ACC is a powder keg, but its one with a very long slow burning fuse. Pitt, Wake, UL, BC and the other low appeal schools in the ACC will NEVER let the big names out of the contract, and there just are not enough spots in the SEC and BT to give enough homes to enough of the schools in the ACC to garner the votes to cancel the conference. IF ND could have found any way out, they would already be in the BT..... same with FSU, Clemson, and Miami into the SEC. As it stands those schools may be WANTING to get out, begging for a release, and privately fuming about their situation, but there are not enough lawyers, guns and money to make Wake Forest to vote itself out of P5 athletics; and that is where it stands.
ND's situation is even worse, even if the GOR was cancelled tomorrow, they still could not join any conference BUT The ACC per their contract.....their only way out seems to be to go all the way in, fulfill that portion of their contract, and then wait for the GOR to expire and leave when FSU, Clemson, and Miami do.
I agree the ACC is a powder keg, but its one with a very long slow burning fuse. Pitt, Wake, UL, BC and the other low appeal schools in the ACC will NEVER let the big names out of the contract, and there just are not enough spots in the SEC and BT to give enough homes to enough of the schools in the ACC to garner the votes to cancel the conference. IF ND could have found any way out, they would already be in the BT..... same with FSU, Clemson, and Miami into the SEC. As it stands those schools may be WANTING to get out, begging for a release, and privately fuming about their situation, but there are not enough lawyers, guns and money to make Wake Forest to vote itself out of P5 athletics; and that is where it stands.
ND's situation is even worse, even if the GOR was cancelled tomorrow, they still could not join any conference BUT The ACC per their contract.....their only way out seems to be to go all the way in, fulfill that portion of their contract, and then wait for the GOR to expire and leave when FSU, Clemson, and Miami do.
How did the ACC get in this position in which they appear to be on the brink of imploding?
In my mind, they always seemed like a strong conference with several marquee schools. I'd probably put them behind the B1G and SEC.
Do they just not know how to market? If that's the issue, can't they turn that around?
In my mind, they always seemed like a strong conference with several marquee schools. I'd probably put them behind the B1G and SEC.
Do they just not know how to market? If that's the issue, can't they turn that around?
Ok, I appreciate the detailed response.
I am supremely confident in the following statements. I think there is a 99% likelihood of this happening:
1. the ACC will not stay intact until 2036.
2. ND will be in the BT in less than 2 years
The ACC is comprised of schools that are vastly different in terms of culture, academics, etc. It’s a weird mix of small urban schools (Pitt, GT), and large state schools (UNC, Virginia). It’s got schools that don’t care about academics (Louisville) and ones that do (WF). It’s got schools that only care about bball (Syracuse, Duke) and ones that only care about football (Clemson, FSU). Think about the political differences between Boston and Florida.
Basically it’s just a bunch of schools thrown together from the flotsam of the Big east conference.
And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that diversity. But when money issues appear, cracks between schools being chasms. To be sure, they all still make money, but happiness is due to “relative” prosperity, and it’s impossible for schools like Clemson, Florida state, etc. to look at all the money SEC/B10 schools are making and not be disgusted by WF and BC, who they don’t have a whole lot in common with in the first place.
ND is considered a national program vs being labeled in the state of Indiana.
I'd bet the house you are wrong on at least point number 2.... Between the GOR and the "MUST join the ACC if they join a conference" clause, neither of which have a buyout, I see no way free for ND. Also, if you did not know, any vote to let a school out of the GOR must be unanimous...... ND is Wake Forests bitch until the GOR expires, Swarbrick should be fired for putting ND into that position.
