North Carolina has officially been offered to join the Big Ten

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by tegator80

After reading the book above, I wonder if this was a leak to get the SEC to quit being so coy with UNC? It makes sense, since the SEC is standing pat until the next round of earthquakes.

And while I understand VaTech as a viable option from the outside looking in, I think that UNC and UVa are tied to the hip, not only in friendly rivalry but kindred spirit in university mission and history. They are much more a condition of accepting a move to a new conference than Duke.

The SEC has been extremely tight with information control. I don't think there's been a single valid expansion leak that has ever come from the SEC. All the leaks have come from the schools and in most cases, I think has been intentional disinformation from the SEC regarding schools that really aren't candidates, like WVU, FSU and Clemson.

You'll note that there has been almost no information, even rumor about the SEC and VT for the past couple of years. Nor has there been anything about the SEC and UNC talking. But I have little doubt both schools have at least talked at some level.

[lurkingator1]

I would be shocked if the left NC and Duke are the conner stones Of the ACC remember the conference is all about basketball really and NC and Duke are two of it' most powrful members. FSU has complain that all the power rest on tobacco road why would NC or duke want to leave that and join a conference where Texas is king .... not going to happen

[HungaryGator]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

HungaryGator: Don't kid yourself. Those casual Duke fans DO buy merchandise. Both UNC and Duke are pretty high in the overall merchandise sales.

T-shirt fans for state schools are often fanatically loyal. That school represents their state and them.

Its a different equation for a small private school. They have some down seasons and the bandwagon can empty out pretty quick. Remember the late 80's through the early to mid 90's? Remember how much scUM gear you used to see? Every hoodrat and snot nosed suburban wigger loser wore their crap. How about now? Nobody wears their crap. If for example Bevo has 10 more crap years in a row they will still have a huge fanbase. That's the difference. Duke basketball was nothing before Coach K and their is no guarantee it will be anything after he leaves....and that "big" fanbase of theirs could evaporate very quickly. After all...most of these people have no connection to the school.

[atlantagator86]

Duke is pretty high - #35 in 2012 to be exact. UNC was #7. And despite their recent lack of success, Miami is still #27 and Texas is #1.

But in general I don't disagree with what you're saying.

[j7]

FWIW -

The ACC has formed a committee of athletic directors and hired Wasserman Media Group to explore the financial benefits of launching its own conference network.

While its media rights are tied up with ESPN for the next 15 years, that hasn’t stopped the conference from beginning the process of deciding whether such a channel is feasible. It hasn’t had formal talks with ESPN, which would have to play a big role in any ACC channel since the network controls the league’s rights.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/J...px?hl=SEC&sc=0

[1984Gator]

Their athletic department is basically bankrupt!

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

I think maybe you're on a different argument.

Maryland has HUGE resources! It's a very big school with a huge alumni and lots of money and a decent football program. It may not be big by SEC standards but don't sell the Maryland football program short. They have very good football resources, plus they have Under Armor money.

Syracuse is also a bigger school than Duke with much better fan support and a pretty strong football history. They've been down for the last decade or 2 but they are a decent football program with decent resources. They aren't as big as UMD but also didn't have the interest the Big-10 had in UMD.

Duke doesn't compare to either of these schools in terms of football resources.



If you're asking that question, you didn't read my post very well. NCSU has SIGNIFICANTLY more TV pull than Duke in football, which is what it's all about for the SEC. It's not even close. Basketball might be a different story, but basketball is a very secondary consideration for the SEC.

I don't think Duke has ANY shot of getting into the Big-10 or SEC on it's own, not even a small shot. Their only shot is if they're brought in as a package deal with UNC.

And even at that, unless the SEC decides to go beyond 16 teams, as HUGE a get as UNC would be, I don't believe the SEC would even take Duke in a package deal to get UNC right now.

[tallygator]

Wasn't UVA and VaTech tied together by some legislative action to get VaTech into the ACC? If so how does UVA go to the Math Challenged league w/out VaTech?

[OaktownGator]

Originally Posted by j7

FWIW -



http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/J...px?hl=SEC&sc=0

They already have a channel - the Food Network...

[tilly]

@hungary - One point I was trying to make is how important the rivalry is to UNC fans. They want Duke twice a year in hoops...and people DO care about the football rivalry, though UNC vs. State is bigger in football.

I have selfish reasons for wanting NC State. I'm 26 minutes closer to Carter Finley Stadium than I am to Keenan Stadium Seeing the Gators up here, would be an awesome thing. Add Duke as well and double my pleasure!

[TheRaid]

Originally Posted by Brodeur

Yep. If UNC and UVA go to the Big 10+6, SEC will probably target NC State and VaTech. The next move would then be FSU and Clemson begging the Big XII to invite them (possibly bringing Miami and GaTech with them).

This is what I think also.

Hungary:

I think the UNC piece has everything to do with whether academic interests over shadow the athletic interests. The deans will want Big-10. What are the dispositions of the various boards, president, alumni etc? That will be a big deal. Additionally, basketball rules the roost in their sports brains. Where does that lead them? Where does academic interests lead them? Not the SEC.

[HungaryGator]

Originally Posted by TheRaid

This is what I think also.

Hungary:

I think the UNC piece has everything to do with whether academic interests over shadow the athletic interests. The deans will want Big-10. What are the dispositions of the various boards, president, alumni etc? That will be a big deal. Additionally, basketball rules the roost in their sports brains. Where does that lead them? Where does academic interests lead them? Not the SEC.

Academic snobbery says go to the Big 10 but their athletic interests would be much better served by going to the SEC. From what they say on their boards, the alums overwhelmingly favor the SEC and point out that it is absurd to decide which ATHLETIC conference to join based upon Academic snobbery....and that's what we're talking about here. If UNC were to associate with 11 junior colleges in an athletic conference it wouldn't hurt UNC's academic standing one teensy tiny little bit. All the baloney put forth about Academics is nothing more than ego and snobbery plain and simple.

North Carolinians in general would prefer the SEC. That much is obvious. So....do the profs and a few wine n' cheesers get their way or will they do what most of their alums and all of their t-shirt fans want them to do? They will desperately seek to avoid having to make a choice until it is forced upon them.

North Carolina was slow to ratify the constitution and slow to secede too so they have a history of this sort of thing.

[tilly]

I think many who have never lived here, may underestimate football here.
They love football. Just not at SEC levels. Schools like ECU are football first. They can get 50,000 or so for games at ECU. NC State has an SEC feel on gameday. UNC is a wine and cheese football crowd...and Duke is....Duke.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tablet using Gator Country

[gatorjlm]

Originally Posted by OaktownGator

They already have a channel - the Food Network...

I see what you did there...lol.

[MiddleTNgator]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-foo...orgia-tech-acc

Twitter story picked up by Sporting News so maybe it has some truth. Looks like Big 10 is after GA Tech as well as UNC and UVA as we discussed. UNC officials said anything going on with the Big 10 was "far-fetched."

[KronoGator]

Originally Posted by tallygator

Wasn't UVA and VaTech tied together by some legislative action to get VaTech into the ACC? If so how does UVA go to the Math Challenged league w/out VaTech?

They get out because they know VTech will find a lifeboat in the SEC and not be stuck sinking with the leftover conference.

[Matthanuf06]

The end game is 20 team conferences, not 16.

My guess is we get UNC, Louisville, VT.

UVA to the B10 for sure. GT as well.

NCSU to the SEC.

We'd still be down two. Obviously OU would be the choice, and frankly at this point we'd take OSU with them to get it done.

If they aren't interested WVU may get their wish. And then we may have to dip into the FSU/Clemson route.

While in theory you don't want to double dip in a state, you also have to play some defense of your territories as well.

[demosthenes]

Not seeing 20. Just too large and likely to end up in dissolution of a conference that large.

[AzCatFan]

I don't think the PAC would ever want to go 20. It will be difficult for the PAC to go from 12 to 16 if and when that becomes a necessity. PAC-12 schools are going to be picky and not just take geographically close schools. Call it ivory tower elitism. Schools like CAL, UCLA, Stanford, USC, and Washington aren't going to let any Cal State school into the PAC (SDSU, Fresno St.), nor will they allow any school from Nevada, New Mexico, or Idaho, or any religious based school (BYU). Besides, money wise, the only school that makes sense from this list is maybe UNLV. All others are in markets the PAC already own or aren't large enough to be of significance.

Like a few years ago, the PAC will look to Texas and Oklahoma to expand. But Baylor looks to be a deal breaker. If they were available and 16 was an absolute must, I think the PAC would take Texas (in a heartbeat), TTech, and the two Oklahoma schools. Problem is, would the powers-that-be in the state of Texas allow Baylor to be left out? Again, TTech isn't exactly the PAC's 1st choice, but no way will Baylor ever be allowed in.

We'll see what the future holds. Personally, I liked the PAC-10 as it was, but understand we needed 12 to increase tv money, launch the PAC-12 Network, and remain competitive. I hope the PAC never goes to 16 and somehow the ACC and/or the Big 10 both survive.

[HungaryGator]

The biggest allies of the ACC have to be the PAC...the trouble is like Japan and Germany in WWII each is too far away to help the other.

The PAC's only realistic option is Bevo and his satellites. Nothing else makes sense financially. BUT...if the ACC gets torn to pieces, then some tasty crumbs will be left over with only one realistic place to go - to Bevo to form an eastern Division of the Big 12. That means no Bevo and his satellites for the PAC - ever. That means the PAC is boxed in to a smaller population base in its footprint (thus smaller revenues) and only one really fertile recruiting area (California).

[leogator]

Originally Posted by TheGator

No this is about entering new states and TV markets, none of which Clemson adds.

If USCE and Clemson are in the same timeslots (i.e., 1-4PM), then you have a point, if one is from 1-4 and the other from 4-7, then you can have both. Even if you have both in the same timeslot, it's not like there's a lot of USCE fans that want to watch Clemson and vice versa. The only problem would be in a split household with just one TV.