MEGA Conference Realignment and lawsuits Megathread: Stories, Tales, Lies, and Exaggerations

[Warrior808]

Former, I am close with some of the guys who have been working on advising universities. One prominent ACC school as well as the B12 conference. Yormark (B12 commish) is smart and on the leading edge of the conversation. Ultimately the new acc agreement rewards the best teams. We have to be one of those teams otherwise we fall behind. Ultimately this ends up between 32-64 team power CFB. Think that’s 5 years away

Sucks what they are doing to the greatest sport on earth. 32 teams would be a disaster, why start an NFL lite?

Well, I know why but still think its a bad idea. Will make a handful of people a lot of money in the short term but no possible way its good for the sport in the long run. Half the country will lose interest.

Put it this way, if Miami were out of the "super league" how many people on here would still follow that league with the same energy they do now? I know I wouldn't tune in or care about the headline Alabama - Ohio st game that Saturday if it had absolutely no implication on my school.

 

[RealRussellPumps]

Former, I am close with some of the guys who have been working on advising universities. One prominent ACC school as well as the B12 conference. Yormark (B12 commish) is smart and on the leading edge of the conversation. Ultimately the new acc agreement rewards the best teams. We have to be one of those teams otherwise we fall behind. Ultimately this ends up between 32-64 team power CFB. Think that’s 5 years away

Yormark is a gangster. Wish we had him running the ship for the ACC all this time. Seems like we just need to hold up our end of the bargain and hope we get an invite when the smoke clears.

 

[Empirical Cane]

Yo

The ACC and Big XII don't have much leverage now. However, they will have absolutely zero within 5 years if they cede every bit of self-respect and agree to vote for a 4-4-2-2-1-1 framework in a 14 team playoff. After 5 years of the non-P2 top brands having twice as difficult a time of making the playoff along with getting a little more than half the playoff payout as the P2, those top brands will jump ship to the P2 so **** quick and the ACC/Big XII will officially be in the Group of 7 at that point. That is of course, if the P2 even wants those brands after 5 years of fewer resources and opportunities.

I say call the B1G and SEC's bluff while they still can. Let's see how well the SEC/B1G Invitational would do in the ratings. I know if the Canes have no chance of playing in it, I'm not watching it and I imagine there are quite a few FSU, Clemson, VT, ACC, and Big XII fans who feel the same way.

It probably wouldn't work, but if they simply take the alternative, they are sealing their fate for sure. Who knows, maybe CBS, NBC, or Fox wants in on the competitor playoff to the B1G/SEC Invitational? Obviously for less money, but a way to steal some ratings from their ESPN competitor.

It's all probably moot anyway. I'm sure ESPN agreed to keep the ACC TV contract through 2036 in exchange for the ACC to play nice and submit to their fate in the G7.

PS - I don't even know why the B1G and SEC would make 4 guaranteed slots a requirement as they will likely end up with at least that many slots without any guarantees in most years.

Yormark should challenge Sankey to a Trial By Combat to The Death on PPV.

Ratings would be yuuuuge amd we settle this with the ways of Olde.

 

[Ispyin]

You know what is dumb as ****? Putting college basketball on the same level as college football.

First off, none of the bigger conferences are guaranteed extra bids in basketball. 31 conference champs get in, everyone else is at large. SEC has one good team and a bunch of bad teams, while CUSA has a bunch of good teams? CUSA could get more teams in than the SEC. Zero incentive for small schools to start a new playoff as they have an equal shot at getting an invitation to the tournament.

College playoff proposal has 8
GUARANTEED slots for the p2 of out of a total of 12 slots. 6 win sec team could potentially get a playoff spot over a 10 win acc team. By agreeing to that format, the ACC is admitting it is a second rate conference. And once that narrative is permanently written by virtue of giving the P2 2/3 of the playoff spots, good luck trying to convince a major network to give the ACC more money. If you agree to a clown contract, don’t get upset when you get treated like a clown.

No **** - I know they aren’t the same. The point overall still remains.

Awesome go create the nit for football. Seems like a good idea.

Not happy about any of this **** but these conferences got jacked on the vote over a year ago and relegating yourself to a second tier tournament is likely worse that getting treated second tier access wise in the big big one. Good luck with recruiting if you not only have less access to the big playoff but actually aren’t even in it.

______________________
And separately @Empirical Cane go f yourself

 

[We'retheBoss]

I didn't see this in the thread already, but Nielsen is changing the way they measure their ratings, to more accurately account for streaming viewership. The NFL TV deals expire in 2029, IIRC, and the new TV deals / salary cap could skyrocket as a result of this new measurements. I imagine the same will hold true for college football, so if we're in a conference that's currently locked into a longer TV deal, the further we will fall behind.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/nielsen-to-end-panel-only-ratings-that-have-measured-tv-for-decades-758bba3a

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

No **** - I know they aren’t the same. The point overall still remains.

Awesome go create the nit for football. Seems like a good idea.

Not happy about any of this **** but these conferences got jacked on the vote over a year ago and relegating yourself to a second tier tournament is likely worse that getting treated second tier access wise in the big big one. Good luck with recruiting if you not only have less access to the big playoff but actually aren’t even in it.

______________________
And separately @Empirical Cane go f yourself

So you clearly bought into the manufactured narrative that only the P2 plays big boy football and any team outside of those conferences is a second rate joke. NIT is for teams that weren’t one of the top 64 teams out of the hundreds of teams in college basketball. 64 chances. So yeah, if you don’t get an invite to March Madness you are a second rate team.

CFB playoff would reserve 2/3 of its slots for the P2 teams only. So 100 other teams would be competing for 4 slots. In the last 7 years, 8 different teams (Bama, UGA, Clemson, LSU, UW, TCU, ND, Michigan) have played for the national championship. 4 of the 8 teams did not belong to the P2. 2 of the teams were ACC or ACC affiliated (Clemson, ND) and one won a championship.

Let me say that again - last 7 years of playoffs- 50% of the teams that played in the nat championship game did NOT belong to the P2 and one even won a national title. Yet the P2 gets to reserve 2/3 of the playoff spots for itself. So you are swallowing up all the P2’s “we are the only ones who play quality football” ******* despite the fact that the actual evidence (one might say Empirical evidence) proves otherwise.

A separate playoff featuring “non P2 schools only” would be every bit as good and just as credible as a playoff of just P2. Espn and the other networks would be falling all over themselves for the broadcast rights because more playoffs = more teams = more eyeballs = more money.

The big difference is that the P2 schools have 30 other sports they have to support, and those sports would lose all credibility if they are only able to play other P2 schools for the next 5 years because the non P2 froze them out. The non p2 schools would have no problem showing the credibility of a swimming or volleyball championship with 100 other college teams participating. P2 would be forced to stop trying to reserve 2/3 of playoff spots in football for itself since it would be effectively destroying every other sport at the schools by not being able to play teams outside the P2.

So non P2 schools have way more leverage than simpletons realize. P2 just has some people gargling its balls so hard that they can’t see there is a way forward that doesn’t involve getting teabagged.

 

[ssvir]

Seriously ask YOURSELF… what exactly did MIAMI do to get OURSELVES out of this situation?

Save $2 MILLION in legal fees… that was totally WORTH IT to be trapped and LOCKED out of the college playoff.

 

[CaneinBroward]

No **** - I know they aren’t the same. The point overall still remains.

Awesome go create the nit for football. Seems like a good idea.

Not happy about any of this **** but these conferences got jacked on the vote over a year ago and relegating yourself to a second tier tournament is likely worse that getting treated second tier access wise in the big big one. Good luck with recruiting if you not only have less access to the big playoff but actually aren’t even in it.

______________________
And separately @Empirical Cane go f yourself

Good points. I don't think the schools of the ACC & Big XII can think short-term here though. If you think they have 2nd tier access now, what do you think the big boys of the P2 will offer at the next playoff agreement? After 5 years of less access and more importantly, less $$$? Recruiting is already screwed. Miami was the top non-P2 conference recruiter at 13 this past year. ND at 12 as an independent. It will only get worse - whether the ACC & Big XII play nice or not.

College ball is being played with by the TV networks. They care only about the short-term ratings, not the health of the sport. Will the TV network masters want to further expand the B1G and SEC? Maybe, but not guaranteed.

Call their bluff while it can be done with any kind of teeth. Let's see if the SEC/B1G Invitational continues to get the ratings to justify the billion dollar deal with ESPN. What does it hurt in the long run?

 

[CaneinBroward]

So you clearly bought into the manufactured narrative that only the P2 plays big boy football and any team outside of those conferences is a second rate joke. NIT is for teams that weren’t one of the top 64 teams out of the hundreds of teams in college basketball. 64 chances. So yeah, if you don’t get an invite to March Madness you are a second rate team.

CFB playoff would reserve 2/3 of its slots for the P2 teams only. So 100 other teams would be competing for 4 slots. In the last 7 years, 8 different teams (Bama, UGA, Clemson, LSU, UW, TCU, ND, Michigan) have played for the national championship. 4 of the 8 teams did not belong to the P2. 2 of the teams were ACC or ACC affiliated (Clemson, ND) and one won a championship.

Let me say that again - last 7 years of playoffs- 50% of the teams that played in the nat championship game did NOT belong to the P2 and one even won a national title. Yet the P2 gets to reserve 2/3 of the playoff spots for itself. So you are swallowing up all the P2’s “we are the only ones who play quality football” ******* despite the fact that the actual evidence (one might say Empirical evidence) proves otherwise.

A separate playoff featuring “non P2 schools only” would be every bit as good and just as credible as a playoff of just P2. Espn and the other networks would be falling all over themselves for the broadcast rights because more playoffs = more teams = more eyeballs = more money.

The big difference is that the P2 schools have 30 other sports they have to support, and those sports would lose all credibility if they are only able to play other P2 schools for the next 5 years because the non P2 froze them out. The non p2 schools would have no problem showing the credibility of a swimming or volleyball championship with 100 other college teams participating. P2 would be forced to stop trying to reserve 2/3 of playoff spots in football for itself since it would be effectively destroying every other sport at the schools by not being able to play teams outside the P2.

So non P2 schools have way more leverage than simpletons realize. P2 just has some people gargling its balls so hard that they can’t see there is a way forward that doesn’t involve getting teabagged.

I agree with you. The non-P2 schools should revolt.

However, I just don't see how any sports other than football and MAYBE basketball come into any decision-making by the P2 schools. None of the realignment movement over the past 5 years indicates there is any consideration for those non-revenue producing sports. Why should that change now?

 

[TheOGCane]

Meme all you WANT

ANSWER THIS… what did WE do to get out of our situation? Instead you’d rather TRY to intimidate me porque no hay RESPUESTA

 

[TheEye]

Meme all you WANT

ANSWER THIS… what did WE do to get out of our situation? Instead you’d rather TRY to intimidate me porque no hay RESPUESTA

FSU spent the money you are referring to and also did not get into the play off. The two are not related. Miami did not spend the money and are in the same situation as Clemson and FSU. We aren't paying the buyout to leave the conference and neither are Clemson or FSU.

 

[TheOGCane]

FSU spent the money you are referring to and also did not get into the play off. The two are not related. Miami did not spend the money and are in the same situation as Clemson and FSU. We aren't paying the buyout to leave the conference and neither are Clemson or FSU.

Most likely ESPN doesn’t renew if MIAMI and NORTH CAROLINA sue tmb. There is no ACC without those FOUR. Look at the numbers. That’s where all the power IS. Instead we sat down and SHUT UP about our situation. We did NOTHING. Minor concessions were made because of CLEMSON and FSU. imagine if all four programs sued, and we stayed in this **** conference, maybe the buyout is reduced FURTHER, maybe it’s shorter timeframe

Maybe we break FREE and B1G comes for us. Instead we just sat around stroking the ACCs **** on the JOE ROSE show. Just a LOST opportunity last year to strike while the contract was up in the air. Door is shut and lost our LEVERAGE

 

[CaneinBroward]

Most likely ESPN doesn’t renew if MIAMI and NORTH CAROLINA sue tmb. There is no ACC without those FOUR. Look at the numbers. That’s where all the power IS. Instead we sat down and SHUT UP about our situation. We did NOTHING. Minor concessions were made because of CLEMSON and FSU. imagine if all four programs sued, and we stayed in this **** conference, maybe the buyout is reduced FURTHER, maybe it’s shorter timeframe

Maybe we break FREE and B1G comes for us. Instead we just sat around stroking the ACCs **** on the JOE ROSE show. Just a LOST opportunity last year to strike while the contract was up in the air. Door is shut and lost our LEVERAGE

Love the passion. Don't see how Miami and UNC joining the lawsuit changes a thing with how it went in the courts. All the maybes sound more like blind hopes than realistic outcomes. I do love the passion though.

 

[ssvir]

Most likely ESPN doesn’t renew if MIAMI and NORTH CAROLINA sue tmb. There is no ACC without those FOUR. Look at the numbers. That’s where all the power IS. Instead we sat down and SHUT UP about our situation. We did NOTHING. Minor concessions were made because of CLEMSON and FSU. imagine if all four programs sued, and we stayed in this **** conference, maybe the buyout is reduced FURTHER, maybe it’s shorter timeframe

Maybe we break FREE and B1G comes for us. Instead we just sat around stroking the ACCs **** on the JOE ROSE show. Just a LOST opportunity last year to strike while the contract was up in the air. Door is shut and lost our LEVERAGE

UNC spent $600k in legal fees in secret exploring getting out of the ACC and Miami likely did similar. Just b/c it wasn't publicized for you to read doesn't mean all avenues weren't being explored behind the scenes.

The bottom line is the SEC and B10 wouldn't expand unless it meant more money for every school and under the current contracts through 2031 more money per school wasn't possible so they weren't expanding.

No matter how much you throw a temper tantrum nobody was leaving the ACC and the outcome of supposedly amending school buyouts after 2030 and the uneven success based distribution of ACC revenues was the best case scenario.

 

[NorthernVirginiaCane]

UNC spent $600k in legal fees in secret exploring getting out of the ACC and Miami likely did similar. Just b/c it wasn't publicized for you to read doesn't mean all avenues weren't being explored behind the scenes.

The bottom line is the SEC and B10 wouldn't expand unless it meant more money for every school and under the current contracts through 2031 more money per school wasn't possible so they weren't expanding.

No matter how much you throw a temper tantrum nobody was leaving the ACC and the outcome of supposedly amending school buyouts after 2030 and the uneven success based distribution of ACC revenues was the best case scenario.

 

[RVACane]

I love a good Miami conspiracy theory as much as the next guy but what kept us out of the playoffs was our embarrassing defense. Conference affiliation had nothing to do with what happened at the end of the season.

It didn’t but it got bama bumped ahead of us, wrongly.

 

[TheEye]

Most likely ESPN doesn’t renew if MIAMI and NORTH CAROLINA sue tmb. There is no ACC without those FOUR. Look at the numbers. That’s where all the power IS. Instead we sat down and SHUT UP about our situation. We did NOTHING. Minor concessions were made because of CLEMSON and FSU. imagine if all four programs sued, and we stayed in this **** conference, maybe the buyout is reduced FURTHER, maybe it’s shorter timeframe

Maybe we break FREE and B1G comes for us. Instead we just sat around stroking the ACCs **** on the JOE ROSE show. Just a LOST opportunity last year to strike while the contract was up in the air. Door is shut and lost our LEVERAGE

Well…you’re wrong. Because ESPN still likes the deal it’s getting. Imagine if every ACC school sued and raised a temper tantrum but ESPN is still getting pennies on the dollar for all ACC tv rights. There is no advantage to ESPN walking away from free money.

 

[scane]

The belt tightening continues in Bristol. They're not going to have much going on between the CWS and college football if they do breakup with MLB.

What happens if ESPN exits MLB contract?

With ESPN likely to exit its contract with MLB after this season, what options does the league have for a new media partner?

awfulannouncing.com

ESPN reportedly dropping F1

ESPN is reportedly parting ways with Formula 1 after next season, paving the way for Netflix, NBC, or other contenders to acquire the rights.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Update:

MLB, ESPN, to end relationship after season

ESPN and Major League Baseball are parting ways after this season, commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

Manfred taking a big shot on the way out: "More importantly, Manfred cut to the core of the ESPN business model, saying that MLB does “not believe Pay TV, ESPN’s primary distribution platform, is the future of video distribution or the best platform for our content.” He cited subscriber figures for ESPN that are lower than any previously reported — 53.6 million homes as of December — and said MLB did not think it beneficial “to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform.”"

He points out as big an issue with the ACC-ESPN deal as the money: The ACC is almost exclusively consigned to a shrinking platform with the SEC monopolizing the ABC windows.