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

[Cane6]

Odd that the UM source says neither of the big 2 has extended an offer. I wonder if that is being carefully stated, as it doesn't necessarily mean that neither conference has reached out to UM to discuss the matter. Maybe they don't want to say there has been a formal offer because it could lead to lawsuits against the school and the poaching conference (and also possibly a lawsuit by Disney).

Also want to add that the performance based payouts are inherently stupid and destroy any semblance of parity. For some reason no sportswriter has picked up on this. It means the good programs will get considerably more money, which then puts them even further ahead of the bad programs. The bad programs need the money to get better facilties, recruiting budgets, etc to compete with the better programs. It's a pathetic capitulation by the really bad schools because they know they aren't likely getting an invite from the SEC or B1G, so they would rather bend over and take it from Clemsons and FSUs, (and hopefully soon, UM) so they can at least get their 40 million guaranteed. The good football schools should say no way- if they walk they can get 100 million per year, no matter what their record is. If they have a couple down seasons, they will still be financially on par with the other programs, whereas in the acc they will end up taking a massive pay cut.

It's a ridiculous conference model, which is why no other major conference does it that way. Of course, the people who proposed the idiotic model are also the idiots who years ago signed the GOR that gave away media rights until the year 3000, so I fully expect the acc teams to approve it.

BJ is the last source I would trust on this topic.

Regarding UM, or any individual ACC school, the school, including ND, and SEC or BIGTen all know any move can’t be singular, or the GOR penalties are insane

Any move will involve 8 ACC schools, hence why there is so much coordination and moving in silence, as there are a lot of details to be worked out

 

[Angry Ibis]

Obviously the devil is the details of either potential offer but I wonder where Rad himself would prefer if things are even remotely "equal"? B1G or SEC?

Pennsylvania guy but made his name in the South but then also bolted to return to Miami.

I'm thinking Patriot League.

Fair compromise after talking Mario away from the 1980’s NFC North…

 

[Angry Ibis]

Frfr, I hate Pedo State.
Never liked em, never will I hope many drinks that program to G5 level, and eff you.
My guy

All in good fun. I think overall it is an interesting conversation about some big city, specifically Boston and Philly sports fans. Rabid, passionate, obnoxious fan bases that are all in on their pro sports with CFB being a complete afterthought for many…

I’m a huge college sports fan but cousins and Philly friends just don’t have the passion — for PSU, ND, Miami or another National Brand — I find it interesting because CFB is so **** fun, you’d think they would have caught a few games by accident and been like **** this USC or Miami or FSU or Oklahoma or OSU was something at one point and run with it … like I did with 80s Lakers or 90’s Penguins — like TF is this wizardry? I’m in.

 

[Rickd]

BJ is the last source I would trust on this topic.

Regarding UM, or any individual ACC school, the school, including ND, and SEC or BIGTen all know any move can’t be singular, or the GOR penalties are insane

Any move will involve 8 ACC schools, hence why there is so much coordination and moving in silence, as there are a lot of details to be worked out

I would imagine that the behind the scenes conversations and efforts are focused on not only having 8-9 votes to dissolve the conference, but in a coordinated effort to assist ALL members (or as many as feasible) find an acceptable landing spot. The Big 10, SEC and Big 12 could THEORETICALLY absorb as many as 12 of the ACC conference members. Biggest programs at risk of ending up in a Conference USA type scenario I believe are BC and Wake Forest, maybe Syracuse.

 

[Tony4Canes]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this. I would have preferred they worked behind the scenes like UCLA & USC with their move to B1G. I guess with 7-8 schools, be tougher to keep it quiet though.

 

[KANE]

**** gonna love it when we have to go to Wisconsin and Iowa back to back weeks in November

There would be enough warmer weather towns/cities in this “breakaway”, that any AD wit half a brain (we have one now!!!), any vision, and worth a ****…. won’t do that to our schedule.

 

[gacaneaddict]

I hate the idea of super conference, and I hate the idea of Miami moving to the boring a Big 10.

Nothing says Miami like Big 10
Baby!!!

Best thing for Miami would
Be for ACC to get a better tv deal than currently constructed, and or work with Notre Dame and NBC to have them join and jeep
ACC in tact.

 

[The U is back to work]

Notre Dame won’t join, because they don’t have to for football.

The most important thing is to get out of the ACC but that seems like it will be even more difficult now.

I feel like Clemson/FSU will be heading to the SEC quickly.

 

[KANE]

Miami, UNC and UVA together gives the BIG 10 Beach heads in South Florida, Carolina in the South and completes it in the mid Atlantic and DC between UVA and Maryland.

And it surrounds SEC territory. Not a bad deal.

 

[Manfred_Cane]

Ross Dellinger said on the new College Football Enquirer pod, that the Miami/FSU/Clemson are just waiting for an invite from another conference, and once they get that, they'll bounce.

I'd bet that the 8 schools ready to leave, already have an idea of where they're going and maybe just finalizing the last details on their invite so it's a smooth transition.

I wonder in the Monday ACC meetings, if the 8 schools ready to leave told the other 7 schools, "we'll agree on a new revenue sharing deal, so you can figure out where you're going to go." So they're not ******** over the Wake Forest, Syracuse type of schools. Idk.

At this point, the ACC should merge with the AAC. Right now, the only schools I don't think will have a spot to land is Wake Forest, Syracuse, Boston College. They'll get 2 Florida schools (USF & FAU), another Carolina school (ECU), Alabama school (UAB), two Tennessee schools (Chattanooga and Memphis), 4 Texas schools (SMU, Rice, UTSA and North Texas), gain a Louisiana school (Tulane).
They'll cover as north as Syracuse, all the way down to Boca, as west as Texas/Oklahoma. So they'll basically gain National footprint.

 

[Shogungts]

Ross Dellinger said on the new College Football Enquirer pod, that the Miami/FSU/Clemson are just waiting for an invite from another conference, and once they get that, they'll bounce.

I'd bet that the 8 schools ready to leave, already have an idea of where they're going and maybe just finalizing the last details on their invite so it's a smooth transition.

I wonder in the Monday ACC meetings, if the 8 schools ready to leave told the other 7 schools, "we'll agree on a new revenue sharing deal, so you can figure out where you're going to go." So they're not ******** over the Wake Forest, Syracuse type of schools. Idk.

At this point, the ACC should merge with the AAC. Right now, the only schools I don't think will have a spot to land is Wake Forest, Syracuse, Boston College. They'll get 2 Florida schools (USF & FAU), another Carolina school (ECU), Alabama school (UAB), two Tennessee schools (Chattanooga and Memphis), 4 Texas schools (SMU, Rice, UTSA and North Texas), gain a Louisiana school (Tulane).
They'll cover as north as Syracuse, all the way down to Boca, as west as Texas/Oklahoma. So they'll basically gain National footprint.

Right, but it is an chicken or egg scenario - those leagues are not going to invite them if they can't get the TV rights for another 13 years.

 

[Manfred_Cane]

Right, but it is an chicken or egg scenario - those leagues are not going to invite them if they can't get the TV rights for another 13 years.

What do you mean?

 

[Shogungts]

What do you mean?

Neither the BIG10 nor the SEC are going to offer any teams to join their leagues unless those teams can bring their TV rights with them. Since the ACC (the league) owns the rights to every team's games until 2036, there is no value to the BIG10 or SEC. If Miami/FSU/Clemson/etc shows they can get out of the GOR then the BIG10 or SEC will likely offer soon after.

 

[Manfred_Cane]

Neither the BIG10 nor the SEC are going to offer any teams to join their leagues unless those teams can bring their TV rights with them. Since the ACC (the league) owns the rights to every team's games until 2036, there is no value to the BIG10 or SEC. If Miami/FSU/Clemson/etc shows they can get out of the GOR then the BIG10 or SEC will likely offer soon after.

I believe if they break the GOR and leave the ACC, the acquiring conference can add said team into their TV rights deal. The B1G has a condition in place that they get a bump in $ for adding a team that’s not in their footprint. I think there’s work arounds

 

[KANE]

 

[wdk3618]

I hate the idea of super conference, and I hate the idea of Miami moving to the boring a Big 10.

Nothing says Miami like Big 10
Baby!!!

Best thing for Miami would
Be for ACC to get a better tv deal than currently constructed, and or work with Notre Dame and NBC to have them join and jeep
ACC in tact.

lol, tell me you know absolutely nothing about where college football is currently and where it is headed without actually saying you know absolutely nothing.

I think most of us hate the idea of super conferences. But do you hate them more than being irrelevant on the national scene? Because if we do not get in the Big10 or SEC we will be at a massive disadvantage. Those are just the facts. And spare me we were at a disadvantage in the 80s, 90s with facilities, investments etc. Times have changed. The ACC has never looked out for us so why some of you want to remain on this sinking ship is baffling to me.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this. I would have preferred they worked behind the scenes like UCLA & USC with their move to B1G. I guess with 7-8 schools, be tougher to keep it quiet though.

Give it a rest.

The Pac-12's Grant of Rights had expired. There were no complicated issues to deal with.

That is not the case with the ACC.

Which should also be an indication of HOW MUCH MORE DESIRABLE certain ACC schools are than, say, Washington/Oregon. Because the Big 10 is willing to be patient and put up with our ****.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

Notre Dame won’t join, because they don’t have to for football.

The most important thing is to get out of the ACC but that seems like it will be even more difficult now.

I feel like Clemson/FSU will be heading to the SEC quickly.

That's just an overly broad generalization.

Notre Dame's ability to SCHEDULE teams has been based on various conferences having an 8-game schedule, as well as the ACC's desperation to have "partial Notre Dame".

Once the Big 10 and SEC expand, and the leftovers form a third overly-large conference, and these conferences begin to schedule 10 conference games per year, it SEVERELY limits ND's scheduling opportunities.

And when the networks have a chance to bid on 20 team super-conferences for their football content, compared to a measly 7 or 8 games per year of Notre Dame vs. The Service Academies and Other Religious Institutions, then ND is simply NOT going to be able to remain independent.

"They don't have to for football". Hilarious.

 

[gacaneaddict]

lol, tell me you know absolutely nothing about where college football is currently and where it is headed without actually saying you know absolutely nothing.

I think most of us hate the idea of super conferences. But do you hate them more than being irrelevant on the national scene? Because if we do not get in the Big10 or SEC we will be at a massive disadvantage. Those are just the facts. And spare me we were at a disadvantage in the 80s, 90s with facilities, investments etc. Times have changed. The ACC has never looked out for us so why some of you want to remain on this sinking ship is baffling to me.

What are you talking about? I know exactly what is going on. I said I hate it. For Miami IF ACC could renogiate the tv deal to be comparable as other conferences that would be best situation. Miami moving to BiG 10 would not be ideal for numerous reasons

 

[Rickd]

I believe if they break the GOR and leave the ACC, the acquiring conference can add said team into their TV rights deal. The B1G has a condition in place that they get a bump in $ for adding a team that’s not in their footprint. I think there’s work arounds

You can't "break the GOR and leave the ACC". The GOR is a contract between all ACC members AND THE ACC. The only way the GOR is weakened or broken is if the ACC is dissolved ... eliminated ... not merged with any other conference. That is why it is VITAL as step #1 that the AD's find new homes for virtually every ACC member. A joint vote and dissolution of the conference would be the step needed so they can leave. The delay I believe is due to the probability that ESPN will sue taking the position that ESPN has been transferred the GOR via the "irrevocable agreement" by the ACC in the media contract that the ACC Conference signed with ESPN.