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

[Fluffhead]

There is no question that every team in ACC would have their ratings go up if they joined the Big10, but it doesn't change what their current ratings are. I am not arguing brand value (where Clemson, FSU, Miami and others have legitimate beef), but that article (at least by the headline) seems to suggest that top tier ACC teams are bringing in similar ratings, but really besides Clemson, that isn't true.

I can’t speak to Clemson and FSU, but how much of that is access driven? Big 10 network vs ACCN, Fox vs whatever channel ESPN puts us on, Raytheon and regional tv? And clearly they also have giant alumni networks. But there’s a lot to unpack in the “why” behind these numbers too.

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

I even thought about us playing games at FIU Field and calling at a neutral site.

Be careful about coming up with creative business ideas here, posters who apparently represent the Better Business Bureau are taking that personally.

 

[scrantoncane]

Let me be clear. The negotiation and posturing is complicated. The concept is not. Partnerships and contracts end and get broken all the time. No one right now is going to say sure go ahead and weaken their hand. On the other side, there’s no indication anyone has gotten a formal offer. So yea, right now it’s a lot of keeping your cards until it’s time to negotiate and find a resolution, whether that’s a payout, conference disbanding, or some combination thereof. You’re out of your mind if you think anyone wants a protracted lawsuit over this.

If there was a solid basis for a lawsuit, it would’ve been filed already. ESPN has them by the balls. In the real world, you can’t just ask a court to invalidate a freely bargained contract. It doesn’t work that way.

 

[RVACane]

Be careful about coming up with creative business ideas here, posters who apparently represent the Better Business Bureau are taking that personally.

I haven’t been reading since earlier.

 

[scrantoncane]

These guys get into it again. Should be a requirement to listen to these guys every week to post in this thread.

“Getting into X market” does not matter anymore, despite what many are claiming over and over in this thread. That was an old school cable thing - the cable provider in central Pennsylvania pays the big ten network for the right to air it’s product, because it’s customer base wants to watch them. Cable company then charges customer.

Conversely, if you told the same central PA subscribers that their cable bill was going up $6.50 per month because the PAC 12 network was being picked up, you’d see a lot of people cancel their subscriptions.

Streaming solves this issue. You can watch whoever you want, wherever you want. And you can cut the cord.

This episode talks about cable potentially dying when ESPN goes to streaming only.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

I even thought about us playing games at FIU Field and calling at a neutral site.

I think FAU has a bigger stadium AND it would thrill all the UM fans living in Broward and Palm Beach who can't stand driving...

So...win-win...

 

[IndayArtHauz]

Nobody:

ABSOLUTELY NOBODY:

When @NorthernVirginiaCane posts his eye pollution in this thread:

The rest of CanesInSight:View attachment 239522

The best gif on the internet.

 

[Ispyin]

View attachment 239516

And this is while we essentially sucked and many of our games were on espn ocho

 

[Ispyin]

I even thought about us playing games at FIU Field and calling at a neutral site.

No, if Miami is designated the home team in a regular season game that doesn’t already have a special tie in like thr kickoff games, it would be considered a Miami gor home game rights wise even if played on Uranus

 

[RVACane]

No, if Miami is designated the home team in a regular season game that doesn’t already have a special tie in like thr kickoff games, it would be considered a Miami gor home game rights wise even if played on Uranus

Not surprised. That would be to easy. I sure hope that they weren’t guaranteed home game rights regardless of conference affiliation. That’s absurd

 

[TheOriginalCane]

Not surprised. That would be to easy. I sure hope that they weren’t guaranteed home game rights regardless of conference affiliation. That’s absurd

Schedule every "Kickoff Classic" game possible. Give every "revenue game" opponent from the last 20 years a return game (except for Arkansas State, they can burn in ****). Barnstorm a Florida Friends & Family schedule where we play at UCF, at USF, at FAU, at FIU, at FAMU, and at BCC every year.

Let's get it done!

 

[TooColdToHold]

These guys get into it again. Should be a requirement to listen to these guys every week to post in this thread.

“Getting into X market” does not matter anymore, despite what many are claiming over and over in this thread. That was an old school cable thing - the cable provider in central Pennsylvania pays the big ten network for the right to air it’s product, because it’s customer base wants to watch them. Cable company then charges customer.

Conversely, if you told the same central PA subscribers that their cable bill was going up $6.50 per month because the PAC 12 network was being picked up, you’d see a lot of people cancel their subscriptions.

Streaming solves this issue. You can watch whoever you want, wherever you want. And you can cut the cord.

This episode talks about cable potentially dying when ESPN goes to streaming only.

Those guys don’t know any more than the other so called experts out there. They are wrong on a lot of things.

 

[Shogungts]

I can’t speak to Clemson and FSU, but how much of that is access driven? Big 10 network vs ACCN, Fox vs whatever channel ESPN puts us on, Raytheon and regional tv? And clearly they also have giant alumni networks. But there’s a lot to unpack in the “why” behind these numbers too.

Oh I totally agree - there is a ton of 'why' and certainly teams in the ACC would have better ratings if in the Big10, but if anything I think this shows that even if the ACC could renegotiate, while the deal they would get would almost certainly be better than what they have now, it still would likely be quite a ways off from the Big10.

Likewise, it shows that OSU, Mich, and PSU have the same argument in their conference that Clemson, FSU and Miami have in the ACC.

 

[Fluffhead]

If there was a solid basis for a lawsuit, it would’ve been filed already. ESPN has them by the balls. In the real world, you can’t just ask a court to invalidate a freely bargained contract. It doesn’t work that way.

Completely agree, and that is why I said court is a non starter. That does not, however, mean they cannot negotiate outside of court.

 

[scrantoncane]

Those guys don’t know any more than the other so called experts out there. They are wrong on a lot of things.

All 3 of them talk to school presidents, conference commissioners, etc, on a daily basis.

You don’t have to like them personally do acknowledge they are well-sourced.

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

No, if Miami is designated the home team in a regular season game that doesn’t already have a special tie in like thr kickoff games, it would be considered a Miami gor home game rights wise even if played on Uranus

Who is responsible for designating the "home team"? The school, NCAA, or the conference?

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

Not surprised. That would be to easy. I sure hope that they weren’t guaranteed home game rights regardless of conference affiliation. That’s absurd

I wonder if this could be approached in an opposite direction, by expanding. It would be insane if the ACC GOR says the conference is not allowed to expand past its current membership through 2036. And assuming the GOR doesn't forbid the ACC from expanding, then I doubt ESPN wrote into the contract that it can pay the same amount regardless of whether there are 16 or 24 teams in the ACC (we have some dumb people in charge, so I guess anything is possible). ESPN said its dropping the Pac12. So if the ACC formally merges with the remaining Pac12 (basically forming a coast to coast conference like the B1G), then maybe ESPN will be forced to renegotiate. If they refuse, then perhaps that is grounds for the ACC GOR to be invalidated.

 

[CreativeCane]

This feels like it's going to he a disaster and lead to the dissolution of the conference (or at the very least, infighting) quicker than expected. Do any other conferences have this sort of model in place?

Maybe that's the plan. Get all the teams frustrated because they can't all "succeed" and they'll want to find a better deal elsewhere.

 

[Ispyin]

Who is responsible for designating the "home team"? The school, NCAA, or the conference?

The school. There are only certain dedicated approved out of conference games that wouldn’t count. Notre came plays one “road game“ neutral site shamrock series every year- it is still a home game that nbc gets. Miami can’t schedule with say la tech, and then say let’s put it as a home game for la tech at fau. Stadium - then la tech would get all the revenue and Miami would be getting paid a fee to show up like we pay others

and home and home series like texas a&m would be same thing. doubt texas am in theory would work with Miami to ***** espn (sec partner) through a creative non home home game contact.
you guys are getting way too 8d chess here - there’s some creativity possible, accepting early games like kickoff, but you can't be in that game every year

 

[flyguy]

Miami Hurricanes athletic director Dan Radakovich helped drive the new ACC revenue distribution model announced by the conference’s board of directors on Wednesday. The ACC announced that “the specifics of the plan are in progress and will be solidified in the coming months.” Success in the postseason impacts revenue sharing.



Guess we better get good if we want more money