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

Hold My Beer said:
It's pretty much been two at a time for a while (Arkansas-South Carolina, A&M-Mizzou, OU-Texas, USC-UCLA, Oregon-UW). Don't think that method is gonna change, either

1. FSU+Clemson leave

2. UNC-NC State leave

3. UVA-VA Tech leave

4. UM-ND leave

5. Duke-GA Tech leave

We go B1G with the leprechauns. The rest go to the $EC
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UM’s best dance partner has always been ND. It benefits us more than them, but I’d go along with that if they’re willing to dance and it fast tracks our way into the P2.
 
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Imukat said:
UM’s best dance partner has always been ND. It benefits us more than them, but I’d go along with that if they’re willing to dance and it fast tracks our way into the P2.
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Yeah, we're also the one P2-worthy school in the geographical South (as opposed to the cultural South) that fits the B1G better and (imo) to which the SEC would say "pass"

Dang near everyone on this board knows more about the thinking of UM's leadership than me, but my guess is the decision-makers would choose the B1G over the SEC were both options on the table and it was fish or cut bait time.
 
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rascon said:
Gotta think D-day is when judge rules on venue and discovery requests. If it goes FSU’s way, the ACC (at the request of ESPN) would be smart to quickly cut bait with teams that have a place to go now and work to salvage a reimagined ACC/G5 conference - ESPN can make them the highest paid G5 conference as incentive. ESPN doesn’t want to be dragged into the court proceedings. They didn’t do anything wrong, but association with ACC could be damaging.

ACC shouldn’t have any allegiance to Swofford at this point. Their only hope is if judge rules in ACC favor on both venue and discovery requests.
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Exactly.

Swofford told John Skipper of ESPN what he wanted to see happen to get the deal done. And thus it happened..

Swofford's slick dealings weren't (and aren't) ESPN's problem
 
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Hold My Beer said:
Yeah, we're also the one P2-worthy school in the geographical South (as opposed to the cultural South) that fits the B1G better and (imo) to which the SEC would say "pass"

Dang near everyone on this board knows more about the thinking of UM's leadership than me, but my guess is the decision-makers would choose the B1G over the SEC were both options were on the table and it was fish or cut bait time.
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You are using logic…. Let’s see if that works..
 
Hold My Beer said:
Yeah, we're also the one P2-worthy school in the geographical South (as opposed to the cultural South) that fits the B1G better and (imo) to which the SEC would say "pass"

Dang near everyone on this board knows more about the thinking of UM's leadership than me, but my guess is the decision-makers would choose the B1G over the SEC were both options were on the table and it was fish or cut bait time.
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The one thing that SEEMS to be clear at this moment ... is that nothing has been specifically finalized YET regarding "who is going where" in the eyes of the media partners who are driving this entire realignment scenario. One comment that I read this am elsewhere was alluding to the comments Josh Pate had heard regarding the "realignment discussions" that are taking place ... sort of everything is on the table being discussed and evaluated. Almost like a version of the draft in which the networks are "picking" their teams to build out the P2. There was even mention of Texas A&M into the B10 in one scenario. That is the scary part ... if they look at new additions that are ADDITIVE IN CARRIAGE FEES TO THE STATE ...then a Georgia Tech would be additive to the B10 and Miami wouldn't be ... to either P2 conference. But for simple BIG GAME PROGRAMMING Miami is still a top 15 brand ... and if we actually get off of our asses this season and have 10 or better W's regular season ... we are back to a degree in visibility and relevance. Needs to happen.

One comment was that the SEC is getting adamant about protecting the SEC territory and doesn't want to let the B10 in. That might mean they WILL take FSU, Clemson, UNC, UVA. That would likely open the door for a Miami to the B10 along with ND. The only thing that seems certain at this point is that the status quo will not be maintained and the cream of the ACC will be plucked by the P2. And in most scenarios you see FSU, Clemson, Miami, ND, UNC as the prime VIEWER POTENTIAL properties, with a couple of others for "carriage fee" addition.
 
Rickd said:
The one thing that SEEMS to be clear at this moment ... is that nothing has been specifically finalized YET regarding "who is going where" in the eyes of the media partners who are driving this entire realignment scenario. One comment that I read this am elsewhere was alluding to the comments Josh Pate had heard regarding the "realignment discussions" that are taking place ... sort of everything is on the table being discussed and evaluated. Almost like a version of the draft in which the networks are "picking" their teams to build out the P2. There was even mention of Texas A&M into the B10 in one scenario. That is the scary part ... if they look at new additions that are ADDITIVE IN CARRIAGE FEES TO THE STATE ...then a Georgia Tech would be additive to the B10 and Miami wouldn't be ... to either P2 conference. But for simple BIG GAME PROGRAMMING Miami is still a top 15 brand ... and if we actually get off of our asses this season and have 10 or better W's regular season ... we are back to a degree in visibility and relevance. Needs to happen.

One comment was that the SEC is getting adamant about protecting the SEC territory and doesn't want to let the B10 in. That might mean they WILL take FSU, Clemson, UNC, UVA. That would likely open the door for a Miami to the B10 along with ND. The only thing that seems certain at this point is that the status quo will not be maintained and the cream of the ACC will be plucked by the P2. And in most scenarios you see FSU, Clemson, Miami, ND, UNC as the prime VIEWER POTENTIAL properties, with a couple of others for "carriage fee" addition.
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I’m not sure chasing carriage fees deep into the era of cord cutting would be the brightest thing a conference could do. A Georgia Tech would never been more valuable to you than the day they join the conference, and they would be another mouth to feed when the contracts come up in 2030, at which time ESPN, Fox, WBD, NBC, and CBS (especially CBS) will be much poorer than today (and about to get another shakedown from the NFL). You can take hope the tech companies will overspend, but they haven’t shown the appetite to do so beyond the NFL.
 
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DBC x Portnoy

Didn't DB start a riot on Grassy when he swore on Walmart pizza being spectacular? LOL.....love the new look on DB. He is soFla edgy with a little hint of New Joisey dangerous.
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Is this the Miami working behind the scenes to secure our future?
 
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Hold My Beer said:
Exactly.

Swofford told John Skipper of ESPN what he wanted to see happen to get the deal done. And thus it happened..

Swofford's slick dealings weren't (and aren't) ESPN's problem
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What about the ESPN counter suit to FSU? They don't want to come forth with the TV contract and get dragged into court along with the ACC do they? That is why they could just make a deal and transfer TV rights to the SEC or allow FOX and other networks to buy out some TV contract rights? These teams including Miami are worth a lot more $ in other conferences due to better match-ups and more eye balls watching games. I believe when Miami wins more games this year and ratings improve they will be more highly valued by the BIG or SEC. ESPN does only have until February 2025 to extend GOR and that extension was technically illegal because no vote was taken by teams. The commissioner just extended on his own.
 
5NC4 said:
What about the ESPN counter suit to FSU?
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JMO, but I think that was the more the Disney higher-ups (and their lawyers) making a fuss about fsu revealing details from a contractually private agreement.

If the lawyers and the P.R. folks don't react publicly about FSU's unauthorized leak, then other entities with grievances about their ESPN contracts could be emboldened to do the same.
 
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Big Ten information. College football fan

@Genetics56

In order, from 1 to 6:1: Notre Dame2: North Carolina3: Florida State4, 5, 6: Miami, Clemson, Virginia7: PittLousville and VA Tech are in the next groupingI put 1 to 3 on their own since there is a big gap between the top 3 and next three. That isn't a dig at Clemson, clemson fans. Just that those three are valued to a level where there is a clear deliniation in the value to the TV networks.
 
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canesdude said:

Big Ten information. College football fan
@Genetics56

In order, from 1 to 6:1: Notre Dame2: North Carolina3: Florida State4, 5, 6: Miami, Clemson, Virginia7: PittLousville and VA Tech are in the next groupingI put 1 to 3 on their own since there is a big gap between the top 3 and next three. That isn't a dig at Clemson, clemson fans. Just that those three are valued to a level where there is a clear deliniation in the value to the TV networks.
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Anyone putting UNC that high has their head too far up their own *** to be trusted. UNC might have brand appeal, but their football historically sucks and if they're not packaged with Duke they're even less interesting.
 
BioCane said:
Anyone putting UNC that high has their head too far up their own *** to be trusted. UNC might have brand appeal, but their football historically sucks and if they're not packaged with Duke they're even less interesting.
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Genetics doesn't know ****. He has zero sources even at the B1G.
 
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Very interesting result of the FSU suit vs the ACC was a confirmation BY the ACC that the EXTENSION of the option period granted to ESPN to extend the media agreement WAS IN FACT AN AMENDMENT TO THE 2016 AGREEMENT. The extension of the time period from 2021 to February 2025 was described by ESPN as an AMENDMENT in repeated phrases in the extension agreement and, since ANY MEDIA RIGHTS AGREEMENT AMENDMENT REQUIRES 2/3 MEMBER APPROVAL the extension granted unilaterally by Phillips is VOID (that should be a judges' ruling).

That is huge as it confirms not only that the current ESPN media agreement expires on June 30, 2027, but it also confirms that ESPN has no authority to extend that agreement even if they so desire. If that is the ruling, then every ACC program is free to leave with all media rights, just paying the ACC exit fee, for the 2027 football season.
 
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My own ranking of the teams the B1G and the SEC will target.
B1G: 1. ND 2. Miami. 3. UNC 4. FSU 5. Clemson 6. UVA/NCSt (which one would depends on UNC)
SEC: 1. Clemson 2. UNC 3. FSU/UM . I don’t think the sec has any interest in any other team than those (they’d take ND in a heartbeat but won’t peruse them)
 
USNAVYCANE said:
My own ranking of the teams the B1G and the SEC will target.
B1G: 1. ND 2. Miami. 3. UNC 4. FSU 5. Clemson 6. UVA/NCSt (which one would depends on UNC)
SEC: 1. Clemson 2. UNC 3. FSU/UM . I don’t think the sec has any interest in any other team than those (they’d take ND in a heartbeat but won’t peruse them)
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I hate fsu but from a pure business experience in this and facts like ratings and brand rank plus real reporting (not genetics) you’re way off in both sets of rankings in terms of FSU.

SEC on unc seems right but tbh who their number 1 or 2 rank at this point is totally unclear to me. So many contradictions out there
 
5NC4 said:


Well now they have admitted they are lesser conference and the payouts are widening even more.
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What a joke. Maybe it's just me, but I see this as bad news in regards to further realignment anytime soon. SEC and B1G getting more of a share of the pie. Not sure what the major incentive would be now for them to add additional teams to further strengthen their schedule and make it more difficult on themselves. Are they still doing the multiple automatic qualifying bids?
 
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