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

[TheOGCane]

 

[caneingville]

He is such an idiot and has zero clue about the Big 10 and academia. Putting Ohio State in the same sentence as Alabama in this context is indicative of how ignorant he is here. For as much crap as we all give OSU for the Fiesta Bowl, they are a legit research institution and I have no doubt that those hoity-toity academics that are allegedly offended by FSU could (partially) be from Ohio State.

It’s also funny how Bud is putting both FSU and Clemson together here. To my knowledge, Clemson remained respectful to the conference and wasn’t seen in the same light as FSU. People also keep forgetting that their lawsuits weren’t quite aligned either. It’s a small point, but it could be key down the road if and when invites start coming.

 

[TheOGCane]

He is such an idiot and has zero clue about the Big 10 and academia. Putting Ohio State in the same sentence as Alabama in this context is indicative of how ignorant he is here. For as much crap as we all give OSU for the Fiesta Bowl, they are a legit research institution and I have no doubt that those hoity-toity academics that are allegedly offended by FSU could (partially) be from Ohio State.

It’s also funny how Bud is putting both FSU and Clemson together here. To my knowledge, Clemson remained respectful to the conference and wasn’t seen in the same light as FSU. People also keep forgetting that their lawsuits weren’t quite aligned either. It’s a small point, but it could be key down the road if and when invites start coming.

I know we want to OWN THE NOLES but just like the LEGAL FEES narrative; the keeping SCORE narrative ain’t it. We look SMALL when we talk like this. We should be talking WHATS our move to get in the convo like Clemson and FSU are

Burning LEGAL FEES had quite the ROI. FSU and CLEMSON won. FSU is properly taking the victory LAP being pioneer

and no NETWORK EXEC is making million dollar decisions off of some mean NEWSPAPER QUOTES

Just like Jimmy Buckets said he would NEVER PLAY for Miami. Saban was never going to COACH the dolphins. And anonymous sources are saying FSU AINT GOING to the B1G

Let’s get focused here. Dan Rad can stop going on JOE ROSE sucking ACC OFF. What is our next MOVE

 

[caneingville]

I know we want to OWN THE NOLES but just like the LEGAL FEES narrative; the keeping SCORE narrative ain’t it. We look SMALL when we talk like this. We should be talking WHATS our move to get in the convo like Clemson and FSU are

Burning LEGAL FEES had quite the ROI. FSU and CLEMSON won. FSU is properly taking the victory LAP being pioneer

and no NETWORK EXEC is making million dollar decisions off of some mean NEWSPAPER QUOTES

Just like Jimmy Buckets said he would NEVER PLAY for Miami. Saban was never going to COACH the dolphins. And anonymous sources are saying FSU AINT GOING to the B1G

Let’s get focused here. Dan Rad can stop going on JOE ROSE sucking ACC OFF. What is our next MOVE

Sorry to break it to you, but this is a message board. None of us are involved in the action. You want to get involved, go down to the Gables and beg Dan or Joe to take your input. But I’m pretty sure they’re on it and not taking random advice from us.

 

[Empirical Cane]

ACC Settlement secures Florida State’s future, paves way for eventual conference exit

Despite delayed exit, Florida State’s settlement sets stage for life beyond the ACC

www.tomahawknation.com

 

[CaneinBroward]

He's right except for the it "could" put an expiration date on the ACC. It absolutely places an expiration date on the ACC (as far as the ACC as it is currently comprised). The only question is does the future involve the ACC being brought into a "Super Conference" as a division or does its top brands get siphoned off by the P2 leaving a smaller ACC?

 

[CaneinBroward]

He is such an idiot and has zero clue about the Big 10 and academia. Putting Ohio State in the same sentence as Alabama in this context is indicative of how ignorant he is here. For as much crap as we all give OSU for the Fiesta Bowl, they are a legit research institution and I have no doubt that those hoity-toity academics that are allegedly offended by FSU could (partially) be from Ohio State.

It’s also funny how Bud is putting both FSU and Clemson together here. To my knowledge, Clemson remained respectful to the conference and wasn’t seen in the same light as FSU. People also keep forgetting that their lawsuits weren’t quite aligned either. It’s a small point, but it could be key down the road if and when invites start coming.

This Bud guy is a Nole dolt, but any deference given to the B1G being "above the fray" or to its views on academia went out the window for me with the whole USC and UCLA poaching. They are just as much vultures and only care about the bottom line as the SEC. In fact, I could argue they are worse than the SEC in that respect, since they began the break up of a conference they had an 80 year intercollegiate relationship with where their champions met each year in the Rose Bowl. That was some Gordon Gekko from Wall Street **** right there.

 

[Squid Bumciorek]

This was the plan all along. Disney doesn’t have idiot lawyers. Nobody was leaving ACC prior to 2036 unless ESPN agreed to it. Notice that in the entire time the litigation was going on, espn basically never got involved. They had zero concern about teams leaving for the B1G, no ACC school was getting out of the GOR without espn’s permission.

Espn also held cards on SEC membership. Suppose Clemson and fsu somehow came up with the money to buy themselves out of the ACC and were willing to accept 0 dollars to join the SEC like SMU did with the ACC- espn would still not let them switch conferences because it would then be forced to let the ACCs crown jewel, UNC go to the B1G. We’d be trying to follow them. Who is left in the ACC after that? Espn would be stuck paying hundreds of millions to teams with no viewers through 2036. I feel bad for everyone who had to read the posts from people pretending to have inside knowledge. Let’s see- it went from we have a deal to the B1G to maybe we are hoping to have a deal to we definitely don’t have a deal. Might have been 3 people on this site - myself, @NorthernVirginiaCane and @Empirical Cane that weren’t duped. The most laughable was the certainty that FSU and Clemson had invites to the SEC. Surely fsu wasn’t so stupid that it would sue to get out of the ACC without a guaranteed landing spot. Right? Right ?

So then someone might ask- then why did fsu and Clemson sue if they knew they would lose? The point of the fight was to embarrass the ACC to the point that it gave them more money. And it worked. As for our 4d chess playing AD, sorry to break it to you, Rad wasn’t sitting on his hands because he was outsmarting people, truth is he was not going to poke the ACC in the eye. I said it a dozen times but people didn’t want to believe it- look at his quotes after the ACC announced the GOR. He pushed for the GOR as a way to keep the ACC together. Admitting now that the GOR was garbage would be the same as admitting his greatest career accomplishment was a disaster.

And now the billion dollar question. If the recent rumors are true, why would espn and the acc agree to let ACC teams keep their media rights if they leave prior to 2036? And why would the ACC agree to it? It’s because everyone knows that the next big realignment happens in 2030-2031. B1G tv deal ends in 2030. Big12 tv deal is up in 2031. ESPN Playoff deal ends in 2031. ESPN owns the sec tv deal so it can do whatever it wants whenever it wants. Good news is we are going to be part of a superconference along with a handful of other ACC teams, bad news is it isn’t happening until 2030….

Hey that year, 2030, sounds familiar. Oh right it is precisely the timeframe that I predicted around about a year and half ago , which led to some posters calling me a troll.

 

[Empirical Cane]

This Bud guy is a Nole dolt, but any deference given to the B1G being "above the fray" or to its views on academia went out the window for me with the whole USC and UCLA poaching. They are just as much vultures and only care about the bottom line as the SEC. In fact, I could argue they are worse than the SEC in that respect, since they began the break up of a conference they had an 80 year intercollegiate relationship with where their champions met each year in the Rose Bowl. That was some Gordon Gekko from Wall Street **** right there.

 

[Empirical Cane]

Ask Big XII how uneven revenue sharing model worked out.

 

[Empirical Cane]

"...The rank-and-file schools like Mississippi State and Minnesota had better clutch onto their equal conference revenue shares—heck, their conference membership—while they can..."

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

Good summary

 

[Hold My Beer]

"...The rank-and-file schools like Mississippi State and Minnesota had better clutch onto their equal conference revenue shares—heck, their conference membership—while they can..."

Are the small-market Bills or perpetual-doormat Browns in danger of having their media shares reduced or (even worse) NFL membership revoked?

The danger isn't getting kicked out of the SEC or B1G, but rather a school being abandoned when the P2 conferences further expand, e.g. Oregon State and Wazzu.

That's a likelihood for Wake Forest and Jim Phillips and his office staff in Charlotte, but the vast majority of ACC schools are gonna either move up to the SEC/B1G or move laterally to the Big XII

 

[Empirical Cane]

Are the small-market Bills or perpetual-doormat Browns in danger of having their media shares reduced or (even worse) NFL membership revoked?

The danger isn't getting kicked out of the SEC or B1G, but rather a school to getting left behind when the P2 conferences further expand, e.g. Oregon State and Wazzu.

That's a likelihood for Wake Forest and Jim Phillips and his office staff in Charlotte, but the vast majority of ACC schools are gonna either move up to the SEC/B1G or move laterally to the Big XII

I hear you....but would offer...

NFL doesn't have replacement teams if small market teams get "kicked out" of league.

Art Modell essentially demanded across-the-board revenue sharing way back because he saw the future where small market teams could not exist and NFL would shrink in size, not grow the game.

I do believe the Super Conference is going to cull the herd of the SEC and B1G.

PS...Here is my obligatory Sunbelt Conference reference...feel the heat, feel the burn!!!

 

[Hold My Beer]

I hear you....but would offer...

NFL doesn't have replacement teams if small market teams get "kicked out" of league.

Art Modell essentially demanded across-the-board revenue sharing way back because he saw the future where small market teams could not exist and NFL would shrink in size, not grow the game.

I do believe the Super Conference is going to cull the herd of the SEC and B1G.

PS...Here is my obligatory Sunbelt Conference reference...feel the heat, feel the burn!!!

Always enjoy your posts EC ... even the ones I disagree with

I don't think there'll be trimming of any power conference fat by the networks for a variety of reasons:

1) Wins and losses are a zero-sum game. Administrators, boosters and fans of traditional heavyweights (the latter two groups whether they know it or not) don't want to hover around .500 on a regular basis because their teams are no longer padding win totals against middleweights and lightweights

2) Culling programs is a political hornets' nest neither Sankey and Petitti will dare touch, particularly as they need favors in Congress both now and in the future

3) College presidents and administrators are also sensitive to blowback from abandoning peers, e.g. Pac-12 sheepishness about ditching Oregon State and Wazzu. Not to mention, leaving a school behind is one thing. Kicking them out is a whole 'nother matter with legal ramifications that would make the ACC-FSU-Clemson mess look like traffic court in comparison

4) Perhaps most importanty, media entities — whether it's ESPN, FOX and friends or Apple, Amazon or Netflix or some other deep pocketed platform — somebody is gonna pay WHATEVER its costs for the second-best broadcast property in the country: College Sports. How much will an expanded CFP and an NCAA Tournament also controlled by the SEC/B1G be worth on an open market?

 

[Empirical Cane]

Always enjoy your posts EC ... even the ones I disagree with

I don't think there'll be trimming of any power conference fat by the networks for a variety of reasons:

1) Wins and losses are a zero-sum game. Administrators, boosters and fans of traditional heavyweights (the latter two groups whether they know it or not) don't want to hover around .500 on a regular basis because their teams are no longer padding win totals against middleweights and lightweights

2) Culling programs is a political hornets' nest neither Sankey and Petitti will dare touch, particularly as they need favors in Congress both now and in the future

3) College presidents and administrators are also sensitive to blowback from abandoning peers, e.g. Pac-12 sheepishness about ditching Oregon State and Wazzu. Not to mention, leaving a school behind is one thing. Kicking them out is a whole 'nother matter with legal ramifications that would make the ACC-FSU-Clemson mess look like traffic court in comparison

4) Perhaps most importanty, media entities — whether it's ESPN, FOX and friends or Apple, Amazon or Netflix or some other deep pocketed platform — somebody is gonna pay WHATEVER its costs for the second-best broadcast property in the country: College Sports. How much will an expanded CFP and an NCAA Tournament also controlled by the SEC/B1G be worth on an open market?

Great points....for #2...the state politicos will light themselves on fire before they allow a culling...I agree...but will they ultimately be able to stop it???

Can they just hurry all this up already!!!????

 

[caneingville]

This Bud guy is a Nole dolt, but any deference given to the B1G being "above the fray" or to its views on academia went out the window for me with the whole USC and UCLA poaching. They are just as much vultures and only care about the bottom line as the SEC. In fact, I could argue they are worse than the SEC in that respect, since they began the break up of a conference they had an 80 year intercollegiate relationship with where their champions met each year in the Rose Bowl. That was some Gordon Gekko from Wall Street **** right there.

Sure, and I don't disagree, but that’s not what he’s referring to. He’s referring to the rumors of the white-haired academic snobs of the Big 10 that were saying they were offended by FSU’s actions. There is a difference between these guys, who care about perceived status and rankings and research grants, and what you are talking about, which athletic/TV networks. There is a push and pull, and we of all fans should understand that, not just for what we have dealt with at Miami, but also for what we dealt with from certain schools who didn’t want us in the ACC to begin with.

 

[Hold My Beer]

Can they just hurry all this up already!!!????

Amen.

I'm feel like we'll be in our new conference by the Fall of 2027 or 2028.

It'd cost UM around $110M at that point -- zero reason to stay stuck for an additional 3 years to save roughly $50M.

Better to secure a spot ASAP then wait around and something upsets the apple cart.

Every school with an SEC and/or B1G option will be thinking that way.

Irresponsible to handle it otherwise

 

[caneingville]

Great points....for #2...the state politicos will light themselves on fire before they allow a culling...I agree...but will they ultimately be able to stop it???

Can they just hurry all this up already!!!????

Pretty sure there will be a few more surprises before this whole thing is over.