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

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Might not be the boards popular opinion, but I would prefer that Miami join the SEC.

Just my opinion.

Signed,

Peruche

This Is Us Randall GIF by NBC
 
I expect the SEC to take BOTH UNC and FSU. At the moment FSU IS talking to both conferences ... but that is nothing new as "everybody is talking to everybody" at this point. Schools like Louisville and Pitt don't want to be left in the "leftover ACC" as the B12 is likely to be stronger and more stable once the big brand ACC schools move on to the P2.

SEC is taking UNC, FSU, UVA, CLEM, VT, NCSU, GT AND DOOK.

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"Everybody is talking to everybody".

That's a diversionary tactic mi amigo.

You don't think Sankey and Petitti and others on the top rung know how this thing is gonna turn out? Realignment at the P5 P4 (soon to be P3) level has been percolating for years. The plan has been mapped out. The exact timetable is more the issue because of all the uncertainty in college athletics.

You've got a lot of people high up in the process making sure to always cover their tracks.

The some or all of FSU/Clemson/UNC/UVA to the Big Ten speculation and rumors serve Sankey's (and ESPN's) ultimate purpose.

Reluctant SEC president or AD: "I'm not sure if bringing in school X helps our conference."

Sankey: "You don't want the Big Ten planting its flag in the South — in what we consider our region — do you?"

SEC president/AD: "No"

That Big Ten interest in SEC targets helps keep the realignment process moving forward
 
SEC is taking UNC, FSU, UVA, CLEM, VT, NCSU, GT AND DOOK.

Book It Tony Khan GIF by AEWonTV




That's a diversionary tactic mi amigo.

You don't think Sankey and Petitti and others on the top rung know how this thing is gonna turn out? Realignment at the P5 P4 (soon to be P3) level has been percolating for years. The plan has been mapped out. The exact timetable is more the issue because of all the uncertainty in college athletics.

You've got a lot of people high up in the process making sure to always cover their tracks.

The some or all of FSU/Clemson/UNC/UVA to the Big Ten speculation and rumors serve Sankey's (and ESPN's) ultimate purpose.

Reluctant SEC president or AD: "I'm not sure if bringing in school X helps our conference."

Sankey: "You don't want the Big Ten planting its flag in the South — in what we consider our region — do you?"

SEC president/AD: "No"

That Big Ten interest in SEC targets helps keep the realignment process moving forward
SEC is taking UNC, FSU, UVA, CLEM, VT, NCSU, GT AND DOOK.
I see them going to BIG
 
There's going to be a lot of money spent that's a total waste as schools and donors try to appeal to the powers that be. Kansas football brings absolutely nothing to the table.
That doesn’t mean it couldn’t in the future. They’re a basketball blueblood and an AAU school. Anyone think they could be positioning themselves to try to move to the Big 10?
 
In 5 years when the exit $$ for leaving the ACC becomes reasonable -- then yes B10 or SEC.

The pricetag is not as daunting as it might seem.

Leave in Summer 2027: $147M
Leave in Summer 2030: $93M
Difference: $54M

Someone might could fill in the exact numbers, but the increase in SEC/B1G media rights dollars plus a larger slice of the CFP pie would cover a large portion if not all of those exit fees.

That doesn't even take into account the additional revenue and benefits (ticket sales, sponsorships, increased branding) as a result of being in one of the two major conferences.

There's not gonna be any waiting imo.

As soon as the light turns green, it's pedal to the metal outta this second-rate (and dropping) conference — for every school that can
 
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You don't think Sankey and Petitti and others on the top rung know how this thing is gonna turn out?

I think there's still ambiguity.

I think about singular interest in schools vs interest in regional matchups and the conferences trying to maximize viewers. You could take the approach that FSU gets X amount of viewers per year or per game. Or you could look at matchups and say Miami vs FSU or Florida vs FSU gets X amount of viewers per game. My guess is the conferences are trying to maximize matchups every Saturday/Thursday over individual teams. A lot of people watch Ohio State but Ohio State vs Maryland doesn't get a lot of viewers, not nearly as many viewers as Ohio State vs UCLA would get.

My point being, if the SEC is looking at Miami I think it matters who else is there. If FSU joins as well then a Miami, Florida, FSU annual scheduling lock is probably very attractive. If FSU goes to the BIG10 then maybe the SEC doesn't want Miami. The schools may have some sway over how this plays out.

Just as a point:

-(unranked) Miami vs (#4) FSU had more viewers than (#1) Ohio State vs (unranked) Michigan State the same week in 2023
-(#19) Miami vs (unranked) Florida in 2024 was close in viewership to (#14) Clemson vs (#1) Georgia the same week
 
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I see them going to BIG

Just don't see it. The SEC is going 8-for-8 when it comes to poaching the ACC.

That coast to coast travel really is an issue — and GT and Duke aren't gonna do anything to jeopardize their games with UGA and UNC (unlike FSU which would be fine with kicking the UM rivalry to the curb).

The other factor is keeping those long-time ACC members together (other than Lil Ol' Wake Forest) matters to those presidents. Just like it means a lot to the presidents at Vandy, Texas, UF, UGA and other SEC institutions to bring in schools that are well-respected in academic circles
 
Just don't see it. The SEC is going 8-for-8 when it comes to poaching the ACC.

That coast to coast travel really is an issue — and GT and Duke aren't gonna do anything to jeopardize their games with UGA and UNC (unlike FSU which would be fine with kicking the UM rivalry to the curb).

The other factor is keeping those long-time ACC members together (other than Lil Ol' Wake Forest) matters to those presidents. Just like it means a lot to the presidents at Vandy, Texas, UF, UGA and other SEC institutions to bring in schools that are well-respected in academic circles
Would FSU really be okay with kicking the UM rivalry to the curb? I know lots of the fans say they would, but 1) they’re full of crap and 2) realistically would the school?

The FSU-Miami rivalry, even though it hasn’t been relevant for national championships in the way it used to be, is still considered one of the top CFB rivalries. And the game / rivalry makes the school and town a ton of money. I don’t buy the narrative that they would easily toss it to the side.
 
My point being, if the SEC is looking at Miami I think it matters who else is there. If FSU joins as well then a Miami, Florida, FSU annual scheduling lock is probably very attractive.

I think there's a small chance UM (like 10% of so) could end up in the SEC — perhaps if ESPN was sweetening the pot so much Sankey's presidents and AD's signed off on bringing in the Canes.

I just don't know which schools (if any) would actually advocate for Miami?

Texas politics wouldn't have allowed A&M to not support the addition of (much less actively block) UT.

Same will go for South Carolina and Clemson as well as Georgia and Georgia Tech.

And, soon enough, UNC will vouch for NC State and UVA for VA Tech. Their in-state politics will demand as much.

Who's gonna speak in favor of inviting the University of Miami to the SEC?

UF? FSU?

Don't see that happening
 
I think there's a small chance UM (like 10% of so) could end up in the SEC — perhaps if ESPN was sweetening the pot so much Sankey's presidents and AD's signed off on bringing in the Canes.

I just don't know which schools (if any) would actually advocate for Miami?

Texas politics wouldn't have allowed A&M to not support the addition of (much less actively block) UT.

Same will go for South Carolina and Clemson as well as Georgia and Georgia Tech.

And, soon enough, UNC will vouch for NC State and UVA for VA Tech. Their in-state politics will demand as much.

Who's gonna speak in favor of inviting the University of Miami to the SEC?

UF? FSU?

Don't see that happening
Eh, money talks. The UM-FSU-UF rivalry makes a lot of money. In the end, that’s all that matters.
 
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SEC is taking UNC, FSU, UVA, CLEM, VT, NCSU, GT AND DOOK.

Book It Tony Khan GIF by AEWonTV




That's a diversionary tactic mi amigo.

You don't think Sankey and Petitti and others on the top rung know how this thing is gonna turn out? Realignment at the P5 P4 (soon to be P3) level has been percolating for years. The plan has been mapped out. The exact timetable is more the issue because of all the uncertainty in college athletics.

You've got a lot of people high up in the process making sure to always cover their tracks.

The some or all of FSU/Clemson/UNC/UVA to the Big Ten speculation and rumors serve Sankey's (and ESPN's) ultimate purpose.

Reluctant SEC president or AD: "I'm not sure if bringing in school X helps our conference."

Sankey: "You don't want the Big Ten planting its flag in the South — in what we consider our region — do you?"

SEC president/AD: "No"

That Big Ten interest in SEC targets helps keep the realignment process moving forward
They not taking all those teams. Probably unc, clemson, fsu, uva, duke

Miami, vt, gt, and maybe NcSt because those conferences want that NC market.

The rest will be stuck in the acc as they will likely try to add teams like usf, Tulane, navy and etc. I could see the big 12 giving louisville, smu, and pitt strong looks
 
I think there's a small chance UM (like 10% of so) could end up in the SEC — perhaps if ESPN was sweetening the pot so much Sankey's presidents and AD's signed off on bringing in the Canes.

I just don't know which schools (if any) would actually advocate for Miami?

Texas politics wouldn't have allowed A&M to not support the addition of (much less actively block) UT.

Same will go for South Carolina and Clemson as well as Georgia and Georgia Tech.

And, soon enough, UNC will vouch for NC State and UVA for VA Tech. Their in-state politics will demand as much.

Who's gonna speak in favor of inviting the University of Miami to the SEC?

UF? FSU?

Don't see that happening
If anything unc for duke. Unc and duke don’t look at ncst as being the same as them
 
Some of these rivalries will be ended. It’s just how expansion goes. All the NC schools and Va schools won’t be going together
 
Would FSU really be okay with kicking the UM rivalry to the curb? I know lots of the fans say they would, but 1) they’re full of crap and 2) realistically would the school?

The FSU-Miami rivalry, even though it hasn’t been relevant for national championships in the way it used to be, is still considered one of the top CFB rivalries. And the game / rivalry makes the school and town a ton of money. I don’t buy the narrative that they would easily toss it to the side.

You're in North Florida, right?

We all know Holes up here would forget about FSU's rivalry with UM in a heartbeat when they'd be playing the likes of Bama, UGA, Auburn, LSU and other SEC heavyweights (all of which would bring a bunch of fan$ to Tally) on a regular basis. FSU folks would pound their chests in saying "forget Miami, they need us but we don't need them."

IOW, exactly what UF did about 40 years ago.

The SEC is gonna move to 9 conference games plus the SEC-B1G challenge which makes 10 set in stone — which equals 5 home games.

That leaves two open dates -- mostly filled by G5 schools that won't require home-and-home agreements -- to ensure 7 home games for financial purposes.

Assuming we get invited to the B1G, UM will probably get an occasional SEC-B1G challenge game against FSU or UF.

But that will be about it
 
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