mikedeep97
Redshirt Freshman
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2013
- Messages
- 524
I think that the P2 are set for the next year or so and aren't going to make any moves right now. They want to allow everything to develop and see the money flow.. find out what they can get with what they have and begin negotiations with TV executives BEFORE moving on to speak with more teams. IMO, this leaves the other three leagues with a short window to act, but also in a bind on what to do if their teams are acquisition targets. There are several important brands and/or strong football schools out there for the taking. I think these are the teams that would be considered fairly attractive to highly attractive to the P2.
In my assessment of highly attractive, I'm scoring teams from 1-max points in four categories: current football relevance [6pts], brand (recognition +market) [5], overall athletics profile [5], academics (rank + reputation) [4]. A school with 13+ points is bolded, with the teams placed in order based on how I ranked/scored them. I tried to be as objective as possible. This list is open to critique and feedback.
ACC: *ND (19), Clemson (16), #Miami (15), UNC (15), UVA (13), FSU (12), VT (12)
Big 12: Baylor (13), Ok State (13), Kansas (12), Iowa State (11), West Virginia (11), **Kansas State (9), TCU (9), Houston (9)
Pac 12: Stanford (17), Oregon (15), Washington (12), Arizona (12), Utah (11), **Arizona State (10), Cal (9) Colorado (9)
*ND is not a full member of the ACC, but for purposes of this exercise I am listing them as such because of the current GoR and conference affiliation in all other sports.
**These schools don't truly belong on this list, but I added them because I think it represents an important market and/or important as a travel partner and "+1" when looking at expansion options.
#Miami's breakdown was 4, 5, 3, 3, for those who are wondering.
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After completing the exercise, I have to say that the ACC is in an interesting position. The ACC has BY FAR the most schools that could be considered very attractive, and it has four of top seven available options for expansion into the P2. I think that is all known by everyone who's following this bullsh*t, but it's covered here for thoroughness on the discussion of solvency.
IMO, this explains why the ACC needs to be proactive right now in these expansion talks. Someone linked the article below (I want to tag them, but can't find who posted) on conference expansion:
In the article it mentions that the ACC was the originator of interconference raiding of teams in 2003, coming from a position of strength. Now the ACC is a totally f*cked position and needs to expand for conference survival. The ACC has no reason to align with the Pac 12, or Big 12 for that matter; only one of these conferences are going to survive this next round. The ACC should be doing what it did 20 years ago and voting internally to expand, and then they should immediately pick up the phone and find (at minimum five) partners to dance with. Once that is done, contact NBC and ND and have a real conversation about full membership and TV rights. If you have to allow ND to continue to play on NBC and create separate language for payouts and rotation of games, DO IT!
That's when you go back to the negotiating table with ESPN and drop your nuts on the table and say, "Pay me."
This stuff is all driven by TV executives and business people, and ESPN has already shown you their loyalty lies with the SEC. They set the stage in 2008 when they gave a preferential contract to the SEC and since then they have been pumping that league more than any other in every sport they can. The only way to get back into this race is to make the next move your best move and expand in a meaningful way that allows the league to bargain for more money for its member schools.
I personally think the number should be 24 to give the ACC the ability to be the first truly nationwide conference (the sport of football is going to make everything become national anyway). I think moving to 24 protects the conference well into the future and positions the league strongly for the eventual move to bigger conferences. I also think this is the safest way for Miami to have a seat at the table because it assures us of a spot, while also decentralizing the power away from Tobacco Road and not exposing Miami to New-Kid-on-the-Block-syndrome in the SEC (where we're likely hated by multiple powerful schools) or the B1G (where we'd be at a logistical and weather-related disadvantage, and likely disliked by one or more powerful members).
Assuming 24 schools, only go for the cream of the crop while offering travel partners. Start with Stanford, Oregon, Washington, Baylor, Ok State, and Kansas (@Liberty City El made a compelling argument for Kansas in the MEGA thread that I can't ignore, otherwise they wouldn't be considered CotC). Then you look for regional "partners" from the remaining group of teams.
The ACC was the first to expand by way of poaching other conferences, and I think they have to do that again here or die. It's too late to worry about what this will mean for other conferences or college athletics; the genie is already out of the bottle. Now, the conference should look to act quickly to get to the next major landmark and that's to become the first truly "Super Conference" from the standpoint of the teams, the markets, and the number of teams. The Pac 12 is in the most trouble and has the best mix of teams, markets, etc. I would kill that league and targe their 5-6 teams and let it be known that you're open to take 3-4 more. That should get the phones ringing and allow you to move to 24 (including ND). At 23 teams, you basically tell ND to **** or get off the pot. You can negotiate from a position of strength with them and ESPN/FOX/NBC because you know that you're going to have a fully national brand with just as many, if not more, major brand-name teams as the SEC or B1G.
In my assessment of highly attractive, I'm scoring teams from 1-max points in four categories: current football relevance [6pts], brand (recognition +market) [5], overall athletics profile [5], academics (rank + reputation) [4]. A school with 13+ points is bolded, with the teams placed in order based on how I ranked/scored them. I tried to be as objective as possible. This list is open to critique and feedback.
ACC: *ND (19), Clemson (16), #Miami (15), UNC (15), UVA (13), FSU (12), VT (12)
Big 12: Baylor (13), Ok State (13), Kansas (12), Iowa State (11), West Virginia (11), **Kansas State (9), TCU (9), Houston (9)
Pac 12: Stanford (17), Oregon (15), Washington (12), Arizona (12), Utah (11), **Arizona State (10), Cal (9) Colorado (9)
*ND is not a full member of the ACC, but for purposes of this exercise I am listing them as such because of the current GoR and conference affiliation in all other sports.
**These schools don't truly belong on this list, but I added them because I think it represents an important market and/or important as a travel partner and "+1" when looking at expansion options.
#Miami's breakdown was 4, 5, 3, 3, for those who are wondering.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After completing the exercise, I have to say that the ACC is in an interesting position. The ACC has BY FAR the most schools that could be considered very attractive, and it has four of top seven available options for expansion into the P2. I think that is all known by everyone who's following this bullsh*t, but it's covered here for thoroughness on the discussion of solvency.
IMO, this explains why the ACC needs to be proactive right now in these expansion talks. Someone linked the article below (I want to tag them, but can't find who posted) on conference expansion:
In the article it mentions that the ACC was the originator of interconference raiding of teams in 2003, coming from a position of strength. Now the ACC is a totally f*cked position and needs to expand for conference survival. The ACC has no reason to align with the Pac 12, or Big 12 for that matter; only one of these conferences are going to survive this next round. The ACC should be doing what it did 20 years ago and voting internally to expand, and then they should immediately pick up the phone and find (at minimum five) partners to dance with. Once that is done, contact NBC and ND and have a real conversation about full membership and TV rights. If you have to allow ND to continue to play on NBC and create separate language for payouts and rotation of games, DO IT!
That's when you go back to the negotiating table with ESPN and drop your nuts on the table and say, "Pay me."
This stuff is all driven by TV executives and business people, and ESPN has already shown you their loyalty lies with the SEC. They set the stage in 2008 when they gave a preferential contract to the SEC and since then they have been pumping that league more than any other in every sport they can. The only way to get back into this race is to make the next move your best move and expand in a meaningful way that allows the league to bargain for more money for its member schools.
I personally think the number should be 24 to give the ACC the ability to be the first truly nationwide conference (the sport of football is going to make everything become national anyway). I think moving to 24 protects the conference well into the future and positions the league strongly for the eventual move to bigger conferences. I also think this is the safest way for Miami to have a seat at the table because it assures us of a spot, while also decentralizing the power away from Tobacco Road and not exposing Miami to New-Kid-on-the-Block-syndrome in the SEC (where we're likely hated by multiple powerful schools) or the B1G (where we'd be at a logistical and weather-related disadvantage, and likely disliked by one or more powerful members).
Assuming 24 schools, only go for the cream of the crop while offering travel partners. Start with Stanford, Oregon, Washington, Baylor, Ok State, and Kansas (@Liberty City El made a compelling argument for Kansas in the MEGA thread that I can't ignore, otherwise they wouldn't be considered CotC). Then you look for regional "partners" from the remaining group of teams.
The ACC was the first to expand by way of poaching other conferences, and I think they have to do that again here or die. It's too late to worry about what this will mean for other conferences or college athletics; the genie is already out of the bottle. Now, the conference should look to act quickly to get to the next major landmark and that's to become the first truly "Super Conference" from the standpoint of the teams, the markets, and the number of teams. The Pac 12 is in the most trouble and has the best mix of teams, markets, etc. I would kill that league and targe their 5-6 teams and let it be known that you're open to take 3-4 more. That should get the phones ringing and allow you to move to 24 (including ND). At 23 teams, you basically tell ND to **** or get off the pot. You can negotiate from a position of strength with them and ESPN/FOX/NBC because you know that you're going to have a fully national brand with just as many, if not more, major brand-name teams as the SEC or B1G.
