Conference realignment "Rumors" "tweets" "etc"

[88Alum]

Still think we need to be pushing to get in one of the superconferences. We have the 13th largest media market and one of the top ten universities for enrollment in the nation. Surely in this money driven market that would mean something.

[Bull Martin]

At least the ACC will still be the premier basketball conference with at least one, if not both, Duke and UNC. Add in Pitt, Cuse, the Ville and others it's still the league we want to be in. Just readjust our priorities to make NCAA Tourny runs and go from there.

[NAM37]

Still think we need to be pushing to get in one of the superconferences. We have the 13th largest media market and one of the top ten universities for enrollment in the nation. Surely in this money driven market that would mean something.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much strength we have to push anything at thing point.

[widerberg]

I totally agree Martin. Guys, I get the feeling we are going to get the rug pulled out from us no matter what we do or where we go.

I read a post on the NCAAbbs board - sorry, but I don't remember which one, but I agree with that poster's sentiments when he said, "as soon as the 'valuable' teams are out of the ACC, the powers that be will figure out a way to rewrite the rules yet again and further consolidate power amongst the four conferences.". Once the big boys are gone from the ACC, do you think anyone will give a **** about them?

It's the carrot on the end of the stick. At this point in the game, I don't think were ever going to sniff a BCS game. Look at all of the angst against Kent State possibly playing in the Orange Bowl. In a few years, that could be us and no matter what we do on the field against the competition we play, it will never be good enough.

Let's face it, the Florida teams the B12 really wants are FSU and Miami. After reading endless articles and opinions, it seems what everything is waiting on is Maryland's exit fee from the ACC. Once Maryland has set the bar, no where close to $50m I believe, everyone will run to the door. Then once the 'prestige' programs are gone, then we would get the call up to the ACC. Big deal.

I can see it now, ESPN and the others will constantly trash and belittle the ACC much the way they are now the NBE with the additions of Tulane and ECU. They will sniff and look down their noses at us yet again.

I said this before and I still think the best course of action is for the NBE, CUSA and MW to break off and do it's own thing and get ready for the long haul. I know some of you hate the idea, thinking it's tantamount to admitting defeat, but I think it's time to be realistic.

If the moves being made really are towards 4 super-conferences of 16, where do we fit in? SEC and B12 will have FL covered with UF, FSU and Miami. Pac12 is out for us geographically and B10 is out of the question. No one has ever mentioned FSU or Miami going to the B10 and UF certainly isn't leaving the SEC.

Get ready guys, this is where we are and this is where we are going to be.

This.

We don't have a chance. There's no way we're going to compete (for prestige, etc.) with the established powers. Every single person on this board now will be dead and buried by the time USF gets to a point where it's talked about in the same breath as UF and FSU, etc. Maybe if we start winning out consistently, and somehow end up winning a few NCs, we'll be on par with Miami in 20 years. But, the dream many had of USF becoming one of the Big Four in Florida? Not going to happen. And with the way the cards are falling, it won't happen for decades.

The ACC is barely legitimized right now, and is always referred to as the lowest of the Big Five conferences. When all the decent football teams leave, the ACC will be the BE. We're too late to the party and we're not getting to the big boy table for another 50 years, if ever. It is what it is.

[Economics_Nerd82]

I totally agree Martin. Guys, I get the feeling we are going to get the rug pulled out from us no matter what we do or where we go.

I read a post on the NCAAbbs board - sorry, but I don't remember which one, but I agree with that poster's sentiments when he said, "as soon as the 'valuable' teams are out of the ACC, the powers that be will figure out a way to rewrite the rules yet again and further consolidate power amongst the four conferences.". Once the big boys are gone from the ACC, do you think anyone will give a **** about them?

It's the carrot on the end of the stick. At this point in the game, I don't think were ever going to sniff a BCS game. Look at all of the angst against Kent State possibly playing in the Orange Bowl. In a few years, that could be us and no matter what we do on the field against the competition we play, it will never be good enough.

Let's face it, the Florida teams the B12 really wants are FSU and Miami. After reading endless articles and opinions, it seems what everything is waiting on is Maryland's exit fee from the ACC. Once Maryland has set the bar, no where close to $50m I believe, everyone will run to the door. Then once the 'prestige' programs are gone, then we would get the call up to the ACC. Big deal.

I can see it now, ESPN and the others will constantly trash and belittle the ACC much the way they are now the NBE with the additions of Tulane and ECU. They will sniff and look down their noses at us yet again.

I said this before and I still think the best course of action is for the NBE, CUSA and MW to break off and do it's own thing and get ready for the long haul. I know some of you hate the idea, thinking it's tantamount to admitting defeat, but I think it's time to be realistic.

If the moves being made really are towards 4 super-conferences of 16, where do we fit in? SEC and B12 will have FL covered with UF, FSU and Miami. Pac12 is out for us geographically and B10 is out of the question. No one has ever mentioned FSU or Miami going to the B10 and UF certainly isn't leaving the SEC.

Get ready guys, this is where we are and this is where we are going to be.

If these super conferences expand their in-conference games and start playing the "lesser" left out competition in the little conferences, I can imagine this having massive atheltic budget implications for I-AA schools who depend on those pay day games. Not to mention the left out teams that have higher operational budgets for stadiums and the like who will feel a crunch.

[Doc]

Yes, if we get into the ACC, almost by definition, it wouldn't resemble the ACC we've known in the past. BUT, it keeps us with schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, and likely UConn and possibly Duke, that have name-recognition instead of being relegated back to obscurity. And yes, it would be the strongest BBall league with TV exposure that helps all sports AND with academic reputation. If your focus is only football-football-football, then you will almost certainly be disappointed. Still, I believe there is a measurable chasm between joining a revamped ACC versus staying behind (with a smaller gap between the ACC and the other "BCS" leagues) and that's what is at stake here. It wouldn't be the Promised Land, but it would maintain the gains we've made instead of taking an irreparable step backwards.

[NAM37]

Yes, if we get into the ACC, almost by definition, it wouldn't resemble the ACC we've known in the past. BUT, it keeps us with schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, and likely UConn and possibly Duke, that have name-recognition instead of being relegated back to obscurity. And yes, it would be the strongest BBall league with TV exposure that helps all sports AND with academic reputation. If your focus is only football-football-football, then you will almost certainly be disappointed. Still, I believe there is a measurable chasm between joining a revamped ACC versus staying behind (with a smaller gap between the ACC and the other "BCS" leagues) and that's what is at stake here. It wouldn't be the Promised Land, but it would maintain the gains we've made instead of taking an irreparable step backwards.

Basically, I feel the best scenario is for the ACC to become the Big East of a couple of years ago and the Big East to become the C-USA from a couple of years ago.

[BaltoBull]

I totally agree Martin. Guys, I get the feeling we are going to get the rug pulled out from us no matter what we do or where we go.

I read a post on the NCAAbbs board - sorry, but I don't remember which one, but I agree with that poster's sentiments when he said, "as soon as the 'valuable' teams are out of the ACC, the powers that be will figure out a way to rewrite the rules yet again and further consolidate power amongst the four conferences.". Once the big boys are gone from the ACC, do you think anyone will give a **** about them?

It's the carrot on the end of the stick. At this point in the game, I don't think were ever going to sniff a BCS game. Look at all of the angst against Kent State possibly playing in the Orange Bowl. In a few years, that could be us and no matter what we do on the field against the competition we play, it will never be good enough.

Let's face it, the Florida teams the B12 really wants are FSU and Miami. After reading endless articles and opinions, it seems what everything is waiting on is Maryland's exit fee from the ACC. Once Maryland has set the bar, no where close to $50m I believe, everyone will run to the door. Then once the 'prestige' programs are gone, then we would get the call up to the ACC. Big deal.

I can see it now, ESPN and the others will constantly trash and belittle the ACC much the way they are now the NBE with the additions of Tulane and ECU. They will sniff and look down their noses at us yet again.

I said this before and I still think the best course of action is for the NBE, CUSA and MW to break off and do it's own thing and get ready for the long haul. I know some of you hate the idea, thinking it's tantamount to admitting defeat, but I think it's time to be realistic.

If the moves being made really are towards 4 super-conferences of 16, where do we fit in? SEC and B12 will have FL covered with UF, FSU and Miami. Pac12 is out for us geographically and B10 is out of the question. No one has ever mentioned FSU or Miami going to the B10 and UF certainly isn't leaving the SEC.

Get ready guys, this is where we are and this is where we are going to be.

If these super conferences expand their in-conference games and start playing the "lesser" left out competition in the little conferences, I can imagine this having massive atheltic budget implications for I-AA schools who depend on those pay day games. Not to mention the left out teams that have higher operational budgets for stadiums and the like who will feel a crunch.

It won't matter Econ_Nerd. It's all about selling games and not sharing the pie. Once the conferences go to 16 (if they go), there won't be a need for 1-AA games. It will be about ratings and having two 'brands' play one another. A 1-AA team is not a 'brand'.

Furthermore, I think it will get to the point that scheduling a 1-AA team will be poison to your SOS and therefore, no one will dare play a 'lesser' school.

I think this is about ESPN and Fox having something akin to the NFL where 'every game matters' and every game can be hyped.

[widerberg]

Basically, I feel the best scenario is for the ACC to become the Big East of a couple of years ago and the Big East to become the C-USA from a couple of years ago.

That's definitely the best scenario I see. What worries me, though, is stuff like the quotes from Nick Saban about there eventually being just 60-70 "real" FBS schools, a bunch of irrelevant ones that are background noise and largely don't play the big dogs, and then FCS. In essence, there'd be 1A, 1AA (us), and 1AAA (what used to be 1AA). In that case, it's pretty much relegation and I question whether we could build a healthy fan base in that situation. But, again, it is what it is. I do like the basketball side of it, though.

[Triple B]

It's the carrot on the end of the stick. At this point in the game, I don't think were ever going to sniff a BCS game. Look at all of the angst against Kent State possibly playing in the Orange Bowl. In a few years, that could be us and no matter what we do on the field against the competition we play, it will never be good enough.

Whatever angst there is against Kent State doesn't matter because if they move up just one spot in the BCS poll, they're automatically in a BCS game. There will be no more BCS games starting with the 2014 season. and the equivalent will be the 6 "Access" bowls and unless they change the rules, which I wouldn't be surprised if they did, we can get to one of those via the field ...