ACC presidents meet to discuss the next steps in the wake of the latest wave of conference realignment, per report. This after reportedly "seriously considering" adding 5-7 Pac-12 teams before they bolted for the Big-10 & Big-12.
ACC Presidents Meet to Discuss Next Steps
- Thread starter MikeMcAllister
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I haven’t heard anything in that front. My opinion is the ACC missed a golden opportunity to add impactful programs that would bolster the conference with the Pac-12 stuff and failed to do so. That puts the Big-12 ahead of the ACC at this point.
djorange1989
Well-known member
Mike I honestly think all of the PAC 12 teams that joined the Big 12 would have joined the Big 12 no matter what, it makes much more sense for them geographically and unlike the ACC, no one in the Big 12 thinks they are above everyone else and want to leave, like half of the ACC does. More stability long term in the Big 12.
You may very well be correct. But the ACC wasn’t even ready to make an offer or get things done quickly as the Big 12 and Big 10 were. That, to me, shows a severe lack of leadership in this situation. They need to be ready and clearly never seem to be. It’s all reactionary from them. It’s proactiveness from others.
djorange1989
Well-known member
Great point
I believe they’d do that to see if they can raise enough funds to get out of the GOR. That would mean a speedier exit than anticipated. Could be posturing to force the ACC to do something. Could be legitimate. Maybe some of both. But if FSU finds a way out it could get real ugly real fast.
rochcuse44
Well-known member
What are some of the viable scenarios to: 1) Keep FSU (& Clemson) in the ACC and 2) Realign if one or both leave? It sounds like renegotiation of the ESPN contract is key to keeping them in the ACC, but it’s not clear there is incentive for ESPN to do this, especially if they are having their own financial issues. Maybe FSU would be better off expending their energy to solving the problem rather than working with JP Morgan to raise a boatload of money for their exit. Let’s see what these ACC Presidents come up with. That is, if we ever find out.
If you lose FSU and/or Clemson and/or Miami, it significantly reduces the ACC's brand which means less money in a media deal. It's a precarious situation, but the Grant of Rights is powerful for the time being.
MassaCusetts
Well-known member
It’s $120M exit fee AND the grant of rights. You’re easily talking about $500M+ in this scenario. As OE pointed out, the ACC still makes more than the B12. The issue is stability, or apparent stability. Someone would know better than me, but if they added P12 teams, wouldn’t the ACC problem be that it actually cuts the pie into more pieces? The length of their ESPN contract is absurd.
The only way adding makes sense is if ESPN renegotiated at the same time to offer more money per school.
MassaCusetts
Well-known member
Right that’s my point. If we are being fair addition for the sake of addition doesn’t actually do anything to help the current state, especially if you’re talking about 3 teams that don’t really move the needle much. They have to find a way to alter that deal with ESPN, or somehow find a significant new revenue stream to get much accomplished.
The other part to consider is does adding teams negate the GOR altogether? If so it’s risky to do that. Second, why would ESPN want to renegotiate if adding teams doesn’t negate it? Not much benefit for them.