Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[Muck]

I can't, for the life of me, see how Pitt and 'cuse to the ACC does anything to entice UT or weaken the B1G's position... PBC used the word 'desperation'

I think the argument is that they would help entice ND which would in turn bring in the 'Horns.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

Brett McMurphy of CBS sports is all over this today - has a quote from ACC calling talk of texas joining "premature"

http://twitter.com/#!/McMurphyCBS

 

[Woody1968]

Because it also now makes the ACC the preferred conference of Notre Dame and the conventional wisdom has Texas and Notre Dame as part of an alliance. This effectively keeps the B1G out of the NYC market, except for the PSU, tOSU, and scUM fanbases already here.

 

[Muck]

Brett McMurphy of CBS sports is all over this today - has a quote from ACC calling talk of texas joining "premature"

http://twitter.com/#!/McMurphyCBS

McMurphyCBS Brett McMurphy



Big East official tells @CBSSports Pitt chancellor, chairman of Big East exec committee, "put brakes on ESPN deal." Now Pitt off to ACC

I just have to believe that there are absolutely going to be some ugly legal fights before this round of expansion is said & done.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

Because it also now makes the ACC the preferred conference of Notre Dame

I don't know why that is necessarily the case. At all.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

I just have to believe that there are absolutely going to be some ugly legal fights before this round of expansion is said & done.

ESPN tortous (sp?) interference?

 

[BuckTwenty]

FIFY

Per PBC, ESPN came up with the ACC deal at the last minute.

Link to PBC's latest post that Piney is reffering to (fourth post down the page). Also mentions that Pitt and Syracuse to ACC was unexpected, hints at ESPN's shinanigans, and that he will post tomorrow to recap what has happened this week with regards to expansion.

 

[bassbuckeye07]

Link to PBC's latest post that Piney is reffering to (fourth post down the page). Also mentions that Pitt and Syracuse to ACC was unexpected, hints at ESPN's shinanigans, and that he will post tomorrow to recap what has happened this week with regards to expansion.

Thinks its a passing fad.....ESPN is disgusting

 

[OSU_D/]

Link to PBC's latest post that Piney is reffering to (fourth post down the page). Also mentions that Pitt and Syracuse to ACC was unexpected, hints at ESPN's shinanigans, and that he will post tomorrow to recap what has happened this week with regards to expansion.

Though I think PBC is either being gamed or gaming folks for some reason, it is interesting that he claims some of his posts have been deleted. In fact if you check his posting history you won't find at least one of the posts.

 

[CincyInterloper]

I don't really understand why the Big 10 is so interested in adding Texas or Notre Dame. Sure, they might bring in more money, but both schools have proven themselves to be pretty self-centered when it comes to supporting their conferences. Texas is largely responsible for the Big 12 losing members with their insistence on starting the Long Horn Network. Notre Dame just uses the Big East as a place to park their non-football sports. The Big 10 is one of the most stable and prestigious conferences there is. I'd be really selective on who you let in.

But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

 

[dragurd]

It's mainly because the Big 10 rightly or wrongly see's itself as too powerful to be pushed around by two prideful programs. They may make a few concessions to let them in but after that they won't let them have their way.

And if I was the big ast and that was true I'd sue the pants off of ESPN for tampering.

 

[Woody1968]

I don't know why that is necessarily the case. At all.

I think that at the very least it makes the ACC more attractive, since ND has a large following in the NE, and if Texas joins with them, it would maximize their exposure in the Northeast, Midwest, Texas and the West Coast (OOC game against USC).

 

[Muck]

ESPN tortious interference?

JLB is probably right that ESPiN will just try & buy everyone off.

But looks like the Big East is livid at with Pitt right now as they were the driving force behind not accepting ESPN's contract offer...and then they bolt.

The ACC had to pay off the Big East the last time around to avoid lawsuits...I can't imagine that it won't happen again.

 

[Muck]

Chip Brown's latest...

Realignment takes a dramatic turn

College realignment took a dramatic turn with the developments of Pittsburgh and Syracuse applying for membership to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

A Big 12 administrator told Orangebloods.com those schools will be announced as the 13th and 14th members of the ACC on Sunday.

Two sources close to the situation say the ACC as an option for Texas may be decreasing. Nothing is ever final in the world of realignment until it's final.

But a source close to Texas told Orangebloods.com the Pac-12 may be becoming more of a viable option for the Longhorns and that moving UT's non-football sports into the ACC and remaining independent in football would not be a leading option for Texas at this time.

Another source close to Texas said UT officials were totally surprised by the developments involving Pitt, Syracuse and the ACC.

That source said Texas' top priority remains trying to hold the Big 12 together. But that option may have been dealt a blow with Pitt now appearing headed to the ACC. Pitt was a target of the Big 12 after it became clear Texas A&M wanted out of the league, sources have told Orangebloods.com.

Orangebloods.com caught up with Texas president Bill Powers outside the Rose Bowl Saturday, and Powers said, "We are not going to comment until all of this is over."

Another Big 12 administrator told Orangebloods.com the ACC appears as if it is moving on without Texas in its plans.

That Big 12 administrator said the ACC is reluctant to bring in Texas for three reasons: 1) how the Longhorn Network would be worked into its revenue sharing; 2) that the ACC sees itself as an east coast conference and wants to protect that by not reaching into the southwest (no matter how much TV money adding Texas would mean); and 3) Texas indicated to the ACC it would need to bring Texas Tech with them to the ACC, and the ACC members were not excited about that because of Texas Tech's academic standing (No. 160 in latest U.S. News and World Report).

If the ACC is diminishing as an option for Texas, that could be bad news for the future of the Longhorn Network. If the Longhorns are to stay tied to Texas Tech and head to the Pac-12 with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the LHN may have to be dramatically altered to fit into Pac-12 revenue sharing formulas.

.../cont/...

 

[dragurd]

Sounds like the ACC might be making a play for Rutgers and UConn to round out 16. If so the big east appears to be on the way out unless they make a grab for the also rans in the Big 12. Most likely both the big 12 and the big east are dead.