Realignment Thread

[hokiegrad]

I was talking about HoHum's scenario where Mizzou goes to the B1G and the Big12 is cannibalized to get everyone up to 16. The SEC would need 3 more teams in that case. I could see WVU being one of them, or not, depending on how things go. Not the same situation as 2011.

 

[Rocco]

I was talking about HoHum's scenario where Mizzou goes to the B1G and the Big12 is cannibalized to get everyone up to 16. The SEC would need 3 more teams in that case. I could see WVU being one of them, or not, depending on how things go. Not the same situation as 2011.

If the SEC found themselves needing more teams I imagine Slive would first do everything they could to pry VT away and then try to convince the schools to take on Clemson and FSU. It's never been said outright but it seemed like that was the plan in 2011. However VT wasn't willing to jump and the gentlemen's agreement amongst the schools is stronger than Slive imagined. WVU is pretty low on the totem pole- small state, small TV market, middling academics, out of their general geographic footprint, etc. I don't think we know the specific order of the teams the SEC desired, but we can guess that A&M was at the top (since they were the first offered), WVU at the bottom, Mizzou ahead of WVU and the ACC teams in some order between A&M and Mizzou. Mizzou pretty much declared themselves a free agent well before the SEC finally got around to taking them, which made me think at the time the SEC was looking for a better option.

The SEC doesn't have a GOR because no one at the moment would leave. I wouldn't be surprised if they signed one at some point for the purposes of the SEC Network. I suppose the B1G is a better fit for Mizzou, but their main goal was to get the hell away from Texas. That's done, so I don't think they would look elsewhere. It's hard to say exactly how things could have played out and how things will play out. I will say that anything that has VT still in the Big East after 2003 is pretty close to the Darkest Timeline.

Also, Nebraska has a huge following across the country. The B1G's goal is to get their TV station on as many cable providers as possible. More Nebraska fans will call their cable providers demanding the B1G Network than Mizzou fans just due to numbers. Delany and the B1G aren't idiots. Once Nebraska put itself on the market it was always going to beat Mizzou in the race to leave the Big 12.

 

[rfjeff9]

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

If the SEC found themselves needing more teams I imagine Slive would first do everything they could to pry VT away and then try to convince the schools to take on Clemson and FSU. It's never been said outright but it seemed like that was the plan in 2011. However VT wasn't willing to jump and the gentlemen's agreement amongst the schools is stronger than Slive imagined. WVU is pretty low on the totem pole- small state, small TV market, middling academics, out of their general geographic footprint, etc. I don't think we know the specific order of the teams the SEC desired, but we can guess that A&M was at the top (since they were the first offered), WVU at the bottom, Mizzou ahead of WVU and the ACC teams in some order between A&M and Mizzou. Mizzou pretty much declared themselves a free agent well before the SEC finally got around to taking them, which made me think at the time the SEC was looking for a better option.

The SEC doesn't have a GOR because no one at the moment would leave. I wouldn't be surprised if they signed one at some point for the purposes of the SEC Network. I suppose the B1G is a better fit for Mizzou, but their main goal was to get the hell away from Texas. That's done, so I don't think they would look elsewhere. It's hard to say exactly how things could have played out and how things will play out. I will say that anything that has VT still in the Big East after 2003 is pretty close to the Darkest Timeline.

Also, Nebraska has a huge following across the country. The B1G's goal is to get their TV station on as many cable providers as possible. More Nebraska fans will call their cable providers demanding the B1G Network than Mizzou fans just due to numbers. Delany and the B1G aren't idiots. Once Nebraska put itself on the market it was always going to beat Mizzou in the race to leave the Big 12.

I will say it outright, for you.

Virginia Tech and aTm were 13 and 14. Virginia Tech declined the invitation late in the game and Mizzou who was only a "maybe" target for 2014 was added because they were the most ready and willing. The idea was one east one west in each expansion to an eventual 16. Virginia Tech has turned down unofficial in ites to two bigger conferences since 2010.

 

[HoHumHokie]

I will say it outright, for you.

Virginia Tech and aTm were 13 and 14. Virginia Tech declined the invitation late in the game and Mizzou who was only a "maybe" target for 2014 was added because they were the most ready and willing. The idea was one east one west in each expansion to an eventual 16. Virginia Tech has turned down unofficial in ites to two bigger conferences since 2010.

Two?....Who was the other invite?

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I don't really want to get into it, but you can assume it wasn't the PAC.

 

[bone3421]

big 12 ???????

 

[HoHumHokie]

big 12 ???????

I can understand VT turning down the Big12....joining that conference would be a last resort only if the ACC were to implode. The fact that the Big12 neglected to add Louisville over the past year will come back to haunt them.

 

[HoHumHokie]

Yay...Pitt and Cuse are officially members of the ACC!!!!

 

[rockhead44]

Outstanding. We all miss the Big East. Now it has come back to us.

 

[ACC_HOKIES]

Yay...Pitt and Cuse are officially members of the ACC!!!!

Cuse and Pitt will struggle fanwise, but Georgia Tech isn't the greatest barometer IMO. Georgia Tech always has difficulty selling tickets, so I'm honestly not that surprised at the $15 per ticket price. We paid $20 each for the Sean Glennon "jersey" game down there several years ago. Season tickets can go for less than $200 at face, and whatever Georgia and Clemson fans don't buy up, ends up mighty reasonable.

 

[MattB4VT]

Congrats to the ACC! We somehow managed to get even worse at football. I just wish weaver and Steger had retired 4 years ago. VT football, basketball, and baseball would all be in a much better place. The university as a whole would be as well.

 

[Sleepy T]

Congrats to the ACC! We somehow managed to get even worse at football. I just wish weaver and Steger had retired 4 years ago. VT football, basketball, and baseball would all be in a much better place. The university as a whole would be as well.

Ehhh. I'm not so sure about that. 'Cuse is definitely been down the last few years and Pitt isn't a dominate program right now (you wouldn't know that by last year's beat down), but both have rich histories in the sport. And Louisville, they are on a major upswing. That football program is about as good as any we have in the ACC right now. Strong is doing good things up there.

 

[ckhokie]

Ehhh. I'm not so sure about that. 'Cuse is definitely been down the last few years and Pitt isn't a dominate program right now (you wouldn't know that by last year's beat down), but both have rich histories in the sport. And Louisville, they are on a major upswing. That football program is about as good as any we have in the ACC right now. Strong is doing good things up there.

The last few years??? Donavan McNabb has played, and retired from the NFL. It's been more than 'a few years.'

 

[HoHumHokie]

The last few years??? Donavan McNabb has played, and retired from the NFL. It's been more than 'a few years.'

Cuse has been down by VT's standards, but I am sure 8 wins makes them happy. They've been on the upswing the last few years winning 2 bowl games in the last 3 years....although barely bowl eligible. They did blow out Louisville and WVU and won at Missouri last year. It took Marone a few years to get them going....hopefully Shafer keeps the momentum going.

 

[ACC_HOKIES]

The last three seasons, Syracuse has the same number of wins (21) as Georgia Tech in two less games. Think about that for a moment. They also have more wins than Duke (12), BC(13), Wake(14), Maryland(15), Virginia(16), and Miami(20). UNC (23*) and NC State (24) aren't far ahead.

FWIW, I don't like the Cuse addition for fan and geography sake, but they don't actually make the conference worse on the field. It's the traditional door mats and mid-pack already in the conference that makes the conference worse. Both short term and historically Cuse and Pitt are above average (between UNC and Clemson).

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Not to me took we get into Western PA and NY which are new markets for the ACC. We lose Maryland but don't lose the DC market because of Virginia Tech, that other school in Virginia and Notre Dame.

 

[HoHumHokie]

One big happy family....

Is that donkey looking mascot Renegade from FSU? Thought Osceola was their true mascot.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

CavMan looks like the tech help guy who resets your password or a child predator. I can't tell which.

 

[ACC_HOKIES]

In my experience, FSU has usually been repped by a cheerleader during mascot events (like the mascot football game or the fan zones). Osceola is usually on the field though for football.