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Pitt fan here… let’s talk realignment

May 16, 2016
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Hello my fellow ACC brethren. What’s the feeling around the Duke fanbase about realignment? You guys think the ACC can remain intact? If not, how do you feel about your chances of making the Big Ten or SEC? You guys are a major brand with good athletics and bring the state of North Carolina with you. On the other hand, it seems to be football-focused and I’m not sure whether your basketball program might be enough to make it in.

My doomsday scenario is if the Big Ten adds Notre Dame plus three PAC schools and the SEC takes on the biggest football brands in the ACC (Clemson, FSU, Miami, UNC or Virginia Tech). At that point, why wouldn’t the Big XII add the best remaining schools?

I hope I’m wrong, but I just get the feeling that us two and a few others (Boston College, Syracuse, Wake Forest) are going to be on the outside looking in if the Big Ten and SEC start picking us apart. Pitt doesn’t bring anything the Big Ten or SEC don’t already have and the rest of you are small private schools that don’t fit with what they’re doing.

At that point, what do we even do? Strange times. Hopefully the ACC’s GOR can hold up or, if not, we both have a seat at the table when all the dust settles…
 
Hello my fellow ACC brethren. What’s the feeling around the Duke fanbase about realignment? You guys think the ACC can remain intact? If not, how do you feel about your chances of making the Big Ten or SEC? You guys are a major brand with good athletics and bring the state of North Carolina with you. On the other hand, it seems to be football-focused and I’m not sure whether your basketball program might be enough to make it in.

My doomsday scenario is if the Big Ten adds Notre Dame plus three PAC schools and the SEC takes on the biggest football brands in the ACC (Clemson, FSU, Miami, UNC or Virginia Tech). At that point, why wouldn’t the Big XII add the best remaining schools?

I hope I’m wrong, but I just get the feeling that us two and a few others (Boston College, Syracuse, Wake Forest) are going to be on the outside looking in if the Big Ten and SEC start picking us apart. Pitt doesn’t bring anything the Big Ten or SEC don’t already have and the rest of you are small private schools that don’t fit with what they’re doing.

At that point, what do we even do? Strange times. Hopefully the ACC’s GOR can hold up or, if not, we both have a seat at the table when all the dust settles…
Don’t have time to address all those points but people have always said Duke/ Carolina and the two Va schools are package deals but nothings off the table if USC UCLA end up in Big and UT OU in SEC. I hope the ACC remains in tact but it’s doubtful that Clem and FSU will remain down the road. Maybe UM but no one else would appeal to SEC imho. Football is king
 
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I love the area around the Pitt campus. My feeling is that Duke and UNC should do nothing. I don't want my team traveling to Rutgers, Mississippi State, etc.

In a few years, the TV contracts will be renegotiated and the revenue gap will be reduced

Then college football will break away from the NCAA and schools like UCLA will be stuck with ridiculous conference affiliations sending their volleyball and cross country teams across the country for no reason
 
Hello my fellow ACC brethren. What’s the feeling around the Duke fanbase about realignment? You guys think the ACC can remain intact? If not, how do you feel about your chances of making the Big Ten or SEC? You guys are a major brand with good athletics and bring the state of North Carolina with you. On the other hand, it seems to be football-focused and I’m not sure whether your basketball program might be enough to make it in.

My doomsday scenario is if the Big Ten adds Notre Dame plus three PAC schools and the SEC takes on the biggest football brands in the ACC (Clemson, FSU, Miami, UNC or Virginia Tech). At that point, why wouldn’t the Big XII add the best remaining schools?

I hope I’m wrong, but I just get the feeling that us two and a few others (Boston College, Syracuse, Wake Forest) are going to be on the outside looking in if the Big Ten and SEC start picking us apart. Pitt doesn’t bring anything the Big Ten or SEC don’t already have and the rest of you are small private schools that don’t fit with what they’re doing.

At that point, what do we even do? Strange times. Hopefully the ACC’s GOR can hold up or, if not, we both have a seat at the table when all the dust settles…
What's your dream scenario for Pitt? You have a lot going for you. The affiliation with the ACC does not seem to be working for Pittsburgh or the conference
 
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As a FSU fan I can say I’ll miss the ACC for what it was. Worst thing that happened was FSU, Miami, VT not carrying their weight in football. It’s been nice not having to be in a red neck conference such as the SEC. Though, we have to keep up in the football money pool. We simply can’t afford what’s coming and here now - especially with NIL.

Will smaller ACC schools allow unequal revenue sharing for the large brands in the ACC? Doubt it. Will smaller ACC brands vote to end the GoR to release the larger brands? Highly doubt it.

How the entire GoR thing works, we’ll see. I do see ESPN black-balling anyone (smaller ACC brands) who gets in their way. If anything - FSU will back out and never pay anyone if they are sued for GoR payments. Politics will get involved and the Florida legislature will never authorize any lawsuit payments for FSU leaving. The wanna-be authoritarian running Florida is going to put a lot of pressure on Disney over this.

I hate to come across as a butt for posting this. You all have to understand the desperate situation FSU is in right now to keep funding to keep up with our SEC Neighboors in football.
 
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Checking in on this a year later… any thoughts/changes? We both were not included in that “Magnificent Seven.” Is there any hope for the ACC? If it all blows up, I’d love to keep a few of us (Pitt, Duke, Cuse, BC, Wake Forest) and invite the northeast ACC schools. Like I said in the original post, hopefully we both end up with seats at the table.
 
I have been reading everything I can on this topic. I've concluded that UNC will happily leave the ACC and Duke behind if it can. There is no allegiance there.

My only hope for Duke is that the football team continues to get stronger and even though we don't fill Wallace Wade unless the visitor travels well, our team will be a top 20 team that can't be ignored. That might make Duke attractive to the Big 10 since Duke would enhance the academic profile for the league.

I wouldn't mind teaming up with the Big 12 because I love their basketball programs and styles.

I don't know what Pitt will do which is sad because it has a proud football tradition and league realignment might be coming at a time when PItt's teams are down.

I love Pittsburgh and the Pitt campus, what with the restaurants, bars and museums, but it seems only the mighty dollar is controlling the future of college sports.
 
I have been reading everything I can on this topic. I've concluded that UNC will happily leave the ACC and Duke behind if it can. There is no allegiance there.

My only hope for Duke is that the football team continues to get stronger and even though we don't fill Wallace Wade unless the visitor travels well, our team will be a top 20 team that can't be ignored. That might make Duke attractive to the Big 10 since Duke would enhance the academic profile for the league.

I wouldn't mind teaming up with the Big 12 because I love their basketball programs and styles.

I don't know what Pitt will do which is sad because it has a proud football tradition and league realignment might be coming at a time when PItt's teams are down.

I love Pittsburgh and the Pitt campus, what with the restaurants, bars and museums, but it seems only the mighty dollar is controlling the future of college sports.
If UNC goes to the SEC, I could see the Big Ten going after the Blue Devils if they expand to 24. You’re an AAU institution and would bring a coveted southern market into the conference. Who knows, your case could get even better this season since your football team could be sneaky good this season. Love what Elko is doing.

For us, I think our best bet is the Big 12, unfortunately. We have no chance at the Big Ten and an only slightly better chance at the SEC (lol). I’d love to stick with Duke either way. It’s great for Pitt to be associated with such a great university.

I think the only card the ACC has left to play is taking the best 16-20 schools from the Big 12 and merging. That would give us a decent shot at a large contract. I don’t think it’ll happen, though.
 
I actually think the Big 12 would enhance Pitt's prestige. It might also open up some new recruiting territory. If you can get a recruit to Pittsburgh in good weather, you have a chance.
 
Breaking up the ACC and effectively ending the rivalry would probably be it for me. I'd still support Duke, but my love of college basketball is going to take a hit if that happens. Who wants to watch Duke in the Big Ten or Big 12? Ugh.
 
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Breaking up the ACC and effectively ending the rivalry would probably be it for me. I'd still support Duke, but my love of college basketball is going to take a hit if that happens. Who wants to watch Duke in the Big Ten or Big 12? Ugh.
I agree but unless something drastic happens this conference is a dead man walking. Sec definitely wants unc/uva for recruiting purposes.
 
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This is going to happen sooner or later. Let UNC go to the SEC and go 3-10 in football every season. The hope is we get into the Big10 or Big12, I’m sure we will still play UNC annually, but it’ll be different.
 
This is going to happen sooner or later. Let UNC go to the SEC and go 3-10 in football every season. The hope is we get into the Big10 or Big12, I’m sure we will still play UNC annually, but it’ll be different.


If that happens, I'm good with making UVA our main rival and let the Cheaters play UNC Wilmington for their feature game.
 
If that happens, I'm good with making UVA our main rival and let the Cheaters play UNC Wilmington for their feature game.
I agree. However, rumors are the SEC’s top 2 targets are UNC/UVA. They want a school from each of those 2 states. Crazy they prefer them over FSU, Clemson, Miami but that’s the rumor.
 
I agree. However, rumors are the SEC’s top 2 targets are UNC/UVA. They want a school from each of those 2 states. Crazy they prefer them over FSU, Clemson, Miami but that’s the rumor.
they already have schools in Florida and SC. They want new territory for recruiting. I’m honestly no sure why Miami gets mentioned a lot. Poor attendance, football is mid, basketball only gets fans when they play duke
 
If UNX went to the SEC, that's an admission that they have no moral scruples at all when it comes to sports. What a sellout for the allmighty buck that would be.

For that very reason I can't see UVA going in that direction.
 
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I just really want the acc to make it but I don’t know if it’s likely. Duke being in the big 12, 10, etc just seems weird
 
I agree. However, rumors are the SEC’s top 2 targets are UNC/UVA. They want a school from each of those 2 states. Crazy they prefer them over FSU, Clemson, Miami but that’s the rumor.
They don’t care about football tradition. Plus UF and usc strongly oppose adding the latter three teams. It’s about SEC expanding their tv and recruiting footprints. They may add FSU and Clem eventually to keep the Big 10 from getting them, but like you said Uva and Unc are their top targets. I’d hate if Duke went to the Big 10 but probably the best landing spot right now.
 
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If UNX went to the SEC, that's an admission that they have no moral scruples at all when it comes to sports. What a sellout for the allmighty buck that would be.

For that very reason I can't see UVA going in that direction.
They made that admission when they buried the AFAM scandal. The Sec and Big 10 get way more tv money. You can see how much the SEC has improved in mbb since the advent of the SECN
 
They don’t care about football tradition. Plus UF and usc strongly oppose adding the latter three teams. It’s about SEC expanding their tv and recruiting footprints. They may add FSU and Clem eventually to keep the Big 10 from getting them, but like you said Uva and Unc are their top targets. I’d hate if Duke went to the Big 10 but probably the best landing spot right now.
UNCheat is of such high moral character that it would never abandon its traditional and long-standing rivalry with Duke for something so mundane as money. So I am not worried at all.😁

OFC
 
If the ACC does fold, I’m hoping Duke lands in the Big Ten. Would be great matchups in all sports and Big Ten cares more about academics. Could be some great basketball matchups in the future with UCLA/MSU/Michigan/Indiana/Purdue/Illinois and whoever they add too. The Big 12 would probably be great for basketball only, kind of like the Big East. In the end I see only Big Ten & SEC being major players in football when it’s all settled. I would hate to see the ACC go away though.
 
We're all linking UNC and Duke, largely because of the basketball rivalry. But I can see the political environment in North Carolina linking UNC and NC State, similar to what happened in Virginia a while back.
 
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Without trying to be snarky, recent events have shown that Duke and UNX share little athletically other than geography and two very popular basketball games each year. That will not be enough in my opinion to make a conference want both, or make UNX to want to align itself with Duke. Duke will have to make it on its own merits. Continuing success in basketball, men's and women's, and in nonrevenue sports and increased achievement in football will be what makes Duke attractive to mega conferences.
 
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If the ACC does fold, I’m hoping Duke lands in the Big Ten. Would be great matchups in all sports and Big Ten cares more about academics. Could be some great basketball matchups in the future with UCLA/MSU/Michigan/Indiana/Purdue/Illinois and whoever they add too. The Big 12 would probably be great for basketball only, kind of like the Big East. In the end I see only Big Ten & SEC being major players in football when it’s all settled. I would hate to see the ACC go away though.
I think best-case scenario for the ACC is that only two schools are poached by the SEC (I’ll say FSU and UNX; maybe it’s Clemson and FSU) and the Big Ten decides to look westward instead for their expansion. With 12 schools left, you could either remain pat or go after someone like UConn. I’d personally like WVU as well, but I understand they’re similar to Louisville in that they don’t really fit the mold of an ACC school institution-wise.
 
I think best-case scenario for the ACC is that only two schools are poached by the SEC (I’ll say FSU and UNX; maybe it’s Clemson and FSU) and the Big Ten decides to look westward instead for their expansion. With 12 schools left, you could either remain pat or go after someone like UConn. I’d personally like WVU as well, but I understand they’re similar to Louisville in that they don’t really fit the mold of an ACC school institution-wise.
When the Big 10 added Nebraska, I officially became skeptical that academics has anything to do with any of this
 
I couldn’t care less about playing the turds again. I can’t stand watching them, and I don’t enjoy watching us play against them. Every good thing sooner or later comes to an end. UVA has took the mantle NOW in MY book. I’m over them cheating pricks, the fans, and anything affiliated with them.
 
I couldn’t care less about playing the turds again. I can’t stand watching them, and I don’t enjoy watching us play against them. Every good thing sooner or later comes to an end. UVA has took the mantle NOW in MY book. I’m over them cheating pricks, the fans, and anything affiliated with them.
Tell us how you really feel.:p OFC
 
Like Duke playing NW or ND playing Southern Cal or Clempsum playing the real USC or UK v. Louisville. Good point. OFC
Intra-state ACC/SEC football games have long been a thing. You mentioned Clemson-South Carolina and Louisville-Kentucky. We also have Florida-Florida State and Georgia-Georgia Tech. Virginia and VT played regularly even when VT wasn't in the ACC.

Now that's football. Playing two basketball games against a same-state, different conference school would be trickier. But one game would be manageable. But ESPN might have the leverage to make two Duke-UNC basketball games a thing.
 
Is FSU really that big of a brand? Or are they blowing smoke hoping that the ACC will throw more money at them?

I wouldn't mind seeing them go, except I don't want that to create a precedent for others leaving (except the Cheats who can be shown the door anytime).
 
FSU desperately wants out, so does Clemson. The ACC is in a really horrible position right now. Just have to hope and pray Duke gets picked up by either of the big 2 conferences
 
FSU desperately wants out, so does Clemson. The ACC is in a really horrible position right now. Just have to hope and pray Duke gets picked up by either of the big 2 conferences
Just out of curiosity, what would it cost Free Shoes University to withdraw from the ACC? The Twerps were on the hook for $50,000,000, which might be chump change nowadays. OFC
 
Just out of curiosity, what would it cost Free Shoes University to withdraw from the ACC? The Twerps were on the hook for $50,000,000, which might be chump change nowadays. OFC
I’m not sure what it is to break out of the iron clad GOR, but I know the SEC pays their members close to 3x or more than the ACC offers, so I’m sure they’ll gladly pony up.
 
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