So, you're saying the SEC is light years beyond the ACC in revenue. Okay, I'll mark that down...



A - It appears you answered your own question using my answer from above.
B- Also best summarized by our friend DNC,



I've agreed all along with this sentiment, I don't expect an SEC school to leave: They're content, the money would be a wash, and they like their "prestigious football" rivals in the SEC.

If I was the prez, I would vote for PITT. Top 20 Football. Top 10 BBall (though they can't get past the sweet 16) Good academics and you wouldn't have to change the logo. One less school sueing you.

Actually, they would have to change the logo since Pennsylvania is not on at the moment. However, if they landed Pitt I don't think they'd mind!

Welcome aboard Pitt fan. Sorry about Toledo, but you made up for it in Aggie-land, eh? (I lost on both picks :()

Thanx, gunner. Toledo was the speedbump in the season. PITT has one every year. The A&M game was huge, though.

I have mixed emotions about the ACC. I think the raid was wrong in the way it went down, but a blind man could see Miami wasn't staying in the BE forever. The VT thing is a sore spot for me, though. However, I think even VT belongs in the ACC more than the BE. I would love to see PITT stay in the BE because of WVU. But it comes down to what is best long-term, and I really believe PITT would be better off in the ACC. It may not be the region they are looking for, but "Eastern Football" is a thing of the past with PSU in the B11. I guess the BE should have taken PSU when they had the chance.

It seems Pitt would be a perfect fit for the ACC but I think the ACC will go after BC IMO

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The Bear may be dead but he still hates Tennessee. Roll Damn Tide

The ACC should just take the following.

1. Boston College. BC wants to go - badly.
2. Syracuse. While Syracuse was lukewarm in the botched expansion earlier this year, they deliver the New York market.
3. Pittsburgh. Good academics, good football and basketball, top 25 market - of which the ACC does not have much of.

This leaves UConn, Rutgers, and WVU in the cold.

Rutgers should just go to 1-AA. UConn and WVU would end up outside the BCS but would still have a chance at bowl bids in CUSA.

With 14 teams, the ACC would become an Eastern conference, not just an Atlantic Seabord conference with a southern emphasis. There would be a North Division and a South Division. There would be added money for FB and BB and the ACC would be the biggest, strongest conference in men's BB and in the BCS.

The ACC would also become backrupt with 14 teams.

Geez, if you can afford 11 teams, lets just bring in more, what do we have to lose.

Bankrupt with 14 teams?

How?

It´s more likely to go bankrupt with 11. Only one new market - Miami.

Pitt, Syracuse and BC bring more TVs, which mean more TV dollars.

If a championship game bring in 10 million for 12 members, then maybe 12 are ok. Who is going to pay the 20 million for two additional teams?

when the ACC divisions were set up they left a space for a permanent partner for VT. To me that means an old BE rival either Pitt or WVU. After a summer of acrimony, WVU has quietly gotten back on the VT FB schedule for 2004 and 2005. Has someone whispered expansion in their Eers ??? :o ::)

This may well be brought up too late in the game, but...

The point has been raised over and over that many candidates lack a complete resume when compared to what we percieve as the ACC's selection criteria. As such, any candidate that isn't one of five BE schools would be considered a huge compromise. Is it possible, then, that the ACC could offer probationary membership?

Suppose the BE solidifies itself before losing any more members to the ACC. In my view, Temple becomes the best available candidate, but not one that satisfies all the "conditons of membership." Erego, offer a conditional one:

- ACC sets new standards (Which everyone currently meets) for performance in budgeting, attendance, graduation, whatever. Temple gets in and plays full schedules, etc., with expectations towards improved performance and meeting these standards in X number of years.

- ACC could also "require" membership in its new academic consortium. Temple may not have much to offer here, but could use this as a vehicle to improve recruiting students and faculty, access to research grants and overall upgrade of academics.

- In return, Temple's share of the ACC pie could be smaller at first, then growing to a full share over time, perhaps based upon successfully meeting performance measures. (For that matter, the conference could use this as a tool to keep everyone at certain performance levels, like grad rates.) This would also help to offset the perceived drop in revenues current ACC members may now expect from expansion, as even a $4.5 million annual payout to Temple would exceed their current A-10/BE funding.

- Temple's regionality allows more ACC-fan travel, and their basketball would be a credible addition. Philly market potentially more accepting of non-Temple ACC contests than non-BC contests in Boston.

- ACC also has the chance to play good guy by giving an urban school the chance to improve itself, and by rescuing the Temple Owls rather than by further "raiding" the BE.

Just a thought.

BC sounds appealing for the ACC, but for the long term, their membership in the ACC will pose problems, particularly for BC. A lone, northeastern, private school that is NOT regional, and without a partner, will have its drawbacks and it make take awhile for it to show in revenue, scheduling, attendance patterns, etc.

If the ACC did take West Virginia, it would bring instant, multiple, and neighbor state rivalries, with fans. It finalizies, settles, and rationalizes ACC turf. The SEC sure would consider them if they were hanging at 11 and were itching to expand.

Leave the NORTHEAST to the Big East (OK, a little B10 too). The ACC is sharing turf with the SEC's most southeast--Fla., Ga., and SC. So you overlap; but do you pick a loner multiple states away (BC prospect? ND?). Was not that an issue Miami had with the BE?

Temple, OK, it is northeast; but contiguous and close. They would be in the catbird's seat if fan support was there and they could muster a handfull of more fb wins per season.

heres a bit of a conspiracy theory. after much disagreement, va tech and wvu have agreed to continue their series. there was thought the series would be canceled due an agreement being out of reach, but mysteriously they have suddenly come to an agreement. could this be because wvu is waiting in the wings to join the acc?

http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?story=5308&cat=netnews

Count me among those who think WVU would work better than BC in the ACC. But it seems unlikely now, unless... WVU petitioned for membership.

How 'bout it, Morgantown faithful? I can't recall if there is anyone with inside info from Mountaineer country, but I've yet to hear WVU make the case that they'd want to be in and would serve the conference better. Why not? Trying to retain one natural rivalry with Pitt while in the ACC would be easier than trying to retain 2-3 rivalries (VT, Maryland and UVA) while in the reformed BE. Especially if the ACC is repackaging itself for football and WVU considers itself as such, why haven't the Mountaineers offered themselves as candidates? (Apart from the saving face in the BE, stuff, I mean.)

My previous post offers the idea of probationary memberships on behalf of Temple. Similar thing could be offered WVU regarding the academic side, though I'm sure they'd ask for full shares. The TV appeal might be a wash between the two, as WVU at least offers another legit football program.

Yeah, yeah, I'm preaching to the choir here. So how about it? Has anyone, press, AD, fan... anyone from WVU said "Take me, take me!" Unless they offer themselves, I don't think the ACC will look their way.

According to the Atlanta Journal/Constitution, therre are rumors that the 7 votes have been garnered from the ACC presidents to invite BC. This would mean the NC State chancellor would have changed her vote (assuming NC and Duke still say no), and is now willing to separate BC from any possible affiliation in a conference which includes her dear Notre Dame. I guess if you can't have the best catholic school, you can opt for the second best.

http://www.ajc.com/gatech/content/sports/gatech/1003/09acc.html;COXnetJSessionID=1FZwsB91770qdSNWp15oxKfzn1T28TbsfDWpfxzbg9PQVUyks2B1!-1799484501?urac=n&urvf=10657202402310.030595773609415233

;)