NCAA Conference Musical Chairs

Multiple sources within the Big 10 contend the University of Virginia is set to receive an invitation to join the conference early next week. UVA is expected to ratify the move from the ACC to the Big 10 shortly after receiving the invitation.

UVA would become the 15th member of the Big 10.

None of the Big 10 sources would divulge the identity of the Big 10’s target for #16 but they did confirm that Georgia Tech and UNC are the leading candidates.

Media contacts working close to Georgia Tech believe the Yellow Jackets are the Big 10’s choice for #16 while several sources within the Big 10 believe the conference would prefer UNC over GT.

Sources close to the SEC allege UNC is also engaged in serious discussions to join the SEC along with Duke.

The same sources indicate that the SEC is prepared to be the catalyst of the next round of conference realignment and move quickly to secure either UNC and Duke or Virginia Tech and NC State.

Sources at WVU say the Big 12 is set to discuss expansion at the end of the month and it is likely they will invite as many as 6 ACC teams after the Big 10 and SEC move.

So what does this mean?

If the Big 10 and SEC sources are correct we can assume UNC is highly prized commodity – at least a big enough prize to force the SEC to break their pattern of benign poaching and make a preemptive move on UNC before the Big 10 has a chance to snatch up the Tar Heels.

As for the Big 10 my sources tell me on paper UNC looks like a perfect fit but Georgia Tech has enormous support from both Illinois and Purdue. So much support that Delany has been forced to rethink his choice of UNC.

The Big 12 has previously agreed to add FSU and either Miami or Clemson (it’s different depending on who you talk to at WVU or in the Big 12). My sources at WVU explain that Miami is the more valuable choice due to its larger television market and fertile recruiting grounds but they are quick to explain Clemson is a close second.

What’s clear is that the Big 12 will have the opportunity to add 6 quality schools that will drastically improve their footprint and increase their available television inventory.

If the Big 12 is lucky and the Big 10 and SEC hit 16 and hold the conference could see FSU, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech and NC State as members.

The folks at WVU are giddy at the prospect of being in the same division as old friends FSU, Clemson, Miami and our best “frenemy” Virginia Tech.

The worst scenario for the Big 12 is still an improvement. At the very least Bowlsby will decide to add FSU, Miami and Clemson and he’ll have some options to round out the conference at either 14 or 16 with Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, BYU or even UCONN.

Why would ACC schools move before the UMD lawsuit with the ACC is settled? A mass defection of 10 schools would kill the ACC as a viable conference and their may be no one left to pay the exit fee to after realignment is finished.

The other popular opinion is that it won’t matter. They know UMD will pay far less than the $52 million and they’re willing to move on to greener pastures confident that the ACC’s share of playoff money and eventually even the ACC’s TV money will be redistributed to the remaining big 4 and more than make up for whatever exit fee they may be forced to pay.

Keep in mind I don’t have direct knowledge of the discussion. I rely on friends at WVU and contacts within the ACC, Big 10 and SEC for this information and it can change quickly.

http://www.eersauthority.com/big-10-...d-acc-schools/

The rumors are running thick this offseason.

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Originally Posted by NatureBoy

Multiple sources within the Big 10 contend the University of Virginia is set to receive an invitation to join the conference early next week. UVA is expected to ratify the move from the ACC to the Big 10 shortly after receiving the invitation.

UVA would become the 15th member of the Big 10.

None of the Big 10 sources would divulge the identity of the Big 10’s target for #16 but they did confirm that Georgia Tech and UNC are the leading candidates.

Media contacts working close to Georgia Tech believe the Yellow Jackets are the Big 10’s choice for #16 while several sources within the Big 10 believe the conference would prefer UNC over GT.

Sources close to the SEC allege UNC is also engaged in serious discussions to join the SEC along with Duke.

The same sources indicate that the SEC is prepared to be the catalyst of the next round of conference realignment and move quickly to secure either UNC and Duke or Virginia Tech and NC State.

Sources at WVU say the Big 12 is set to discuss expansion at the end of the month and it is likely they will invite as many as 6 ACC teams after the Big 10 and SEC move.

So what does this mean?

If the Big 10 and SEC sources are correct we can assume UNC is highly prized commodity – at least a big enough prize to force the SEC to break their pattern of benign poaching and make a preemptive move on UNC before the Big 10 has a chance to snatch up the Tar Heels.

As for the Big 10 my sources tell me on paper UNC looks like a perfect fit but Georgia Tech has enormous support from both Illinois and Purdue. So much support that Delany has been forced to rethink his choice of UNC.

The Big 12 has previously agreed to add FSU and either Miami or Clemson (it’s different depending on who you talk to at WVU or in the Big 12). My sources at WVU explain that Miami is the more valuable choice due to its larger television market and fertile recruiting grounds but they are quick to explain Clemson is a close second.

What’s clear is that the Big 12 will have the opportunity to add 6 quality schools that will drastically improve their footprint and increase their available television inventory.

If the Big 12 is lucky and the Big 10 and SEC hit 16 and hold the conference could see FSU, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech and NC State as members.

The folks at WVU are giddy at the prospect of being in the same division as old friends FSU, Clemson, Miami and our best “frenemy” Virginia Tech.

The worst scenario for the Big 12 is still an improvement. At the very least Bowlsby will decide to add FSU, Miami and Clemson and he’ll have some options to round out the conference at either 14 or 16 with Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt, BYU or even UCONN.

Why would ACC schools move before the UMD lawsuit with the ACC is settled? A mass defection of 10 schools would kill the ACC as a viable conference and their may be no one left to pay the exit fee to after realignment is finished.

The other popular opinion is that it won’t matter. They know UMD will pay far less than the $52 million and they’re willing to move on to greener pastures confident that the ACC’s share of playoff money and eventually even the ACC’s TV money will be redistributed to the remaining big 4 and more than make up for whatever exit fee they may be forced to pay.

Keep in mind I don’t have direct knowledge of the discussion. I rely on friends at WVU and contacts within the ACC, Big 10 and SEC for this information and it can change quickly.

http://www.eersauthority.com/big-10-...d-acc-schools/

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Damn! 10 defections? That's a mega-poach!

I'll take GT simply because I have zero interest in seeing UNC and Duke split.

If the ACC gets crushed like this, expect Notre Dame to go begging to the Catholic 7 for basketball.

And suddenly the ACC is on potential death watch ahead of the Big East.

I'd love to go to the new Husker basketball arena to watch them get creamed by UNC. :D

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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

And suddenly the ACC is on potential death watch ahead of the Big East.

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Nah, the ACC would just raid the Big East, take all of their teams, then the Big East would take the C-USA, etc, etc.

Or the ACC could just draft the entire FCS Southern conference and bypass the middle-men and get us the end result: 10+ more FCS teams in FBS.

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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

And suddenly the ACC is on potential death watch ahead of the Big East.

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I hate reading this thread now. This craziness never seems to end.

whats the point having conferences anymore? everyone should just be an independant.

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Originally Posted by baseballplyrmvp

whats the point having conferences anymore? everyone should just be an independant.

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Ugh. Then you'd have Alabama playing LSU, Florida, Auburn, Georgia Texas State, New Mexico, Idaho, UMass, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State and Savannah State every year.

Likewise for all the other major teams. THAT would kill college football for me. I'd say "fuck you" and walk away from college football entirely at that point.

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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

Ugh. Then you'd have Alabama playing LSU, Florida, Auburn, Georgia Texas State, New Mexico, Idaho, UMass, Eastern Michigan, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State and Savannah State every year.

Likewise for all the other major teams. THAT would kill college football for me. I'd say "fuck you" and walk away from college football entirely at that point.

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let em play those teams. i'd make strength of schedule worth a shitload more in the polls. even if alabama went 12-0 with that schedule, i'd leave them out of the 4 team playoff or whatever it is. their whole out of conference scheduling and only 8 conference game arguments are pathetic as shit.

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Originally Posted by baseballplyrmvp

let em play those teams. i'd make strength of schedule worth a shitload more in the polls. even if alabama went 12-0 with that schedule, i'd leave them out of the 4 team playoff or whatever it is. their whole out of conference scheduling and only 8 conference game arguments are pathetic as shit.

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Even then, it'd still kill all interest I have in college football. I already find it difficult to watch the major teams play unless it's something like Ohio State-Michigan, a CCG, or a bowl game. Almost every chance I had this year, I watched games like Army-Kent State or Harvard-Penn over the likes of Big Ten/Pac-12/SEC battles between Top 10 teams. What the hell would make me want to watch Alabama or any other major team kill the weaker team 60-0 every week?

You wouldn't, Smooth. But plenty of people would.

Also, that argument doesn't totally hold water. Notre Dame could be accused of watering down their schedule, but not that badly. Same goes for Army and Navy. They have the opportunity, and yet they don't take advantage of it like that.

More likely, the problem with 124 independents would be that, without some kind of scheduling agreement between groups of teams (hey, we could call them conferences), you'd end up with 60 or so teams that could fill their schedule, and 60 or so teams that couldn't find a partner for all 12 games.

Plus, do you really want to see games covered on the Auburn Sports Network? Because without conferences, TV contracts are suddenly done by individual teams and that would be a nightmare and a half.

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Originally Posted by JeffHCross

You wouldn't, Smooth. But plenty of people would.

Also, that argument doesn't totally hold water. Notre Dame could be accused of watering down their schedule, but not that badly. Same goes for Army and Navy. They have the opportunity, and yet they don't take advantage of it like that.

More likely, the problem with 124 independents would be that, without some kind of scheduling agreement between groups of teams (hey, we could call them conferences), you'd end up with 60 or so teams that could fill their schedule, and 60 or so teams that couldn't find a partner for all 12 games.

Plus, do you really want to see games covered on the Auburn Sports Network? Because without conferences, TV contracts are suddenly done by individual teams and that would be a nightmare and a half.

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Yeah, well Army and Navy (and maybe even Notre Dame, if I hold my nose long enough) has more class than the likes of Alabama, so they don't try and pull those kinds of shenanigans. :P

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Originally Posted by baseballplyrmvp

whats the point having conferences anymore? everyone should just be an independant.

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Because conferences make more $$$$

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Originally Posted by JBHuskers

Because conferences make more $$$$

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notre dame begs to differ ;)

Nobody else could get Notre Dame's deal.

Though Notre Dame may earn less off their deal than Big Ten teams get from theirs. :dunno:

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Originally Posted by JeffHCross

Nobody else could get Notre Dame's deal.

Though Notre Dame may earn less off their deal than Big Ten teams get from theirs. :dunno:

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i'm pretty sure that texas, alabama, USC, michigan, ohio state and a few other historically great schools would be able to get their own deals.

some schools might even consider partnering with another in large media markets (ie: syracuse and rutgers gaining the NYC market). the losers of this would be the middle of the road, bottom feeders of college football as they'd only get on the local markets, and not mainstream tv.

FAU & MTSU to CUSA in 2013 official, effective July 1.
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/...013members.pdf

CUSA divisions for 2013
East: ECU, FAU FIU, Marshall, MTSU, USM, UAB. West: LT, UNT, Rice, Tulane, Tulsa, UTEP UTSA