Is raiding the ACC still a possibility for the SEC?
I was talking conference expansion yesterday with a Georgia fan who posited that the ACC upping its exit fee to $20 million pretty much kills any chance of the SEC getting Virginia Tech or FSU or Clemson.
Looks like we’ll end up with West Virginia or Missouri, he said, noting that he didn’t view Texas A&M and Missouri/West Virginia as adding much luster to the SEC, though the conference did enter this expansion mess in a stronger position than any other league, in terms of football (which is what’s driving all this change).
A couple of thoughts about all that. First, the only ACC team that’s made any noise at all about studying possible realignment is FSU, and while their president obviously was among those voting unanimously to increase the exit fee, that doesn’t necessarily mean Florida State might not still find it worth its while to pay the $20 million in order to join the SEC. I can’t really see any of the other ACC schools, like Clemson, paying that fee, though.
Whether or not there was a rumored “gentlemen’s agreement” in the past for the SEC not to add teams in states where a conference member already resides — and there’ve been reports there never was any such agreement — FSU would certainly add to the SEC’s TV star power, even if it wouldn’t bring in a new television market. And it would counter the addition of Texas A&M geographically.
But while Missouri might not seem all that sexy a choice from a fan point of view, it would bring the St. Louis and Kansas City TV markets with it, and that would also be pretty attractive to the SEC. Auburn could move over to the SEC East to balance the divisons, thereby also assuring the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry with Georgia continues to be an every-year affair.
West Virginia? Aside from being competitive on the football field, the SEC adding a program that the ACC didn’t want, and which brings very little in terms of TV reach, would justifiably seem like an also-ran choice.
Really, I think most of the SEC would have preferred to keep the status quo, but that has become impossible in the face of all the other changes going on.
So, best-case scenario, to me, is adding Texas A&M and FSU or Missouri.
Feel free to share your own views on SEC expansion.
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657 comments Add your comment
Delbert D.
September 20th, 2011
7:35 pm
Pepperdine, a nice Baptist school in Malibu. Go figure. They recruited me in high school, after I wrote and requested a brochure. Full color tri-fold; classy.
doggie-do on dawgs
September 20th, 2011
7:42 pm
WOW! At first I thought it read” UGA to be demolished”! Then it was only Rutherford Hall….well, at least that’s a good start for the cess pool.
Lower tier SEC school
September 20th, 2011
7:44 pm
Isn’t GA going to Conference USA? Or is it the Southern Conference?
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
7:52 pm
Peppedine is a Church of Christ school and it is where Adams President of UGA is from
4 noles
September 20th, 2011
8:00 pm
Contrary to all the arrogant SEC fans that think everyone and everybody wants to join their conference I am a FSU alum who would much rather stay in the SEC. We have everything we need in the ACC and enough money too. I agree that the SEC is a top dog as far as football goes, but that is all they have to offer and except for Vandy most of their schools degrees are only good if they stay in that particular state. No the ACC is just fine for me.
Delbert D.
September 20th, 2011
8:04 pm
Still@theBAR – Thanks for the correction. I got the Baptist thing from a Jonathon Kellerman novel; one of the characters was a Pepperdine student. I wrote for the brochure in high school because it sounded cool. Those were days when “77 Sunset Strip” was a popular TV show.
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
8:05 pm
Is raiding the ACC still a possibility for the SEC?
Yes. Next question?
Appalachain State Fan
September 20th, 2011
8:07 pm
If your going to expand the SEC do it with actual south eastern states. The only south eastern states without a SEC team is North Carolina, and Virginia. I hardly consider Oklahoma or Mizz southern states.
Vandy, UF, UGA, UAL
September 20th, 2011
8:12 pm
All academically superior to FSU
Go Navy!
September 20th, 2011
8:15 pm
APPY STATE plays good hard nose football. Go Mountaineers!
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
8:18 pm
wow so out of 12 now 13 SEC schools only 4 are academically superior to FSU? FSU is near the bottom academically in the ACC, but they will not leave for the SEC to be the smarter than most of the short bus kids.
Appalachain State Fan
September 20th, 2011
8:21 pm
Yes sir we do, Tech got lucky week one.
Go Navy!
September 20th, 2011
8:34 pm
Well luck plays a part in every game. When teams comes out and play good solid, mistake free football it’s usually luck that decides the game.Or the refs are paid off! Go figure?
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
8:36 pm
Go Navy LOL i say the refs are paid for
Appalachain State Fan
September 20th, 2011
8:47 pm
LOL Yeah the refs were paid. Im taking your a tech fan, I live about 3 hours south of VT an everyone here either likes Tech, the Vols, or Duke, I personally hate them all, esp. the Vols.
CarolinaStewPie
September 20th, 2011
8:50 pm
AppState fan here, too. I have a son who’s a Sophomore, and a daughter who graduated ‘06.
Go Mountaineers!!!
Of course, I also have two kids who graduated UNC, and I went to VT, so I still like the Hokies, but I do HATE DUKE!:)
Coach
September 20th, 2011
8:50 pm
In all the hours of ESPN’s on-air analysis of conference realignment (destruction?), how is it that they never get around to admitting that they are at the root of the problem?
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
8:51 pm
App St fan
on thi blog more times than not when you say TECH it is Ga Tech. You need to usually say VT to make sure people know who you mean.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
8:54 pm
Coach same reasons politicians never admit their mistakes or what their role in an issue really is.
CarolinaStewPie
September 20th, 2011
8:56 pm
Wow. You guys are hilarious. Delbert, I recall watching Mr. Haney and Mr. Driscoll talk to Mr. Douglas about whether Eb should go to TN, KY, UGA or ‘Bama because he got into all of ‘em. Arnold Ziphel did get higher scores on the SAT’s, though.
ACC is set and taking over the NE. SEC now has to balance aTm, or they put the Big 12 back together with duck tape and baling wire. Big East is now a hoops only conference with UConn and Rutgers hoping they don’t get ND and PSU.
No ACC team is moving.
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:01 pm
West Virginia offers a better football program and fanbase than any school in the ACC. the only problem is that they are so far North in Morgantown. Missouri is not a Southeastern state and the typical Missourian wouldn’t know college football from a hole in the ground. The only way that I could see them coming to the SEC is in a package deal with Oklahoma. Even then, it’s just not really a cultural or geographical fit. Besides, it looks like Oklahoma is set to move to the Pacific conference.
The SEC doesn’t really need to add anyone, but since they’ve already agreed to take in Texas A&M, they’ll need another school to balance the two divisions. Either Clemson or Virginia Tech would be a good fit. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see one of them inquire about SEC membership. Florida State might be interested, but I hope not. That’s a nasty little school in a nasty little environment. They play their home games in a High School stadium. Truth is, I’ve been to nicer High School stadiums.
Who Cares !!!???
September 20th, 2011
9:04 pm
Who gives a DAMN about this college football CRAP ! It’s stupid and Real Silly to watch all you FOOLS lose your lunch and dinner over a topic that as interesting as watching Grass Grow !!!
Get a LIFE !!!! College football SUCKS !!!!
Jordan
September 20th, 2011
9:05 pm
http://isportsweb.com/2011/09/20/conference-realignment-update/
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:10 pm
Jordan,
That guy’s an idiot.
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:16 pm
I don’t think that the SEC is looking to expand to 16 teams. The whole “super conference” meme is just more dreaming on the part of Cinderella team fans who want a playoff system in college football. That’s not gonna happen. If it did, the ACC wouldn’t qualify as a super conference with the football schools that they currently have.
If an ACC school doesn’t fill the void created by the addition of A&M, then the SEC could just pick up TCU as a 14th member and move Auburn to the East Division. Auburn could still play Georgia every year, and they could pick up Alabama as their annual out-of-division game, so that wouldn’t affect Alabama playing Tennessee every year.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
9:18 pm
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
FSU has a High School Stadium? HAHAHAH you are funny.
WVU is perfect for the SEC. Instead of cousin marrying rednecks they are cousin marrying hillbillies. They suck in academics and without football those boys would have no way to get out of their crappy lil towns they come from. VT stadium has 66K seats, Clemson has 80K, FSU has 83K
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:19 pm
Does your mommy know that you’re playing on the computer?
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
9:21 pm
Dewey UGA would never want to play Bama every year. UGA would never see the Ga DOME again as a competitor in the SECCG
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:24 pm
Have you ever been to a game at FSU? They may have expanded the seating capacity since I was last there, but it’s a crappy little stadium in the middle of a hellhole. It’s darn near impossible to park there, much less tailgate. As for WVU’s academics, the only thing you’d likely know about that is that you wouldn’t qualify for admission.
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:25 pm
UGA doesn’t play Bama every year, but Auburn does. What does Georgia have to do with anything?
Hairy Nut
September 20th, 2011
9:27 pm
Man, all us SEC Homers who regularly hate on the ACC and how bad they suck, we’d give our good left nut to bring em on over! We be some hypocrites!
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:35 pm
Very enlightening commentary HN.
Bravo!
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
9:35 pm
WVU is ranked 164 no problem getting in there
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
9:37 pm
Right. Just pick the lock.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
9:40 pm
It is West Virginia they don have locks cause there is nothing to steal just like the UGA library.
01HAWK
September 20th, 2011
9:41 pm
WELCOME TO BIG TIME FOOTBALL…………………………………..MIZZOU !!!!!!!!!!!!
AUBURN, Alabama — So Auburn is moving to the SEC East with the addition of Texas A&M, and, now, apparently Missouri.
Auburn volunteered to move.
The EAST just got a little TOUGHER with addition of MIZZOU.
Here’s what we think we know: Auburn will be tossed in the same division with some traditional heavyweights, but also with some traditional rivals. Auburn used to play Florida and Tennessee every year before divisional play put an end to that. Auburn already plays Georgia every year. So, the new schedule would feature Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt from the East; and Alabama, for sure, from the West, and one or more West teams, depending how the SEC plays it.
olddawginsanjose
September 20th, 2011
9:45 pm
If I had my “druthers” I’d like to see FSU added to balance with the addition of Texas A&M to the SEC. Since I grew up in Atlanta, I’d also like to see GT come back into the fold. Then we would have to add one more to create a super conference—why not Clemson?
01HAWK
September 20th, 2011
9:46 pm
The EAST will be a tough division to not have at least one loss. MISSOURI should be a good member.
FLORIDA
AUBARN
SOUTH CAROLINA
TENNESSEE
GEORGIA
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
9:47 pm
So where is the Guy that said the SEC said they were not talking to Mizzu?
2 teams from the west to the east when A&M joins. BAMA and AUBURN to the EAST and now UGA is officially a 3rd tier SEC East team.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
9:53 pm
Bama
Florida
Auburn
Tennessee
Georgia
South Carolina
Kentucky
Vandy
Titus
September 20th, 2011
10:01 pm
Some of you guys crack me up. Do you think a delta of 4-5M in $EC TV revenue (before the ACC schools renegotiate their all sports contract which will blanket the east coast, where some of the world’s greatest media markets are located; the highly desirable eastern time zone and oh yea, where the country’s power base is located) is the price a UVa or a UNC will pay to denigrate their acadmic/insittutional standing by joining the SEC? Hell, their multi-billion dollar endowments would buy many SEC schools 4 times over. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
10:02 pm
01HAWK,
I’d rather see TCU than Mizzou, and it’s not because of the quality of the football. Missouri is not a college football state. The people there, for the most part, just don’t care about college football. Of course there are fans, but there are far more fans for professional baseball. There’s no point in gaining a new television footprint there if the potential margin of viewers is so low. TCU is also a better geographical fit, since you’re already in East Texas to begin with due to A&M.
Both programs are capable of fielding quality football teams, although neither is an elite status program. To the best of my knowledge, TCU has a more storied history in football, but the quality of their program dropped off after they left the old SWC. They made a comeback in the 90’s and they’ve been one of those “Cinderella” teams lately. Mizzou has been playing big-boy football in the Big 12 and they’ve had some good seasons lately.
But… They already have enough “Tigers” in the SEC. “Horned Frogs” is a waaay cooler mascot!
01HAWK
September 20th, 2011
10:04 pm
BAMA to stay in the BIG BAD WEST
Auburn volunteered to move.
Here’s what we think we know: Auburn will be tossed in the same division with some traditional heavyweights, but also with some traditional rivals. Auburn used to play Florida and Tennessee every year before divisional play put an end to that. Auburn already plays Georgia every year. So, the new schedule would feature Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt from the East; and Alabama, for sure, from the West, and one or more West teams, depending how the SEC plays it.
Dewey Cheatham & Howe
September 20th, 2011
10:07 pm
I think we don’t know anything.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
10:08 pm
LSU
Bama
Florida
Auburn
Tennessee
Arkansas
Texas A&M
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
Kentucky
Georgia
Ole Miss
Mississippi State
Mizzu
SEC is real bottom heavy.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
10:10 pm
01hawk
another team has to leave the west………..Texas A&M and MIZZU are in the west so 2 west have to move. Right?
Pago Pago DAWG
September 20th, 2011
10:10 pm
Why not pickup Kansas and get the Lawrence market?
Sad to see the SEC heading down this path…
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
10:15 pm
How Mizzu be in the EAST?
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
10:20 pm
Former Missouri running back Derrick Washington joked about a sexual encounter with a former tutor who says she was sexually assaulted by him in her sleep, prosecutors said Tuesday at the start of his trial.
Who knew Mizzou fit in the SEC so well.
GTville
September 20th, 2011
10:27 pm
The Big 10 has been very quiet. Anyone have any idea what they will do? Again, I believe the B12 sticks together and expands, so we are all wasting our times here.