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
Mexdawg
September 20th, 2011
12:08 pm
This is really sad.What´s happened to college football?Don´t the fans count any more?I just herd that a survey found that 70% of college fans don´t want super confrences-70%.Does that matter HELL NO.It´s all about the money.I´m sick of this whole process.I think I´ll just become a pro fan.
Skokie Dog
September 20th, 2011
12:10 pm
Memphis passes the “good barbecue” test.
GatorBlu
September 20th, 2011
12:11 pm
i think Texas and OU will be feeling that in 2 to 3 years. Their fans will feel isolated and start focusing on their pro teams or other closer schools. They will probably leave the Pac whatever in 6 years and will try to take over a new conference or create a conference in the Midwest but I think TAMU is in the SEC for long haul.
Skokie Dog
September 20th, 2011
12:11 pm
Cincinnati adds the chili-over-spaghetti dish.
Skokie Dog
September 20th, 2011
12:11 pm
Louisville offers a long tradition in bourbon distribution.
Nick
September 20th, 2011
12:13 pm
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. These teams are going to come into the SEC and pollute the tradition that’s been built up by its founding members and the few newer ones that were allowed in since.
The bottom line is money. Tradition means nothing anymore. And it stinks.
Gator Chris
September 20th, 2011
12:13 pm
I agree, TAMU is a perfect fit in the SEC. I also agree that UNC would be awesome as #14, but I’m not holding my breath.
GatorBlu
September 20th, 2011
12:14 pm
Try to imagine this. Dodd wouldve retired like he supposed to 2 1/2 years ago. Mack Brown takes over as Texas AD, and Will Muschamp is the Longhorns head coach. What a different world we would live in.
Skokie Dog
September 20th, 2011
12:15 pm
If you’re really tilting toward the notion that “good barbecue is a must,” SEC maybe should consider Kentucky Wesleyan in Owensboro, which is also the hotbed of the barbecue mutton dish.
SEC could become known as the Southeastern Culinary conference, with an emphasis on the BBQ.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:15 pm
MexDawg
Who cares what the FANS WANT? It has been proven time and time again that the fans will come back and get on board with whatever colleges do. the Alumni will ALWAYS support their school and the other fans have too much money invested in their camouflage UGA hats to give up now.
TexGT
September 20th, 2011
12:15 pm
I would the shocked if UNC left, due to academics and bball driving that school. I think most likely candidate is VaTech – nothing holding them back, already a transplant from Big East.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:18 pm
TexGT
Go read how VT got in the ACC and check again. You don’t know what you are talking about.
Dawg 39
September 20th, 2011
12:18 pm
I also would prefer for the SEC to remain the same. But, TA&M & what it brings to the table will be hard to turn down.
Skokie Dog
September 20th, 2011
12:18 pm
SEC doesn’t need Oklahoma. Sonic is popular out there, and Chick-Fil-A wouldn’t like to split viewers’ eyeballs with a competitor during commercial breaks. It is all about the revenue, after all.
Nolan
September 20th, 2011
12:26 pm
@ Seabass: not sure that Maryland will want to join the Big East, with Syracuse and Pitt joining the ACC.
General comment: I think FSU and Texas A&M would be good solid choices for the SEC. The Mizzoo addition, while it probably doesn’t enhance the competition, would undoubtedly expand the SEC’s marketing power from a TV coverage standpoint. And I think WVU would be a nice addition to the conference from a playing perspective. They play nice, hard-nosed football and I think could compete in the SEC, which let’s face it – the more competitive teams we have, the greater opportunity SEC has to continue the stranglehold on the national scene in college football (and other sports as well). For me, it is GA football first and always, but when I see the SEC lining up against any other conference, I don’t care who it is playing (even the despised FL), I am pulling for SEC all the way.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:27 pm
The Cajuns v The Coal Miners this weekend………….The SEC will know for sure that the CULTURE at West Virginia is EXACTLY like the SEC. Poor towns will bad govt schools and Football is the only way out of their lil towns. Sounds like 90% of the SEC schools.
TexGT
September 20th, 2011
12:27 pm
Still@theBAR,
Please enlighten me – considering VaTech jumped ship from Metro to Big East to ACC in 2004, with its primary sport being football, I must be missing something.
GeoffDawg
September 20th, 2011
12:32 pm
My wife is from Missouri and she has several family members that went to Mizzou and I can tell you from first hand experience, that while they have a good fanbase who are passionate about Mizzou football, it’s not at an SEC level and they’ll always come second in the state to Cardinals baseball.
You never know though, if they have an SEC lineup to play each year, it could only bolster their popularity and give them the resources to improve the facilities.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:33 pm
TexGT yes you are. UVa didn’t want the redneck school in the ACC, but the Virginia Legeslature FORCED UVa to allow VT in the ACC because they wanted the 2 major schools in the same conference. VT did JUMP because it was moving UP to better itself. now VT and UVa are joined like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Commonwealth government body has spoken.
Like i told you google or do some research or hell just read other posts when Delbert D. explains it.
TexGT
September 20th, 2011
12:35 pm
Okay, point taken, no need to get all worked up…
GeoffDawg
September 20th, 2011
12:36 pm
Still@theBAR, I think the ACC has done precisely what they should’ve done. They realized that their previous football expansion experiment has been a failure and instead of trying to compete with the power conferences in realignment, they’ve gone back to their BBall roots. Let them have their niche, it works for them.
Still though, football is what drives big time TV contracts far more than basketball. There’s no denying that.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:39 pm
Any New word on Larry Munson?
TexGT
September 20th, 2011
12:42 pm
Still@theBAR,
Not sure if you are correct, at least wikipedia says UVA suggested to take on VaTech when talks with Syracuse broke down. See below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_%E2%80%93_Virginia_Tech_rivalry
Dawgs Fans For Anthony Weiner
September 20th, 2011
12:49 pm
uga to Conference USA…..it would be nice to be able to compete again.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:49 pm
TexGT that is because the Legislature was forcing the issue with UVa.
Terp
September 20th, 2011
12:50 pm
i can assure you seabass Maryland will have no part in the failure that is the remnants of the big east. also i see a lot of people saying to get a school from NC, honestly if you think duke and unc are going to split up into different conferences you are crazy and after that do you really want wake or nc st? the acc doesn’t really want wake and nc st.
WhopperDawg with fries
September 20th, 2011
12:50 pm
Skokie, LMAO!
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
12:53 pm
Terp there is always ECU
Scott
September 20th, 2011
1:02 pm
Add FSU and have each current member of the conference pitch in $500k for the additional $6 mil in exit fee. FSU pays the $14 mil. Once that is done Clemson and VA Tech will come hat in hand to the SEC.
Shrimp N Grits
September 20th, 2011
1:02 pm
Would you pay $80million to receive a television contract worth $2billion?
$20mil is chump change.
NCDawg
September 20th, 2011
1:03 pm
I hope the SEC hasn’t played good citizen too long. If the conference really has football clout, I think UNC, VT and Missou would be excellent additions to go with Texas A&M. These are the next continguous states without ASEC team, and each are the dominant team in their state. Placed on a map, this would still be a Southeastern Conference.
Larry
September 20th, 2011
1:04 pm
Floriduh to the ACC?????? When pigs fly…..
Reality
September 20th, 2011
1:13 pm
R u kidding? Really? You pitiful SEC folks still drooling over ACC teams?
FSU is not going to leave. No ACC is going to leave. The ACC is clearly ahead of the pack of all conferences in securing itself as a super-conference.
But, you idiots (especially BILL KING) want to waste cyber space with this nonsense?
Priceless.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
1:13 pm
I am so glad all the SEC can think about is Football. The ACC schools will not come to the Academically Bankrupt SEC. GET a CLUE the ACC will not lose schools to the SEC just for some football money
ramblingbuzz
September 20th, 2011
1:13 pm
Got news for you homers, the SEC ain’t getting any of the current ACC schools. The SEC leadership was asleep at the wheel and now they are trying to catch up. Yeah you had the last 3 national champions but if think that’s always going to be the case you are sadly mistaken.
Reality
September 20th, 2011
1:14 pm
The SEC needs to scramble to secure Rutgers, TCU, ECU, and others.
Gordon
September 20th, 2011
1:14 pm
I doubt any ACC school would pay the $20 million exit fee, but the SEC has so much money I think they would pay it for the school they wanted to poach a school they really wanted. The SEC’s options have dwindled dramatically in the last few days with the Texas and Oklahoma schools apparently going west and the ACC taking preemptive action. There just aren’t that many choices left. I think West Virginia, Louisville, and Missouri are the best ones out there now.
Reality
September 20th, 2011
1:15 pm
SEC = Slowly Executing Change
In other words – getting left behind.
Reality
September 20th, 2011
1:18 pm
@Still@theBAR
These idiot SEC folks think that only football makes money. They have no clue. The ACC as a whole to include all sports makes much more money than the SEC year in and year out.
The ACC pays out more money PER SCHOOL for the year than any other conference.
Money will not be a reason any school would consider leaving the ACC.
UF to ACC
September 20th, 2011
1:18 pm
@Geoff,
Thanks for the laugh. UGA can spend all they want and they still end up 6-7. Most overpaid coaching staff of all time. It’s kind of like our government, the more they spend, the worse the results. Go ahead and tout your fantastic athletic association’s pile of money, it gets you no where. Not only are you completely irrelevant in football, but you are practically irrelevant in every other sport too. FUNNY
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
1:18 pm
Hey the SEC can go after Notre Dame.
ACE
September 20th, 2011
1:20 pm
It seems to me that if the SEC is trying to get better that they would get rid of Georgia, just saying.
DCBrave33
September 20th, 2011
1:20 pm
Dont be so sure about not adding WVU. It may not look like much, but you may be able to get into the DC/Northern Virginia TV market because of West Virginias proximity. I live here, and WVU is on the Regional Sports Channels all the time. If WVU can work out deals to bring the DC TV market, then WVU would be a GREAT move for the SEC.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
1:20 pm
Go for WV and be done.
UF to ACC
September 20th, 2011
1:20 pm
also, GT left the SEC because of over signing to try out players. The SEC never has cared one iota about the athletic. The create these willy wonka degrees for students that amount to nothing more than 4 years of recess.
NolesFan31014
September 20th, 2011
1:22 pm
I just hope that the “no news is good news” rule rings true with the SEC. Mebee they are keeping things close to their vest and will break loose with a blockbuster announcement in the not too distant future.
reebok
September 20th, 2011
1:25 pm
UConn & Rutgers will come to the ACC to complete the hoops domination and expand the ACC’s reach into more of the New York/New Jersey TV market. The gives the ACC 16 teams, which is where they will stop for now. The SEC (in addition to Texas A&M) will probably add Missouri, West Virginia, and Louisville (Unless Kentucky objects too much). I’m not sure why nobody is looking at South Florida…get the Miami TV market and add a competitive, up & coming football program…looks like a great fit for the SEC to me. That’s my best guess as to how it will shake out for the SEC & ACC…and my best guess is as good as anybody else’s right now…
Game Time
September 20th, 2011
1:25 pm
Interesting, but not surprising, that this Dawg Blawg makes no mention of academic compatibility being a consideration for which schools are believed to be a good fits for SEC expansion. Appears it was an important consideration for the ACC.
You're Delusional
September 20th, 2011
1:27 pm
The SEC is the only one of the four major football conferences to have avoided this expansion mania so far. If TAMU comes in, then we’ll probably need to allow FSU in just to maintain some geographic and numerical balance. The other conferences are chasing the SEC, but they’ll never catch up. We don’t need more than 14 teams. The 64 team playoff scheme can’t work anyway, now that Texas and Oklahoma have blown up the Big-12. There isn’t another conference out there with decent football programs. The only way for the 4 sixteen team super-conference idea to happen now is for the PAC to split into North and South divisions and go to 32 teams.
Still@theBAR
September 20th, 2011
1:27 pm
NolesFan
are you hoping to go to the SEC?
You know the old saying Wish in one hand and crap in the other………………..