Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

[superjames1992]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Yeah, the Clemson/FSU to the Big 12 rumor seems to be gaining some traction, though who knows if it's actually true?

[BurghFan]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Yeah, the Clemson/FSU to the Big 12 rumor seems to be gaining some traction, though who knows if it's actually true?

At this point, I don't think anything would surprise me anymore.

[gordogg24p]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

At this point, I don't think anything would surprise me anymore.

Especially with the new Big 12 commish emphasizing the "electronic footprint" rather than the geographic footprint, it seems that any good football school near any sizable market is basically now a target for the Big 12.

[SafetyGreen]

App State's plans

Dear Appalachian Family,
In an effort to help with some of last week's conference expansion developments, I want to share some thoughts with you from our perspective.
Potential membership in Conference USA is one of the scenarios that Appalachian has been pursuing since the athletics feasibility committee made their recommendation last August. As you recall, the committee recommended that Appalachian seek membership in a conference that sponsors FBS football and the Board of Trustees approved that recommendation this past September. The committee's mandate was that a new conference must create geographic rivalries and make financial sense for us. Also, while other institutions have the ability to use student fees as the major investment in growing athletics on their campus, our committee made a strong statement that student fees would only be a portion of our athletics funding model.
Feedback that we have received throughout this process has been overwhelmingly positive with regards to our University's and athletics department's infrastructure. Our academic programs are top-notch, our financial base is strong, the data put forth by the athletics feasibility committee is solid and our facilities, fan support and success on the playing fields and courts are unparalleled among our peers.
A hurdle we face is one that is completely out of our control - our campus's distance from a major population center and its potential effect on television revenue. In an effort to diffuse this concern, we have shared that while we are not in the heart of a large TV market, Boone falls in the coverage areas of four top-100 markets that serve over 3 million homes combined (see chart). We also have 103,000 living alumni and 76,000 of them live in the major population centers of North Carolina (see chart). We have shared that the widening of US-321 and US-421 and the ability to charter flights in and out of Hickory and Wilkesboro Regional Airports have made our campus easily accessible by ground and air. We have shared that we have made over $60 million in facility improvements since 2006 and that we would have finished fifth in C-USA and second in the Sun Belt in football attendance last year. I hope it is obvious to all, but the reality is that potential TV revenue dictates much of the movement that we are seeing in college athletics. Conferences that have recently lost programs based in major media markets have looked to replace them with programs located in major media markets.
Conference realignment is not a sprint and remains very fluid. Additional realignment is inevitable and I can assure you that as the carousel continues to spin, we will continue our efforts to explore and pursue options. It is our hope that with this wave of expansion and the reality of actual competition still several years away, conferences will start to look at the core value of geographic rivalries (specifically competitive success, the accessibility and affordability for teams and fans to travel, ticket sales, actual television and internet viewers, regional marketing partnerships and other fan-based revenue streams) as an important component to complete their membership.
While some are disappointed in last week's developments, the primary reason that we are even in this conversation is because our fans have responded in tangible ways by purchasing tickets, attending games and supporting the Yosef Club. Because of you, "The Rock" is one of America's best gameday environments. Because of you, the Charlotte Observer recognized us in 2005 as having the "Carolinas' Best Division I Football Program" and this was before our three-consecutive national championships. Because of you, our football program is second only to Boise State in wins over the past seven years.
While we diligently explore options, we ask you to continue to support your Mountaineers as passionately as you always have. If you can, please make time to support our conference-leading and nationally ranked baseball team over the final month of the regular season or come to Boone later this week when Appalachian softball competes for an NCAA Tournament berth by hosting the Southern Conference Softball Championship. Also, be sure to purchase your season tickets for the fast-approaching football season - kickoff is less than four months away!

Today I give my ALL for Appalachian State,
Charlie Cobb

[Cusefan]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Yeah, the Clemson/FSU to the Big 12 rumor seems to be gaining some traction, though who knows if it's actually true?

Well if that happens, what Big East teams go to the ACC? Lousivlle is the next team out as they are a very well rounded school, I am still kinda puzzled as to why there has not been any talk about the cards recently. Then it is a toss up between Rutgers or UCONN(assuming ND stays where they are.)

[GeneralMike]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Well if that happens, what Big East teams go to the ACC? Lousivlle is the next team out as they are a very well rounded school, I am still kinda puzzled as to why there has not been any talk about the cards recently. Then it is a toss up between Rutgers or UCONN(assuming ND stays where they are.)

Not sure Louisville gets taken by the ACC, based on other non athletic reasons.

[T-Moar]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Well if that happens, what Big East teams go to the ACC? Lousivlle is the next team out as they are a very well rounded school, I am still kinda puzzled as to why there has not been any talk about the cards recently. Then it is a toss up between Rutgers or UCONN(assuming ND stays where they are.)

I think UCONN ends up going one way or another. They've been openly making goo-goo eyes at the ACC for a while now.

[DonkeyJote]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

It'd be UConn, and probably Rutgers. I imagine they'd rather have Rutgers than Louisville. They'd probably make another push for Notre Dame too.

[Cusefan]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

It'd be UConn, and probably Rutgers. I imagine they'd rather have Rutgers than Louisville. They'd probably make another push for Notre Dame too.

I was going to say that USF could be a good candidate to replace FSU then I remembered there academics are no where near any ACC school. I still think Louisville gets in, I think they have enough going on(overall) to make up for their academics. I really can't see adding both RU and UCONN, I just don't think the ACC would be willing to add 2 more northeast school that are already in their TV market.

ND is obviously the grand prize but I don't see that happening. The real tricky part is what happens when the BE gets raided again, the basketball schools will probably break off and do their own thing.

[DonkeyJote]

About Notre Dame, that depends. If the new playoff takes the scenario I've heard (first four conference champions inside top 6 go, then at large bids) Notre Dame might be more inclined to join a conference if there is no Notre Dame rule put in.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

[BurghFan]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Appalachian St. apparently now in talks to join C-USA

http://www.fbschedules.com/2012/05/appalachian-state-talks-join-conference-usa/

[BurghFan]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Pitt is now suing to be able to leave the Big East and join the ACC in 2013 instead of 2014.

http://www.wtae.com/sports/Pitt-sues-to-get-out-of-Big-East-faster/-/9681176/13111564/-/rx2sx7/-/index.html

PITTSBURGH -
The University of Pittsburgh is going to court in hopes of expediting its exit from the Big East.

The school filed a complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County on Friday claiming the Big East has waived its right to enforce a 27-month withdrawal notice and the Panthers should be allowed to move to the ACC without further penalty by the 2013-14 conference year

[Cusefan]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

What's really funny about this whole big east mess is that they turned down a $155million offer before the exodus and now they settled with that same figure. Problem is, there are more teams in the big east now than there was before SU, PITT, and WVU left.

[bwburke94]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Looking at UMass's future nonconference schedules, they might be jumping to a more relevant conference than the MAC. No one else in the MAC plays four BCS-conference teams regularly.

[SlimKibbles]

Re: Conference Re-Alignment Thread Part Who Knows

Looking at UMass's future nonconference schedules, they might be jumping to a more relevant conference than the MAC. No one else in the MAC plays four BCS-conference teams regularly.

I would imagine that's all been part of the plan ever since they decided to jump from FCS to FBS. I've had the impression that they wanted to be the next UConn, essentially. That's why the A-10 is making contingency plans regarding UMass taking all of their non-football sports to some other conference. It's not a matter of "if" but "when."