UC / U of L / UConn to ACC?

[Bearcat1996]

If all of this is inevitable, and it really appears something big will happen very soon, then the ACC is the best fit overall. Our history with FSU in the old Metro might help us. Both basketball and football can complete right away. Let's get it done!

[Rational Cat]

If all of this is inevitable, and it really appears something big will happen very soon, then the ACC is the best fit overall. Our history with FSU in the old Metro might help us. Both basketball and football can complete right away. Let's get it done!

Looks as if there will be room. Apparently all of the original ACC teams except VT want out, and are fleeing to what they perceive as higher ground. Admittedly, this is from a WVU site. http://www.eersauthority.com/expansi...-on-the-brink/

If this happens, the ACC becomes the old Big East (essentially) and the new Big East is the old CUSA.

[jbreeds1]

Not a mention of UC in this report. Guy claims the ACC is not looking to expand to 16 teams "any time soon."

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoot...ely-per-source

[longtimefan]

To this point, all of these rumors are being spread either via twitter or by bloggers or others of varying degrees of reliability. When the Rutgers and Maryland stuff was about to go down, media outlets like CBS and ESPN were all over it, none of those types of sources are reporting anything about UC going anywhere, especially not tomorrow. This does not mean that everybody is wrong about this, it just means that we will have to wait to see what happens. I hope I am wrong, but I see no real means for genuine optimism right now. However, I do think UC will eventually end up in a good place.

[Binturong05]

Very interesting read. Are we being considered for the ACC and Big 12?

http://atlanticcoastconfidential.com...ghts-16-teams/

The key takeaway from this link is that UC is firmly in the mix and near the top of the list of desireable teams to add from the Big East if the expansion to 16-team super conferences unfolds.

[OCASCM07]

We've now heard on another Bearcats site that one of our top 2 head coaches asked a player today how they would like to play in the ACC. Just putting that out there, now go back to letting your heads explode while trying to figure out what is going to happen like I am.

[bearcattom]

ACC expansion talk: Is there room for 16 teams?

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoot...ely-per-source

"ACC presidents could vote on a Maryland replacement as early as this week, but two league sources believe an expansion to 16 is unlikely at this time.

UConn and Louisville are the favorites for the league's future 14th team. Maryland's defection to the Big Ten leaves the ACC with 13 entering the 2013 season. The league feels well-prepared for realignment talk after dealing with the additions of Pitt and Syracuse just 14 months ago, according to a source."

[coach]

We've now heard on another Bearcats site that one of our top 2 head coaches asked a player today how they would like to play in the ACC. Just putting that out there, now go back to letting your heads explode while trying to figure out what is going to happen like I am.

i'd put zero credibility into that. i suspect it was an outgrowth of cronin's post game comments on the radio show last night in that he said we're in the big east at least until monday when discussing "league games". it was just a figure of speech and now a lot of folks are taking it and running with it.

[CaptainProbasco]

Someone earlier had said that it was FSU that was strongly pushing the expansion to 16 and therefore us and Louisville.

Remember this: FSU may be the most valuable team in the ACC, but only UNC and VT have exit options to any conference in the country. Either one could petition to join just about any conference in the country and would be accepted tomorrow. The only other school that had that much power was Maryland, and they're out the door. While FSU has a definite exit option in the Big 12, NC and VT have more attractive exit options and thus have more power. While Pitt, Clemson, Virginia, and NCSU may also have exit options, they're always mentioned in combination with other schools and not alone. Thus the decision will rest with NC, VT, and FSU.

So FSU, VT, and UNC will be in a room right now deciding what to do. The rest of the ACC will vote with whatever those three schools decide, if they know what's good for them.

Right now, I hope that VT and FSU have fond memories of the Metro days with us. Or at least that they value quality athletic programs more than geographic continuity on the East Coast. But I have my doubts.

[bobestes]

Very good analysis.

I would add to this that you can not underestimate the role of ESPN in all of this.

The ACC is currently an ESPN-controlled property, essentially. FOX is part owner of the Big Ten network with the Big Ten. ESPN does not want to see more schools go to the Big Ten at the expense of the ACC. In fact, they'll probably re-do the contract very similar to what they did with Texas, giving them the Longhorn Network (which is nothing more than a blank check to keep the conference together)

In fact, you could go so far as to suggest that ESPN knows it's losing the Big East to FOX/CBS/ETC, and wouldn't mind it if whatever money-making schools from that conference end up in an ESPN-controlled conference. They'll just take whatever they offered the Big East, add it to the ACCs deal and call it a day.

Remember this: FSU may be the most valuable team in the ACC, but only UNC and VT have exit options to any conference in the country. Either one could petition to join just about any conference in the country and would be accepted tomorrow. The only other school that had that much power was Maryland, and they're out the door. While FSU has a definite exit option in the Big 12, NC and VT have more attractive exit options and thus have more power. While Pitt, Clemson, Virginia, and NCSU may also have exit options, they're always mentioned in combination with other schools and not alone. Thus the decision will rest with NC, VT, and FSU.

So FSU, VT, and UNC will be in a room right now deciding what to do. The rest of the ACC will vote with whatever those three schools decide, if they know what's good for them.

Right now, I hope that VT and FSU have fond memories of the Metro days with us. Or at least that they value quality athletic programs more than geographic continuity on the East Coast. But I have my doubts.

[bobestes]

The glass half-full analysis could make the argument that UC ends up in a TCU-type role, that is, a warm body that is added as a pretext to tear up a contract in order for ESPN to keep a conference together (think Big 12), which is the equivalent of hitting the lottery (we'd probably triple athletic revenue).

[RedRocker]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoot...ely-per-source

"ACC presidents could vote on a Maryland replacement as early as this week, but two league sources believe an expansion to 16 is unlikely at this time.

UConn and Louisville are the favorites for the league's future 14th team. Maryland's defection to the Big Ten leaves the ACC with 13 entering the 2013 season. The league feels well-prepared for realignment talk after dealing with the additions of Pitt and Syracuse just 14 months ago, according to a source."

Unless they negotiate an earlier departure and buyout, Maryland will be there at least another year from what I've read. The Big East isn't just going to let Rutgers leave in time for next year either unless the BE evaporates by the end of June which is entirely possible.

[shadyo]

We could be biting nails for a while.

This won't be settled for a while unless you believe they get 13 college presidents to agree on a solution.

B1G won't be inviting GT as they can't keep the conference contiguous wittout several additions. Most likely would be VT and NCST. UNC will not leave the ACC.

FSU and Clemson would be the best fit for the Big 12. They will not get invitations from the SEC because they don't add TV sets to the cable package. My assumtion is that those two schools are most worried about the on field product for football. The ACC additions haven't worked out from a quality standpoint. Adding UCONN won't help that (very strong programs in MBB, WBB, Soccer and Baseball). ALL of the additional programs will reduce the per school revenue share. FSU and Clemson probably want them to at least add schools that can field a decent football team. From thier perspective, it is hard to get excited about the conference lineup. The basketball schools look at it in the opposite way (UCONN #1, UL #2, UC #3).

This could be a process that proceeds gradually. If they add one school and it is UL I think that is a good sign for UC. They may come back an add UC and UCONN at a later date.

I don't have any inside scoop just a decent understanding of haow advertising money works. Based on the B1G's recent moves, it is obvious what is driving these decsisions.

[jkwuc89]

With the soon to be announced additions of Tulane and ECU to the Big East, I have just one thing to say to the UC administrators: Please, PLEASE, PLEASE(!!!) get the Bearcats out of the Big East!!! Do whatever you have to do but find a new conference home amongst what is now considered the Power 5.

[JDBEARCAT]

With the soon to be announced additions of Tulane and ECU to the Big East, I have just one thing to say to the UC administrators: Please, PLEASE, PLEASE(!!!) get the Bearcats out of the Big East!!! Do whatever you have to do but find a new conference home amongst what is now considered the Power 5.

Amen! We need to be in the ACC or Big 12. That's all I want for Christmas,
an invite to the ACC or Big 12 & of course world peace!