<p>If the B10 can get ND (granted, the odds aren’t great, but nonetheless, the odds are improving), then they wouldn’t need to add BC - and their focus would likely be to package an offer that would get UT - meaning focusing on picking off the right combination of B12 schools w/ maybe RU in the mix so as to get the coverage from the NYC media (which is more valuable than any amount of cable carriage rates that would arise from NJ).</p>
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<p>Large markets are important because of cable sales not because of “NYC media” nonsense. It’s not 1961. Bristol CT is a bigger factor in sports media than all of NYC combined. And sport fans are increasingly getting their news via the Internet or their smart phones and couldn’t care less where the news originates from. And TV/radio coverage is the promotion of sport stars ad nauseum no matter where they are. Is Labron James missing a day of coverage because he is in Cleveland? Did it stop him from being the biggest basketball star in China? Is he going to get an hour of additional national coverage if he were in New York? </p>
<p>Rutgers is not going to get significant coverage (from anyone) unless they win and if they have stars on the team that the media can hype. Beyond that, it’s solely about getting teams in your conference that people will pay to watch on television.</p>
<p>“What do you have to do to become an award winning AD at Wake Forest? Beat Elon? Keep your sports program one rung above North Carolina State in the cellar of the ACC? Perhaps keeping your mouth shut about rumors as to what other conferences are doing might be a good start.” ctyankee</p>
<p>That is really obnoxious, but coming from a “New Yorker” what more could we expect. </p>
<p>The ACC is one of the most preeminent conferences in the nation. Not just for athletic prowess, but academic prowess as well. It is one of the most demanding on its members. Ron Wellman ranks among the best of the best when it comes to AD’s in the country and is on several national NCAA committees. He has done an unbelievable job helping Wake get its Athletic teams to the top of the conference without sacrificing integrity or academics. He has hired some wonderful coaches. </p>
<p>Elon University, for your information, is a wonderful school rising rapidly in the respect of many in the NCAA and is now a full fledged Division 1 school. Arrogant and condescending “yankee” remarks about southern schools notwithstanding, both Wake and Elon attract HUGE numbers of students of CHARACTER from the Northeast, notably Connecticut and New York and New Jersey. They arent lining up to transfer out, they are lining up to GET IN. Elon now has admission standards that are very selective, with only 39% admitted. If your SAT is below 1200 you are not likely getting in at all. Elon graduates are writers for the Saturday Night Live television show. Elon graduates have written for the New York Times. Elon graduates work for CNN as senior editors. </p>
<p>The discussion about the Big10 is somewhat old news. Everyone knows they desire ND to join them and its likely ND will feel the same way. I doubt BC will bolt the ACC. Its been good to them and they have been good for the ACC. The Big East is the likely BIG LOSER here.</p>
<p>While you may think you are cute and funny with your quips about Wake, Wellman and Elon, it really makes you look like the “ugly American” and underscores attitudes in the South about rude Yankees. North Carolina now has more non natives living there than native North Carolinians. And many of those are from northeastern states. Many of them are students from UNC, Wake, Duke, NCState, Elon or other southern colleges…people who came to study and stayed…for jobs and quality of life. New York Law Firms now populate Charlotte and Atlanta and partners and associates are hoping for a job in those offices for the quality of life, the lower cost of living and the outstanding academic offerings for their children.</p>
<p>So take your comments elsewhere please. They are not making you look very smart at all.</p>
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<p>Large markets are not as impt. as being a FB power/draw, since advertising makes up more of the BTN’s revenue stream.</p>
<p>And while ESPN has made itself into the preeminent sports network, ESPN recently overpaid a bit for the ACC b/c they see conference networks like the BTN has a threat.</p>
<p>And let’s not discount the NYC media outlets, pretty much all of which have an online/twitter presence as well (also would help w/ regard to the AP poll).</p>
<p>UT is already covered susbstantialluy by ESPN; but UT prides itself in being one of the preeminent public universities in the country and increased exposure to the NYC media outlets (via joining a conf. which includes RU) is nothing to sniff at.</p>
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<p>I agree that RU isn’t going to get anymore coverage in the NYC media outlets than it already does if they don’t win, but the B10 conference will get increased media coverage, esp. the schools vying for the conf. championship (the NYTimes already stated that if RU left the BE, that its BE coverage would go down a good bit).</p>
<p>Anyway, the latest report (take it for what its worth) is that UT is hinting that it’s still interested in the B10, but that a “package deal” w/ TAMU and TT will likely be required (it appears that the Pac10 is ready to dump their previous academic requirements for the $$ thatb would come via expansion; not sure if the B10 is willing to do that).</p>
<p>Also, there are reports that UNL moving to the B10 is getting closer to reality (prospective coaching hires being asked what their recruiting contacts are in Chicago, Milwaukee, etc.).</p>
<p>E-mails from Ohio State President Gordon Gee, obtained by the Columbus Dispatch under a FOIA request, suggest the Big Ten is going after UT in a big way, but UT says “they have a Tech problem.” Presumably this means UT would want to be part of a package deal with Texas A&M and Texas Tech, but Tech may not be acceptable to the Big Ten because it’s not an AAU member.</p>
<p>[Big</a> Ten expansion: E-mails hint eyes are upon Texas | BuckeyeXtra](<a href=“http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/06/04/e-mails-hint-eyes-are-upon-texas.html?sid=101]Big”>http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/06/04/e-mails-hint-eyes-are-upon-texas.html?sid=101)</p>
<p>ghostbuster,</p>
<p>Wake Forest has a mediocre sports program and an athletic director who should have the common sense not to comment on other athletic conferences. If that opinion offends you you’ll just have to find a way to live with it. </p>
<p>The difference between us is I don’t stoop to regional stereotypes nor believe in them.</p>
<p>ctyankee, its quite apparent that you did stoop to regional stereotypes and have camouflaged it in a different package and representation. Being a southerner we can smell that from miles away.</p>
<p>Wake is far from a mediocre sports program. That statement is beyond absurd. They will never be Notre Dame or Michigan, but they don’t aspire to be, as they are a school of around 4,000 students, one of the smallest in Division 1A. </p>
<p>Their record of impressive wins in football, basketball, soccer, field hockey, golf notwithstanding, they stand tall for graduation rates and recruiting smart kids with character.</p>
<p>Mr. Wellman is well within his rights to comment professionally, as he did, on any other conference he so chooses, particularly being an official of the NCAA as he is. His opinion is highly sought after by many other AD’s and Conference Executives. </p>
<p>You are entitled to your opinion, but not your own set of facts, sorry. I just get irritated when people who dont even know the man or the school and likely not even the conference start carping like they do and bloviating about superiority, and making unprofessional remarks about other schools, particularly in regions outside of New York.</p>
<p>The ACC is highly prized for its athleticism, academics and overall character/integrity standards. </p>
<p>My way of living with condescension, by the way, is to call it out for what it is: odious.</p>
<p>What is going to happen to the 6 schools left behind from the Big 12? Granted Missouri and Nebraska could end up in the Big 10 and Texas can go anywhere they want to but what about K State, Kansas and Iowa State? Kansas is an important basketball school. If the Big East loses one school I wonder if the football schools invite these 3 and break away from the bball schools. They would still need to find 2 more schools- UCF, Memphis and/or East Carolina to get to 12. Could you survive with K State, Kansas, Iowa St, Louisville, Memphis and Cincinnati on one side and Syracuse, Pitt, UConn, WVU, USF and UCF on the other side? Real good in bball but not impressive for football.</p>
<p>Lets be real, the BE is not impressive in football. The only good/decent teams in the BE in football are Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and WVU. However, with Brian Kelly’s departure from 'Nati we don’t know how well the program will be this upcoming season.</p>
<p>The BE should just take the leftovers from the B12 and consider itself as a basketball conference. There are schools in the BE that don’t have football programs like SHU and PC so it would be understandable.</p>
<p>I would love to trade BC for South Carolina in the ACC. The SEC could pick up Louisville and BC could go back to the Big East.</p>
<p>I think that we’re going to end up with 4 superpower conferences when all of this realignment is finished. It will probably be the present day Pac 10, SEC, Big 10, and ACC. I think that the major programs of the Big XII and Big East are going to be raided by the Pac 10, Big 10, or SEC and the remaining schools will be forced to move to the 4 superpowers. This would make it easier to make a playoff possible. We could just have the 4 superpower champions (as decided by their conf championship games) play in a national semi final round and the winners would move on to the NC game. The problem with this is that it could add 2-3 weeks to the end of the regular season and the NCAA might not like this because the players would be “missing valuable class time.”</p>
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<p>Why do you say you’re sorry when you’re clearly not? As a Southerner (it’s capitalized, I thought that if you are one you should know how to spell it) - your words not mine - perhaps you can smell your own layer of nonsense. </p>
<p>If I’ve presented anything about Wake Forest as fact versus opinion prior to this, please share it with everyone. Put up or shut up. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, athletically, the ACC is best known for men’s basketball. Wake Forest is the only Tobacco Road school without a men’s NCAA national championship. Heck, they’ve only made the Final Four one time (1962) in the school’s history. That’s a whole lot of not getting it done or even getting back to the big show (Final Four). How do you like those facts?</p>
<p>So, if I want to hear anything out of Wake Forest (and I don’t) it would be from the women’s field hockey coach. Deal.</p>
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<p>I think there would still be too many ‘have-nots’ if it went to four super conferences. I’m guessing that Congress would step in at that point. I would love to see a playoff system though.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, Texas has all of the power (hook em’ horns!). If Texas goes to the Pac-10, so does Oklahoma, Texas A & M, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State. I think Colorado is a much better fit in the Pac-10 anyway, especially considering how irrelevant it has been in the Big XII.</p>
<p>If, on the other hand, Texas goes to the SEC (which seems highly unlikely), then Oklahoma, Texas A & M, and Oklahoma State follow suit. Texas Tech would be left out in the rain, but they might be floundering anyway. I would love to see the SEC trade Mississippi State for Georgia Tech, FSU, WVU, or Miami, but I doubt that’s possible.</p>
<p>I see the Big 10 forcing ND’s hand by inviting UConn, Rutgers, and Syracuse along with Missouri. A significantly weakened Big East would resemble the Conference USA, which would basically make it a mid-major.</p>
<p>The most interesting scenario, aside from half the Big XII going to the Pac-10, would be Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, and either Miami or Virginia Tech going to the SEC. The traditional rivalries are already built in for most of them and they would each bring something valuable to the table. I would love for those games to help decide the SEC championship- it would make the rivalries even more intense.</p>
<p>The Big 10 has no interest in UConn or Missou. I see the Big 10 making serious invitations (secretly of course) to Notre Dame, Texas and Texas A&M. Delaney has hinted that the Big 10 will expand to the South, not to the East. In order to get Texas, I can imagine that the Big 10 will also invite Oklahoma and Texas A&M. </p>
<p>One should remember that a primary factor of an academic/research powerhouse such as Texas will be cultual and academic fit. For this reason, SEC is out. Texas will either go to the Pac 10 or to the Big 10.</p>
<p>Alex,
Can you or someone help me understand why the academic/research aspect you mention is a factor? When I recently read an article on all of this, the Big 10 commissioner mentioned a desire to expand to the South and to expand the TV coverage, but I didn’t read anything about research or academics. How big of a deal is this in the way that these schools operate and interact with each other? </p>
<p>IMO your comment about cultural fit for U Texas and the SEC is way off the mark. Maybe you meant the institution fits better in another conference, but I would strongly contend that the students and alumni of UT/A&M and others fit far better with the SEC than with either the Big 10 or Pacific 10. </p>
<p>I’m also surprised (and disappointed) that there hasn’t been much consideration given to the student-athlete. UT/A&M and others to the Big 10 or the Pacific 10 means a lot more distance to cover and likely even more class time missed. Is that aspect even a consideration in these expansion speculations??</p>
<p>Personally, I hope that there isn’t any change in the current set-up. I like the geographic rivalries and these big conferences would probably diminish this. These rivalries are a big part of the fun of college football and ending or limiting them would be a mistake.</p>
<p>Delaney did not say that at all. He said the South has to be considered too. The East will have another team in the B10 when this is over.</p>
<p>Hawkette, UT and Austin are extremely liberal, very much like Indiana and Bloomington, Michigan and Ann Arbor, Minnesota and the Twin Cities or Wisconsin and Madison. Most of SEC country is conservative. There is more in common between UT and Big 10 universities than between them and schools such as South Carolina, Mississippi, Mississippi State or Arkansas. Furthermore, UT is a major research university, just like Michigan, Wisconsin, UIUC, Northwestern, Chicago, Iowa, Minnesota, MSU, PSU, OSU, Purdue etc…In the SEC, I would only consider Florida and Vanderbilt to have such commitment to research. </p>
<p>I found the article below interesting. The PAC 10’s move to invite half of the Big 12 is certainly compeling. The Big 10 will probably not invite more than four Big 12 teams because it will also want to invite Notre Dame.</p>
<p>Barrons, I can assure you that the Big 10’s first priority are Notre Dame and Texas. Eastern schools will only be invited in Texas does not insist on Texas Tech. If that’s the case, then the Big 10 will invite Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Rutgers. However, if Texas is willing to join on the condition that Texas Tech is also invited, then the Big 10 will have no choice but to drop adding an East Coast school. </p>
<p>Of course, should Texas choose not to join the Big 10, then the Big 10 will have no choice but to expend to the East with invitations to Pitt, Rutgers and Syracuse.</p>
<p>[Big</a> Ten expansion: E-mails hint eyes are upon Texas | BuckeyeXtra](<a href=“http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/06/04/e-mails-hint-eyes-are-upon-texas.html?sid=101]Big”>http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2010/06/04/e-mails-hint-eyes-are-upon-texas.html?sid=101)</p>
<p>Barrons,
The article that I saw was from a USA Today that I picked up in an airport. </p>
<p>[Demographics</a> may prompt Big Ten to go with expansion route - USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2010-05-18-big-ten-expansion-demographics_N.htm?csp=obinsite]Demographics”>http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2010-05-18-big-ten-expansion-demographics_N.htm?csp=obinsite)</p>
<p>alex,
Well, the U Texas faculty and the city of Austin may be liberal, but don’t forget that this is Texas we’re talking about. U Texas’s students/alumni may not be as red as what you find in College Station, but it’s still full of Texans whose cultural identity is far closer to most of what is in the SEC than it is to the Big 10 or the Pacific 10.</p>
<p>Any comment on the student-athlete impact?</p>
<p>ND is very unlikely to jump and that slot will go to an Eastern school. Ignoring the east and 30 million plus people would be dumb and Delaney is not that dumb. And while the population growth is slow the income levels are far above the South–especially the numbers for high income households.</p>