The Demise of the ACC

We've all seen the recent reports of Florida State. Clemson and VT flirting with the possibility of bolting from the ACC. I ignored these rumors at first, but when it's reported in Forbes magazine, well, the rumors start to gain credence. What are your thoughts? I hate the thought of the ACC losing teams, especially at a time when it's "eat or be eaten" by the larger conferences.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

The moment I heard the Big 12 and SEC made a deal on a bowl game, I knew the ACC was done. There's nothing the ACC can do to convince any of it's football schools to stay when deals like that are allowed in conferences that aren't the ACC.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

We've all seen the recent reports of Florida State. Clemson and VT flirting with the possibility of bolting from the ACC. I ignored these rumors at first, but when it's reported in Forbes magazine, well, the rumors start to gain credence. What are your thoughts? I hate the thought of the ACC losing teams, especially at a time when it's "eat or be eaten" by the larger conferences.
- Posted by jgunn

It looks greener now, but they will suffer in the long run for jumping in what they thought was a pasture but is actually a scum covered pond. The Ying and Yang of life. IMHO they can only cut up a pie into so many peices. The more mouths to feed does not necessarily equate to proportionally more money. On top of that, FSU and Clemson have made their own bed with the coaching issues over the years and Beamer will not let O'Cain and the OC go so poor Bud Foster will have to continue to have one of the best defenses in the country saddled with a lackluster offensive scheme except for the brilliant athlete known as Logan Thomas. I think Swofford has ND looking at the ACC and the tables will be turned. We will see.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

Wouldn't it be something if Duke and UNC bolted to the SEC?! It would completely shock the rest of the ACC. I'm sure it won't happen, but neither school is much of a threat in football. It's a new market area for the SEC, they don't have an in-state rival who wants to prevent them from joining like Florida does FSU or South Carolina does Clemson. It would also be a significant improvement in SEC basketball. I could see Kentucky lobbying against such a move, however.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

All it will take is for the first "second-tier" school to file a successful anti-trust lawsuit and the pillars of gold that the favorite sons of the SECrook, Brig Ten, and Pat Hand Pac12 have stacked for themselves will all come crumbling down. These are supposed to be universities playing an amateur sport. If the NCAA does not have the stones to decertify them, then it too will lose the little control it has and fade away.

I don't see the ACC fading away anytime soon. It may lose schools and gain a few elsewhere - but as a conference it will continue to exist for quite some time.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

All it will take is for the first "second-tier" school to file a successful anti-trust lawsuit and the pillars of gold that the favorite sons of the SECrook, Brig Ten, and Pat Hand Pac12 have stacked for themselves will all come crumbling down. These are supposed to be universities playing an amateur sport. If the NCAA does not have the stones to decertify them, then it too will lose the little control it has and fade away.

I don't see the ACC fading away anytime soon. It may lose schools and gain a few elsewhere - but as a conference it will continue to exist for quite some time.
- Posted by scousler

You bring up an interesting point. I think it was David Glenn that brought up the issue that if/when the NCAA starts looking like a for-profit business (which it already does IMHO), Congress may get involved.

This conference expansion/realignment situation is a slippery slope. I didn't take it all that seriously until I read the quote in the N&O that Chris Smith wrote in Forbes magazine that the ACC's days are numbered. FSU and Clemson listening to what other conferences have to offer is unsettling. I like the ACC - warts and all - and hope it doesn't fall apart or accept schools that don't measure up just to stay afloat.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

All it will take is for the first "second-tier" school to file a successful anti-trust lawsuit and the pillars of gold that the favorite sons of the SECrook, Brig Ten, and Pat Hand Pac12 have stacked for themselves will all come crumbling down. These are supposed to be universities playing an amateur sport. If the NCAA does not have the stones to decertify them, then it too will lose the little control it has and fade away.

I don't see the ACC fading away anytime soon. It may lose schools and gain a few elsewhere - but as a conference it will continue to exist for quite some time.
- Posted by scousler

You bring up an interesting point. I think it was David Glenn that brought up the issue that if/when the NCAA starts looking like a for-profit business (which it already does IMHO), Congress may get involved.

This conference expansion/realignment situation is a slippery slope. I didn't take it all that seriously until I read the quote in the N&O that Chris Smith wrote in Forbes magazine that the ACC's days are numbered. FSU and Clemson listening to what other conferences have to offer is unsettling. I like the ACC - warts and all - and hope it doesn't fall apart or accept schools that don't measure up just to stay afloat.
- Posted by jgunn

If/when the NCAA starts looking like a for-profit business? I'd say that ship sailed years ago.

If FSU and Clemson bolted, I wouldn't rule out the Big Ten trying to add ND, Va Tech, UNC and Duke.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

All it will take is for the first "second-tier" school to file a successful anti-trust lawsuit and the pillars of gold that the favorite sons of the SECrook, Brig Ten, and Pat Hand Pac12 have stacked for themselves will all come crumbling down. These are supposed to be universities playing an amateur sport. If the NCAA does not have the stones to decertify them, then it too will lose the little control it has and fade away.

I don't see the ACC fading away anytime soon. It may lose schools and gain a few elsewhere - but as a conference it will continue to exist for quite some time.
- Posted by scousler

You bring up an interesting point. I think it was David Glenn that brought up the issue that if/when the NCAA starts looking like a for-profit business (which it already does IMHO), Congress may get involved.

This conference expansion/realignment situation is a slippery slope. I didn't take it all that seriously until I read the quote in the N&O that Chris Smith wrote in Forbes magazine that the ACC's days are numbered. FSU and Clemson listening to what other conferences have to offer is unsettling. I like the ACC - warts and all - and hope it doesn't fall apart or accept schools that don't measure up just to stay afloat.
- Posted by jgunn

If/when the NCAA starts looking like a for-profit business? I'd say that ship sailed years ago.

If FSU and Clemson bolted, I wouldn't rule out the Big Ten trying to add ND, Va Tech, UNC and Duke.
- Posted by Ken D.

I agree that the "non-profit" NCAA ship has long been out of port, but they're still getting away with the pretense of being non-profit.

I just HATE the thought of the ACC dissolving. The "Big Four" of the ACC have so much history, I'd hate to lose that, REALLY hate to lose that.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

All it will take is for the first "second-tier" school to file a successful anti-trust lawsuit and the pillars of gold that the favorite sons of the SECrook, Brig Ten, and Pat Hand Pac12 have stacked for themselves will all come crumbling down. These are supposed to be universities playing an amateur sport. If the NCAA does not have the stones to decertify them, then it too will lose the little control it has and fade away.

I don't see the ACC fading away anytime soon. It may lose schools and gain a few elsewhere - but as a conference it will continue to exist for quite some time.
- Posted by scousler

Excellent call, +1000. I've said the same. Anti-Trust and Monopolistic. The legal ranglings could cause huge headaches. That is the big elephant in the room no one is talking about.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

All it will take is for the first "second-tier" school to file a successful anti-trust lawsuit and the pillars of gold that the favorite sons of the SECrook, Brig Ten, and Pat Hand Pac12 have stacked for themselves will all come crumbling down. These are supposed to be universities playing an amateur sport. If the NCAA does not have the stones to decertify them, then it too will lose the little control it has and fade away.

I don't see the ACC fading away anytime soon. It may lose schools and gain a few elsewhere - but as a conference it will continue to exist for quite some time.
- Posted by scousler
Excellent call, +1000. I've said the same. Anti-Trust and Monopolistic. The legal ranglings could cause huge headaches. That is the big elephant in the room no one is talking about.
- Posted by The Godfather

I've often suspected that the main thing keeping politicians from challenging college sports is that the same people giving big money to the booster clubs are the ones filling the campaign coffers. You are spot on. That elephant is huge.

RE: The Demise of the ACC

We've all seen the recent reports of Florida State. Clemson and VT flirting with the possibility of bolting from the ACC. I ignored these rumors at first, but when it's reported in Forbes magazine, well, the rumors start to gain credence. What are your thoughts? I hate the thought of the ACC losing teams, especially at a time when it's "eat or be eaten" by the larger conferences.
- Posted by jgunn
It looks greener now, but they will suffer in the long run for jumping in what they thought was a pasture but is actually a scum covered pond. The Ying and Yang of life. IMHO they can only cut up a pie into so many peices. The more mouths to feed does not necessarily equate to proportionally more money. On top of that, FSU and Clemson have made their own bed with the coaching issues over the years and Beamer will not let O'Cain and the OC go so poor Bud Foster will have to continue to have one of the best defenses in the country saddled with a lackluster offensive scheme except for the brilliant athlete known as Logan Thomas. I think Swofford has ND looking at the ACC and the tables will be turned. We will see.
- Posted by The Godfather

Solid thinking and writing. Beamer and Company was right on. Most VT fans are frustrated in that VT has a dismal offense even with great players. O'Cain and Stinespring pretty much miss the mark. Winning a Bowl game is pretty dismal when a team wins 10 games for 8 seasons. Frank blew the game against Michigan last year. I think a few may leave, but the ACC will still be in tact.

WRAL Sports Fan