(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

(07-28-2014 02:48 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

I agree. In case it is the Big 12 that breaks apart however, doesnt Louisville help bridge the gap to those more western programs? Before the addition of Louisville & Notre Dame the ACC is only an east coast conference, these two additioms expand their footprint to a larger region & helps with a possible future western division. They help bridge the geographical and cultural gap. I think some have undervalued Louisville addition. Also it took a valuable piece away from the Big 12 possible expansion plans.

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(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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A bridge from where to where?
I guess you could say that they are a bridge from the east of the Appalachians to the west.

(07-28-2014 04:04 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 02:48 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

I agree. In case it is the Big 12 that breaks apart however, doesnt Louisville help bridge the gap to those more western programs? Before the addition of Louisville & Notre Dame the ACC is only an east coast conference, these two additioms expand their footprint to a larger region & helps with a possible future western division. They help bridge the geographical and cultural gap. I think some have undervalued Louisville addition. Also it took a valuable piece away from the Big 12 possible expansion plans.

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re: bridge
I pasted this from another thread.

If I were an ACC strategist and planning additional expansion, my number 1 target would be Vanderbilt.
Why? location, location, location.
IMO the reason the SEC and B1G have been successful is that they are linear, that is the conferences run east to west. Louisville was taken in addition to the obvious reasons to get the conference as far west as possible (roughly south of Notre Dame). Vanderbilt is southwest of Louisville and would create a marketing corridor from Chicago to Nashville and over to Atlanta.
West Virginia would be a great fall-back if Vanderbilt decides not to leave the SEC.
I would imagine that any moves wouldn't be made for at least 7-10 years.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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I guess that would depend upon future expansion and who is selected. Should the ACC add Cincinnati, or should Notre Dame join in full, then yes I think you would be considered a bridge. But, right now, geographically speaking you are a bit of an outlier, but nowhere near as much of one as West Virginia is to the Big 12. I'd say more on the lines of Penn State to the Big 10 before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

(07-28-2014 05:14 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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I guess that would depend upon future expansion and who is selected. Should the ACC add Cincinnati, or should Notre Dame join in full, then yes I think you would be considered a bridge. But, right now, geographically speaking you are a bit of an outlier, but nowhere near as much of one as West Virginia is to the Big 12. I'd say more on the lines of Penn State to the Big 10 before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

Others seemed to add more value to "bridge" schools in the SEC & B1G expansion & was wondering why that isn't considered for Louisville. Obviuosly that isn't the case now, but the potential is there should the ACC expend further west.

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(07-28-2014 05:31 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:14 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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I guess that would depend upon future expansion and who is selected. Should the ACC add Cincinnati, or should Notre Dame join in full, then yes I think you would be considered a bridge. But, right now, geographically speaking you are a bit of an outlier, but nowhere near as much of one as West Virginia is to the Big 12. I'd say more on the lines of Penn State to the Big 10 before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

Others seemed to add more value to "bridge" schools in the SEC & B1G expansion & was wondering why that isn't considered for Louisville. Obviuosly that isn't the case now, but the potential is there should the ACC expend further west.

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Well for now Rutgers and Maryland add markets worth having, but not necessarily athletic pedigree. They could serve as a bridge. The bridge for the ACC was Boston College. The addition of B.C. more than Virginia Tech and Miami helped to entice Syracuse and Pitt. For the SEC that bridge could have been South Carolina if the expansion had come in North Carolina and/ or Virginia but it didn't. South Carolina remains an unused bridge. Arkansas became the valuable bridge when Texas A&M and Missouri were announced.

Louisville is the ACC's bridge to the Midwest. If at some point the ACC really wants to expand to 18 (that is should N.D. ever say yes) a nice division of six could be set up with the additions of Connecticut and West Virginia or Cincinnati and West Virginia. If that ever happens then Louisville's value as a bridge will be realized.

(07-28-2014 04:04 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 02:48 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

I agree. In case it is the Big 12 that breaks apart however, doesnt Louisville help bridge the gap to those more western programs? Before the addition of Louisville & Notre Dame the ACC is only an east coast conference, these two additioms expand their footprint to a larger region & helps with a possible future western division. They help bridge the geographical and cultural gap. I think some have undervalued Louisville addition. Also it took a valuable piece away from the Big 12 possible expansion plans.

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What the 'Ville did was break the seal on the ACC's academic elitism and self imposed geographic constraints. The addition of the Cards will make the ACC more receptive to whomever Texas wants to bring along should the B12 implode.

(07-28-2014 04:14 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 04:04 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 02:48 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

I agree. In case it is the Big 12 that breaks apart however, doesnt Louisville help bridge the gap to those more western programs? Before the addition of Louisville & Notre Dame the ACC is only an east coast conference, these two additioms expand their footprint to a larger region & helps with a possible future western division. They help bridge the geographical and cultural gap. I think some have undervalued Louisville addition. Also it took a valuable piece away from the Big 12 possible expansion plans.

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re: bridge
I pasted this from another thread.

If I were an ACC strategist and planning additional expansion, my number 1 target would be Vanderbilt.
Why? location, location, location.
IMO the reason the SEC and B1G have been successful is that they are linear, that is the conferences run east to west. Louisville was taken in addition to the obvious reasons to get the conference as far west as possible (roughly south of Notre Dame). Vanderbilt is southwest of Louisville and would create a marketing corridor from Chicago to Nashville and over to Atlanta.
West Virginia would be a great fall-back if Vanderbilt decides not to leave the SEC.
I would imagine that any moves wouldn't be made for at least 7-10 years.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, but you've yet to explain what the ACC could offer Vandy that would entice them to move from the SEC? Because no one in Birmingham is forcing the 'Dores to leave.

(07-29-2014 07:56 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 04:14 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 04:04 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 02:48 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

I agree. In case it is the Big 12 that breaks apart however, doesnt Louisville help bridge the gap to those more western programs? Before the addition of Louisville & Notre Dame the ACC is only an east coast conference, these two additioms expand their footprint to a larger region & helps with a possible future western division. They help bridge the geographical and cultural gap. I think some have undervalued Louisville addition. Also it took a valuable piece away from the Big 12 possible expansion plans.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

re: bridge
I pasted this from another thread.

If I were an ACC strategist and planning additional expansion, my number 1 target would be Vanderbilt.
Why? location, location, location.
IMO the reason the SEC and B1G have been successful is that they are linear, that is the conferences run east to west. Louisville was taken in addition to the obvious reasons to get the conference as far west as possible (roughly south of Notre Dame). Vanderbilt is southwest of Louisville and would create a marketing corridor from Chicago to Nashville and over to Atlanta.
West Virginia would be a great fall-back if Vanderbilt decides not to leave the SEC.
I would imagine that any moves wouldn't be made for at least 7-10 years.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, but you've yet to explain what the ACC could offer Vandy that would entice them to move from the SEC? Because no one in Birmingham is forcing the 'Dores to leave.

ditto...

(07-29-2014 12:12 PM)USAFMEDIC Wrote:  

(07-29-2014 07:56 AM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 04:14 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 04:04 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 02:48 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  Conferences don't need geographic continuity the justify their existence. Look at the minor gap that the UMD move created. Yet, as long as VT, UVa ND, UNC and the Louisville continue to schedule games at Fedex Field, the loss of the Terps can be mitigated.

Going forward I do think there will be further conference consolidation. Its hard to tell whether its will be the B12 or the ACC that survives, but I think the following are good indicators of who survives the final culling:

-Renegotiation of the B12 GOR. These talks should start around the year 7/8 of the contract and it is in the interest of everyone not named Texas or Oklahoma to get the extension done before the final year.

-ESPN keeping ACC distributions within 10-15% of the SEC member payouts. If the Mouse is serious about keeping the ACC alive then they won't allow what in 5 years should be a glaring disparity between its two properties.

I agree. In case it is the Big 12 that breaks apart however, doesnt Louisville help bridge the gap to those more western programs? Before the addition of Louisville & Notre Dame the ACC is only an east coast conference, these two additioms expand their footprint to a larger region & helps with a possible future western division. They help bridge the geographical and cultural gap. I think some have undervalued Louisville addition. Also it took a valuable piece away from the Big 12 possible expansion plans.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

re: bridge
I pasted this from another thread.

If I were an ACC strategist and planning additional expansion, my number 1 target would be Vanderbilt.
Why? location, location, location.
IMO the reason the SEC and B1G have been successful is that they are linear, that is the conferences run east to west. Louisville was taken in addition to the obvious reasons to get the conference as far west as possible (roughly south of Notre Dame). Vanderbilt is southwest of Louisville and would create a marketing corridor from Chicago to Nashville and over to Atlanta.
West Virginia would be a great fall-back if Vanderbilt decides not to leave the SEC.
I would imagine that any moves wouldn't be made for at least 7-10 years.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK, but you've yet to explain what the ACC could offer Vandy that would entice them to move from the SEC? Because no one in Birmingham is forcing the 'Dores to leave.

ditto...

To be clear, I'm not the one who brought up Vandy. I meant Louisville as a bridge to the midwest (Big 12 schools).

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I guess I don't look at Louisville as a bridge school for a few reasons. They are not a bridge to the B12 because they are not connected geographically (though they do push the ACC a bit to the west) or have historical ties to anyone, but WVU, who just recently joined the B12. Tennessee is already connected to VA and NC (and the schools there are peers to Vandy which UL is not) so it was not necessary to land Vanderbilt, if they ever do. I doubt the ACC is cracking open any B1G or SEC schools anytime within the next couple decades (never say never though in realignment). The ACC already had ND as a partial member before they added Louisville so it did not do anything there. Even Cincinnati, if added later, is already connected through the previous Pitt add; but they would join any P5 conference 2 seconds after the invite regardless of who the members where.

I think UL is a great school, they just are not going to influence anyone to consider the ACC like A&M, NU, PSU, and a few others will with schools they have decades of history, rivalry, and geographical connection with. UL is too recent to the football power structure to have much influence on other P5 schools yet (former BE schools don't count because they would jump at any offer right now). JMO

(07-31-2014 06:46 AM)jhawkmvp Wrote:  I guess I don't look at Louisville as a bridge school for a few reasons. They are not a bridge to the B12 because they are not connected geographically (though they do push the ACC a bit to the west) or have historical ties to anyone, but WVU, who just recently joined the B12. Tennessee is already connected to VA and NC (and the schools there are peers to Vandy which UL is not) so it was not necessary to land Vanderbilt, if they ever do. I doubt the ACC is cracking open any B1G or SEC schools anytime within the next couple decades (never say never though in realignment). The ACC already had ND as a partial member before they added Louisville so it did not do anything there. Even Cincinnati, if added later, is already connected through the previous Pitt add; but they would join any P5 conference 2 seconds after the invite regardless of who the members where.

I think UL is a great school, they just are not going to influence anyone to consider the ACC like A&M, NU, PSU, and a few others will with schools they have decades of history, rivalry, and geographical connection with. UL is too recent to the football power structure to have much influence on other P5 schools yet (former BE schools don't count because they would jump at any offer right now). JMO

Those are all good points. After reading of how someone was suggesgting that Rutgers & Maryland, for example, could be bridge schools for the B1G in adding North Carolina and Virginia or the like, I was seeking further clarification on this group's perspective. I find it interesting to read about realignment from other conferences perspective.

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(07-31-2014 09:44 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 06:46 AM)jhawkmvp Wrote:  I guess I don't look at Louisville as a bridge school for a few reasons. They are not a bridge to the B12 because they are not connected geographically (though they do push the ACC a bit to the west) or have historical ties to anyone, but WVU, who just recently joined the B12. Tennessee is already connected to VA and NC (and the schools there are peers to Vandy which UL is not) so it was not necessary to land Vanderbilt, if they ever do. I doubt the ACC is cracking open any B1G or SEC schools anytime within the next couple decades (never say never though in realignment). The ACC already had ND as a partial member before they added Louisville so it did not do anything there. Even Cincinnati, if added later, is already connected through the previous Pitt add; but they would join any P5 conference 2 seconds after the invite regardless of who the members where.

I think UL is a great school, they just are not going to influence anyone to consider the ACC like A&M, NU, PSU, and a few others will with schools they have decades of history, rivalry, and geographical connection with. UL is too recent to the football power structure to have much influence on other P5 schools yet (former BE schools don't count because they would jump at any offer right now). JMO

Those are all good points. After reading of how someone was suggesgting that Rutgers & Maryland, for example, could be bridge schools for the B1G in adding North Carolina and Virginia or the like, I was seeking further clarification on this group's perspective. I find it interesting to read about realignment from other conferences perspective.

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The dynamics are a little different for Carolina and and UVa as the ACC can be rightly viewed as their fiefdom. Its the equivalent of asking what would it take to get OSU or UM to leave the B1G. So unlike Rutgers who was quite happy for the B1G life raft or UMD who was searching for a financial bailout, prying the Heels and the Wahoos out of the ACC will take far more instability.

(07-28-2014 08:31 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:31 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:14 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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I guess that would depend upon future expansion and who is selected. Should the ACC add Cincinnati, or should Notre Dame join in full, then yes I think you would be considered a bridge. But, right now, geographically speaking you are a bit of an outlier, but nowhere near as much of one as West Virginia is to the Big 12. I'd say more on the lines of Penn State to the Big 10 before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

Others seemed to add more value to "bridge" schools in the SEC & B1G expansion & was wondering why that isn't considered for Louisville. Obviuosly that isn't the case now, but the potential is there should the ACC expend further west.

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Well for now Rutgers and Maryland add markets worth having, but not necessarily athletic pedigree. They could serve as a bridge. The bridge for the ACC was Boston College. The addition of B.C. more than Virginia Tech and Miami helped to entice Syracuse and Pitt. For the SEC that bridge could have been South Carolina if the expansion had come in North Carolina and/ or Virginia but it didn't. South Carolina remains an unused bridge. Arkansas became the valuable bridge when Texas A&M and Missouri were announced.

Louisville is the ACC's bridge to the Midwest. If at some point the ACC really wants to expand to 18 (that is should N.D. ever say yes) a nice division of six could be set up with the additions of Connecticut and West Virginia or Cincinnati and West Virginia. If that ever happens then Louisville's value as a bridge will be realized.

Don't forget Purdue or Indiana.....their athletic budgets line up better with the ACC. I'm not suggesting that this could or would ever happen, but as we move forward you never know......
The SEC has equal revenue sharing. Are any of you under the delusion that because of SEC network money that Kentucky and Mississippi State are all of a sudden going to be perennial football powers?
Kentucky is king of SEC basketball and Miss. State is protected by being smack dab in the middle of the conference, but Indiana no longer has basketball to hang it's hat on, and Purdue, just think how they could get along with Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and NC State.
UConn's boat has sailed, and Cincinnati got some serious looks a few years ago but their luster has faded. West Virginia however has location, a large football fan base and football history on it's side.
There is a pod or six team division just waiting ....we already have the bridge.

(07-31-2014 03:36 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:31 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:31 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:14 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 01:58 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  Couldnt Louisville be considered a bridge school for the ACC?

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I guess that would depend upon future expansion and who is selected. Should the ACC add Cincinnati, or should Notre Dame join in full, then yes I think you would be considered a bridge. But, right now, geographically speaking you are a bit of an outlier, but nowhere near as much of one as West Virginia is to the Big 12. I'd say more on the lines of Penn State to the Big 10 before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

Others seemed to add more value to "bridge" schools in the SEC & B1G expansion & was wondering why that isn't considered for Louisville. Obviuosly that isn't the case now, but the potential is there should the ACC expend further west.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

Well for now Rutgers and Maryland add markets worth having, but not necessarily athletic pedigree. They could serve as a bridge. The bridge for the ACC was Boston College. The addition of B.C. more than Virginia Tech and Miami helped to entice Syracuse and Pitt. For the SEC that bridge could have been South Carolina if the expansion had come in North Carolina and/ or Virginia but it didn't. South Carolina remains an unused bridge. Arkansas became the valuable bridge when Texas A&M and Missouri were announced.

Louisville is the ACC's bridge to the Midwest. If at some point the ACC really wants to expand to 18 (that is should N.D. ever say yes) a nice division of six could be set up with the additions of Connecticut and West Virginia or Cincinnati and West Virginia. If that ever happens then Louisville's value as a bridge will be realized.

Don't forget Purdue or Indiana.....their athletic budgets line up better with the ACC. I'm not suggesting that this could or would ever happen, but as we move forward you never know......
The SEC has equal revenue sharing. Are any of you under the delusion that because of SEC network money that Kentucky and Mississippi State are all of a sudden going to be perennial football powers?
Kentucky is king of SEC basketball and Miss. State is protected by being smack dab in the middle of the conference, but Indiana no longer has basketball to hang it's hat on, and Purdue, just think how they could get along with Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and NC State.
UConn's boat has sailed, and Cincinnati got some serious looks a few years ago but their luster has faded. West Virginia however has location, a large football fan base and football history on it's side.
There is a pod or six team division just waiting ....we already have the bridge.

The addition of Mizzou and the Aggies, along with Arkansas in the SEC makes an awesome bridge to Oklahoma/Okie State. Lets take them both.

I would say take ONE of them. OK is already a small market state to begin with and realignments slots are too valuable to waste on doubling up.

In addition, westward expansion isnt much of a return on investment for the SEC. SECN isnt going to pay out anymore for another Texas team and after that its just a bunch of small market states, most of whom dont fit into the SEC culturally anyway.

Westward expansion should ONLY be looked at if entry into NC/VA somehow becomes impossible; otherwise its far more prudent to wait for a chance to get into those states and add the equivalent of a second Florida to the footprint.

(08-01-2014 12:45 PM)USAFMEDIC Wrote:  

(07-31-2014 03:36 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 08:31 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:31 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 05:14 PM)JRsec Wrote:  I guess that would depend upon future expansion and who is selected. Should the ACC add Cincinnati, or should Notre Dame join in full, then yes I think you would be considered a bridge. But, right now, geographically speaking you are a bit of an outlier, but nowhere near as much of one as West Virginia is to the Big 12. I'd say more on the lines of Penn State to the Big 10 before they added Maryland and Rutgers.

Others seemed to add more value to "bridge" schools in the SEC & B1G expansion & was wondering why that isn't considered for Louisville. Obviuosly that isn't the case now, but the potential is there should the ACC expend further west.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk 2

Well for now Rutgers and Maryland add markets worth having, but not necessarily athletic pedigree. They could serve as a bridge. The bridge for the ACC was Boston College. The addition of B.C. more than Virginia Tech and Miami helped to entice Syracuse and Pitt. For the SEC that bridge could have been South Carolina if the expansion had come in North Carolina and/ or Virginia but it didn't. South Carolina remains an unused bridge. Arkansas became the valuable bridge when Texas A&M and Missouri were announced.

Louisville is the ACC's bridge to the Midwest. If at some point the ACC really wants to expand to 18 (that is should N.D. ever say yes) a nice division of six could be set up with the additions of Connecticut and West Virginia or Cincinnati and West Virginia. If that ever happens then Louisville's value as a bridge will be realized.

Don't forget Purdue or Indiana.....their athletic budgets line up better with the ACC. I'm not suggesting that this could or would ever happen, but as we move forward you never know......
The SEC has equal revenue sharing. Are any of you under the delusion that because of SEC network money that Kentucky and Mississippi State are all of a sudden going to be perennial football powers?
Kentucky is king of SEC basketball and Miss. State is protected by being smack dab in the middle of the conference, but Indiana no longer has basketball to hang it's hat on, and Purdue, just think how they could get along with Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and NC State.
UConn's boat has sailed, and Cincinnati got some serious looks a few years ago but their luster has faded. West Virginia however has location, a large football fan base and football history on it's side.
There is a pod or six team division just waiting ....we already have the bridge.

The addition of Mizzou and the Aggies, along with Arkansas in the SEC makes an awesome bridge to Oklahoma/Okie State. Lets take them both.

If it were up to me and I were in control of SEC expansion, Oklahoma would be my number #1 target.

(08-01-2014 06:15 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  I would say take ONE of them. OK is already a small market state to begin with and realignments slots are too valuable to waste on doubling up.

In addition, westward expansion isnt much of a return on investment for the SEC. SECN isnt going to pay out anymore for another Texas team and after that its just a bunch of small market states, most of whom dont fit into the SEC culturally anyway.

Westward expansion should ONLY be looked at if entry into NC/VA somehow becomes impossible; otherwise its far more prudent to wait for a chance to get into those states and add the equivalent of a second Florida to the footprint.

Yep, it's time to make those premature Aggie SEC T-shirts bonafide. Let's add that North Carolina school and Virginia school and call it quits. The disparity in income should be quite the enticement in a couple of years. Besides there is more to see in North Carolina than there is in Oklahoma. And Stoops has just been irritating enough that he deserves to bring ruin to the Sooner program by moving with Kansas to the Big 10.

(08-01-2014 06:49 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(08-01-2014 06:15 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  I would say take ONE of them. OK is already a small market state to begin with and realignments slots are too valuable to waste on doubling up.

In addition, westward expansion isnt much of a return on investment for the SEC. SECN isnt going to pay out anymore for another Texas team and after that its just a bunch of small market states, most of whom dont fit into the SEC culturally anyway.

Westward expansion should ONLY be looked at if entry into NC/VA somehow becomes impossible; otherwise its far more prudent to wait for a chance to get into those states and add the equivalent of a second Florida to the footprint.

Yep, it's time to make those premature Aggie SEC T-shirts bonafide. Let's add that North Carolina school and Virginia school and call it quits. The disparity in income should be quite the enticement in a couple of years. Besides there is more to see in North Carolina than there is in Oklahoma. And Stoops has just been irritating enough that he deserves to bring ruin to the Sooner program by moving with Kansas to the Big 10.

Damn right! Now you're getting it! :)