JRsec
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RE: ESPNU and the SECN To Launch on TotalPlay in Mexico!
(04-23-2017 09:25 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote: (04-22-2017 04:49 PM)JRsec Wrote: (04-22-2017 12:42 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote: (04-22-2017 10:49 AM)JRsec Wrote: (04-22-2017 10:11 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote: To have a successful conference network in Mexico I think you will need a quality soccer & baseball product first & foremost. Both the SEC & the ACC being strong in both of these sports I think would bold well for their networks as both conferences reach into strong Hispanic/Latino populations here in America, south Florida for the ACC & Texas for the SEC, for recruiting.
(If the ACCN is a success.)
I don't know how women's soccer will pan out in a macho society. As far as baseball is concerned the SEC is much deeper and has the much longer history of being so. Until Virginia won the title a couple of years ago it had been since the 50's that the ACC even had a title in the sport. And again, since we are discussing Mexico I'm sure their interest would be in Texas schools since many of those programs have Hispanics on the teams. Miami would be, perhaps, the best draw for the ACC, but then Cubans and Mexicans don't always mesh. The two cultures, and even the Spanish spoken, varies to a large degree between the two.
But Lenville, lacrosse aside, the SEC and ACC do share many of the same interests and more of the same history and culture than either of us do with another conference. So if the ACCN is successful then a blending of the two for future involvement in Mexico might be in the offing.
My main point about Texas schools in the ACC is that it has never made business or geographical sense. Some of X's wacky trade us "South Carolina" posts make more sense. Also the ACC adding West Virginia makes more sense than taking a Texas school. Your natural additions are West Virginia, Connecticut, Cincinnati, and of course Notre Dame but only because of their East Coast ties. Geographically they are Great Lakes.
I agree.
The ACC only goes west for Texas & only for the $. Truthfully, I would be happier with ND & 1 of WV, Cincinnati or UCONN. If the $ was right then all 3. Texas & Oklahoma make the most sense in the SEC.
If the ACC is starting a network then it makes absolute sense to add Cincinnati and Connecticut two good markets, and hold the West Virginia spot for Notre Dame's full inclusion, or the break up of the Big 12 depending upon which one comes first.
Ohio, Connecticut, Indiana plus Catholics everywhere, and a strong regional sports brand in West Virginia all would help.
Plus if the ACC shores up and makes a run with it of the ACCN it will only encourage the SEC even more to do what it takes with the Big 12. I'll bet with ESPN's interest in the state of Texas that wheels have and are being greased to facilitate Texas, another Texas school, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the SEC. If West Virginia could find a home in the ACC upon a break up it might encourage the SEC to think about moving to 20 and taking Kansas and either Kansas State or Iowa State to get there. Then if my thinking about the PAC is correct in that they would love to get into the Texas market Texas Tech and T.C.U. head to the PAC quite possibly with U.N.L.V. and another. If that scenario looked likely I think the school traveling with Texas would be Baylor.
There is some protectionism for Baylor in the state since it was the state's first University (their oldest institution of higher learning). So if we had to have a third Texas school and Tech had a P5 home waiting on them they make sense.
But if we could work that deal to just pick up Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State then Kansas looks realistic and 18 would be the stopping point.
If the $ was there then I would be ecstatic but, as you have stated before, we are moving away from the market model & towards the content model. Therefore, to satisfy FSU & Clemson financially then the ACC will need to bring in more brands for content. Anything less than that will likely keep the ACC unstable. You could say that the SEC wouldn't have a spot for them but then that would only invite the B1G. The ACC needs Texas to get their financials close to the SEC & B1G. As much as I would loathe playing in a western division in the ACC I think it would be necessary to keep the ACC intact. There could also be some recruiting advantages to it as well but we would need Miami there with us.
Lenville the SEC isn't going to rob the ACC. ESPN won't permit it. But should the ACC start to get raided ESPN would shelter those schools which they wanted to keep full access to in the SEC.
The ACC wants a network. And while we are leaving the market model, markets are still necessary for the formation of a network. Plus Lenville the ACC is not in position to raid the SEC or Big 10 nor are you in position to outbid them for Texas or Oklahoma or any other top brand. Texas might come to the ACC if you offer up enough slots for their buddies, but to do that would be to dilute any potential profits you might gain from the new network. Texas would add maybe 3 million in value to the ACC. That in part would come from content games against F.S.U., Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and perhaps your Cardinals. But never would they play all of those in a season. They might play 4 of them. Their value is maximized with brand on brand games. And if they come as a partial they won't add enough to make buddies worthwhile. And since they won't come without buddies should they join in full they will earn ESPN less in content value than ESPN could get from their placement in the SEC.
Nothing you do can catch you up to the SEC or Big 10. The chance to do that was in 2010-11 when you could have landed Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Notre Dame as your four to get to 16 if you had given up N.C. State and Virginia Tech. Your old core stopped it, and pissed off a great many folks. Folks in the SEC, folks in Texas, and folks at ESPN have not forgotten. That move would have placed you on fairly equal footing with the Big 10 and SEC. The SEC will have one of Texas and Oklahoma if not both. But either way not even Texas can catch you up now.
And remember this, no matter what their history has been, an ever increasing secular world cares less and less about Notre Dame. In just a few more years all they will be is a small private school in Northern Indiana. Other than one over hyped year to put them in position to be curb stomped by Alabama they've been nothing for nearly 3 decades. As lacrosse and basketball buddies they are fine. But their football days are in the past. N.D. will eventually be a liability to the ACC.
Texas had 3 essential rivals in football. Arkansas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma are the games their fans want most to see. Should they be able to bring another Texas school with them to the SEC and join Oklahoma there and once again add Arkansas and A&M as an annual game that enticement along with the maximized revenue will probably be the course they choose. If so ESPN will not stand in the way. While schools love academic associations they are also smart enough to know that (a) those associations don't get you an AAU membership, and that (b) if you already have an AAU membership they can't prevent you from getting grants, and can't add grants to you, and can't keep you from sharing a grant with any school that wants to share one with you. That part has and will continue to be the hot air that many blow. But most importantly Texas will move to a conference that their fans can easily access, and where their minor sports don't have to max out the budget in travel. And that last part trumps everything else.
If the ACC wants to survive it needs to build up its inventory with what it can afford, and schools that can afford to play in it. Cincinnati and Connecticut are two such schools and West Virginia is the best of the three in revenue sports. Then you need to put the danged Irish to the question. If they will not commit to a date to join in full cut them loose. You'll be happier in the end, and smarter than the old Big East for having done so.
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ESPNU and the SECN To Launch on TotalPlay in Mexico!
