National Conference Realignments

[LaPorteAveApostle]

As a Michigan man, I have to say contraction sounds like a better idea than expansion with worthless additions.

What would be the corresponding additions to HL expansion? IPFW and Lipscomb? 

(is there an emoticon for "vomiting in an oil drum"?)

[valpo04]

As a Michigan man, I have to say contraction sounds like a better idea than expansion with worthless additions.

As a Maryland man: 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

whoops.

[valpo04]

Sources say its a done deal, MD to the B1G.

Back in 2002, I watched MD beat Indiana for the championship from my room in Alumni Hall.

Never would have imagined they'd one day be in the same conference.

[FWalum]

Sources say its a done deal, MD to the B1G.

Back in 2002, I watched MD beat Indiana for the championship from my room in Alumni Hall.

Never would have imagined they'd one day be in the same conference.

Having a tremendous amount of Maryland ties myself I really find this to be a crazy idea.  Didn't the ACC just raise the conference exit fees to some exorbitant figure?  What connection is there for Maryland to want to be in a predominantly Midwestern conference?  Losing every rival??? I can't imagine that fans are going to be as fired up, especially in basketball, for Maryland vs Nebraska, Maryland vs Northwestern, Maryland vs Iowa, Maryland vs Illinois as they are for just about any other current ACC opponent.  Can you imagine the upcoming hype for a yearly Maryland vs Notre Dame match up?  Not sure I understand the rational.  Can you lay it out for me valpo04?

[valporun]

FWAlum, it's probably a case of Maryland wants attention by being at the top of the conference with coaches that are new/younger compared to the ones that made them successful ten years ago. Sad that these big schools want to bring all kinds of athletic attention, but forget that these student-athletes need to be in the classroom just as much as they need to be on the court/field improving/getting better. Of course, the big conferences only look at the money involved, as do the athletic departments, but it shows why the BCS conferences have so many troubles with graduation rates. Too much time on planes and in hotels than in the classroom.

[crusaderjoe]

If Maryland is a done deal then so is Rutgers, right?

Maryland and Rutgers will bring in major markets for the BTN. Increased markets mean increased revenue. These schools also bring in eastern partners for Penn State.

Now the question becomes who's next in the ACC, if anyone?  Fla. St. to the Big 12?  Clemson?  GT to the B1G?  How about Virginia.  VT to the SEC?  NC to the SEC?  Miami about to get hammered by sanctions?  Who knows, but it sure is interesting following all of this realignment stuff.

With Rutgers about to leave the Big East, I would imagine New Mexico State is thrilled. 

[vuweathernerd]

If Maryland is a done deal then so is Rutgers, right?

Maryland and Rutgers will bring in major markets for the BTN. Increased markets mean increased revenue. These schools also bring in eastern partners for Penn State.

Now the question becomes who's next in the ACC, if anyone?  Fla. St. to the Big 12?  Clemson?  GT to the B1G?  How about Virginia.  VT to the SEC?  NC to the SEC?  Miami about to get hammered by sanctions?  Who knows, but it sure is interesting following all of this realignment stuff.

With Rutgers about to leave the Big East, I would imagine New Mexico State is thrilled. 

maybe the big 10 wants to go back to the odd number of schools it had for so long...

[valpo04]

Sources say its a done deal, MD to the B1G.

Back in 2002, I watched MD beat Indiana for the championship from my room in Alumni Hall.

Never would have imagined they'd one day be in the same conference.

Having a tremendous amount of Maryland ties myself I really find this to be a crazy idea.  Didn't the ACC just raise the conference exit fees to some exorbitant figure?  What connection is there for Maryland to want to be in a predominantly Midwestern conference?  Losing every rival??? I can't imagine that fans are going to be as fired up, especially in basketball, for Maryland vs Nebraska, Maryland vs Northwestern, Maryland vs Iowa, Maryland vs Illinois as they are for just about any other current ACC opponent.  Can you imagine the upcoming hype for a yearly Maryland vs Notre Dame match up?  Not sure I understand the rational.  Can you lay it out for me valpo04?

This article lays it all out as well as I've seen anywhere:  http://www.testudotimes.com/2012/11/18/3659926/marylands-probably-going-to-the-big-ten-but-why

[valpo04]

If Maryland is a done deal then so is Rutgers, right?

Maryland and Rutgers will bring in major markets for the BTN. Increased markets mean increased revenue. These schools also bring in eastern partners for Penn State.

Now the question becomes who's next in the ACC, if anyone?  Fla. St. to the Big 12?  Clemson?  GT to the B1G?  How about Virginia.  VT to the SEC?  NC to the SEC?  Miami about to get hammered by sanctions?  Who knows, but it sure is interesting following all of this realignment stuff.

With Rutgers about to leave the Big East, I would imagine New Mexico State is thrilled. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Clemson and FSU go to the SEC.

As for additions to the ACC, rumors were already flying that UConn will replace MD.

I think the general issue with the ACC is that they were trying to be a premiere basketball conference in a time of premiere football conferences.  There was also this general feeling of not being wanted by the ACC.  They are very North Carolina-centric.  They continue to hold the ACCT in Greensboro, even though the conference footprint now goes from Florida to Massachusetts. 

[Valposter]

If Maryland is a done deal then so is Rutgers, right? Maryland and Rutgers will bring in major markets for the BTN. Increased markets mean increased revenue. These schools also bring in eastern partners for Penn State. Now the question becomes who's next in the ACC, if anyone? Fla. St. to the Big 12? Clemson? GT to the B1G? How about Virginia. VT to the SEC? NC to the SEC? Miami about to get hammered by sanctions? Who knows, but it sure is interesting following all of this realignment stuff. With Rutgers about to leave the Big East, I would imagine New Mexico State is thrilled.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Clemson and FSU go to the SEC. As for additions to the ACC, rumors were already flying that UConn will replace MD. I think the general issue with the ACC is that they were trying to be a premiere basketball conference in a time of premiere football conferences. There was also this general feeling of not being wanted by the ACC. They are very North Carolina-centric. They continue to hold the ACCT in Greensboro, even though the conference footprint now goes from Florida to Massachusetts.

I just don't understand the Big Ten adding Maryland and Rutgers from a football perspective.  It takes a mediocre brand of football and waters it down even more.  It was obviously a financial move about the Big Ten network and television markets, etc.  Just a horrible football (and basketball) move IMO.......not a lot of sizzle there.

[78crusader]

Silliness.

Paul

[valpotx]

Boise State, San Diego State, and BYU will all probably go back to the MWC.  That may open a spot for NMSU in the MWC to get to 14 schools.  They are without a home, and it would make sense in the footprint of the conference.  It will be interesting to see who, if any schools, joins the Big East to replace the schools leaving.  If you are a football-oriented school, that conference is going the way of the WAC...

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8653727/boise-state-broncos-sdsu-aztecs-byu-cougars-talk-mwc-return-sources-say

[crusaderjoe]

If Maryland is a done deal then so is Rutgers, right?

Maryland and Rutgers will bring in major markets for the BTN. Increased markets mean increased revenue. These schools also bring in eastern partners for Penn State.

Now the question becomes who's next in the ACC, if anyone?  Fla. St. to the Big 12?  Clemson?  GT to the B1G?  How about Virginia.  VT to the SEC?  NC to the SEC?  Miami about to get hammered by sanctions?  Who knows, but it sure is interesting following all of this realignment stuff.

With Rutgers about to leave the Big East, I would imagine New Mexico State is thrilled. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see Clemson and FSU go to the SEC.

As for additions to the ACC, rumors were already flying that UConn will replace MD.

I think the general issue with the ACC is that they were trying to be a premiere basketball conference in a time of premiere football conferences.  There was also this general feeling of not being wanted by the ACC.  They are very North Carolina-centric.  They continue to hold the ACCT in Greensboro, even though the conference footprint now goes from Florida to Massachusetts.

While I agree with you that the ACC is North Carolina-centric, I think the ACC was trying to become a premier football conference player with the addition of Miami several years ago.  It's not that Miami really expanded the conference footprint—what actually did it was Miami bringing along BC because of its ties to its NE alumni.  I certainly will not be one to fault the ACC for getting Miami or going to 12 schools since that was the number required for a conference championship game.  Post expansion though, from a football standpoint you have to figure things did not go as planned. Miami football wise has been a shell of its former self.  FSU was down.  Syracuse and Pitt are then brought in and the ACC expands its conference footprint once again, for markets or to starve off the potential for raiding—but that doesn't help its football.  IMO, a school like Maryland, who was a charter member of the ACC, is probably looking at the conference wondering who all these guys are now, sees all the money dangling from the Big Ten, and says "see ya."  I don't know, Maryland's move makes sense to me not withstanding Tobacco Road's pull.

[valpo64]

Just heard a rumor that the next 2 schools that could join the Big 10, or 12 or whatever in the next few years would be UNC and VA...maybe that is why Coach K has been expressing concern about the viability of the ACC

[LaPorteAveApostle]

No offense, valpo04, but that kind of addition is what I'm talking about. 

HOWEVA...a 16-team conference...what's the point?  Far better to have 2 8-team conferences, geographically aligned, as I've said before, for the sake of nonrevenue sports at least.  In a 16-team conference, even with 9 conference games (football), that only leaves 2 crossovers between 8-team divisions.  One protected matchup--like UM-OSU--would ensure that Michigan sees UNC, or UVA, etc., once every 8 years.

What's the freaking point of being in a conference then?  UNC would see their (technically) non-con friend Notre Dame more often than they'd see their B1G buddy UM.

Ridiculous!

[valpo04]

No offense, valpo04, but that kind of addition is what I'm talking about. 

What, UVA?  Yuck.  They are down right awful in basketball and football.

The Big Ten has two years to win a National Championship in basketball before Maryland comes in and becomes the last Big Ten team to win one 

[StlVUFan]

Big Ten might not be all that interested in UNC after tonight 

[valpotx]

It would be a big surprise if UNC left the ACC for the Big 10.  I guess anything can happen, but they would be leaving a historic rivalry with Duke...

[LaPorteAveApostle]

The Big Ten has two years to win a National Championship in basketball before Maryland comes in and becomes the last Big Ten team to win one

Touché.  As far as fruit that was out there to be picked, I'm fine with Maryland and Rutgers as the best of a realistic post-Notre Dame lot.

My problem is that there was no need for picking.  To repeat myself yet again, though in a different vein:

why not a BCS version of the Pioneer League--where the FB and MBB (and WBB for IX' sake) form their own mega-conferences, but leave everyone else back where they started, so that Big Ten girls' golf teams need not fly from Lincoln NE to College Park MD.  Sigh.

[valpo04]

The Big Ten has two years to win a National Championship in basketball before Maryland comes in and becomes the last Big Ten team to win one

Touché.  As far as fruit that was out there to be picked, I'm fine with Maryland and Rutgers as the best of a realistic post-Notre Dame lot.

My problem is that there was no need for picking.  To repeat myself yet again, though in a different vein:

why not a BCS version of the Pioneer League--where the FB and MBB (and WBB for IX' sake) form their own mega-conferences, but leave everyone else back where they started, so that Big Ten girls' golf teams need not fly from Lincoln NE to College Park MD.  Sigh.

I agree with that.  In the same vein, I wish there were a way Maryland could stay in the ACC for lacrosse, especially with Syracuse coming in.

[crusaderjoe]

University of Denver will leave the WAC and join the Summit League:

http://www.omaha.com/article/20121127/MAVS/711279885/1001

This move probably says more about the WAC's instability than it does about Oakland's potential move to the HL I would imagine--but I guess you never know when trying to read between the lines when it comes to conference realignment.

[valpotx]

Wow, I did not expect Denver to go to the Summit.  Louisville is rumored to be the school targeted by the ACC, over UConn, which just makes me laugh since UConn has actively campaigned for the ACC for years now.  Nothing like being second fiddle, and in Cincinnati's case, not even truly considered lol.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8685360/acc-expected-vote-add-louisville-cardinals-source-says

Also, poor poor WAC!  They have to accept Grand Canyon University from D-2 to just add members, and are now losing members to the Summit??  It is a positive to see that Utah Valley found a home, though it is also in the rundown WAC (10/2012 acceptance of WAC invite).  They have been an independent for many years, and always second fiddle to other schools when conferences were selecting members.  They had a good men's basketball team a few years ago that was getting some press, but their independent status definitely hurt them.

I completely missed Idaho joining the Big Sky for all sports except football as well.  Good to see they found a home for their other sports.  That leaves only New Mexico State to find a home for their football program and other sports that make more sense (MWC maybe in the near future with other movement coming).  The WAC without NMSU will be Seattle, Cal-State Bakersfield, Utah Valley, and Grand Canyon, just another Great West Conference....

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/10/19/idaho-will-return-to-big-sky-conference/

Here is a decent website that looks at conference realignment over the years.  Some are not as updated, while others are current:

http://collegesportsinfo.com/conference-realignment-grid/#A10

[covufan]

University of Denver will leave the WAC and join the Summit League:

http://www.omaha.com/article/20121127/MAVS/711279885/1001

This move probably says more about the WAC's instability than it does about Oakland's potential move to the HL I would imagine--but I guess you never know when trying to read between the lines when it comes to conference realignment.

Wow, that is whack!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Wow, that is whack!

CORRECTION:  Wow, that is WAC!