Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[jctisu]

Reading up on FSU’s anger over the additions of Cal, Stanford and SMU comes back to my original thought when they were added. And that is FSU would use those additions as part of their strategy to say, “Hey we didn’t want these additions and this isn’t the same ACC when that GOR was signed. Therefore it should be null in void.”

Now there will need to be a lot more than that, but that case will be made by the FSU lawyers.

 

[ricochet]

Lot of people said FSU would never challenge the GoR in here.

They did? Many people think they won't be able to break it but I don't think anybody is surprised they are trying.

 

[Nolaeer]

A COUPLE THINGS.

1. FSU isnt going anywhere that doesnt give them a full share. it's a blue blood.

2. I think the BIG will offer FSU and UNC jointly, and just let the lawyers fight it out. When the BIG took maryland, they let the lawyers fight the gor and ended up paying 50 million to get the terps.

BIG will pay WAY more than 50 to get UNC and FSU.

3. The SEC wont let the BIG take UNC without a fight. UVA and UNC would both be takes for the SEC. VT is a complication. Not sure the SEC will double down on Virginia. BIG isnt taking VT. BIG and SEC may reach a deal on who gets what--maybe they split the virginia schools. i doubt the state of virginia would block a deal
where both UVA and VT got homes in the power 2.

4. There will be some nice leftovers for the big 12. My reasonable 4: Pitt, Miami, VT, and NC State. would yormark take 6? doubtful, but Louisville and Duke would be nice for hoops.

 

[Rogue52]

As an aside, did everyone see that the former Pac 12 teams that will soon depart, have settled with both Oregon State and Washington State? OSU and WSU now have full control over the Pac 12 (in name only) and now has up to two years to add at least 7 additional Division 1 teams to the conference to keep it afloat. My question, since the Pac 12 has an automatic qualifier to the CFP, does this mean that either OSU or WSU (or whatever Mountain West team) who wins the Pac 12 now gets that automatic qualifier? Those are some pretty good odds to make the CFP on an annual basis.

I believe the criteria for an automatic bid is to be one of the the top 6 ranked conference champions. That could be a "PAC 12" champion, but it doesn't have to be.

 

[Rogue52]

ESPN saying "sign this GoR until 2036 or we will never sign another contract with you again" helps things make sense. The last ACC extension to the GoR made zero sense at the time.

 

[Clonehomer]

As an aside, did everyone see that the former Pac 12 teams that will soon depart, have settled with both Oregon State and Washington State? OSU and WSU now have full control over the Pac 12 (in name only) and now has up to two years to add at least 7 additional Division 1 teams to the conference to keep it afloat. My question, since the Pac 12 has an automatic qualifier to the CFP, does this mean that either OSU or WSU (or whatever Mountain West team) who wins the Pac 12 now gets that automatic qualifier? Those are some pretty good odds to make the CFP on an annual basis.

The current CFP contract ends after the 2025 season (two years remaining). So if OSU and WSU do refill the PAC in those two years, there’s a high likelihood that they’d be seen as a G5 level and the committee would drop the number of automatic qualifiers to 5, if they have any at all starting in 2026.

That being said, this is important in that I would imagine the PAC will retain a seat on the CFP management board that will decide matters such as TV deals and format.

 

[MugNight]

 

[FriendlySpartan]

The current CFP contract ends after the 2025 season (two years remaining). So if OSU and WSU do refill the PAC in those two years, there’s a high likelihood that they’d be seen as a G5 level and the committee would drop the number of automatic qualifiers to 5, if they have any at all starting in 2026.

That being said, this is important in that I would imagine the PAC will retain a seat on the CFP management board that will decide matters such as TV deals and format.

Exactly, the number of AQ’s will drop but the seat at the table might stay. Problem will be getting the schools to backfill

 

[FriendlySpartan]

A COUPLE THINGS.

1. FSU isnt going anywhere that doesnt give them a full share. it's a blue blood.

2. I think the BIG will offer FSU and UNC jointly, and just let the lawyers fight it out. When the BIG took maryland, they let the lawyers fight the gor and ended up paying 50 million to get the terps.

BIG will pay WAY more than 50 to get UNC and FSU.

3. The SEC wont let the BIG take UNC without a fight. UVA and UNC would both be takes for the SEC. VT is a complication. Not sure the SEC will double down on Virginia. BIG isnt taking VT. BIG and SEC may reach a deal on who gets what--maybe they split the virginia schools. i doubt the state of virginia would block a deal
where both UVA and VT got homes in the power 2.

4. There will be some nice leftovers for the big 12. My reasonable 4: Pitt, Miami, VT, and NC State. would yormark take 6? doubtful, but Louisville and Duke would be nice for hoops.

Why would the big ten or SEC be incentivized to give them a full share? They have no where else to go, also the big ten is currently concerned about getting the scheduling and travel right for athletics. Adding FSU is another super far out there school and the big ten presidents also don’t want to get into the Florida political mess. I could also see the SEC saying no for a variety of reasons. Again not saying FSU would be left out but they don’t have the guaranteed landing spot others do. Especially when they are willing to go so far to piss off their current conference, why add the headache?

 

[Die4Cy]

ESPN saying "sign this GoR until 2036 or we will never sign another contract with you again" helps things make sense. The last ACC extension to the GoR made zero sense at the time.

"Outside counsel" made that assertion. So don't put a whole lot on that bit just yet. But if they are going to go there, they better have the goods to prove it in court.

Their deal and subsequent payouts compared to how the SEC deal and payouts were handled will be pointed at too show unfair treatment, but ultimately the ACC signed the stack of papers ESPN put in front of them.

 

[Clonehomer]

Exactly, the number of AQ’s will drop but the seat at the table might stay. Problem will be getting the schools to backfill

i think the destiny is with the MWC teams. Question is whether that’s a merger under either name, or if only a portion of the MWC moves to the PAC to jettison some dead weight.

 

[Clonehomer]

Why would the big ten or SEC be incentivized to give them a full share? They have no where else to go, also the big ten is currently concerned about getting the scheduling and travel right for athletics. Adding FSU is another super far out there school and the big ten presidents also don’t want to get into the Florida political mess. I could also see the SEC saying no for a variety of reasons. Again not saying FSU would be left out but they don’t have the guaranteed landing spot others do. Especially when they are willing to go so far to piss off their current conference, why add the headache?

Going back to independent wouldn’t be that far fetched either. At least in the short term while this conference shuffling goes on.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Going back to independent wouldn’t be that far fetched either. At least in the short term while this conference shuffling goes on.

It would be extremely far fetched. Scheduling would be impossible, they would make even less revenue, and it would be an awkward path to the playoff.

 

[intrepid27]

Threw a fit about not wanting to join the B12, at least some of their internet fans did.

Their Coach publicly said the Big XII was "temporary" for them.

 

[CascadeClone]

Just because the suit was filed doesn’t mean they can or will get out. That was the main argument. It also isn’t a guarantee that one of the P2 takes them.

True, but having some semblance of a plausible argument helps your negotiating leverage. All that little list of things about the GOR being funky are more likely to lower the buyout number than to win a legal case.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

True, but having some semblance of a plausible argument helps your negotiating leverage. All that little list of things about the GOR being funky are more likely to lower the buyout number than to win a legal case.

Not a lawyer but none of that happens to lower a buy out because they signed their rights away to ESPN, espn doesn’t have to let them out of anything. Especially since ESPN would then have to pay more money if they moved to the SEC unless they took a massively reduced share.

 

[Gorm]

Lot of people said FSU would never challenge the GoR in here.

Exactly. I remember a lot of "Dumb" emoticons being throw around from those folks as well. I'd love to hear their take on the today's events, not just about how "iron clad" the GOR is. Obviously there will be legal arguments and a court decision in the future so no need to debate that. I somehow doubt there will be a back room negotiation on this one.

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Exactly. I remember a lot of "Dumb" emoticons being throw around from those folks as well. I'd love to hear their take on the today's events, not just about how "iron clad" the GOR is. Obviously there will be legal arguments and a court decision in the future so no need to debate that. I somehow doubt there will be a back room negotiation on this one.

Again, no one said anything about a lawsuit, just that it wouldn’t go anywhere because of the GOR. Just because FSU sued doesn’t mean anything will come of it.

 

[ClubCy]

Their Coach publicly said the Big XII was "temporary" for them.

Did you listen to interview? He says that he foresees a super conference and that the Holy War isn’t necessarily “permanent” as there is probably more changes coming within the next 5 years and things could get a blown up again. Around 12 min mark. Hardly anything nefarious.

I get that their fans were extremely vocal but I think people (including CW) need relax until they give a reason to hate them.

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

I really liked the idea that the UCLA coach was talking what they should do.
1. Break off football from the rest of sports.
2. Hire a commissioner to run the new super league that is forming.
3. Take the top 64 teams and form 8 divisions with 8 teams each, following geography as a guide.
4. Each team plays 7 games in their division, and then another 4 against another division. So, the West Coast teams play the teams from the Midwest for a 2-year cycle, then maybe the Great Lakes schools for the next 2-year cycle.
5. Each team would have one game per year to play a G5 school or someone like UNI.
6. Players get a split of the money, no more NIL, everyone gets an equal share of the TV contract and no more.