DeacsATS
Sam "Ace" Rothstein
I laughed.
All of the ACC teams are already locked up through 2036. No one is leaving the ACC. WF is not getting kicked out of the ACC. Don't think a conference has expelled a member since the Big East kicked out Temple like 25 years ago. This such LOWF thinking that WF is going to get kicked out to add Baylor (you realize that Baylor is in Waco?) or UCF (the ACC already has penetrated the Florida market). Just amazes me how hard WF people try to create Armageddon scenrios for their own school.
The ACC's sole focus is getting ND to join the conference in football. Having ND in the ACC last season helped. As Clemson at ND was the marquee regular season game in college football in 2020, and playing in the ACC got ND in the playoff. Realize that there are issues that have to be worked out with ND's NBC contract and with ND non-ACC rivalries, but those are the same issues that Texas and OU are working through right now.
If/when ND joins the ACC for football, then the question becomes who is the 16th. Seems like it would come down to WV or Kansas. Realize Kansas football is absolute joke right now, but they have played in the New Year's 6 Bowl fairly recently, and if the rest of the Big 12 is forced to fend for themselves, Kansas should be able to take advantage. Realize Kansas basketball is sleazy, but they are a national brand, and adding them to the conference would be a big boost for the ACCN.
What’s the appeal of including Syracuse in that scenario? They aren’t an original ACC member, no real rivalries, travel there sucks, both flagship sports have been mediocre to terrible.
In all of conference realignment, had a school ever been involuntary removed from a conference? Ever?
Texas A&M is the hot cheerleader whose confidence is momentarily shaken bc her even hotter boyfriend was a dick to her. The nerds have about a 3 week window to ask her out when her defenses are down before she realizes wait a minute, I’m a hot cheerleader and I’m going to be just fine.
Any chance of Notre Dame joining the ACC as a full and equal member died when the CFP expanded to 12 teams. It was a shot the league had to take when it had it, but that's over. Move on. Boot them now.
Of the teams in play, the only ones that make any sense (and neither objectively do) are KU and WVU.
Uh oh, things are going to start happening very quickly.
https://www.thisworldthesedays.com/cuttigersillustrated.html
Yes, Waco as in Texas, which means the ACC network would have a greater footprint in Texas cable packages. Also Baylor just won an NCAA championship in one of the two money sports that matter. So as you said, new markets and championships.
Yes, this is absolutely an Armageddon scenario, and an unlikely one. But who knows what the future will hold if it becomes 4 16 team leagues.