FreeStateDeac
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This topic might have been touched on briefly in the long "ND to ACC" thread, but I think it deserves its own thread (and if it's a Haas as a separate thread, mea culpa).
How do people see the effect of the ND move to the ACC affecting our b'ball and f'ball recruiting, if at all?
I see it as a big benefit. First, the obvious one for football, playing ND ensures national exposure far beyond what we get now, especially in football. With ND's scheduling arrangement, we are now guaranteed playing ND every three years, so every football player who comes to Wake is guaranteed at least one, perhaps two games on national TV against the Irish. And say what you want about ND's recent mediocrity, they are still one of the legendary programs in football, and the chance to play them at least once, maybe twice, has got to be an attraction to a kid.
Second, and less obvious, but this is just about the last nail in the coffin of the Big East as a legit football conference. That means that a kid who might have chosen Rutgers, South Fla or UCONN over Wake, now has no incentive whatsoever to do so. This affects the space where we recruit, the 2-3 star kid with decent academics. It won't matter at the 4-5 star level, where we are not competitive, but it does affect our ability to get a better quality of 3-star recruit, especially out of the Northeast.
In terms of basketball, it also has to help. While ND is not a basketball power, they are still a favorite of ESPN's programmers and we'll be playing them at least once, perhaps twice, every season. Those games will probably be among our highest exposed TV games, much more likely to be on ESPN, 2 or U, rather than ESPN3.
Plus, as with football, ND's move to the ACC is another dagger in the heart of the Big East as a dominant b'ball conference. That might make the difference in our favor in a recruiting battle with a Villanova or Georgetown, where we've been losing regularly over the past decade.
Would like to hear what others think. (and please, let's not hear the same arguments against ND's partial membership that are all over the other thread. We've heard those enough. ND is coming, now let's talk about how it affects Wake specifically. Thanks.
How do people see the effect of the ND move to the ACC affecting our b'ball and f'ball recruiting, if at all?
I see it as a big benefit. First, the obvious one for football, playing ND ensures national exposure far beyond what we get now, especially in football. With ND's scheduling arrangement, we are now guaranteed playing ND every three years, so every football player who comes to Wake is guaranteed at least one, perhaps two games on national TV against the Irish. And say what you want about ND's recent mediocrity, they are still one of the legendary programs in football, and the chance to play them at least once, maybe twice, has got to be an attraction to a kid.
Second, and less obvious, but this is just about the last nail in the coffin of the Big East as a legit football conference. That means that a kid who might have chosen Rutgers, South Fla or UCONN over Wake, now has no incentive whatsoever to do so. This affects the space where we recruit, the 2-3 star kid with decent academics. It won't matter at the 4-5 star level, where we are not competitive, but it does affect our ability to get a better quality of 3-star recruit, especially out of the Northeast.
In terms of basketball, it also has to help. While ND is not a basketball power, they are still a favorite of ESPN's programmers and we'll be playing them at least once, perhaps twice, every season. Those games will probably be among our highest exposed TV games, much more likely to be on ESPN, 2 or U, rather than ESPN3.
Plus, as with football, ND's move to the ACC is another dagger in the heart of the Big East as a dominant b'ball conference. That might make the difference in our favor in a recruiting battle with a Villanova or Georgetown, where we've been losing regularly over the past decade.
Would like to hear what others think. (and please, let's not hear the same arguments against ND's partial membership that are all over the other thread. We've heard those enough. ND is coming, now let's talk about how it affects Wake specifically. Thanks.
