This board has seen lots of criticism about the way the ACC is currently set up (i.e., divisions) and many posters have concern about the relative financial position of the schools in the ACC, given the success of the Big 10 and SEC Networks.
Of course, the ACC is limited by what it is--it has a large collection of small private schools with a traditional preference for basketball over football. Moreover, the teams in large media markets (BC, Pitt and Syracuse) are unfortunately often an afterthought to the pro teams in the area.
So then, how case we shake things up in the ACC? Here's my idea:
1. Reduce the number of inter-conference games from 8 to 7. This is radical for two reasons--1) other conferences have had discussions about increasing the number of conference games from 8 to 9, and the Big 12 already plays 9. 2) this reduces the amount of inventory (i.e., the number of conference games) which would in theory lessen the value of our television contracts--that is, there would be fewer ACC games to televise.
However, reducing the number of conference games can work if:
2. The ACC expands to 16 teams. Team #15 is Navy and Team #16 is Notre Dame. Why would Notre Dame be willing to join a conference? Consider this: Notre Dame's current deal with the ACC is to play 5 teams a year. Some years they play 4, other years they play 6. They always play Navy. Moving to a 7 game schedule doesn't change much for them, especially in the years they would have played 6 ACC games anyways, as long as Navy is a permanent opponent for them. Sure, there will be some criticism t taking Navy, but the reality is that it is the only way to make ND's entry work. They are 1 of 2 schools that ND will always play, so why not make it a ACC game?
3. Moving to 16 teams actually doesn't reduce the media inventory. Currently with 14 teams each playing 8 conference games, that is 56 intra-conference games (14 * 8 divided by 2). Moving to 16 teams and 7 conference games gives you the same number (16 * 7 divided by 2 is also 56). Moreover, the value of the media is increased with ND as a member for a few more games. It also allows, in theory, for each team to have 5 games a year to schedule schools from other conferences. Think FSU - Oklahoma, Clemson - Auburn, etc. Of course, if the other conferences move to 9 conference games, their willingness to play a power 5 team for one of the 3 remaining games is lessened. Conversely, most conferences are now unwilling to schedule FCS teams, so they will need to find an opponent from somewhere.
4. Moving to 16 games fixes the divisional problem. The current divisions do not allow for regular games between schools that could have natural rivalries (which would also attract more media interest). FSU doesn't play it's closest rival Georgia Tech that often but we play both Syracuse and BC each year. Virginia Tech doesn't play Lousiville regularly, etc. Instead of divisions, we have 4 "pods" of 4 teams each. Every year you would always play the 3 teams in your pod, and 4 teams from another pod. However, the "other" pod rotates each year, so over 3 years you will play every team in the ACC. Here is one possible pod setup:
South: FSU, Miami, GT, Clemson
Tobacco Road: UNC, Wake, NC State, Duke
Yankees: BC, Syracuse, UVA, Va Tech
Unnamed: Notre Dame, Navy, Pitt, Louisville
The pods are organized geographically, which would foster dormant rivalries. Further, the rotating pod system means that teams get to play in Florida at least once every three years (another justification for the current division set up).
5. The championship game is the 2 highest ranked pod winners. With more eligible teams to choose from, this should lead to a more competitive ACCCG.
6. The biggest obstacle of course is getting ND in, and then handling their NBC contract. Last year (2013-2014), the ACC schools paid out $21m to each team, and ND got almost $5m as a result of their partial membership. A fulltime memebership could up their annual take by at least $10m per year, and give them an opportunity to play in the ACCCG. Even if they keep their NBC contract (which is limited to home games), both ND and the ACC are better off. Expanding from 14 to 16 teams would also likely trigger the opportunity to renegotiate the media deal that was signed with ESPN. If so, then it would be a smart business deal to leverage both NBC and ESPN against each other in those new negotiations. Perhaps NBC would be interested in airing more than just ND, for example ,they may want some ACC basketball for the NBC sports network.
So fire away--what do you think of my idea.
Neon
Of course, the ACC is limited by what it is--it has a large collection of small private schools with a traditional preference for basketball over football. Moreover, the teams in large media markets (BC, Pitt and Syracuse) are unfortunately often an afterthought to the pro teams in the area.
So then, how case we shake things up in the ACC? Here's my idea:
1. Reduce the number of inter-conference games from 8 to 7. This is radical for two reasons--1) other conferences have had discussions about increasing the number of conference games from 8 to 9, and the Big 12 already plays 9. 2) this reduces the amount of inventory (i.e., the number of conference games) which would in theory lessen the value of our television contracts--that is, there would be fewer ACC games to televise.
However, reducing the number of conference games can work if:
2. The ACC expands to 16 teams. Team #15 is Navy and Team #16 is Notre Dame. Why would Notre Dame be willing to join a conference? Consider this: Notre Dame's current deal with the ACC is to play 5 teams a year. Some years they play 4, other years they play 6. They always play Navy. Moving to a 7 game schedule doesn't change much for them, especially in the years they would have played 6 ACC games anyways, as long as Navy is a permanent opponent for them. Sure, there will be some criticism t taking Navy, but the reality is that it is the only way to make ND's entry work. They are 1 of 2 schools that ND will always play, so why not make it a ACC game?
3. Moving to 16 teams actually doesn't reduce the media inventory. Currently with 14 teams each playing 8 conference games, that is 56 intra-conference games (14 * 8 divided by 2). Moving to 16 teams and 7 conference games gives you the same number (16 * 7 divided by 2 is also 56). Moreover, the value of the media is increased with ND as a member for a few more games. It also allows, in theory, for each team to have 5 games a year to schedule schools from other conferences. Think FSU - Oklahoma, Clemson - Auburn, etc. Of course, if the other conferences move to 9 conference games, their willingness to play a power 5 team for one of the 3 remaining games is lessened. Conversely, most conferences are now unwilling to schedule FCS teams, so they will need to find an opponent from somewhere.
4. Moving to 16 games fixes the divisional problem. The current divisions do not allow for regular games between schools that could have natural rivalries (which would also attract more media interest). FSU doesn't play it's closest rival Georgia Tech that often but we play both Syracuse and BC each year. Virginia Tech doesn't play Lousiville regularly, etc. Instead of divisions, we have 4 "pods" of 4 teams each. Every year you would always play the 3 teams in your pod, and 4 teams from another pod. However, the "other" pod rotates each year, so over 3 years you will play every team in the ACC. Here is one possible pod setup:
South: FSU, Miami, GT, Clemson
Tobacco Road: UNC, Wake, NC State, Duke
Yankees: BC, Syracuse, UVA, Va Tech
Unnamed: Notre Dame, Navy, Pitt, Louisville
The pods are organized geographically, which would foster dormant rivalries. Further, the rotating pod system means that teams get to play in Florida at least once every three years (another justification for the current division set up).
5. The championship game is the 2 highest ranked pod winners. With more eligible teams to choose from, this should lead to a more competitive ACCCG.
6. The biggest obstacle of course is getting ND in, and then handling their NBC contract. Last year (2013-2014), the ACC schools paid out $21m to each team, and ND got almost $5m as a result of their partial membership. A fulltime memebership could up their annual take by at least $10m per year, and give them an opportunity to play in the ACCCG. Even if they keep their NBC contract (which is limited to home games), both ND and the ACC are better off. Expanding from 14 to 16 teams would also likely trigger the opportunity to renegotiate the media deal that was signed with ESPN. If so, then it would be a smart business deal to leverage both NBC and ESPN against each other in those new negotiations. Perhaps NBC would be interested in airing more than just ND, for example ,they may want some ACC basketball for the NBC sports network.
So fire away--what do you think of my idea.
Neon
