Comments on: ACC Rediscovers Its Roots: A Pre-emptive Strike Ensures Basketball Dominance

By: G. Floyd

G. Floyd — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:55:00 +0000

Of course football is the center of expansion but if you are the ACC you have to keep a strangle hold on the other revenue sport that you are currently #1 in. The ACC will never have the football prowess to compete with the SEC, so why not add to your basketball dominance while not diminishing your football. Nobody in there right mind would argue that basketball is the driving force behind expansion, it never was and never will be, but basketball should be on the back of the ACC’s mind as it adds the next two members.

By: rtmsf

rtmsf — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:50:12 +0000

In reply to Andrew Murawa. Yeah, this absolutely has to do with basketball as well as football. The 2004 and 05 expansions were primarily football related and the ACC's brand has been hurt by it even with the additional eyeballs (much worse in basketball, its core sport; and only marginally better in football). As Andrew says, if it were only about football, why take Syracuse and Pitt? Neither program adds much in football, but they add a lot of value (and tv sets) in basketball. UConn, another basketball powerhouse with only marginal football cachet, looks to be the obvious next step. Also, keep in mind that if we move to the four superconfs and eventually they split completely away from the NCAA, basketball dollars will absolutely become important again b/c they'll no longer be funding Prairie View A&M and UC Davis through the NCAA HQ in Indy. Although some conferences might be shortsighted in that regard, I seriously doubt that the tradition-rich hoops league that stands to dominate for years to come is overlooking that fact.

By: Namnori

Namnori — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:08:00 +0000

In reply to BOtskey.

the current roster has one NYC player on it …nice logic .The NYC kid is way too much a street ball player . why everyone think that nyc players fill pitts roster is wrong . blair , and young pitt latest NBA players wer not from NYC. Also , once two or three more teams leave the big east what relavance will the league have ….the big east is dead !

By: Andrew Murawa

Andrew Murawa — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 07:04:00 +0000

If this really happens, there is no way anyone can argue this has to do with “football money” because, well, what conference in their right mind would go out of their way to add the Syracuse football program? Not that the Pitt football program is all that appealing either, but the Orange football program is only slightly more appealing than the Temple football program…

By: Biggityb

Biggityb — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:33:00 +0000

This has absolutely nothing to do with basketball. The ACC at no point thought about how this move helped its basketball “brand” or conference “marketing”. It was simply about football money. If the ACC was so concerned about its basketball identity, as you contend, it would have approached its 2003 conference expansion identity much differently.

By: DMoore

DMoore — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:34:00 +0000

Well, basketball may not be the reason why the ACC is expanding, but the conference clearly made sure that its core strength in basketball was boosted. Basketball is not be the money sport that football is, but it is the brand of the ACC, and its biggest marketing tool. When you can strengthen that while adding to your TV markets at the same time, that’s a great win.

Syracuse and Pitt would not have made this move unless they felt the Big East was in serious trouble, and since Pitt’s chancellor is the chairman of the Big East’s executive committee, they would know better than anyone else.

As a result, I think Dixon can make sure the move won’t diminish Pitt. It is likely that coaches recruiting against Big East teams will tell recruits that the future of BE teams is uncertain — “who knows what conference you might end up in”.

By: BOtskey

BOtskey — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:49:00 +0000

This move has absolutely nothing to do with basketball, as is the case with every expansion decision. The ACC is moving to 14 (or more) to establish itself as one of the super conferences when that time comes. That’s why the exit fee was increased to $20 million.

Our sport is, sadly, irrelevant in conference expansion discussions. I also agree with DeCourcy. Without New York and the Big East, Pitt will be lucky to be playing for third place every year in the ACC. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dixon moves on as a result.