they aren't a national powerhouse that will bring in viewers.
Neither is Virginia Tech and that's the point. Virginia is incredibly more wealthier (I'm talking worth billions more), better academics, flagship, their athletic department is much healthier/generates more revenue, Virginia athletics are far more accomplished than Virginia Tech athletics... I mean when you go down the line, there is only one thing, one single thing of note that Virginia Tech does better than Virginia and that's football and that is only as of late. In other words, you subtract Beamer and the comparisons to Virginia become laughable. It's like comparing UAB to Alabama. I know football is important, but the SEC is already good at that anyway.
I'm not sure why some people just can't see past the relatively recent past, but Virginia Tech just hasn't done anything of note historically. Period, end of story, and there's absolutely no sane reason to believe that a 66 year old Beamer is going to lead them to continued success in the brutal SEC. You have to anticipate Virginia Tech as a program going back to what they were before Beamer, which was a distant second, not even a true rival to Virginia in the state. In addition to that, their fans are fair-weather at best, in a market that is not known for its allegiances. These fan's father didn't grow up cheering for Virginia Tech, because when their fathers were growing up they probably didn't realize Virginia Tech even had a football team. I would argue that Virginia's fans have shown far more loyalty and would continue to do so.
To reiterate, the Big 10 doesn't want VT, and the ACC didn't want VT. There's a reason for this and it's because it's Virginia Tech! Also, some people seem to think this "rabid" Virginia Tech fan-base, which didn't even exist in the 1990s is going to travel well. Really? They would be the northeastern tip of the conference, I think it's a bit unrealistic to think they would travel well, considering how notoriously sub-par ACC football attendance is. North Carolina is a good football state, and they have supported the ACC championship game well, but you want to know VT's attendance last ACC championship game in Florida? It was
27,360! Does that sound like a national powerhouse that will bring in viewers? 27K for a conference championship game?!?
No, they don't travel well. No, they don't have rabid fans. No, they are not a true football power, and no they really don't offer the SEC anything other than their market. So, what it all comes down to is the fact that VT is extremely likely to become a Miss. State or a Vanderbilt (a dumber poorer version) if they join the SEC. Whereas, in the least Virginia is likely to be more of a richer Ole Miss or South Carolina with better academics. The SEC is already great at football, they don't need to sink so low as to pluck a 60th all time football program in the name of preserving their football brand. VT didn't make the ACC football brand better (in fact it got worse), and they won't make the SEC football brand better.
Honestly, Virginia is probably my third choice or lower. But, Virginia Tech isn't even in my top five.