Maryland 247sports site reporting UNC has a Big Ten offer

GrayTide

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I can certainly see this as a very real possibility. With Rutgers and Maryland the BIG is at 14 and IMO, getting UNC and UVA would give the BIG the top two athletic and academic programs in the ACC, excluding Duke since its football program sucks. By going to 16 teams does that put pressure on the SEC to invade the ACC and if so which programs? Expansion is about to raise its ugly head again.
 

Crimson1967

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So who do we go for without violating the "gentleman's agreement" against in state rivals (Tech, FSU, Clemson, etc.)? I'm guessing NC State and Virginia Tech would be the most likely targets if we are going at the ACC.
 

KrAzY3

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If the SEC doesn't offer NC as well, they're incredibly stupid. Also, there's no incentive to going into a state the SEC is already in, this is about expanding the SEC footprint. NC is worth more than NC State and VT put together...
 

GrayTide

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I maybe wrong, and it would not be the first time, but I cannot see either UNC or UVA aligning with the SEC. I do however agree with Krazy, there is no reason not to make a run at both of them. I really, really, really hate expansion.
 

KrAzY3

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On the bright side, if the SEC can't get North Carolina, there is simply no reason for them to expand at all anytime soon. Where would NC State and VT go? So, the SEC would be in no rush and could consider all options.

Let's be clear here though, if the SEC added NC State and VT after the Big 10 added NC and Virginia (which is worth less to the Big 10 than it would be to the SEC), it would be like responding to a conference adding Alabama and Florida by adding Auburn and Miami. Not the worst possible move, but obviously you don't want second pick.
 

BamaFossil

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I assume this "torturus interference"(spelling?) stuff wasn't just a Baylor/Big 12/Ken Starr thing. Surely it's in play for the ACC... (??) If so, my understanding of it is the college must initiate contact with the conference, or else the conference may have some legal liability. And maybe UNC did indeed contact the Big Ten. Hopefully UNC also contacted the SEC... But if UNC goes to the Big Ten, I'm hoping NCState will approach the SEC and the SEC invites 'em in. Along with VaTech.

All predicated on the schools initiating the dialogue with the SEC first, of course...

If we're headed for another round of expansion, I hope the SEC PTBs won't go for two schools in North Carolina but instead will pick up one of the state of Virginia flagship schools.

Bottom line though: I'll be surprised if (a) the 247sports rumor is true; and (b) even if it is true, I'll be surprised if UNC bolts for the Big Ten.
 

MOAN

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How would that work with 18 teams? Just play the 8 in your division + 1 from east? Some teams would never play each other again (because the lower teams will never make it to the SECCG.
You are right, if the SEC were to expand beyond 16 they might as well go to 20 teams. Then you could have 5, 4 team divisions with each team playing the 3 in their division plus at least 1 or more from the other divisions. Hope it doesn't happen that way and 16 I would hope is the max. You would think NC and Duke would want to be a package deal though so who knows?
 

BamaFossil

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FWIW, the UNC Tar Pit site has locked a couple of threads on this topic, noting in one thread that UNC has had an offer from the Big Ten since they were at 11 teams. IOW, nothing new as I read the few comments on Tar Pit; just someone stirring the pot.
 

TiderJack

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On the bright side, if the SEC can't get North Carolina, there is simply no reason for them to expand at all anytime soon. Where would NC State and VT go? So, the SEC would be in no rush and could consider all options.

Let's be clear here though, if the SEC added NC State and VT after the Big 10 added NC and Virginia (which is worth less to the Big 10 than it would be to the SEC), it would be like responding to a conference adding Alabama and Florida by adding Auburn and Miami. Not the worst possible move, but obviously you don't want second pick.


I don't think UNC or VA would ever consider the SEC and vice versa. They are not SEC type schools in many ways. VT and NCS are and it would be a good fit completely across the board. I don't look at it as getting the second pick. We add two big TV markets and if the Big 10 gets aggressive I think you will see the SEC do the same and snag both VT and NCS.
 

jthomas666

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I maybe wrong, and it would not be the first time, but I cannot see either UNC or UVA aligning with the SEC. I do however agree with Krazy, there is no reason not to make a run at both of them. I really, really, really hate expansion.
You don't make a run if you don't have a legitimate shot--otherwise, you let the Big 10 and DoucheMeister Delany score cheap points at our expense.
 

KrAzY3

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We add two big TV markets and if the Big 10 gets aggressive I think you will see the SEC do the same and snag both VT and NCS.
That's just it, the SEC would be adding them for their TV markets, not because of their great history of success. NC State is the Auburn of basketball, and Virginia Tech is somewhere between Boise St. and Florida St. They're just not very attractive. UNC is incredibly valuable, just their tier 3 rights alone are worth in the neighborhood of ten million a year.

If NC and Virginia are in the Big 10, then the SEC can look around at all the TV markets and decide what they want to do. Even if you stick to the adjacent states, you have Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio for example that you could consider as well. That includes Cincinnati and Notre Dame. If only TV markets matter, then why not Syracuse?

Mainly though, the SEC should be flirting with only two programs (both long shots, UNC and Notre Dame) and if neither are a possibility I'm not really sure any other additions that seem possible would really help matters. I pretty much said the same back when Texas A&M was in play, I said that the SEC should flirt with Texas A&M because if nothing else it gave them another option to leaving for the Pac-12. It was the right move, and I'm just praying the SEC doesn't think VT is really the best addition at the moment (there's a possibility that the SEC really wanted Oklahoma, you know because they needed dinky little state). The SEC also apparently wanted Miami and FSU (instead of Arkansas and South Carolina), because you know, they aren't popular enough in the state of Florida. The SEC seems to have been as lucky as smart when it comes to expansion.
 

rgw

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I haven't really felt great about expansion past 14 but you'd be a fool not to admit the reality of the 16+ team super conferences. It's going to happen as the impending playoff system has basically named the winners and losers.

The issue I see is the difficulty in finding at least two more suitors that add new markets and provide some actual value. I fear some teams may add markets on paper and raise overall conference revenue but the pie won't grow in line with the new mouths to feed. Basically, we end up in a situation where Alabama is getting less than they would at 14 teams. I'm not excited by the value of Virginia or NCST while the better gets - FSU, Clemson, and maybe GT - are inconsequential to the TV broadcasters due to market overlap.

At this moment, we may toss the logic of market expansion and solidify the core of the product. I think an SEC Network would do just fine being the sole major sports location in Florida with the Seminoles and Gators. GT further solidifies the ATL market. I say if the idea is 18 or more then go and get our ACC end of the season rivals (FSU, GT, and Clemson) plus VT, NCST, and maybe Miami.
 

Lost in TN

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I think we go after the University of San Francisco so that we can cover the Northern California TV Market. While we are at it, lets get Buffalo so that we can get the Upstate NY TV markets.

NO ADDITIONS TO THE SEC!!!!!
IT IS FINE THE WAY IT IS!!!!!!!
 

rgw

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I guess my idea is to completely rip the ACC apart between the Big Ten and SEC. We're in a cold war with the Big Ten. They have the jump on the television network but they know Alabama is positioning for something even bigger with their network. Their moves eastward are more of a preemptive attack against the SEC Network footprint than screwing over Notre Dame. To be sure, Notre Dame stands to get properly screwed if what I think is going to happen actually happens. It makes a lot of sense though...once the SEC reacts to this moves then ND has little choice but to align with the Big Ten and get them near the 20 number.
 

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