Link: ACC gets 1.6 billion over 12 years from ESPN for media content.

[RJ YellowHammer]

Well, it's not the $206 million per year the SEC gets, but it closes the gap.

This is going to have some interesting ramifications on the conference expansion melodrama.

ESPN fends off Fox for ACC rights

 

[KrAzY3]

It cuts both ways, on one hand it proves to the doubters that the ACC's markets do have great value. On the other hand, it mean leaving this deal behind might not become a instant win, even if it's for a place like the SEC. I think it pushes the role of the Big East even further ahead since they are already vulnerable, and it would be easier to entice a Louisville or West Virginia than a ACC school with a fat new TV contract.

 

[AlexanderFan]

so that's what pushover football and top heavy basketball is going for these days? Nice to know.

 

[KrAzY3]

so that's what pushover football and top heavy basketball is going for these days? Nice to know.

It's great how short the attention span for a football fan is. From the start of the BCS championship game (1998) to 2002 (expansion was in the 2004 season), current ACC teams were in every single BCS championship game. In 1999 Florida State played Virginia Tech. So, acting like that conference is a pushover is not really in keeping with reality.

What did happen is the ACC added two programs (Miami and Virginia Tech) that were the best in the Big East, and this led to a logjam at the top and a more difficult schedule for all teams. While it did show us that they weren't as good as advertised, it also showed us what a impact SoS has on results. If you throw any WAC or MWC team in the ACC I'd be really surprised if they ended up with double digit wins... It's easy to look good playing nobodies, the hard part is to do it beating good football programs, of which the ACC now has several (Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami and FSU).

The ACC expansion is a cautionary tale for any conference. I like seeing other conferences raise their SoS, but mainly because the results are easy to predict (I expected the ACC to struggle but not to the extent I've seen). If the SEC added the two best Big-12 teams people could be saying the similar things about them in a few years (although I do think the SEC is clearly better at football than the ACC)...

 

[JPT4Bama]

It's great how short the attention span for a football fan is. From the start of the BCS championship game (1998) to 2002 (expansion was in the 2004 season), current ACC teams were in every single BCS championship game. In 1999 Florida State played Virginia Tech. So, acting like that conference is a pushover is not really in keeping with reality.

What did happen is the ACC added two programs (Miami and Virginia Tech) that were the best in the Big East, and this led to a logjam at the top and a more difficult schedule for all teams. While it did show us that they weren't as good as advertised, it also showed us what a impact SoS has on results. If you throw any WAC or MWC team in the ACC I'd be really surprised if they ended up with double digit wins... It's easy to look good playing nobodies, the hard part is to do it beating good football programs, of which the ACC now has several (Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami and FSU).

The ACC expansion is a cautionary tale for any conference. I like seeing other conferences raise their SoS, but mainly because the results are easy to predict (I expected the ACC to struggle but not to the extent I've seen). If the SEC added the two best Big-12 teams people could be saying the similar things about them in a few years (although I do think the SEC is clearly better at football than the ACC)...

Good points but I'm guessing the first sport people associate with the ACC would most likely be basketball.
I'm thinking it won't be long before FSU is a player once again and if VT could ever put together a consistent offense to go with their always strong defense and special teams they too will stay in the BCS mix more often than not.

 

[TommyMac]

It's great how short the attention span for a football fan is. From the start of the BCS championship game (1998) to 2002 (expansion was in the 2004 season), current ACC teams were in every single BCS championship game. In 1999 Florida State played Virginia Tech. So, acting like that conference is a pushover is not really in keeping with reality.

What did happen is the ACC added two programs (Miami and Virginia Tech) that were the best in the Big East, and this led to a logjam at the top and a more difficult schedule for all teams. While it did show us that they weren't as good as advertised, it also showed us what a impact SoS has on results. If you throw any WAC or MWC team in the ACC I'd be really surprised if they ended up with double digit wins... It's easy to look good playing nobodies, the hard part is to do it beating good football programs, of which the ACC now has several (Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami and FSU).

The ACC expansion is a cautionary tale for any conference. I like seeing other conferences raise their SoS, but mainly because the results are easy to predict (I expected the ACC to struggle but not to the extent I've seen). If the SEC added the two best Big-12 teams people could be saying the similar things about them in a few years (although I do think the SEC is clearly better at football than the ACC)...

Here's some more recent reality......Clemson and GaTech played in the ACCCG last season. Right before that game, both were drummed by two mediocre SEC teams, GaTech by UGA and Clemson by South Carolina. To make it even worse, Clemson was then beaten in a bowl by Kentucky.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

It's great how short the attention span for a football fan is. From the start of the BCS championship game (1998) to 2002 (expansion was in the 2004 season), current ACC teams were in every single BCS championship game. In 1999 Florida State played Virginia Tech. So, acting like that conference is a pushover is not really in keeping with reality.

What did happen is the ACC added two programs (Miami and Virginia Tech) that were the best in the Big East, and this led to a logjam at the top and a more difficult schedule for all teams. While it did show us that they weren't as good as advertised, it also showed us what a impact SoS has on results. If you throw any WAC or MWC team in the ACC I'd be really surprised if they ended up with double digit wins... It's easy to look good playing nobodies, the hard part is to do it beating good football programs, of which the ACC now has several (Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami and FSU).

The ACC expansion is a cautionary tale for any conference. I like seeing other conferences raise their SoS, but mainly because the results are easy to predict (I expected the ACC to struggle but not to the extent I've seen). If the SEC added the two best Big-12 teams people could be saying the similar things about them in a few years (although I do think the SEC is clearly better at football than the ACC)...

There's a difference between having teams perceived to be championship caliber and being championship caliber. We all know about the run that FSU had in the 90's and Miami has been an on-again/off-again contender for years. Virginia Tech is relatively new to the big stage. Who else in the ACC is a legitimate year in, year out, football powerhouse?

It's more likely that the perception of power in the ACC was wrong, and the now tougher schedule exposed the reality. The reality of the SEC is that a lot of teams play at a very high level. I don't think you can say that about the ACC.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

Here's some more recent reality......Clemson and GaTech played in the ACCCG last season. Right before that game, both were drummed by two mediocre SEC teams, GaTech by UGA and Clemson by South Carolina. To make it even worse, Clemson was then beaten in a bowl by Kentucky.

Pretty sure Clemson beat Kentucky in the bowl game.

 

[Mystical]

Here's some more recent reality......Clemson and GaTech played in the ACCCG last season. Right before that game, both were drummed by two mediocre SEC teams, GaTech by UGA and Clemson by South Carolina. To make it even worse, Clemson was then beaten in a bowl by Kentucky.

That means nothing. South Carolina lost to UCon in a bowl game and got handled (for me the biggest disappointment of the bowl season). LSU lost to Penn State, Tennessee was hammered by Va Tech, than we had a couple of ugly wins like Arkansas barely beating East Carolina. Like was said earlier Kentucky lost to Clemson. Point is any team can lose on any given day especially to your rival as Ga Tech is for Ga and Clemson is to South Carolina.

 

[TidePrideGA]

Thats a ton of cash. Gotta say I avoid ACC football like the plague. Its just bad except for a few teams.

 

[TommyMac]

Pretty sure Clemson beat Kentucky in the bowl game.

Oops. :redface:

 

[TommyMac]

That means nothing. South Carolina lost to UCon in a bowl game and got handled (for me the biggest disappointment of the bowl season). LSU lost to Penn State, Tennessee was hammered by Va Tech, than we had a couple of ugly wins like Arkansas barely beating East Carolina. Like was said earlier Kentucky lost to Clemson. Point is any team can lose on any given day especially to your rival as Ga Tech is for Ga and Clemson is to South Carolina.

Well, actually it does mean something. Would you think it meant nothing if shortly before the SECCG. both Bama and Florida had been beaten by two so-so ACC teams?

 

[GrayTide]

Here's some more recent reality......Clemson and GaTech played in the ACCCG last season. Right before that game, both were drummed by two mediocre SEC teams, GaTech by UGA and Clemson by South Carolina. To make it even worse, Clemson was then beaten in a bowl by Kentucky.

The 2009 ACC Championship game in Tampa drew a whopping crowd of 42,815. Looks to me like the ACC makes its money in round ball.

 

[Mystical]

Well, actually it does mean something. Would you think it meant nothing if shortly before the SECCG. both Bama and Florida had been beaten by two so-so ACC teams?

It could have happened we beat a so-so Auburn team by the skin on our teeth even though anyone with eyes knew we were by far the better team. Rivalry games in that type of environment does something.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

It could have happened we beat a so-so Auburn team by the skin on our teeth even though anyone with eyes knew we were by far the better team. Rivalry games in that type of environment does something.

So does an 8 day difference in prep time, one team being delayed entering the stadium and the same team playing a de facto national semifinal the next week...
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[KrAzY3]

The 2009 ACC Championship game in Tampa drew a whopping crowd of 42,815. Looks to me like the ACC makes its money in round ball.

Not the case really... true, the ACC has two big earners that make a lot in basketball, but here are the top sports revenue teams in the ACC:
Duke
Virginia
North Carolina
Boston College
Clemson
Virginia Tech

Those aren't all basketball schools, I believe with two exceptions they all earn more in football...

The ACC has a few major problems right now. One is a lack of geographic cohesiveness, can you imagine trying to travel from Boston College to Miami? This is 1,500 miles, a 24 hour trip in a car. When you stretch your conference like that, you're going to see things like attendance and fan interest fall. Another problem is that their top teams are too evenly matched and they have taken each other down a notch. As proud as some of the teams in the SEC are, take them out of title contention collectively for a few years and people will start to view them differently. That's just how it works. Finally, the ACC has chosen poor locations for their championship game...

The bottom line is the ACC has plenty of schools with great earnings potential, period and several football programs with great fan support. They just are not a well built or balanced conference and they were clearly not ready to up their SoS in football.

 

[VOLFAN7]

This has much to do with the round ball.

 

[Hokiebama]

This ACC Football championship has always been played in Florida. This year it moves to Charlotte (its natural home) and this game will sell out this year.

 

[GrayTide]

This ACC Football championship has always been played in Florida. This year it moves to Charlotte (its natural home) and this game will sell out this year.

Charlotte or Atlanta would be much better. The Florida thing has been a flop except for the first year or two. Charlotte would be a good venue.

 

[ncbama]

Charlotte or Atlanta would be much better. The Florida thing has been a flop except for the first year or two. Charlotte would be a good venue.

I sure wish the Duke game could have been played in Charlotte.