(03-04-2024 12:30 PM)Garrettabc Wrote:  Fantasy of course, but let's say FSU and the ACC realize they both have a lot to lose from the law suits so they start negotiations. The ACC wants FSU to stay, FSU wants/needs more money because the current course in "untenable". The ACC desperately scours the message boards looking for ideas and runs across this post.


Not a new idea that I have not already posted before, but figured the idea should get fleshed out in it's own thread. The ACC has 1 more pro-rata, perhaps 2 if ESPN can be convinced that moving WOSU into the ACC would solve their playoff headaches. If the ACC is allowed those 2, then BSU should not be a bridge too far and they still have a quasi interesting football brand especially when paired up with WSU and OSU. Perhaps this also intrigues ESPN just enough to give 3 pro-rata additions to the ACC.

The ACC now has enough members for a western wing and if the ACC can cajole the newest additions into the same 9 year arrangement that SMU, Cal, Stan agreed to, then that would be another large bump in pay to the 14(15) members on the right side of the Mississippi river. Plus in 2027 the ACC is due another $3m bump (if I remember right) when the Raycom deal expires.

But wait, there's more! It's still short of where FSU wants their money to be, so the ACC and FSU work something else out. FSU and 2 others (Clem, UL?) agrees to a rotating h&h with Stan, Cal, SMU, OSU, WSU and BSU for an additional $3m a year. It means less trips for everyone else to these remote places and incentives the extra travel and provides very interesting late night content.

Allow me to spell everything out: 6 west division teams is 5 games between each other. 3 others rotate h&h giving the west division 6 games. The other 11 are traveling west on average once in 2 years in a 8 game conference schedule. This is not much more travel than we will have.

How much money are we talkin bout in the short term? Perhaps someone can help me out, but I think the additions of Cal, Stan, SMU will bring about $6m per member of the ACC14. OSU, WSU, BSU combined would not be additive to the ACCN if they are getting an equal cut, so I put their net addition to be about $4m per member of the ACC14. Plus the 2027 $3m boost and all the yearly escalators and all of a sudden the ACC is looking at around $57m per member in 2027, not bad. FSU would get $3m more as a travel stipend, plus the success initiative incentive bonuses.

Perhaps it's pure fantasy to think the ACC, FSU and ESPN could see the merits in this scheme, but I prefer this than the current thing.

No. ESPN will not be financing any further ACC expansion…unless it comes from a power conference. Per the media contract, ESPN will only fund one more addition into the ACC. The last three adds (Cal, Stanford & SMU) have probably hurt ESPN’s profitability, but they likely tolerated the process because it stabilizes the overall longer-term contract. The recent adds help ACCN revenues in the short-term and opens some new opportunities for ESPN. The ACCN can now have true national appeal.

(03-04-2024 12:30 PM)Garrettabc Wrote:  Fantasy of course, but let's say FSU and the ACC realize they both have a lot to lose from the law suits so they start negotiations. The ACC wants FSU to stay, FSU wants/needs more money because the current course in "untenable". The ACC desperately scours the message boards looking for ideas and runs across this post.


Not a new idea that I have not already posted before, but figured the idea should get fleshed out in it's own thread. The ACC has 1 more pro-rata, perhaps 2 if ESPN can be convinced that moving WOSU into the ACC would solve their playoff headaches. If the ACC is allowed those 2, then BSU should not be a bridge too far and they still have a quasi interesting football brand especially when paired up with WSU and OSU. Perhaps this also intrigues ESPN just enough to give 3 pro-rata additions to the ACC.

The ACC now has enough members for a western wing and if the ACC can cajole the newest additions into the same 9 year arrangement that SMU, Cal, Stan agreed to, then that would be another large bump in pay to the 14(15) members on the right side of the Mississippi river. Plus in 2027 the ACC is due another $3m bump (if I remember right) when the Raycom deal expires.

But wait, there's more! It's still short of where FSU wants their money to be, so the ACC and FSU work something else out. FSU and 2 others (Clem, UL?) agrees to a rotating h&h with Stan, Cal, SMU, OSU, WSU and BSU for an additional $3m a year. It means less trips for everyone else to these remote places and incentives the extra travel and provides very interesting late night content.

Allow me to spell everything out: 6 west division teams is 5 games between each other. 3 others rotate h&h giving the west division 6 games. The other 11 are traveling west on average once in 2 years in a 8 game conference schedule. This is not much more travel than we will have.

How much money are we talkin bout in the short term? Perhaps someone can help me out, but I think the additions of Cal, Stan, SMU will bring about $6m per member of the ACC14. OSU, WSU, BSU combined would not be additive to the ACCN if they are getting an equal cut, so I put their net addition to be about $4m per member of the ACC14. Plus the 2027 $3m boost and all the yearly escalators and all of a sudden the ACC is looking at around $57m per member in 2027, not bad. FSU would get $3m more as a travel stipend, plus the success initiative incentive bonuses.

Perhaps it's pure fantasy to think the ACC, FSU and ESPN could see the merits in this scheme, but I prefer this than the current thing.

WSU is a bridge too far and BSU has ZERO chance.