While this is an ACC blog, it doesn’t mean we don’t pay attention to actual realignment news across the country. Anything that happens or potentially could happen may affect the ACC and that’s why it matters. Notice I said “actual realignment news” and not the latest non-sense Twitter rumor.
In recent weeks we’ve seen a variety of rumors about the Pac-12’s demise – 99% of which have little to no basis.
Of course, if it is sunny, someone will say it’s raining behind the scenes if you know what I mean.
When a school official speaks through a credible source, now that may mean something. We’ve seen various ACC AD’s talk about unequal revenue distribution publically. That matters and will have to be addressed by the ACC.
Sunday USA Today reported on comments from the Colorado Chancellor, and some statements could be not more clear.
“there’s a very good possibility” the next deal will bring in per-school revenues ranking third among the Power 5 conferences, ahead of the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast conferences.
“What I’ve said along with the other presidents and chancellors is we’re not going to even think about going anywhere, none of us, until we see what kind of offer we get, and that’s still being worked out. And I’m confident it’s going to be fine.”
He noted how the Big 12 has only one school in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) – Kansas – unlike the Pac-12, which has several, including Colorado. He also said Colorado has had far more alumni engagement at football games in California cities than it ever had in Big 12 cities.
He said expansion depends on the new media deal, which is “getting close,” he said.
If the media deal is reasonably close to the Big 12’s, nobody is moving – period. He also took a subtle shot at the Big 12 academics by specifically talking about AAU members. Um, you probably aren’t doing that if you are heavily leaning towards NOT moving to the Big 12.
How the ACC responds to their members if the Pac 12’s deal does turn out better than theirs would be interesting to say the least.
The last statement I found rather interesting from an ACC perspective. Chancellor Phil DiStefano says expansion depends on the media deal being completed. Now it’s been stated that there have been talks of an ACC/Pac 12 media merger. If just such a thing did have a chance of happening, it certainly couldn’t come together until the Pac-12 media deal was finalized.
You never say never, but I consider it highly unlikely that the Pac 12 breaks apart during this cycle despite the anti-Pac 12 Twitter campaign. These comments only make me more sure of that.
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1 ping
John Seng says:
April 25, 2023 at 6:04 pm (UTC -5)
Won’t think of leaving until we see the offer, what if it’s more than $5 million less than the B12? Sounds to me like he still thinks the PAC will be only behind the SEC & B1G in revenue which is not likely. Also, when was the last time you or any one else watch a football or basketball game because the schools were AAU? Completely irrelevant to the media deal.