As the additions of Stanford/Cal/SMU loom for the ACC, everyone has an opinion on it. Usually, I take a more objective stance with articles here, but what does the Georgia Tech and Clemson fan in me think about these potential expansion targets?
I went to both schools and know plenty of fans and alumni of Georgia Tech and Clemson including immediate family.
Strictly as a Clemson fan only what I do think?
Stanford, Cal, and SMU bring pretty much zero to the ACC football-wise. That’s not good for Clemson. The ACC suffers enough for their football perception, and this isn’t helping things. The matchups don’t excite me either, though a road trip in particular to the Dallas metro area for an SMU game has my attention.
Clemson has always had a financial gap with their SEC and Big 10 competition. Trailing them in the past hasn’t really concerned me, but a $30-40 Million gap is going to be a massive issue. Then if you start paying players, it is another layer to this.
With the expanded playoffs coming up, I’m not in favor of Clemson going through a protracted legal battle to try and beat the GOR. As of yet, nobody has found a magical loophole. Research it sure, but the ACC is still currently the easiest path to the playoff, and offset the football dilutive effect of Stanford, Cal, and SMU.
So at the end of the day, you need cash… If the additions add $50 Million+ to a bucket of money that could be an incentive-based, and even rumored to be brand-based plus the ACCN potential, and Clemson could get a decent bump of $5-$10 Million a year. That’s at least 15%-25% of that huge gap made up in one move, and you know there are other ACC revenue increasing initiatives in the works.
Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Cal, and SMU are all taking reduced shares, and likely so would any near-term adds. The financial gain of Stanford, Cal, and SMU is temporary and would last 5-7 years. There’s so much risk involved with attempting a legal battle short-term. Do the diligence of future homes and the GOR. You don’t stop doing what’s best for Clemson, but I’d prefer the Tigers to judge the landscape and if the time comes for a legal fight, prepare that for later in the decade.
What about the Georgia Tech fan in me?
If the ACC one implodes, Clemson would probably have a home somewhere in the P2. The football brand is too big, though they may not be the first choice if the states of North Carolina and Virginia are as coveted as some media suggest.
Georgia Tech has value to the Big 10 potentially, but I don’t see a SEC invite ever coming. I have no desire for Georgia Tech to join the Big 12 if the ACC is viable, and there’s always the concern that Georgia Tech will end up like Washington State and Oregon State and fighting for their lives to stay in the upper echelon of college athletics.
The Georgia Tech fan in me is very much in favor of expansion. With sheer numbers of additions, the ACC stays viable even if there are some departures. The Big 12 did a fantastic job of aligning with a core group of schools after several schools left. You expand with Stanford, Cal, and SMU and further western expansion makes more sense. Schools like UCONN, Tulane, Memphis, South Florida, and maybe East Carolina can still be eastern additions.
The ACC can still exist, and in the meantime, Georgia Tech also does its due diligence to make itself as attractive as possible to the Big 10, though you can’t put all your eggs in that basket of hope.
When it comes down to it, the Clemson fan in me is lukewarm on these adds, but wants the short-term money grab. Geography hasn’t mattered in years, so take the money now and keep your easier playoff access for the time being while always keeping your options in the works.
I want the adds as a Georgia Tech fan. Georgia Tech is not guaranteed a P2 home, and a viable ACC is still their best option for now. That only happens if the ACC has more schools.
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