Clemson files Grant of Rights language lawsuit against the ACC (Update at #125)

Not sure if true, but interesting read.

 

Pass

 

“What’s in it for me” - SEC

 

Non starter

 

The SEC will do what ESPN tells them.

 

Which is why the B10's deal is much better....make the suitors chase you, not the other way around.

 

Big 10 not chasing. They give partial TV rights initially. Want AAU membership of teams they take. Look who has current TV rights and future rights in each Conference. Which network would keep Clemson and FSU if allowed out of ACC conference early? What conference would they need to transfer to?

 

What will ND do if the two best teams leave the conference? What would UNC and Virginia then do? Who would be left out in ACC like the two leftovers in the old PAC10 with nowhere to go

 

Better for who? When the SEC tv deal gets re-done I bet it's bigger per school than what the Big 10 gets currently. And with no partial splits.

 

Its better for the Big 10 because they have multiple TV partners that could be pitted against each other in a negotiation. The SEC doesn't currently have that luxury. The Big 10 will get their contract re-negotiated in increments as well....no different than the SEC.

Think of buying a car from the only dealer in town vs. having 3 dealers that sell the same vehicle. Price competition generally works in the buyer's favor.

 

If this is true, then I’m guessing Clemson and FSU will be SEC members in 2025. I just don’t see UF and USCe getting enough support in the current 16 team conference.

 

IMO, SEC gains nothing by adding FSU and Clemson at this time. Next move to realign everything has to increase market share. i can see Miami going to the big 10 and Sec standing pat until they can snag NC

 

This is not directed at oragator1 for posting this, but I just don't see how this makes sense.

1 - First of all, I don't think ESPN/ABC has money to give anybody right now.

2 - If ESPN/ABC does has money to give, why would they be offering a settlement to FSU and Clemson? FSU and Clemson don't control their destiny. If ESPN/ABC wants FSU and Clemson in the SEC, I would think ESPN/ABC would be negotiating with the ACC and SEC. Those are the parties who control if and where FSU and Clemson go. Plus, ESPN has some leverage with the SEC and ACC because they pretty much control their media rights.

3 - How can ABC/ESPN make a deal with FSU and Clemson valid only if FSU and Clemson go to the SEC? That assumes FSU and Clemson can choose where to go and that the SEC wants them. I don't think there's much doubt that FSU and Clemson would prefer to join the SEC, but that's a decision the SEC will ultimately make.

The only way I see there being any real truth to this post is if the ABC/ESPN is lobbying FSU and Clemson to leave the ACC and pay the buyout, but telling them that if they end up in the SEC, they'll pay them back part of the buyout. But what they may not be telling FSU and Clemson is that they won't be dramatically increasing the SEC payout and that the SEC is probably going to only offer them a partial share until the SEC's TV contract is renegotiated.

 

I think NC and a UVA would be the logical choices in that they are big, flagship state universities. FSwho and Clemmons make sense geographically and culturally fit with the SEC but I would still consider them second choices.

 

I wonder if the SEC and the B1G have reached the point of diminishing returns when it comes to adding more teams. There are only so many channels and so many time slots, with the addition of Texas plus OU, the SEC/ESPN will have premiere games on major channels at optimum times already, every week. Would adding Clemson and FSU really grow the number of eyeballs on SEC games? Hard to say, because while you would add these fanbases, you're also adding more games to the SEC schedule, meaning any premiere game with one of these schools, means there's another SEC game playing at the same time, with respective fanbases watching this one, instead of Clemson/FSU.

ESPN has no more money to spend on the SEC right now. And I don't see any school outside of Notre Dame, adding a significant amount of eyeballs that will cause the needle to move enough for the SEC to jump right now.

 

Agree about NC and VA. F$U and Clemson just adds mouths to feed for the SEC, not market share. Why would the SEC add another two teams (from none prestigious Universities), do another realignment, and not have revenues increase substantially. Which is why I don't see this happening. Bringing in TX was huge, bringing in FL and SC adds nothing as SEC already has those states.

 

This is exactly the point I've been trying to make in other posts. ESPN has all of it's available time slots filled. There is no more inventory to add more games, except for streaming, which isn't a big money maker.

For that reason, I think the number of teams that the Big-10 and SEC would expand for is VERY limited. Notre Dame is the one big prize and yes, they would be worth it for either the SEC or Big-10 to expand. I think Notre Dame may be the ONLY school that the Big-10 and SEC would actually expand for right now. Along with the huge national audience, they bring an NBC time slot.

After that it get's pretty iffy. I think FSU and Clemson need to be very careful with their expectations. I'm not at all certain the Big-10 or SEC would expand to get them right now. Maybe not for years. And if they did, it may be at a partial share like the Big-10 did with UW and Oregon.

Maybe not until the TV network deals are renegotiated. Same goes for UNC. Those may be the only remaining candidates to even be considered. It all depends on if the Big-10 and SEC have a desire to expand. And I don't think the desire will be there unless the networks give them more money, which I think you and I both agree, with all the financial turmoil, they probably can't afford to do that.

 

UNC and UVa pull a low amount of viewers with UNC just abou tat the SEC bottom dweller Vandy and UVa worse than Vandy. Fsu and Clemson pull viewers like the top five of the SEC already and the numbers would rise with adding the SEC brand. How Many Viewers Did Your NCAA Team Attract?.

 

Again, the question is law of diminishing returns. No doubt a FSU/Alabama would draw big numbers. But if that game is on at the same time as South Carolina vs. LSU, would FSU/Bama significantly outdraw SC/LSU in a world where FSU is still in the ACC? Not likely. South Carolina and LSU both have fantastic, rabid fan bases, and their fans won't watch any other game while their team is playing. Total viewership numbers would likely be very close, especially if either/or LSU and South Carolina were in the top 25 at the time.

Notre Dame moves the needle enough for the SEC or the B1G to grab them. But they aren't moving any time soon. Everyone else, including Clemson and FSU? The return on investment just isn't there at current SEC/B1G prices in my opinion, especially considering ESPN and FOX Sports' respective business models show profits are dwindling.

 

I'm certain I'm not seeing your contention correctly. FSU drew 5.01 M in it's top 21 ACC games. That puts it with Tenn, and just behind UF (when not playing BAMA) for their viewers playing in SEC conf. games. You're thinking the FSU fans won't watch them if they're in the SEC? Can you clarify?