ACC and MSG

[TheSultan]

Really? Now *this* is going to negatively affect recruiting???

This isn't even going to be a story by the weekend. It's barely a story now. The front page of ESPN doesn't mention it...neither does Sports Illustrated. (The front page of ESPN college basketball does, along with the idea of the ACC looking Barclays BTW. I don't see the Atlantic 10 making a statement.)

[Gato78]

This is just stupid talk. ACC boys letting Boeheim and Dixon blow off some steam. There are contracts in place and I am sure MSG has guaranteed money. Would it be better for MSG to have what is probably the same guaranteed money every year or once every 5 years? There is no way the old ACC teams will give Syracuse their home court advantage enjoyed in Greensboro, Charlotte or even Atlanta.

[ge1974]

Even the Jersey Guy says it isn'tt going to happen:

http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=6869

I think ESPN is already sent a salvo at the upcoming Fox1 Sports Network with this "leak".

[Goose85]

I guess my point is that if we want to be one of the big boy conferences this might have been a good time to show it. If ESPN and the ACC were talking about hosting their tourney at a venue the Big 10 had locked up for the next 13 years and acted as if it was going to be a done deal, do you think Delaney and the Big 10 would not issue a response?

I'd like for the Big East to tell the ACC to stick it, probably because I can't stand the ACC.

[IWB]

I agree Goo. Like I said, sitting back and saying nothing and waiting to see how things played out is exactly how the Big East was raided in the first place.

Actually, in the midst of this crap today would be the perfect time for the Big East to name a commissioner. Have whoever that is have a press conference where he/she stands up and states that the conference tourney is at MSG and that it won't change.

And yes Sultan, things like this can play against you in recruiting.

[Gato78]

Playing in the Garden is a big deal for every high school player. Novak and Grimm were jacked when their 1st regular season college game was at MSG. It definitely affects recruiting.

[TheSultan]

I guess my point is that if we want to be one of the big boy conferences this might have been a good time to show it. If ESPN and the ACC were talking about hosting their tourney at a venue the Big 10 had locked up for the next 13 years and acted as if it was going to be a done deal, do you think Delaney and the Big 10 would not issue a response?

First, the ACC isn't acting as if its a done deal.

Second, the B10 wouldn't make a response if Big East coaches were talking about moving their tournament to the United Center, and Andy Katz put that on a blurb on a non-descript story in May.

[TheSultan]

I agree Goo. Like I said, sitting back and saying nothing and waiting to see how things played out is exactly how the Big East was raided in the first place.

What exactly could the BE have done to prevent it from being raided? It was the low man on the totem pole. Once those above them wanted to expand, losing members was inevitable.

And I will say the BE was already proactive with regards to MSG...they signed a deal through 2026.

[IWB]

What exactly could the BE have done to prevent it from being raided? It was the low man on the totem pole. Once those above them wanted to expand, losing members was inevitable.

And I will say the BE was already proactive with regards to MSG...they signed a deal through 2026.

I will answer the second question first. There are performance stipulations. That leaves MSG with some power to make the change if they deem necessary. if the Big East falls short in 2013 or 2014, the 2026 date is absolutely meaningless. I don't think the Big East will allow that to happen, but 10 schools as opposed to 16, and Butler and Creighton as opposed to Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Rutgers could be a HUGE shift in ticket sales.

Now to the first question - What could they have done? Think back....

Remember the headlines? Remember the Big 12 getting raided and falling apart with Texas A&M and Missouri leaving? Offers extended for the Texas and Oklahoma schools to join the PAC 12?

Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor and Iowa State were begging to come to the Big East!!! Yes, they wanted into the Big East. I even spoke to people in a Big 12 athletic dept about this.

So what happened?

The Big 12 presidents gathered together, fired their commissioner, banded together and became stronger then they ever had been.
The Big East did nothing.

Moves started happening again.
The Big 12 took WVU.
The ACC upped their exit fee to $50 million.
The Big East raised their exit fee by $5 million.

The ACC took Pitt and Syracuse.
The Big East started adding C-USA schools.

The ACC took Louisville and Notre Dame.
The Big East added Tulane.

The Big 10 took Rutgers.
The Big East did nothing.

Fact is, Fox paid $500 million for a 10 team basketball only league. Without Syracuse, without Louisville, without UConn, without Pitt, without Notre Dame. Had the schools fired the commissioner, banded together and gone about their business the way that the Big 12 did, what would Fox have paid for the 'Old Big East'?

The Big East sat back and did nothing.

[Gato78]

All true BUT Pitt and Syracuse tainted the process because they were negotiating with the ACC throughout so the inaction may well have been motivated by Pitt and Syracuse making their own departures easier. Make no mistake, both schools were in leadership positions in the conference.