4/30/2023 0 Comments Conference realignment![]() ![]() It’s been a complicated process and one that is losing optimism quickly.Īt the center of it all is money, and as the Pac-12 commissioner works to secure a new media rights deal, a lot of ramifications hang in the balance. While schools like USC and UCLA leaving for the Big Ten certainly provided a big blow to George Kliavkoff and the Pac-12, it may have just been the tip of the iceberg.Īt the moment, Kliavkoff is in the middle of trying to broker a new media rights deal for the Pac-12, working hard to get a new TV deal that is as lucrative as some of the others in the market, paying the remaining Pac-12 teams enough money to stay in the conference. Additionally, from a men's basketball perspective-again, right up Duke’s alley-West Virginia joining would be a plus.Įditor's note: A Duke spokesperson declined The Chronicle's request for comment from incoming athletic director Nina King on the impact of conference realignment on the ACC and Duke.We’ve talked a lot over the past year or so about the idea of conference realignment, and what that might mean for the Oregon Ducks and the rest of the Pac-12. The ACC has struggled to identify traditional football rivalries that engage a national audience outside of Miami-Florida State, making this a natural maneuver. The Mountaineers have always felt a little out of place in the Big 12 since joining nine years ago, so reuniting with old Big East foes such as Syracuse, Pittsburgh-did somebody say Backyard Brawl?-and Louisville could pay dividends for all parties. West VirginiaĪnother possible addition could be West Virginia, which makes geographic and cultural sense. It’s worth a phone call-a lot of phone calls in fact-and could also add to the academic standing of the conference, which would likely appeal to Duke. That sort of trade-off makes sense for both sides, as the Fighting Irish were able to compete in the ACC championship and could have represented the conference in the Orange Bowl.īesides, with an expanded 12-team playoff on the horizon, the ACC could coax Notre Dame into joining to remove the uncertainty surrounding a shot at a national title. Last season, when Notre Dame joined the ACC and played a 10-game conference schedule, that TV revenue was added to the total amount from ESPN and divided up among all 15 schools. That does not mean that the ACC will not, and should not, continue to view adding Notre Dame as a viable option.įor starters, the Fighting Irish’s deal with NBC brings in $15 million annually to the university. But despite a scheduling agreement with the ACC since 2014 and a conference affiliation for the 2020 season, the Fighting Irish remain firmly independent when it comes to football. The Fighting Irish, despite their stated preference to remain independent, always find themselves inserted into the conversation, and this edition of realignment frenzy is more of the same. If only there was a major brand out there that could help offset those relative deficits… Notre Dame ![]() Add in the fact that the Big Ten's and Pac-12's current media rights deal will expire in 2023 and before the 2024 season, respectively, and the ACC is at clear disadvantage in the TV realm. That’s a gap of about $4.3 million per school, not a massive differential but one that will likely expand thanks to the ratings potential that Oklahoma and Texas bring. For context, the ACC’s contract with ESPN-a deal that began in 2019 to coincide with the birth of the ACC Network- pays $240 million a year and lasts until 2036. ![]() Last December, though, the SEC struck a 10-year deal with ESPN/ABC, a partnership that kicks off in 2024 and will bring in roughly $300 million annually to the league. For years, SEC on CBS was one of the most undervalued entities in sports television, as the conference received $55 million annually. It’s obvious that Duke wants the ACC to stay intact, which means from the Blue Devils’ perspective, anything should be on the table. Keeping Clemson and Florida State from joining an SEC-driven super league is an imperative, a task that could be accomplished by making key additions and potentially renegotiating the deal. As one of the founding members of the ACC, the University’s stature as a leading voice in the conference is secure. In general, Duke’s position in all this is tough to judge. ![]()
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