So, the Big East's "Dream Scenario" is to Add Maryland and Boston College
by Ben Broman on Aug 3, 2011 12:55 PM EDT
in Other Maryland Athletics
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PrintIf you were around here last summer, you might remember the wealth of discussion about the Big Ten potentially snapping up Maryland. Ultimately, of course, nothing came of it, and it looks like nothing will, though something could potentially go down should the conference decide to go to 16, as unlikely as that appears to be in the near future.
But another "Big" conference hasn't given up the dream of expanding. I missed this yesterday, but a friendly h/t goes out to both BC Interruption and SBN DC:
The dream scenario would be the current league, plus TCU and BC and Maryland and if three schools of that quality were added, then a 12th school could be a Villanova or Central Florida and the conference would clearly be better. However, adding Villanova or Central Florida as the 10th school or adding both as the 10th and 11th schools would not add a thing to the conference and thus is not attractive to anyone at this point.
That comes from a conversation Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Paul Zeise had with Pitt AD Steve Pederson and West Virginia AD Oliver Luck. Takeaway for you: yes, the Big East wants Maryland.
Normally, this is where I'd say "Yeah, sure, guys. Whatever. My 'dream scenario' is for Maryland to land Mitch McGary, Amile Jefferson, Shaquille Cleare, Elijah Macon, and Robert Carter. Only one of those things can happen." (Kidding, of course.) The Big East is the only conference in a worse situation than the ACC. Like we'd ever join that.
"But wait!" Big East commissioner John Marinatoo would say. They actually have something to offer:
Well, money, and that's where the high stakes poker game with television networks that the Big East - at the prodding of [Pitt AD Steve] Pederson and company - comes into play. The conference hopes it can parlay NBC/Comcast's new found interest in college sports programming into a bidding war with ESPN to drive the price up to a level much higher than what the ACC's current (and long-term) deal gives each team.
...[N]ow the Big East is the last of the major conferences without a new deal which means it has some leverage on NBC/Comcast since the network is desperate to get into the college sports business. ...
[C]onference officials hope they can create a bidding war and get a far more lucrative package from ESPN than the original offer from a few months ago (the hope is the deal reaches the $16 million per team per year range, which is about $3 million more per team than the ACC deal).
So, financially, there's an advantage to potentially be had in joining the Big East. And with the department's current financial woes, every bit of money means something. That extra $3mil is the difference between dropping 2 sports and dropping 5 sports. Or building an indoor practice facility for football or ... not. Which sounds more palatable?
But no one in the administration, academic or athletic, seemed particularly psyched about joining the Big Ten, and that would've been a lot more than a $3mil bonus. Perhaps with Wallace Loh and Kevin Anderson at the helm this time, things might be different, but Debbie Yow, Dan Mote, and even the Board of Regents seemed pretty well caught up in ACC pride last time around.
And why shouldn't they be? Maryland has been in the ACC since its founding, and the rivalries formed with Duke, UNC, Virginia, and N.C. State will be tough to give up. It's a lot of tradition to sacrifice for the potential of an extra $3mil bones or so. Plus, I have to believe the academic folks will have a problem joining a conference also consisting of TCU - not for the academic reputation, but instead for the ridiculous travel.
Most people would still have problems joining the Big East with the football/non-football conference split, too. I myself have some problems joining up with a conference that would feature 20 basketball teams, many of them deadwood compared to the rest of the conference. (Looking at you, Seton Hall, Providence, and DePaul. You can't live off past glories forever.) But dropping them is, as Marinatto said, "off the table."
If the Big East is serious about trying to snipe Maryland, they'll need to do better than $3mil, I'm guessing. In fact, I see no reason for the ACC to just instead poach the Big East's best, building a 16-team super-conference of their own. Either way, I'm ready to do this again.
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Football wise it isnt terrible
But basketball wise, we wont be able to play any of our Rivals and there are all those random small schoole in there aswell. Still i think the ACC is and should be Maryland’s home.
If we did join the BEast
Then we would only have one rivalry, UConn, which isn’t a rivalry in terms of actual games played but it is with the amount of contact these two schools have. From Rudy Gay to the Edsall/Don Brown trade, there is a lot connecting these schools in a way that could foster a rivalry.
Hate the Big East
I’d much rather have the ACC steal away WVU Pitt and then maybe add UCONN and Navy (really just for S’s & G’s). UCONN and Pitt would add more depth to basketball, WVU and Pitt would give the ACC a historic football rivalry, and best of all, it might give the ACC enough of a reason to move their HQ away from Greensboro and into a more central location such as NoVA or DC. But all this is just a pipe dream anyways.
No Syracuse? Syracuse is a much more appealing option for the ACC than West Virginia, UConn or Navy in my opinion.
Editor, BC Interruption
If we took four schools from the Big East
Id take:
Pitt
Syracuse
UConn
Rutgers
and lets go to Bentleys...
moving headquarters from NC to DC is like
hoping state HQ for MD would move from Annapolis to Largo, or for VA would go from Richmond to Arlington…
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
Bad Move for Football worse for BBall
We would jumble into a massive conference for the tournament and loose the years of bball tradition and rivalries. Losing the unc and puke games would be catastrophic but I also enjoy playing every team in the ACC as there is always something to get pumped about.
As for football I see no upside either. Subpar conference in football with less recognition. We thought getting into a quality bowl in the ACC was tough the Big East would bring joke games.
Stay in the ACC - F*ck the Big East
And F*ck Adam Zagoria. I dont want him to jump on our bandwagon once we start winning Natty’s just because we are in the big east.
by Charlotte NC Terp on Aug 3, 2011 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
THAT is funny
he should just end the charade and call his site the Zags Luvs the Beast Blog
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
by bball purist on Aug 3, 2011 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
big east is a better b ball conference. md could schedule duke and nc as non conference. we only play nc once a yr now as it is. academics in the big east is a joke so we would be at a disadvantage there. i doubt md would lower academics. football could be a wash. it’s not like the acc is a great football conference. acc teams rarely beat top quality non conference foes. the big ten would be better for md if that opportunity comes around.
we have been playing UNC 1time..
.. because of the number of ACC schoole, next year it will be someone diff. ACC is the right conf. for us right now and if we change that it will be a big mistake. too much history and pride for us now you cant give it up just for 3 mill. ultimately success in Bball and Football is whats going to be needed to help with the debt problem.
It's S-C-H-O-O-L...sorry but it was bothering me...And the ACC is just as good in basketball.
Duke and NC are two of the most prestigious basketball schools. Period.
You only pay NC once a year now as it is, but how would this improve in a 20-team basketball conference? You are looking at 1 game a year against the rest of the league and you’d probably even miss one team if they stuck with the 18 game conference schedule.
Makes no sense.
Editor, BC Interruption
ACC is basketbal is still really good....
but is down recently, but we all know that is coming back up. Also, Big East Football has been in a tailspin since BC VT, & Miami left. ACC football is on the rise, Why hop off the train that is going in the right direction.
Yessir
they always talking about top 2 teams this, 2 team league that. In a year or 2 this will officially be a 3 team league with the top 3 switching spots almost every year and the occasional surprise team. VA Tech can make it a 4 team league, If Kansas St guy go to Miami then maybe a 5 team league…
Never gonna happen!!!!!
Give up MD-Duke rivalry, MD-UNC in basketball? Give up Miami and VT in football? Never, ever gonna happen. There is way too much money in the ACC and too many valued rivalries.
Fear the Turgle!
I used to be STRONGLY against leaving the ACC.
But I must admit, I am getting sick and tired of the Carolina-centric bias against our programs. Seems like we will always be the ugly stepchild in the eyes of the conference, and keep getting the short end of the stick. The Big East would be intriguing if it wasn’t for the dead weight schools, like you said Ben. Also, 20 teams is just too damn big, I’m sorry.
I guess the real question is, if we were to join the big east, which team would BBallpurist route for….us or his Johnnies???
ugly stepchild
Correction: We are the RED Headed Stepchild!
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
Do not want any part
of leaving the ACC. Big Ten maybe more of a consideration because of the TV money and tradition of that conference. Big east is just a cluster f*ck disorganization, yes they have good hoops, but far too many teams and football is a joke.
MD is the ACC
The Big East can suck it….. If they want to see us in basketball it should be the ACC/Big East challenge each year. Big 10 had their chance and yes while they did win it for the first time in years last year that’s only because we had a weaker than average league overall. As far as football goes no recruits are like hmm I like MD but if it were only in the Big East where they have a lucrative tv deal…..oh wait they don’t. Too much history, apparel, and pride wrapped up in ACC.
UNC and Duke is the ACC (especially in basketball)
nothing more, nothing less (from the eyes of tobacco road residence)…..
didnt feel like making a fanpost
John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Mike Beasley playing at UMD against some terps.
I say
We get Pitt, Penn state, South Carolina and Notre Dame into the ACC!
Don’t you dare wake me up from this dream!
I like Turtles!
Don't want Notre Dame.
Sub with WVU and I’m listening.
The West Virginia love surprises me. The Mountaineers add next to nothing to the ACC. Awful academics, tiny TV market. Plus its a nonstarter for Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Wake. Not happening.
Editor, BC Interruption
WVU...They have become a rival of ours in recent years.
It’s also a drivable away game to road trip to. I’d never make the long drive to Syracuse, much like I never have made the trip to Beantown for ya’ll, and probably never will. No offense to you, it’s just that the distance takes away from interest. I’d never go to Miami to watch a game either, though.
Oh Proud One
There’s this new thing like Twitter – it’s called a jet airplane. Some of the Aerospace Engrg guys on the board can tell u about it – lol – I kid, I kid…
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
by bball purist on Aug 4, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Haha, college sports are for road tripping and tailgating.
I fly down to Dallas for the Skins game every year, but I can’t see myself doing the same for a college game(non-bowl, of course). I drive down to Clemson every other year with some buds and have been to all ACC schools except for the Florida’s and BC. A road trip to Morgantown every other year would be cool, I guess I should start doing it. I want to see what the drunken hoopla is all about.
by 1 proud terp on Aug 4, 2011 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I knew what you were sayin'
Some best memories for me were road trips too. You’ve traveled more than me though. I wish the FSU and U road games were in Jan or Feb – makes for a nice drive or flight to warm weather.
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
by bball purist on Aug 4, 2011 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions
The Carolina Curse has been slowly weakening
With the addition of VT, BC, Miami and Fl St. Adding Pitt and WVU would be a great boon to the ACC.
I don't want to leave the ACC
And i would definitely be intrigued by adding some of the schools that people mention (Pitt, WVU, etc.). But realistically i think its more likely that we would join another conference than those schools join the ACC.
A very good idea
I’d luv to see MD join BE. Many like minded schools – UConn, Pitt, Rutgers, WVU, L’Ville, Cincy. It would be a great fit. Even TCU and USF would add some cool variety. Better chance of success with football too. Maybe generate more fan interest
Maybe a trade. Have Syr join ACC. Syr would work in the ACC
Terp Terp Terp
Laughable
“The conference hopes it can parlay NBC/Comcast’s new found interest in college sports programming into a bidding war with ESPN to drive the price up to a level much higher than what the ACC’s current (and long-term) deal gives each team.”
Yeah sure. There is going to be a bidding war for the rights to televise games involving South Florida, UConn, Cincinnati, Louisville, Syracuse and all the other teams besides Pitt and WVU that nobody gives a s@#$ about or cares to watch. Not happening and never will since ND will never join the Big East in football.
Maryland is not leaving the ACC. The ACC is more likely to expand than Maryland is likely to leave, especially for the Big East. If anyone thinks there is no interest in MD football now, move to the Big East and see how many people show up to watch MD play the crappy schedule joining the Big East would present. You might as well shut down the program and use the money elsewhere,
But MD could finally be competitive in football in BE. Generate fan interest. ACC too tough and getting tougher. – see what FSU is doing.. Yikes
Terp Terp Terp
we're not afraid of anybody
We’ll take on all ACC schools – Kill ’Em All
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
that just means
Terrapins have mad defensive skills. But when on the offensive, watch out! Snappin’, Scrappin’ Terps!!!
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
+1
that would be horrible going from an academically respected conference to one of cast-offs that no other conferences want.
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The best deals on Skis & Snowboards.
Big Ten or nothing
The Big Ten is the way to go-not the Big East unless they can get ND. ACC is going to lose at least 2 schools to the SEC so football will be even weaker than it is now. We need money and need to be in a balanced conference of basketball and football.
Aside from MD/Duke and MD/UNC in hoops, what does the ACC offer? We could schedule Duke and/or UNC every year as out-of-conference games and upgrade the teams coming into Byrd and Comcast.
I’d much rather see the Terps in the Big Ten…Twelve…T(welve)EN…than ACC or Big East. (Because I don’t care about Wake, GT, Clemson, NC State, UVA…) We complain all the time that the ACC treats Maryland like the re-headed stepchild. So why not go to a conference where we would actually be wanted…and where we don’t have to deal with the Good Old Boys from Tobacco Road?
Yes…there would be a very steep learning curve to get the football program up to Big Ten standards. But Hoops could step in and compete for the conference fairly quickly.
For me, it’s Big Ten or nothing. Big East shouldn’t even be on the table.
Just saying.
by 2intheBox Dan on Aug 4, 2011 2:42 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
You said it all Dan
Perfect summarization Dan! No one gets excited these days about seeing Duke, Wake, NC State, or practically all of the ACC teams coming to Byrd and that is not going to change. Even ACC basketball is not what it used to be. ACC Tournament can’t even sell out in Greensboro NC after 1st round. We need a change and better make it between now and 2014 when Big Ten contract and ND contract gets renewed. I see the ACC HAVING to join up with Big East leftovers and becoming a basketball conference just like they both are now. But is that going to pay the bills and allow us to keep up with other schools who will be making betweeen 20-30 M per year! I don’t think so. No way 2 basketball games a year with Duke and the
Tar Holes mean that much!
bball makes so much less with TV rights
that even a Beast football/basketball split could hurt the bball only schools – except they may somehow share the money. Not sure bball only will work – like u said – not enough coin
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
I’m more of an advocate for an ACC-charge into the Super Conference era by them adding Pitt and WVU. You guys can hate on our academics all you want. They’re not there because the money isn’t there. Look at what happened with Penn State after they joined the Big 10. West Virginia is a poor state. You want to be more relevant? Then you need more competition. You need to win OOC games. WVU and Pitt can do these things espexcially if these 2 new coaching hires live up to their potential. I’m not saying WVU is going to win the conference every year, but they’ll challenge for it. So will Pitt. And through that, the rest of the conference should improve. Our tv market is smaller, yet, but our alumni base in the NoVA,MD,DC area is quite large, and unlike many schools with large tv bases, WVU fans TRAVEL. They sell out their games. Oliver Luck will make WVU relevant and a boon to any conference it’s in, whether it be the Big East or the ACC.
by MountaineerAirman on Aug 4, 2011 4:34 PM EDT reply actions
money should go into academics FIRST
all the new beer sales should go into luring new profs from top schools. You’ll pick up ground in a hurry. Otherwise – no excuses…imho – poor academics, no admission into our conference
"A new era has dawned in Maryland Athletics..."
Big Ten or bust
So much to gain in football and academically. And for basketball, too.
Football – We aren’t consistent ACC championship contenders anyway, so let’s go to a real football conference where marquee opponents such as Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Wisconsin and possibly Notre Dame would fill Byrd (and those suites) and possibly lead to expansion of the stadium. The gains from a football side can not be overstated enough.
Academics – This has been hit on before. ACC is right there with Big Ten and Pac-12 overall academically, but the strength of the Big Ten is their CIC, the academic consortium to boost research.
Basketball – No hit taken here. Duke, UNC, blah, blah. Schedule Duke once a year if we will miss it that much. Outside of them in the ACC, the depth of the basketball league is diminishing. The Big Ten boasts current big time programs Ohio State, Michigan State (who would become an instant rival for me, mainly because of 2010 NCAAT), Purdue and Wisconsin as well as traditional powers Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. Also, in a 16 team scenario, we would also be joining the league with some combo of Notre Dame/Syracuse/Pitt/UConn/Virginia/Missouri, all of whom carry strong basketball pedigrees.
Overall, if the Big Ten is ever a real possibility, we need to jump at it. My dream scenario would be for the Big Ten to covet these east coast markets and grab Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and either Syracuse or Notre Dame. I don’t think UNC would leave the ACC, but UVA could come with us, especially if VT headed to the SEC. (Also think of what a lacrosse conference that would be, wow)
No
No to the ‘Big Least’ conference. Would much rather see the ACC realign: dump BC and Miami and add Rutgers and WVU. Have a northern and southern division in the ACC- North (Rutgers, MD, WVU, UVA, VTech, FSU); South (Wake, UNC, Puke, NCSU, Clemson, GaTech).
Big Least
Of course they would want UMD. For the Big Least to remain profitable they must decide if they want to go the fball route and drop the Seton Hall/Marquette/Depaul of the league or they can just hoard more teams like Wake and possibly drag Vandy and Kentucky away from the SEC.
Perhaps
it’ll be a smart move for UMD to make the move to the BE, b/c in football that conference is pretty much always wide open (ever since Miami and VA Tech left the scene, and UMD ‘could’ make a splash in the BE, by playing the likes of WVU/PITT/RU/SU). Now in regards to basketball, UMD & BC wouldn’t be considered the “outsiders looking in” from the viewpoint of ACC.
As longs UNC and Duke lead the way the others school outside of the RTP (for people outside of NC that is: Research Triangle Park, ie Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), furthermore, UMD doesn’t really have a rival except for Duke and that’s about it (now if you want to add UVA for geographical purposes only so be it). I just don’t undertand the delusional fan ‘thinking’ that UNC is rival to UMD as well.
Three conditions for such a move...
I’d only make this move if:
1. The Big East football members broke off and formed their own all-sports league.
2. The new conference picked up 10th and 11th members first before Maryland commits.
3. If the conference has written, guaranteed proof of a TV contract whose money exceeds the ACC’s over the next decade.
As I don’t see any of these happening, much less all three, stay put in the ACC for now and hope that the inevitable next round of conference expansion later this decade enables Maryland to latch onto the Big Ten — the only conference I would leave the ACC for.
The ideal scenario would be joining the Big Ten alongside Virginia, North Carolina and either N.C. State or Duke. (The Big Ten would prefer the latter, N.C. politicians might force the former in order to get UNC.) You retain longtime rivalries while substantially improving a football brand that is currently next to nonexistent, and like it or not, football drives the college athletic bus. By joining the Big Ten, you also boost the university’s academic and research profile.
People here dont seem to get it...
As a recently graduated Maryland student who did not grow up in Maryland, I think a lot of people here don’t understand a few basic things that outsiders do:
1. We don’t really have a rival. Duke, Carolina, and UVA do not really concern themselves with us in any sport. The first two care more about each other (we are an afterthought) and UVA only cares about beating VT.
2. Just because we don’t like other schools because they are good/recruit players from the Maryland areas does not make them our rivals. That’s called being good and recruiting well. (i.e. UConn would not be a natural rival in the Big East because they got Rudy Gay and we wanted him). This concept is ridiculous.
With that aside, here is why the Big East works at all levels for Maryland:
1. We can become a top football program more easily. Upon moving to the Big East, we instantly become a top 3 program perennially. TCU will probably be the best, with WVU right behind, and then there is the rotating door that will probably be MD, Pitt, Cincy, L’Ville and the other school to come over. Rutgers and USF will occaisonally have their seasons. But there is not as much consistent, dominating talent as there is in the ACC, and Maryland could become a dominant team.
2. Basketball is a good fit I think most people agree here that MD is about basketball first. The Big East is asserting itself as the best conference in Men’s BB and looks unlikely to be truly challenged. The Big East may be a better sell to DMV kids who seem to either want Duke/UNC or a Big East team (see: Georgetown, every other team that recruits heavily from the area).
3. Rivalries can be restored/created in this conference. To me, the most natural rivalry isn;t Georgetown, but Rutgers. Currently, they’re rival is Seton Hall (hoops only) and no one in particular in football. So why does this make sense?
- Loads of NJ kids go to Maryland
- Anyone who was at the home/away Rutgers/MD games over the last few years knows how heated the games got between the fans, and the players. We upset No. 10 Rutgers, and then they came in and beat us down at Byrd.
- Geographically, the schools aren’t too far. 3 and a half hours works. Both teams are playing games this year in big stadiums (FedEx and Yankee). Imagine if that was against each other?
- We recruit each others’ territories in both major sports, particularly hoops. Speaking of hoops…
- Rutgers has been down since 1991’s NCAA appearance, but more accurately since their Final Four run in the 1970s. That changes with HC Mike Rice, who brought in a consensus top 15 class this year of 7 players. Look at most east coast recruits right now and they’ll have both MD and RU on their list. Wally Judge was down to both schools as a prime example.
4. This move makes sense academically. While this really doesn’t matter (I thought we were fans, not NCAA employees who pretend this stuff matters), I don’t get the infatuation with the B10 on this subject. Has anyone looked at National Rankings? Top 8 from each conference:
56 (tie). Maryland
BE
19. ND
21. Georgetown
55. Syracuse
64 (tie). Rutgers
64 (tie). Pitt
69. UConn
75 (tie). Marquette
136 (tie). Seton Hall
B10
12. Northwestern
29. Michigan
45. Wisconsin
46. PSU
47. Illinois
56 (tie). OSU
75 (tie). Indiana
79. Michigan State
5. We’d get respect in the Big East. The Big East is not about tradition. It is about who is good and giving them credit when it is due. Penn State still doesn’t even feel fully respected by the Big Ten and they’ve been successful for years. We should be in a meritocracy where people appreciate what we bring, who don’t laugh us off because of our geography.
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