What's next in conference realignment?

[coachnorm]

Again, none of the ACC teams are jumping ship anytime soon. Their buyout is close to 100 million dollars and their media deal doesn’t end until 2032.

I am trying to track the money in this regard and maybe a fellow sixpacker can help me understand something. Isn't the media rights funding for the ACC driven by Disney/ESPN? If so, if an ACC team gets included into the Disney/ESPN Conference formerly the SEC, isn't that an in house transfer of assets within the Disney/ESPN portfolio?

 

[ronpolk]

The ACC isn’t paying them zero so it’s not going to get recouped in 2 years.

That’s a good point. According to google, the ACC distribution was $31 million. The sec was $54 million, so that would be a net gain of $23 million. Looks like it would take a little more than 4 years to recoup the buyout. Still something I’d imagine most serious schools will stomach.

 

[patdog]

ESPN is contractually obligated to pay the ACC for those media rights. If, say North Carolina or Florida St. were to leave the ACC, ESPN would still be obligated to pay the ACC to televise their games through 2036, even though they're no longer in the ACC. They really are trapped/screwed. At some point, it will make financial sense for ESPN to buy out those media rights and free them to move to another conference. But I suspect that won't be for another 5-10 years.

 

[Smoked Toag]

If a school wants to play college football against the best competition, then that school must play in the SEC. (That's just my opinion. It is not my intention to offend anyone.)

For now, yes, this is true. The kids that play a lot of football seem to be in SEC regions. Maybe USC/UCLA can curb this if they can keep all their players from leaving. And now, maybe some of those Cali kids that those two don't take, will go to the B2G. Things can change in an instant though. Maybe the B2G becomes en vogue or something.

 

[travis.sixpack]

Maryland only had to pay the ACC $31 million of their $50 million exit buyout.

The SEC paid out $54 million to each school last year. The $100 million buy out is just not that big of a number when you’re talking recouping it in 2 years. I guarantee the schools in the ACC that can move won’t just sit on their hands and do nothing.

So the ACC is likely to never see the full $100 million.

 

[Smoked Toag]

So the ACC is likely to never see the full $100 million.

That was like 10 years ago. Things have changed I would imagine. ACC contract is pretty stout.

 

[Negative Waves]

20-24 teams seems too big to be all in one conference. I think the SEC

should split its teams into two conferences (example the SEC and the "Southern Conference") under an overall organization that all the teams are under. The main organization that the teams are members of will negotiate TV contracts, develop rules, and distribute the money. Splitting the teams into 2 conferences will give teams a better chance to win a conference title. The two conferences would rotate 1 to 2 out of conference games with each other or have a permanent if currently rivals (Florida and Florida State). This would increase the odds that you could have multiple teams from the organization get into the playoff, especially if conference champs get automatic bids.

SEC (the OGs')
Alabama
Auburn
LSU
State
Ole Miss
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vanderbilt

Southern Conference
Arkansas
Texas
Texas A&M
Missouri
Oklahoma
Florida State?
South Carolina
Virginia Tech?
North Carolina?
NC State?