Realignment Megathread (All The Moves)

[KnappShack]

It turns out "waah, we don't like it because we could get more money elsewhere" isnt a legally valid reason to void a contract

It would be ******* thunderdome if the ACC GOR is broken.

 

[CascadeClone]

Its not complicated. You can't just "challenge" someone's ownership of something because you don't like it, and the ACC owns those rights for the length of the agreement. Those rights are just as valid as say a record label claiming ownership of an artist's music because those rights were signed over to them. And even billionaire artists like TSwift have not been able to get those kinds of rights back over their own recordings.

So why didn't the Big12 get the entire amount due from OuT? Discounted the exit fees and $0 for 1 year of GoR. If so easy and inviolable, why negotiate?

 

[FriendlySpartan]

Big12 had no reason to negotiate either, and took appx 50% of the amount owed.

Exit fees - 2 years @ $35M each = $70M. Plus their GoR for 1 year. That's EACH. But we got $100M (minus Fox cut $20M). Total.

So Big12 got $80M of $140M exit fees (57%), and ZERO for 1 year of GoR.

The much longer ACC GoR has a lot more leverage than the 1 year vs OuT, so that is important. But still, you CAN run the numbers on such a thing.

I guess my point is that you can probably cut that number in half as a practical step. So say $340M ($120+$220). Cut that down to $200M. But if you get $50M more annual, and are guaranteed a spot at the big table forever, that's a no brainer investment.

And if you think the conference can hold their feet to the fire and force them to pay up every last cent... I doubt it. The Hateful 8 couldn't make it happen. Rarely does something like this not get settled. Clemson and FSU could countersue the ACC for dereliction of duty or some such trumped up crap, and string this thing out forever. And there will be motivation for the conference to get on with it.

I am not saying this is imminent or will happen this way exactly. It's probably closer to 2030 than today.

Another way: if the over/under for FSU leaving the ACC was 2035 (GoR expires 2036), would you take the over?

I would take the under but not by a lot.

Another part of the reason why I think OUT got away so easy is that both sides wanted t move on. Could be wrong on that one but it seemed like a divorce where both people just wanted to cut ties and date other people.

 

[Gorm]

So why didn't the Big12 get the entire amount due from OuT? Discounted the exit fees and $0 for 1 year of GoR. If so easy and inviolable, why negotiate?

Also to add, challenging a GOR will take many months, possibly years to litigate. In Texas and Oklahomas case, those challenges had the possibility of extending beyond when they were contracted out anyway. An ACC school would have plenty of time to see how things played out.

 

[Supacy]

Not sure what part you’re referring to, I assume you mean the Big12 perception part instead of the arrogance part. Duke views themselves as a truly elite institution where just going there makes you better than most. They have the idea that they don’t want to associate themselves with “those people” it’s why they have a rivalry with UNC and view NCST as trash not worthy of their time or attention. The big12 is the best basketball conference and a damn good football conference but the perception of the big12 as a truck stop conference (like the pac says) exists amongst other institutions as well.

Not my thoughts on the big12 but it’s a very common public perception sadly.

Not sure what part you’re referring to, I assume you mean the Big12 perception part instead of the arrogance part. Duke views themselves as a truly elite institution where just going there makes you better than most. They have the idea that they don’t want to associate themselves with “those people” it’s why they have a rivalry with UNC and view NCST as trash not worthy of their time or attention. The big12 is the best basketball conference and a damn good football conference but the perception of the big12 as a truck stop conference (like the pac says) exists amongst other institutions as well.

Not my thoughts on the big12 but it’s a very common public perception sadly.

Do you have thoughts besides repeating yourself?

 

[CloneJD]

Also to add, challenging a GOR will take many months, possibly years to litigate. In Texas and Oklahomas case, those challenges had the possibility of extending beyond when they were contracted out anyway. An ACC school would have plenty of time to see how things played out.

Lol, the big 10 or SEC isn’t taking on a school without knowing their broadcast rights are free and clear.

 

[BMWallace]

I would take the under but not by a lot.

Another part of the reason why I think OUT got away so easy is that both sides wanted t move on. Could be wrong on that one but it seemed like a divorce where both people just wanted to cut ties and date other people.

Yeah, both sides were ready to be done with it. But also, ESPN was the third party working both sides to move the resolution along. They got their top target of OuT to the SEC before the end of the GOR, and rewarded the revamped B12 with a new contract.

 

[exCyDing]

Just the basic concept of contracts being something you can't just unilaterally decide to cancel because you don't like them anymore. Its you that's engaging in wild dumbass theories.

Or that the ACC has to negotiate. They own the rights and could refuse to sell at any price.

 

[Pope]

On the other hand, it might not be in the Big 12's best interest for the ACC to implode right now. It would give them an opportunity to merge with the PAC and form a 24 team superconference. It seems like the PAC needs to dissolve FIRST, before the ACC does.

I'm a professional worrier, and the more I think about it, this seems like the only scenario that can hurt the Big 12 and Iowa State.

Can someone smarter than me explain why this would not happen?

 

[exCyDing]

Yeah, both sides were ready to be done with it. But also, ESPN was the third party working both sides to move the resolution along. They got their top target of OuT to the SEC before the end of the GOR, and rewarded the revamped B12 with a new contract.

Throw in the fact that the B12's continued existence was assured by that point. On the other hand, the ACC would be negotiating themselves into the PAC's current situation a decade earlier than it's going to happen anyway. And unless the ACC schools were going to either the SEC of B12, ESPN would be losing those schools.

 

[Gorm]

Lol, the big 10 or SEC isn’t taking on a school without knowing their broadcast rights are free and clear.

LOL, as if the "back channels" of communication would just be completely silent during the court challenge.

 

[Clonehomer]

I'm a professional worrier, and the more I think about it, this seems like the only scenario that can hurt the Big 12 and Iowa State.

Can someone smarter than me explain why this would not happen?

Someone owns a map.

But the bigger reason is that the ACC's contract is held by ESPN. The PAC wasn't worth even negotiating for ESPN. So there's no more money in it for the ACC. Which considering their terrible situation, should say a lot.

 

[simply1]

UNC publicly adding their support to unequal revenue sharing is meant to have some sort of impact I’d assume on something. Why do that if you expect no results?

 

[knowlesjam]

Wow

So many meanings here...top, and most concerning for the PAC, is that no major media source (i.e: ESPN, Fox, etc.) submitted a credible bid. Or, perhaps the bids came in from streaming sources and they were underwhelming, at best, and the PAC simply didn't want to bring these options public.

Another source was saying that the PAC simply wants to slow roll their teams, basically forcing them to accept whatever contract is approved, knowing that many have no other choice but to take what is offered.

Is it enough to cause the corner four to move? Does Oregon and Washington force unequal sharing...stand by.

 

[Pope]

This is like 4 dimension chess. My head hurts.

 

[SCNCY]

UNC publicly adding their support to unequal revenue sharing is meant to have some sort of impact I’d assume on something. Why do that if you expect no results?

I wonder if this is like a non-official vote to see who would support the idea once 8 members get on board, thus a check to see if they can dissolve the conference.

 

[PickSix]

I'm a professional worrier, and the more I think about it, this seems like the only scenario that can hurt the Big 12 and Iowa State.

Can someone smarter than me explain why this would not happen?

IDK, it sounds far fetched to me. I imagine merging two large, independent conferences into one well functioning league would be a massive undertaking. Current contracts would need to be voided, new ones negotiated, they'll need to figure out scheduling/travel for 15 different sports across 20+ universities on opposite ends of the country, along with figuring out how to integrate current leadership/systems/new conference HQ (and the leases/infrastructure that requires), along with probably a thousand other things that I'm not even thinking about yet.

And they need to incur all the costs of figuring that out while still making sure all 20+ universities with differing priorities all come out ahead.

Wouldn't it be easier for the corner schools to just join the Big 12 instead?

And do you really think that GK, who can't even negotiate a decent media deal, has the savvy to pull something like that off?

To me, this idea just seems like a grasp at straws from fans of two failing conferences.

 

[PickSix]

So many meanings here...top, and most concerning for the PAC, is that no major media source (i.e: ESPN, Fox, etc.) submitted a credible bid. Or, perhaps the bids came in from streaming sources and they were underwhelming, at best, and the PAC simply didn't want to bring these options public.

Another source was saying that the PAC simply wants to slow roll their teams, basically forcing them to accept whatever contract is approved, knowing that many have no other choice but to take what is offered.

Is it enough to cause the corner four to move? Does Oregon and Washington force unequal sharing...stand by.

IDK. I would just love to be a fly on the wall at the meeting scheduled by the Colorado BOR to get an update on the Pac-12 media deal, only for them to be informed that there is no update.

 

[Gunnerclone]

UNC publicly adding their support to unequal revenue sharing is meant to have some sort of impact I’d assume on something. Why do that if you expect no results?

Probably involved in a group of schools and it was decided to put UNC’s weight behind it so sent them out first. Probably going to see the other schools in the group coming out with the same thing soon.

 

[simply1]

Probably involved in a group of schools and it was decided to put UNC’s weight behind it so sent them out first. Probably going to see the other schools in the group coming out with the same thing soon.

They’re 4th though, but their weight coming in sends a message of some kind.