Miami, Syracuse, West Virginia to the ACC

[DONW]

I heard some talk on Drive Time Sports here in Ark. yesterday that the ACC is looking at bringing in Miami, West Virginia, and Syracuse To form a 12 team conference and have a championship game like the Big 12 and SEC. The ACC TV contract runs out in 2005 and this is a move to get a better TV contract. They claimed there are talks already going on with Miami. That means the Big East would be down to only 5 football schools with the departure of Temple and the addition of Connecticut. I would look for the Big East to bring in Louisville, Cincinnatti, and East Carolina if this happens. What do you think?

[Dwayne From Minden]

I think it will probably happen -

But, I think Army or Navy will be more attractive to the Big East than East Carolina -

I think Cinncy and UL are shoe-ins...

[DONW]

You're probably right,Dwayne, the Big East will probably take Army and Navy both since the Army-Navy rivalry is such a big game. 9 teams would be better than 8 for scheduling, also.

[Jetstorm]

I've heard a lot of reports about the ACC raiding the Big East, and the Big East being mighty upset about what it sees as "underhanded" tactics by the ACC to undermine their conference. The article I read (think it was on espn.com but I can't remember for sure) had Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Miami moving to the ACC and the Big East taking in Army, Navy, and Marshall to replace them. Since then, all three schools in question have issued reports denying any plans to move. But you know how that goes.

Miami and Virginia Tech I can see. It makes sense geographically, financially, and on the field. It would solidify two major rivalries (Virginia Tech/Virginia and Florida St./Miami) and seriously boost the ACC's prowess in football and baseball without compromising their basketball prowess (which I think is overrated, but that's another story). West Virginia is a different story. The move would likely put an end to the "Backyard Brawl," the Pittsburgh/UWV rivalry, and the Mountaineers would be way out of their league in football and basketball. The only thing that would push West Virginia to the ACC is if the Big East added Marshall. West Virginia will avoid playing Marshall, literally at any cost. That, IMO, is the only reason the Big East isn't courting them already.

The Big East should not wait around to see what the ACC does. They should already be in negotiations with any school the Big East is courting making counteroffers. They should also seriously consider expansion. Adding Army and Navy, even if it's only for football, would be a start. They should go after the northernmost members of the ACC and aggressively court them, selling their conference as the better basketball league and access to bigger media markets (they don't get much bigger than New York). Maryland and Virginia ought to be prime targets.

[JAY]

i hope it happens. i could see syracuse because they are good at football and basketball, boston college to a degree also. but vatech, west virginia, and miami would make the most sense geographically.

if it happens, and cincy, east carolina army(and navy), and louisville jump to the big east from cusa, then hopefully our "southwest conference" would finally come about.

army, ecu, cincy, and louisville to big east.

south florida to the mac.

st. louis, marquette, depaul, and unc-charlotte to basketball conferences.

tcu, houston, memphis, uab, southern miss, and tulane join tulsa, smu, rice, and tech. (10 teams) i dont care if we add two more teams(utep, ull, asu) or not, i would love to have these 10 together.

[DONW]

All of the articles I have seen lately say Miami, Boston College, and Syracuse to the ACC. One article said Miami could be joining as early as this Thursday when the ACC is having its annual meeting and celebrating its 50th anniversary.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...acc-move_x.htm