SMU to the ACC/PAC-12 discussions

[HoustonWave]

Best case scenario is to now convince OSU/WSU to come and then add MWC in 2-3 years or hope another NY6 season gets us invited somewhere else but SMU set a bad precedent taking zero TV money for 7 years.

The ESPN article suggest that they may well make more money from their share of the AAC's bowl and/or performance pot than they were getting from the AAC. I wouldn't be surprised if SMU starts lobbying with the Big 12 after the 2024 season--as a P5 school they will qualify for Big 12 admission. SMU may have no intention of going seven years with no base media revenue. That might open up one more ACC opportunity for us. Our fearless leadership have us at the mercy of what SMU may or may not do. And yes, severe discounts or zero revenue is now the new norm for a G5 to get admitted to the club.

[tpstulane]

Best case scenario is to now convince OSU/WSU to come and then add MWC in 2-3 years or hope another NY6 season gets us invited somewhere else but SMU set a bad precedent taking zero TV money for 7 years.

They going to the MWC

Is that a certainty?

No. Only a guess if I had to make. Their TV contract is less than ours now but we are locked in for 10 years at $7MM. They are up for a new deal in 2 years. I’m willing to bet they get at least $10MM a team on their next deal. So the fact that they are more located West is favorable for those two teams to seek shelter there.

[HoustonWave]

Seems everything unfolded in worst possible terms for Tulane again.

Losing SMU really hurts the image of AAC, again. They didn't win too, too much recently but they were able to get big-time recruits and had big budgets for a G5.

Who's left in this conference with the means and desire to invest in sports? The reality is quite bleak compared to 2 years ago.

Had Aresco not taken so many CUSA schools, there was a chance for something great to happen. But he fumbled it. SMU leadership made sure to get off the sinking ship, Tulane still waiting around for a miracle.

Tulane leadership always waits for a miracle. Cowen pulled a rabbit out of the hat in getting us a Big East invite. There is no evidence that our passive and reactive approach to realignment has worked at all, Any school could have made the same pitch that SMU did to give the ACC an extra $32MM per year to mollify FSU and Clemson for the time being-- I don't think location, recruiting turf, or TV market had anything to do with the ACC admitting SMU--it was strictly the money windfall that the ACC media contract provided.

[Ruski]

17 schools seems weird. Does that leave the opening for an SDSU, Tulane, Memphis, or USF addition?

[HoustonWave]

They going to the MWC

Is that a certainty?

No. Only a guess if I had to make. Their TV contract is less than ours now but we are locked in for 10 years at $7MM. They are up for a new deal in 2 years. I’m willing to bet they get at least $10MM a team on their next deal. So the fact that they are more located West is favorable for those two teams to seek shelter there.

And to get that $10MM or more, they will probably try to cherry-pick some AAC schools. Tulane, Memphis, UTSA, Rice and USF (if they want to reach Florida)?

[Ruski]

Seems everything unfolded in worst possible terms for Tulane again.

Losing SMU really hurts the image of AAC, again. They didn't win too, too much recently but they were able to get big-time recruits and had big budgets for a G5.

Who's left in this conference with the means and desire to invest in sports? The reality is quite bleak compared to 2 years ago.

Had Aresco not taken so many CUSA schools, there was a chance for something great to happen. But he fumbled it. SMU leadership made sure to get off the sinking ship, Tulane still waiting around for a miracle.

Tulane leadership always waits for a miracle. Cowen pulled a rabbit out of the hat in getting us a Big East invite. There is no evidence that our passive and reactive approach to realignment has worked at all, Any school could have made the same pitch that SMU did to give the ACC an extra $32MM per year to mollify FSU and Clemson for the time being-- I don't think location, recruiting turf, or TV market had anything to do with the ACC admitting SMU--it was strictly the money windfall that the ACC media contract provided.

And even so, SMU giving up all the money to join was pretty out in the open. Hard to imagine Tulane admin couldn't figure out a way to do something similar for the advantages of being in ACC.

I wonder how much in real $$$ SMU brand will improve with ACC behind it compared to other forms of marketing.

[tpstulane]

They have the votes.
https://theathletic.com/4825140/2023/09 ... ed_article

[tpstulane]

Voted to accept

ACC votes to add Stanford, Cal, SMU: Conference presidents approve expansion to 18 schools
PAC-12 now dead.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... 8-schools/

Stanford and Cal are more of a cultural fit than a financial one for the ACC. Both schools are members of the prestigious American Association of Universities. The designation brands the best research institutions in the country. Six of the 15 current ACC schools are in the AAU.

The Stanford-Cal football game is one of the sport's oldest rivalries. The Big Game -- as it is called -- has been played 125 times, the most famous meeting coming in 1982 with Cal winning 25-20 after a series of laterals in what was Stanford Hall of Famer John Elway's last game before heading to the NFL.

[Ruski]

The one good thing out of all of this....

FSU, Clemson, NC were all firm no's. NCST flipped finally to let it happen.

To me, it's just a matter of (very little) time until those 4 + a few others (Notre Dame, UVA, Miami) all leave for SEC/BIG.

There will be one last shuffle of the ACC dwarfs + Big12 + top G5.

Tulane MUST continue relevance in football for the next 5 years if it is to make it aboard on the last call. There probably are only something like 4 more spots left when the dust settles. We're fighting against Memphis, USF, UTSA, but also SDSU, WSU, OSU, and CSU.

I'm not super hopeful for our fate but I think we have a chance.

[golfnut69]

Voted to accept

ACC votes to add Stanford, Cal, SMU: Conference presidents approve expansion to 18 schools
PAC-12 now dead.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... 8-schools/

Stanford and Cal are more of a cultural fit than a financial one for the ACC. Both schools are members of the prestigious American Association of Universities. The designation brands the best research institutions in the country. Six of the 15 current ACC schools are in the AAU.

The Stanford-Cal football game is one of the sport's oldest rivalries. The Big Game -- as it is called -- has been played 125 times, the most famous meeting coming in 1982 with Cal winning 25-20 after a series of laterals in what was Stanford Hall of Famer John Elway's last game before heading to the NFL.

from Dallas...9 years with zero revenue
https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/smu-m ... alignment/

[HoustonWave]

Seems everything unfolded in worst possible terms for Tulane again.

Losing SMU really hurts the image of AAC, again. They didn't win too, too much recently but they were able to get big-time recruits and had big budgets for a G5.

Who's left in this conference with the means and desire to invest in sports? The reality is quite bleak compared to 2 years ago.

Had Aresco not taken so many CUSA schools, there was a chance for something great to happen. But he fumbled it. SMU leadership made sure to get off the sinking ship, Tulane still waiting around for a miracle.

Tulane leadership always waits for a miracle. Cowen pulled a rabbit out of the hat in getting us a Big East invite. There is no evidence that our passive and reactive approach to realignment has worked at all, Any school could have made the same pitch that SMU did to give the ACC an extra $32MM per year to mollify FSU and Clemson for the time being-- I don't think location, recruiting turf, or TV market had anything to do with the ACC admitting SMU--it was strictly the money windfall that the ACC media contract provided.

And even so, SMU giving up all the money to join was pretty out in the open. Hard to imagine Tulane admin couldn't figure out a way to do something similar for the advantages of being in ACC.

I wonder how much in real $$$ SMU brand will improve with ACC behind it compared to other forms of marketing.

Absolutely. SMU was completely transparent in their quest. Tulane's leadership could have offered a similar deal. And as the ESPN article mentioned, SMU will be partaking in the ACC bowl and March Madness pots, so they may end up with more than $7MM per year of incremental revenue. As far as improving their brand, who knows, but they will be a P5, and they will be playing Clemson, FSU, UNC, Miami, GT, etc instead of Charlotte, FAU, UNT, etc. --in all sports. SMU's desperation was probably ramped up when Aresco made UNT their equal in the DFW area.

[greenie78]

SMU is now foregoing 9 years of TV money and Stanford and Cal taking less than 1/3 of TV Money basically meaning they're getting less from the ACC than Tulane is getting from the AAC. Unreal.

[NOLABigSteve]

Tied at the hip…

[anEngineer]

This 9 year thing is really ridiculous. The entire landscape will change well before that, maybe many times. Does a share of post-season money make up for TV revenue? Not at all. Are their games more interesting? Most are. Will they be on legacy TV more or less? Probably less and certainly not more. In 5 years, will Tulane, SMU and Houston likely be in the same level? Very likely.

[greenie78]

Tulane leadership always waits for a miracle. Cowen pulled a rabbit out of the hat in getting us a Big East invite. There is no evidence that our passive and reactive approach to realignment has worked at all, Any school could have made the same pitch that SMU did to give the ACC an extra $32MM per year to mollify FSU and Clemson for the time being-- I don't think location, recruiting turf, or TV market had anything to do with the ACC admitting SMU--it was strictly the money windfall that the ACC media contract provided.

And even so, SMU giving up all the money to join was pretty out in the open. Hard to imagine Tulane admin couldn't figure out a way to do something similar for the advantages of being in ACC.

I wonder how much in real $$$ SMU brand will improve with ACC behind it compared to other forms of marketing.

Absolutely. SMU was completely transparent in their quest. Tulane's leadership could have offered a similar deal. And as the ESPN article mentioned, SMU will be partaking in the ACC bowl and March Madness pots, so they may end up with more than $7MM per year of incremental revenue. As far as improving their brand, who knows, but they will be a P5, and they will be playing Clemson, FSU, UNC, Miami, GT, etc instead of Charlotte, FAU, UNT, etc. --in all sports. SMU's desperation was probably ramped up when Aresco made UNT their equal in the DFW area.

How could Tulane offer the same deal when they don't have the same level boosters?

[HoustonWave]

This 9 year thing is really ridiculous. The entire landscape will change well before that, maybe many times. Does a share of post-season money make up for TV revenue? Not at all. Are their games more interesting? Most are. Will they be on legacy TV more or less? Probably less and certainly not more. In 5 years, will Tulane, SMU and Houston likely be in the same level? Very likely.

I wish I could share your optimism. I think in five years of CUSAAC, our recruiting will have collapsed, Fritz will be long gone, and Gibson Hall will still be as dysfunctional as it always has been. And we won't be anywhere near UH or SMU. And we won't be winning the CUSAAC, as a majority of the other conference schools have minimal requirements when it comes to athlete/student performance. We are now running with a bunch of scholastic alley cats.

[golfnut69]

from San Fran
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/coll ... 334940.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/mich ... 334882.php

[tpstulane]

from San Fran
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/coll ... 334940.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/mich ... 334882.php

SMU not having a baseball program in this case will save them some money.

[winwave]

SMU donors are putting up $300 million to make up for the TV revenue they won't receive. That's why SMU made the offer and got accepted.

[Wave755]

This 9 year thing is really ridiculous. The entire landscape will change well before that, maybe many times. Does a share of post-season money make up for TV revenue? Not at all. Are their games more interesting? Most are. Will they be on legacy TV more or less? Probably less and certainly not more. In 5 years, will Tulane, SMU and Houston likely be in the same level? Very likely.

I wish I could share your optimism. I think in five years of CUSAAC, our recruiting will have collapsed, Fritz will be long gone, and Gibson Hall will still be as dysfunctional as it always has been. And we won't be anywhere near UH or SMU. And we won't be winning the CUSAAC, as a majority of the other conference schools have minimal requirements when it comes to athlete/student performance. We are now running with a bunch of scholastic alley cats.

True, Tulane & Rice are now stuck in a conference with "academic alley cats," "academic pigmies" the likes of UNT, UTSA, Charlotte, FAU, ECU, etc., no one around here could care less about as football rivals. I suppose we must now wait for the new A/PCC to self-destruct with the departure of FSU, Clemson & UNC which hopefully will happen sooner rather than later.

[HoustonWave]

Best case scenario is to now convince OSU/WSU to come and then add MWC in 2-3 years or hope another NY6 season gets us invited somewhere else but SMU set a bad precedent taking zero TV money for 7 years.

They going to the MWC

Looks like you're right TPS. Aresco announces no westward expansion. Advantage MWC and Fox. Maybe we get cherry-picked out of our CUSAAC purgatory.

[winwave]

Best case scenario is to now convince OSU/WSU to come and then add MWC in 2-3 years or hope another NY6 season gets us invited somewhere else but SMU set a bad precedent taking zero TV money for 7 years.

They going to the MWC

Looks like you're right TPS. Aresco announces no westward expansion. Advantage MWC and Fox. Maybe we get cherry-picked out of our CUSAAC purgatory.

That's our hope now.

[Wave755]

Best case scenario is to now convince OSU/WSU to come and then add MWC in 2-3 years or hope another NY6 season gets us invited somewhere else but SMU set a bad precedent taking zero TV money for 7 years.

They going to the MWC

Looks like you're right TPS. Aresco announces no westward expansion. Advantage MWC and Fox. Maybe we get cherry-picked out of our CUSAAC purgatory.

True, they may want Tulane & Rice?

[tpstulane]

Best case scenario is to now convince OSU/WSU to come and then add MWC in 2-3 years or hope another NY6 season gets us invited somewhere else but SMU set a bad precedent taking zero TV money for 7 years.

They going to the MWC

Looks like you're right TPS. Aresco announces no westward expansion. Advantage MWC and Fox. Maybe we get cherry-picked out of our CUSAAC purgatory.

I called this weeks ago. GB gave false hopes. Reality check unfortunately. We filled AAC with too much garbage to replace the 3 teams that left. Now we’re really on the Titanic’s last seat.

[HoustonWave]

They going to the MWC

Looks like you're right TPS. Aresco announces no westward expansion. Advantage MWC and Fox. Maybe we get cherry-picked out of our CUSAAC purgatory.

True, they may want Tulane & Rice?

At this point, I'd be happy with Tulane and anybody. If podded with Rice, CSU and Air Force, travel would be no issue. Plus with Rice, we get exposure to the rich Houston recruiting turf.