ACC keeping 8-game schedule
Because of scheduling agreement w/Notre Dame, ACC will only play 8-game conference schedule, sources told @ESPN
Relevant to us as we speculate on who replaces Notre Dame. Now the most interesting available teams will probably be more willing to face an extra non-bodybag in nonconference play.
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:01 PM ^
What's the point of expansion if you aren't going to play half the teams in your conference?
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:57 PM ^
The ACC does play a round robin in their most important sport. Don't tell that to the Irish though.
October 3rd, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^
14 / 2 > 8???
October 3rd, 2012 at 2:47 PM ^
If Notre Dame joins, it really would be half. Consider: eight team divisions, with a protected crossover. That would leave zero room for playing seven teams (and you're the eighth) so yeah, you wouldn't play half the teams.
You could get rid of the crossover, but then you'd have to realign so as not to lose certain rivalries.
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:09 PM ^
"Well Notre Dame, what do you think? You'll only have to play three more ACC games if you became a full-fledged member."
October 3rd, 2012 at 1:16 PM ^
As long as ND can strike a Longhorn Network type deal with the NBC and the ACC like Texas did with the BIG 12 I'm sure they'd more than fine with that.
October 3rd, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^
This is completely about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Notre Dame feels that they can be the big fish in the little pond called the ACC and that they can now call the shots with a Texas style TV deal. What they fail to realize is that the ACC is no way as good when it comes to competition and viewing audience. This could backfire on Notre Dame in a huge way if NBC realizes that the viewers are not going to be there. Turning down a game like U of M is not good business when it comes to marketing.
October 3rd, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^
October 3rd, 2012 at 3:40 PM ^
therefore baffle me. Perhaps someone on the board can help: Will NBC still broadcast Notre Dame home games that are AGAINST the ACC opponents? And how does the ACC figure into the $$$'s of that arrangement. Also ... in a scenario where a hypothetical 12-0 Florida State and a 12-0 Notre Dame (I know, insert chuckling here) are vying to convince the BCS committee that they are the #4 seed in the new playoff format (assuming there are also 12-0 champs from the Pac 12, Big XII and SEC, errrr B1G; and obviously FSU and ND didn't play each other that year). How does the ACC feel about this? What if ND gets chosen over FSU, and who does the BCS money go to? Does the ACC still get some $$ if ND goes to the "Football Four?" If not, WTF? If they do, what's the point?
October 3rd, 2012 at 5:08 PM ^
"Will NBC still broadcast Notre Dame home games that are AGAINST the ACC opponents? And how does the ACC figure into the $$$'s of that arrangement."
As far as I know, the ACC dropped the demand for revenue sharing, so the conference gets exactly zero percent of the NBC deal. If ND goes to a BCS bowl, then the ACC and NBC are in the same boat there. The move probably improves ND's presence on ESPN's slate a bit, considering the ACC's deal with that network, of course. In a lot of respects regarding the TV arrangement, ND gave up nothing and it gets to be sort of part (note: sort of) part of a more stable bowl package without really committing to a conference.
October 3rd, 2012 at 5:52 PM ^
The revenue sharing deal is actually fairly simple. Games played in South Bend are broadcast by NBC and the ACC gets squat. Games played in ACC stadiums are broadcast by the ACC's broadcast partners (ESPN, or the local quasi-ACC-Network) and Notre Dame gets squat.
There's no cross-pollination in the postseason. ND keeps the money they get if they go to a BCS game. The ACC now owns the TV rights to the Orange Bowl, so if Notre Dame is invited, the ACC likely keeps most of that money. That said, the ACC has yet to work out the other half of the OB arrangement (when I said the ACC owns the TV rights to the OB, what I really meant is the ACC basically is the de facto owner of the OB) so that may or may not include some kind of quasi-guarantee for ND, but I'd guess whatever deal they work out, the ACC still owns the thing.**
I doubt there's any arrangement for ND to share playoff money with the ACC, although I don't think anyone's come close to finalizing official payout details for that entire structure.
**I've read that the OB will draw from a pool of "the highest ranked available team" among the B1G, SEC, and ND. Don't know if that's officially official yet.