Galactic Realignment Continues: SoCon's Turn To Steal

((HT: Mercer University their own selves))

It's time for Level Two of Galactic Realignment to rear its ugly head...

After the loss of the College of Charleston to the Colonial and Davidson to the Atlantic 10, SoCon commissioner John Iamarino is not sitting idly by to figure out what to do.

He's bringing in Mercer, East Tennessee State, and VMI starting on July 1, 2014. ETSU and Mercer are leaving the Atlantic Sun Conference who has already lost Belmont. VMI is in the Big South Conference and will be SoCon full-time now in all sports. VMI is expected to formally ratify joining the league Friday when its Board of Visitors meets.

Mercer is in the Pioneer League in their first year of football, so in essence they get a mulligan year to figure things out before the SoCon and ETSU will be hitting the ground running with Phillip Fulmer as their fearless leader in 2016.

"The past several years have been a tumultuous time in intercollegiate athletics. Conference realignment has affected traditional rivalries and disrupted the geographic integrity of conferences across the country. Mercer's affiliation with the Southern Conference will, however, restore historic rivalries and reduce travel burdens on our student-athletes," Mercer President William D. Underwood said in one of those prepared statements. "We look forward to continued competition with our colleagues in the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2013-14. We have enjoyed close relationships with a number of outstanding academic institutions within the A-Sun that we anticipate will continue beyond our change in conference affiliation."

"We're honored to have Mercer become a member of the Southern Conference," said Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino "The combination of outstanding facilities, successful athletic programs and undeniable academic excellence makes Mercer a great fit for us. We're delighted they've accepted our invitation."

Here was Mercer's first-ever spring scrimmage as they get ready for season one...
((HT: 13WMAZ-TV))

Maryland Sues ACC After ACC Sues Maryland

Got it? Yeah, neither do we...

The state of Maryland sued the Atlantic Coast Conference in North Carolina court after the conference decided to take legal action to recoup some $52 million in exit fees.

For those un-initiated, the University of Maryland, a charter member of the ACC, announced in November they'd be leaving to join the Big 10. The main reason cited for such a deal--More TV Money.

The school did that knowing full well that the league and it member schools (including Maryland) had recently passed the $50 million exit fee to prevent exactly what the Terrapins did.

((**--Ed.Note--It appears the ACC is withholding shared revenue with Maryland as collateral to get their money. Maryland is not happy**))

The Washington Post tries to explain RIGHT HERE

Maryland's attorney general released a statement saying the "Exit Fee" is an anti-trust violation and that the court of one state can't force the other to submit to its jurisdiction.

Parsing the words into English, here's what they mean. Basically, the state of Maryland is interpreting an athletic conference as a "State Entity" and as such, they can't make a claim against a different state.

No.

We aren't legal scholars, but how can a state government recognize an athletic conference or any other business as a representative of a particular state? Any of you legal types out there able to explain this?

The question is whether this was Maryland's plan to get out of the buyout? If it was, it seems kind of lame...and flimsy.

We REALLY hope that the State of Maryland and the school lose and are forced to pay this. Because if nothing else, it might make some other money hungry schools think twice before bailing out of the conference they are in just because ESPN says they can get more TV money. (Did I just say that?)

DEVELOPING: Louisville To The ACC

The ACC Council of Presidents voted unanimously this morning to invite Louisville as a member of the conference. 

Louisville, Cincinnati and Connecticut were vetted by the Council Tuesday to replace Maryland who is bolting for the Big Ten.

“With its aggressive approach to excellence in every respect, the University of Louisville will enhance our league’s culture and commitment to the cornerstones we were founded on 60 years ago,”  ACC Commissioner John Swofford said in a prepared statement.

Conference realignment has been driven by the size of the TV market that particular school could deliver.  This move goes against that trend. 

Louisville may not deliver a large TV market but they do bring a great basketball program that will immediately complete for the ACC Championships and a football program on the rise.  An athletic program that is capable of winning championships in the big money sports, football and men's basketball, was more important that the number of TV households.
Louisville athletic administrators have been openly lobbying to join either the Big 12 or the ACC.  U of L was denied by the Big 12 last year when that conference decided to add West Virginia.  Now the Cardinals have found a home in the ACC.

“When it became apparent to us that we needed to make a move, the ACC is the perfect fit for us and we are so elated to be joining this prestigious conference,” Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich said in a prepared statement.

By inviting Louisville and losing Maryland it's addition by subtraction.  Louisville has been thriving in men's basketball while Maryland is rebuilding.  The Cardinals have all the elements to become a football power but can't shake the reputation of their current conference, the Big East.  Maryland is rebuilding in football too.

It's a win-win for both parties.  There's a football upside for Louisville joining and the ACC needs help there big time.  Once again a very strong men's basketball conference just became mega strong.

Do you realize this conference will have as head coaches Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim (Syracuse joins the ACC next season) and Rick Pitino.

This is a great move by the ACC.

Here's ACC Commissioner John Swofford's comments on Louisville joining the conference (Thanks accdn.com)

How 'Bout A Do-Over...??? Boise, San Diego, and BYU Looking At Mountain West...???

Not that this is a surprise...

But Brett McMurphy over at the four-letter is saying those three- currently in the Big East and an independent for football are looking at the Mountain West Conference for a home now...

When the new alignment that the Big East came out with (two divisions really spread apart), the HQ could see completely and totally why...

Add to that the idea that the Bee-Cee-Ess commissioners voted that the highest-rated non Power Conference would have the same weight as the Big East champ and you can see why it would be a lot cheaper and geographically desirable for them to stay out west.

For BYU, they would have to leave their deal with ESPN on the table. For the other two, there would have to be an exit fee- supposedly $10-million- that would be challenged in court, certainly...

Brian Murphy caught up with Boise AD Mark Coyle after their Senior Day game for his piece in the Idaho Statesman:

“In the 11 months I’ve been here, we’ve talked about how all of us are trying to make long-term decisions with a shifting foundation. That foundation continues to shift for all programs, not just Boise State,” Coyle said. “I think that’s one of the challenging aspects of this job across the country for all ADs. You’re trying to make long-term decisions on a shifting landscape.”

Oh, did we mention that the Big East's TV deal is in play now that ESPN let the negotiating window pass...???

Here's Coyle talking about the move to the Big East back when that happened...
((HT: KTVB-TV))

Yet Another Conference Move: Old Dominion To Join C-USA

This won't send shock waves through the college athletic world but it is another blow to the Colonial Athletic Association.

Old Dominion will announce in a 2:30pm news conference today that they will leave the CAA and join Conference USA.  ODU is expected to join C-USA for the 2013-14 academic year.

For the second time this week the CAA has lost another signature basketball program, Virginia Commonwealth announced the Rams will join the Atlantic 10 conference.

Like most of conference realignment its about football and this move will be a huge step for the three year old Monarch football program and further upgrade ODU football who would join the Football Bowl Subdivision.

According to ESPN's Andy Katz, the Colonial may now pursue from a list of Davidson, Charleston, Boston University, and Stony Brook. If Georgia State and ODU can't participate in post-season tourneys next year, they'll only have seven active members to do so next season in all sports.

ODU has to pay a $250,000 exit fee and is leaving $400,000 on the table for the conference.

Here's early returns from our friends at WAVY-TV

Officials: ODU will join Conference USA: wavy.com

In a letter explaining the move, ODU President John Broderick said:

"While the university was not actively seeking a change, recent events necessitated an earlier consideration of our future, and in particular, for our football program. C-USA’s invitation provided the right opportunity at the right time to reclassify our football program and broaden the national footprint of our athletic program."

"While the university was not actively seeking a change, recent events necessitated an earlier consideration of our future, and in particular, for our football program. C-USA’s invitation provided the right opportunity at the right time to reclassify our football program and broaden the national footprint of our athletic program."

Boise State having second thoughts about Big East move

((ht: cbssports.com/mcmurphy))


Galactic realignment: (a)The tectonic shift in the continents that make up College Football (b) The sometimes senseless and always profit-driven move of schools from one conference to another to improve their bowl eligibility.

We wanted to clear that up before moving forward.

Why are we moving forward?

Well, it appears one of the bigger chess pieces in the shifting of conferences is either having second thoughts or problems.

Reports from the King of Realignment, Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com indicate that Boise State has yet to withdraw from their current conference, The Mountain West, to make the move in 2013 to the Big East official.

We might remind everyone though, that move is only effective in Football. Basketball, baseball and the other sports are not included. And if/when Boise leaves the MWC, those teams go with them.

Apparently, the Big East is trying to help them relocate those Sports to the WAC...but the WAC may not be intact much longer.

And yes, according to the Idaho Statesman, it would cost the Broncos $5 million of they back out of the deal with the Big East now, $10 million if they make the move official first.

We might also add that reports are surfacing the Big East has some other issues. Apparently Louisville and Connecticut are making it be known they'd like to leave.

Those moves would have a huge impact on TV deals...because as we've learned, that is what College Football/ESPN's College Football is all about.

We can think of no video more fitting at the moment: