The Tunnel

I still like our chances to be just fine if landscape shifts, guess time will tell but things I have heard and been told have all been good for VT...fwiw

I think this article points out the importance of us getting a new aggressive/smart AD. Since VT isn't a big enough brand to get exempted from the AAU qualification of the B1G, it seems like the most logical place for us to go (if we don't end up stuck in the ACC) is the SEC or and eastern division of the Big12. I don't understand why the SEC would want UVA over VT though, as some of the bloggers make it seem. There are more VT alumni in the NoVA television market than UVA alumni, which is what gives VT value: access to a top 10 TV/radio market in the country.

I'm not sure we are a big brand anymore. Last year the networks laughed at us and Frank's pathetic O that he did NOTHING about for years and years, protecting his good 'old buddies and his retirement severance for Hite giving him a life long income in the $100s of thousand to "help" call plays for the O. We HAD a seat in the SEC WHEN we were a big name and declined.

VT has no interest in the SEC...we are too strong of an academic institution to ever want "in" with the SEC. I think this admin would rather go to the Patroit League than the SEC.

The more I read on this subject the more I think the ACC is going to stay intact and be viable for a long, long time. In this crazy, 24/7 news generation, a long, long time lasts about 10 years.

The reason I say this is because I don't see UNC going to the Big Ten. The Big Ten doesn't want Duke. The Big Ten wants UVA (VA/DC market), UNC (NC markets plus a National Base) and GT (GA and ATL markets). That would be a big coup for the conference and would increase their footprint into the south where the majority of people seem to be moving these days.

Also, I'm not sold the Big Ten will be a viable conference in the long run. The population trend of people moving southward is going to hurt the conference in the long run. At the current rates, there will be close to five million less people in the north in 10 years than there are now. States like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc are shrinking in population size while states like VA, NC, SC, FL, GA, etc are expanding. For the ACC alone, that's a positive trend.

Of course, all of this comes down to money. Would UNC leave the ACC to go to the Big Ten with only UVA and GT. No, probably not. However, if Duke accompanies them then all bets are off. Still, that seems unlikely. Big time UNC donors want to keep their rivalry with Duke. It's what UNC stands for and without it, the UNC brand would take a major hit. It would be like the Red Sox going to the National league in MLB and not playing the Yankees anymore.

At the end of the day, the ACC will stay intact but I could see one or two more defections. Florida State could leave but even then they're not a founding member so I don't think that would cause the conference to collapse. VT may look elsewhere if FSU leaves but would VT leaving cause the ACC to collapse? It shouldn't. We've only been here 8 years.

As for our place at a big table, I think we'll get one. Like I said, with VA's growing TV markets, both UVA and VT are valuable commodities when it comes to conference realignment. The problem is, neither school is going to be the next to jump. Both are waiting on other schools to decide.

I was referring to your point about VT's poor season damaging our brand. Our admin not wanting the SEC has nothing to do with VT still being attractive in conference realignment, in the manner you presented your first point.

And if UVA were to leave the ACC for the B1G, if you think the admin wouldn't take an SEC offer, you are dreaming.

I could not believe how many times UVA was mentioned as a prime target for both the Big and the SEC and how few times we were mentioned.
As to the Big, no way do I see them ever overlooking our nonAAU status unless they become desperate. UNC,Duke,UVA,and GaTech are all prime Big targets.
Sometimes I worry that we may think too highly of our chances to land on our feet if our conference starts to crumble but reading posts like 83's helps to calm me back down.
Until the resolution of the UMD situation is over we will not know much one way or another. I agree with the comment that if the settlement is lower (which I suspect will happen) we will see some movement. That settlement will have to be below the 40mill mark that was mentioned though.
No mention was made about any schools financial position that I can remember but the UNC,Duke, UVA, and GaTech are all well endowed.

Texas A&M, Florida, Georgia and Vandy are all ranked academically higher than us so I don't buy that argument. Look what kind of cash the SEC has poured into Aggie land. Good god did you see the new stadium?

Because SEC schools they know they could take 40K fans to Charlottesville and everyone would get a ticket.