http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-bl...-post.html

"Remember the parameters of the nine-game league schedule ACC schools adopted in 2012, only to shelve eighth months later? Time to unearth that file.

Indeed, nine games are quite possible if, as expected, the ACC and ESPN agree by year's end to broaden the league’s exposure through traditional (cable) and progressive (online streaming) means."

....

"(Not as pressing, but related: Some ACC basketball coaches, led by Notre Dame's Mike Brey, advocate expanding the league schedule from 18 to 20 games. They believe this would enhance teams' NCAA tournament credentials, with the added benefit of creating more content for ESPN."

Good Stuff thanks for the post!!

How would you do a 9 game football schedule? Have 2 alternating games instead of 1 or have 2 semi rivals in addition to the the permanent rival?

6 division games + 1 permanent rival + 1 rotating semi rival + 1 alternating from the remaining 4 teams?

Rivals + alternating rivals?
FSU- Miami, GT & VT
Clemson- GT, Miami & NC
Miami- FSU, Clemson & NC State
GT- Clemson, FSU & Syracuse
VT- BC, FSU & Louisville
NC- NC State, WF & Clemson
Duke- WF, NC State & Syracuse
Virginia- Louisville, WF & BC
Louisville- Virginia, VT & Pittsburgh
NC State- NC, Duke & Miami
WF- Duke, NC & Virginia
Pittsburgh- Syracuse, UL & BC
Syracuse- Pittsburgh, Duke & GT
BC- VT, Pittsburgh & Virginia

(06-08-2016 07:38 PM)WakeForestRanger Wrote:  http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-bl...-post.html

"Remember the parameters of the nine-game league schedule ACC schools adopted in 2012, only to shelve eighth months later? Time to unearth that file.

Indeed, nine games are quite possible if, as expected, the ACC and ESPN agree by year's end to broaden the league’s exposure through traditional (cable) and progressive (online streaming) means."

....

"(Not as pressing, but related: Some ACC basketball coaches, led by Notre Dame's Mike Brey, advocate expanding the league schedule from 18 to 20 games. They believe this would enhance teams' NCAA tournament credentials, with the added benefit of creating more content for ESPN."

Interesting comments on the network. I think the ACC is starting to feed bits and pieces to the media.

2 more basketball games would be incredible!
Would there still be OOC games between conference opponents? Isn't WF playing UNC out of conference?

Yes, Wake and UNC got tired of being century old rivals located 100 miles from each other and not getting to play because of how the divisions were set up. So we will play as non-conference opponents in 2019 and 2021.

If the ACC were to go to a nine game schedule I would prefer two permanent rivals and rotate the other opponent. But that won't happen, they will just have two games that rotate instead of one. I do believe the ACC would benefit more if these games were as a second permanent rivalry though.

Clemson-VT
FSU-GT
Wake-UNC
NC State-Duke
Syracuse-UVa
BC-Miami
Louisville-Pitt

You can flip BC and Louisville's opponents if you prefer.

(06-08-2016 08:48 PM)GTTiger Wrote:  

(06-08-2016 07:38 PM)WakeForestRanger Wrote:  http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-bl...-post.html

"Remember the parameters of the nine-game league schedule ACC schools adopted in 2012, only to shelve eighth months later? Time to unearth that file.

Indeed, nine games are quite possible if, as expected, the ACC and ESPN agree by year's end to broaden the league’s exposure through traditional (cable) and progressive (online streaming) means."

....

"(Not as pressing, but related: Some ACC basketball coaches, led by Notre Dame's Mike Brey, advocate expanding the league schedule from 18 to 20 games. They believe this would enhance teams' NCAA tournament credentials, with the added benefit of creating more content for ESPN."

Interesting comments on the network. I think the ACC is starting to feed bits and pieces to the media.

Nice pick-up on subtle time frame and delivery methods reference!

%&$@ the ACC

Best be coughing up an additional $3-4 million a year in addition to the boost that everybody is going to get to offset what we are going to lose in game revenue for replacing quality OOC games with dregs like UVA and Duke.

(06-08-2016 08:44 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  How would you do a 9 game football schedule? Have 2 alternating games instead of 1 or have 2 semi rivals in addition to the the permanent rival?

6 division games + 1 permanent rival + 1 rotating semi rival + 1 alternating from the remaining 4 teams?

Rivals + alternating rivals?
FSU- Miami, GT & VT
Clemson- GT, Miami & NC
Miami- FSU, Clemson & NC State
GT- Clemson, FSU & Syracuse
VT- BC, FSU & Louisville
NC- NC State, WF & Clemson
Duke- WF, NC State & Syracuse
Virginia- Louisville, WF & BC
Louisville- Virginia, VT & Pittsburgh
NC State- NC, Duke & Miami
WF- Duke, NC & Virginia
Pittsburgh- Syracuse, UL & BC
Syracuse- Pittsburgh, Duke & GT
BC- VT, Pittsburgh & Virginia

With nine games, teams would play opponents in the opposite division once every three seasons, just as they had with 12 members and eight games schedule! No more every six years, once every 12 at home, will be every three years, once every six at home!

6 division games + 1 cross permanent rival + 2 cross rotating from the remaining 6 teams from opposite side!

If the goal is more quality inventory, I'd MUCH prefer this:
- 8 conference games + 2 required P5 OOC games
- 1 can be against another ACC team if desired, but it won't count in conference standings.

That way teams who want to play 9 ACC teams + 1 OOC can do it,
and teams that want 8 ACC + 2 true OOC games can do that.

Either way, ESPN gets plent of quality games this way.

(06-08-2016 09:19 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  %&$@ the ACC

Best be coughing up an additional $3-4 million a year in addition to the boost that everybody is going to get to offset what we are going to lose in game revenue for replacing quality OOC games with dregs like UVA and Duke.

They address some of your concerns in the link. If VA & Duke are such "dregs" then just remove your FCS or G5 opponent, that would increase your SOS & your ticket revenue.

From the link:

"The ACC is the only power conference that has a Notre Dame-like scheduling arrangement, plus four of its programs – Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and now Louisville – bound by a state rivalry game versus the SEC.

Fortunately, those commitments aren’t as cumbersome as they could be.

By sheer coincidence, Atlantic Division schools Clemson, Florida State and Louisville are on the same rotation with their SEC rivals, home in even-numbered years, road in odd-numbered. Meanwhile, the Coastal Division’s Georgia Tech is on the opposite rotation, facing Georgia at home in odd years and on the road in even.

So in crafting a nine-game conference schedule, the ACC could have Coastal teams play five road and four home league contests in odd years, the Atlantic five road and four home in even. That way, no ACC school would play at its SEC rival in the same season it had five road conference games."



"The Hokies are contracted to play an FCS opponent each season from 2017-21, and in 2016 every ACC team except Louisville does. Might the league decide to eventually stop playing those television-unfriendly games? It’s certainly possible.

More possible is a nine-game ACC football schedule, which would increase the number of conference contests from 56 to 63 and double the frequency of “rivalries” such as Virginia Tech-Louisville."

What if they only go to 9 because ND joins.

They were the excuse last time we reversed course. Playing ND every 3 years and requiring a P5 opponent other years satisfied everyone. Once you add them to the conference and some teams see ND at home once every 12 years the situation changes.

(06-08-2016 11:01 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If the goal is more quality inventory, I'd MUCH prefer this:
- 8 conference games + 2 required P5 OOC games
- 1 can be against another ACC team if desired, but it won't count in conference standings.

That way teams who want to play 9 ACC teams + 1 OOC can do it,
and teams that want 8 ACC + 2 true OOC games can do that.

Either way, ESPN gets plent of quality games this way.

The link makes it sound like ESPN wants more conference games to me. It sounds like it's tied to an ACCN.

(06-08-2016 11:41 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(06-08-2016 09:19 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  %&$@ the ACC

Best be coughing up an additional $3-4 million a year in addition to the boost that everybody is going to get to offset what we are going to lose in game revenue for replacing quality OOC games with dregs like UVA and Duke.

They address some of your concerns in the link. If VA & Duke are such "dregs" then just remove your FCS or G5 opponent, that would increase your SOS & your ticket revenue.

From the link:

"The ACC is the only power conference that has a Notre Dame-like scheduling arrangement, plus four of its programs – Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and now Louisville – bound by a state rivalry game versus the SEC.

Fortunately, those commitments aren’t as cumbersome as they could be.

By sheer coincidence, Atlantic Division schools Clemson, Florida State and Louisville are on the same rotation with their SEC rivals, home in even-numbered years, road in odd-numbered. Meanwhile, the Coastal Division’s Georgia Tech is on the opposite rotation, facing Georgia at home in odd years and on the road in even.

So in crafting a nine-game conference schedule, the ACC could have Coastal teams play five road and four home league contests in odd years, the Atlantic five road and four home in even. That way, no ACC school would play at its SEC rival in the same season it had five road conference games."



"The Hokies are contracted to play an FCS opponent each season from 2017-21, and in 2016 every ACC team except Louisville does. Might the league decide to eventually stop playing those television-unfriendly games? It’s certainly possible.

More possible is a nine-game ACC football schedule, which would increase the number of conference contests from 56 to 63 and double the frequency of “rivalries” such as Virginia Tech-Louisville."

They'd lose a part of a home game by dropping a buy game and adding a conference game. That hurts gate. The partial offset of playing a tougher home slate some years wouldn't fully offset the shorter home slate other years.

Edit: To Clemson's credit, they do a great job of supporting the state's local fcs squads (like Furman). I think that they're actually required to play at least one in-state fcs game if they play any fcs games. The state legislature might very well have an issue with them dropping those games.

(06-08-2016 11:47 PM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(06-08-2016 11:01 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If the goal is more quality inventory, I'd MUCH prefer this:
- 8 conference games + 2 required P5 OOC games
- 1 can be against another ACC team if desired, but it won't count in conference standings.

That way teams who want to play 9 ACC teams + 1 OOC can do it,
and teams that want 8 ACC + 2 true OOC games can do that.

Either way, ESPN gets plent of quality games this way.

The link makes it sound like ESPN wants more conference games to me. It sounds like it's tied to an ACCN.

It isn't as much about more conference games but more quality games under ACC TV control. A conference game makes that easier than a home and home non conference against a P5 or even ND where the away game isn't until ACC TV control.

(06-08-2016 07:38 PM)WakeForestRanger Wrote:  http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-bl...-post.html

"Remember the parameters of the nine-game league schedule ACC schools adopted in 2012, only to shelve eighth months later? Time to unearth that file.

Indeed, nine games are quite possible if, as expected, the ACC and ESPN agree by year's end to broaden the league’s exposure through traditional (cable) and progressive (online streaming) means."

....

"(Not as pressing, but related: Some ACC basketball coaches, led by Notre Dame's Mike Brey, advocate expanding the league schedule from 18 to 20 games. They believe this would enhance teams' NCAA tournament credentials, with the added benefit of creating more content for ESPN."

This tells me two things:

1) Notre Dame will remain a partial in football for a long while.

2)Texas will come into the league as a partial not a full member (at least as long as the LHN contract lasts, which is about time that Notre Dame might be "ready" ((around 2035)) ).

(06-08-2016 11:01 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If the goal is more quality inventory, I'd MUCH prefer this:
- 8 conference games + 2 required P5 OOC games
- 1 can be against another ACC team if desired, but it won't count in conference standings.

That way teams who want to play 9 ACC teams + 1 OOC can do it,
and teams that want 8 ACC + 2 true OOC games can do that.

Either way, ESPN gets plent of quality games this way.

Looking at FBS Scheduling for GT anyways...the 9 game ACC is a good thing and the three NON would be

FCS (always a home game)
ND or G5/P5 home and home series
UGA

So a 9 game ACC schedule really would be a good thing..

(06-09-2016 07:41 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  

(06-08-2016 11:01 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If the goal is more quality inventory, I'd MUCH prefer this:
- 8 conference games + 2 required P5 OOC games
- 1 can be against another ACC team if desired, but it won't count in conference standings.

That way teams who want to play 9 ACC teams + 1 OOC can do it,
and teams that want 8 ACC + 2 true OOC games can do that.

Either way, ESPN gets plent of quality games this way.

Looking at FBS Scheduling for GT anyways...the 9 game ACC is a good thing and the three NON would be

FCS (always a home game)
ND or G5/P5 home and home series
UGA

So a 9 game ACC schedule really would be a good thing..

In years when that "ND or G5/P5 home and home" is a road game you would only have 6 home games that year. THAT is the issue for some teams.

(06-09-2016 07:41 AM)GTFletch Wrote:  

(06-08-2016 11:01 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If the goal is more quality inventory, I'd MUCH prefer this:
- 8 conference games + 2 required P5 OOC games
- 1 can be against another ACC team if desired, but it won't count in conference standings.

That way teams who want to play 9 ACC teams + 1 OOC can do it,
and teams that want 8 ACC + 2 true OOC games can do that.

Either way, ESPN gets plent of quality games this way.

Looking at FBS Scheduling for GT anyways...the 9 game ACC is a good thing and the three NON would be

FCS (always a home game)
ND or G5/P5 home and home series
UGA

So a 9 game ACC schedule really would be a good thing..

As is nearly always the case, what one school considers a good thing, another may consider a bad thing. From what I have seen on this forum, I would imagine that Clemson would be strongly against a nine game league schedule. They might be so strongly opposed that it could tip them in favor of leaving the conference.

Unfortunately for them, the very people who they would want to support such a move have a vested interest in preventing it. The same goes for FSU to a degree.

So the question is: How desirable is it for the ACC to have two of its strongest football programs held hostage by ESPN? That can't be healthy. IMO, a situation like that would almost demand that the league find some way to accommodate their legitimate scheduling concerns in some way. Perhaps one way that could be done is to guarantee that they each play Notre Dame more often than other members (assuming Notre Dame would be willing to do that).

If Notre Dame played each of them every year, one at home, the other away, then the other 12 members would get the Irish once every four years instead of once every three. That doesn't seem to be too great a sacrifice to me. But then, I'm not the one being asked to sacrifice.

A question I would have is whether either FSU or Clemson would accept ND as an annual opponent, knowing that their other commitments (Florida and South Carolina, plus Clemson's commitment to an instate FCS game) would limit their options for more regional opponents, like Georgia or Auburn.

I suspect a nine game league schedule will be a tough sell unless the NCAA allows a pre-season unofficial tune-up against an FCS team in addition to 12 regular season games.