| 09 February 2012
Honus "The Dude" Sneed comments on statement by Terry Don Phillips denying talks with Big 12.
I was warned not to write about expansion. The cloak-and-dagger nature of the game lends itself to making fools out of those brave (or stupid) enough to write about it. The delicate negotiations can fall apart at any point and all involved will deny any knowledge that talks even took place and no one would ever know.
I immediately started feeling the heat when Clemson’s Terry Don Phillips denied any interest in the Big 12 and called the conference “unstable” while declaring Clemson’s loyalty to the ACC
Yet I stand behind every word I’ve written about Big 12 expansion.
As for Mr. Phillips denial, what was he supposed to say about the rumored talks with the Big 12? What would the ramifications been had he admitted to initiating talks with the Big 12?
It would have been foolhardy and malfeasant for him to admit to any discussions.
It also would have been foolhardy and malfeasant for him not to talk to the Big 12.
The ACC is a basketball conference. It has a weak football product that became weaker with the addition of Pittsburg and Syracuse. No one can argue that the ACC is anywhere near the level of the SEC, Pac 12, Big 10, or the Big 12.
The problem for Clemson, FSU and Georgia Tech is that they are in the heart of SEC country. They have in-state rivals that are members of the SEC and they border other SEC states. They understand they have to match their SEC rivals dollar for dollar on facilities and ancillary intangibles to compete for recruits.
They also know that the ACC has no chance in hell of coming anywhere close to matching SEC revenues. Their rivals will have more money and resources and someday soon they’ll see the SEC teams gain a significant advantage because they will lack the resources to keep pace.
Recent headlines about the paltry increase in ACC revenues with the addition of Pitt and Syracuse point that out.
And it’s the discrepancy in earnings (both immediate and potential) that drove Clemson and FSU to talk to the Big 12.
Sure you can claim the Big 12 is still unstable, but the grant-of-rights has been signed and the conference is as stable as the Big 10 and Pac 12 for at least 6 years.
You can argue about revenues and doubt the Big 12 will earn as much as the SEC and Big 10 too. What you can’t doubt the football product that the Big 12 puts on the field. You can’t realistically make the claim that the Pac 12 or Big 10 has better football. And you can’t doubt that the Big 12 will receive a huge bump in television revenues.
Money is the prime motivator here and the only realistic way for Clemson and FSU to keep pace is join the Big 12 and help solidify that league and perhaps even eclipse the SEC.
Both Clemson and FSU understand the SEC isn’t an option for them. They don’t expand the SEC’s TV market and they don’t improve the SEC’s academic prestige and with South Carolina and Florida blocking their way into the conference they don't stand a chance.
That’s why they started talking to the Big 12 late last fall and continue to talk to this day.
I’m not saying any move is imminent, I’m just saying that talks are ongoing that could lead to a move.
And if you doubt the plausability of such a move just yourself this question: how are FSU and Clemson going to compete with the SEC teams that surround them?
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