Expansion 5 years later

[Manayunkeer]

When I suggested that WVU was a loser it wasn't because I thought they'd rather be in the AAC. That never crossed my mind. I just think relative to where Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Louisville (and RU) ended up, WVU came out of the Big East jailbreak looking worse than any of us. They can't recruit the northeast anymore with any swagger and recruiting Big 12 territory, which is a thousand miles away, must be tough.

University travel costs are much higher and their fan base doesn't seem to like the added travel distance in general. They seem to be a misfit in their conference.

ALSO, undergraduate students from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania dropped 14.7%, 5.2% and 2% respectively in 2014! To me, that's telling and is exactly why they come out losers in my mind...they are losing their relevance in the northeast and it is hurting not only sports but their student population as well. I'll bet the student population from Oklahoma and Texas has increased but their website clearly states that their "primary feeder states" enrollment has declined. In fact, out of state freshman population peaked in 2012 (the year they joined the big 12) and is down 9% in the last two years. They are realignment losers!

WVU hasn't really recruited the northeast that heavily in a while, maybe going back to the Don Nehlen years. Overall our recruiting classes are on par with how they've always been. We depend heavily on Florida of course, but being in the Big 12 hasn't seemed to hurt our recruiting there.

 

[derleider]

WV was the first to leave and probably figured the B-12 would go after Louie and Pitt next.
Just my guess , but when Luck thought he got lucky , just about every BE football school wanted out.\ and it shouldn't be that far out to
think the WV AD would think that way.( in my opinion)
Sorry to see WV get the shaft when it comes to the best landing places, but happy to see Luck can't claim how he saved WV and
cut and run once he found out the move wasn't everything he thought it would be ( not including my thoughts about who he thought would join WV in the Vitamin Conference) and sold WV fans on.
If the B-12 does add some eastern based teams like Cincy or Memphis , the move might become a little better .
I feel BYU will eventually be in the Vitamin Conference and ( to make 14) 3 south/eastern based schools are added , WV will be
a lot better off then they are now in the B-12

WVU was invited after Pitt and Cuse. They left early because they basically said FU to the Big East and told the Big East to stop them (the Big 12 really needed to have ten teams to keep its then current contract from being renegotiated).

sherrane - No - Louisville didnt have other options at the time they were vying with WVU for the Big 12. If you were UL in Fall 2011 you knew that if you didnt get into the Big 12, you were going to be in the AAC going forward. Fortuntely for them, the Big Ten took an ACC team and instead of being stuck in the AAC or the Big 12, they got into the ACC instead.

The ACC opened up their mind to poor academics schools AFTER MD left and AFTER FSU started to make noise about how crappy the FB competition was.. And yes - had the Big 12 invited UL, I think WVU would have been invited for that reason and its why UConn, who's basketball is on par with UL and who sits in a bigger market and who has better academics and just fits in more with the ACC image, wasnt invited.

 

[Ruthinking]

WVU hasn't really recruited the northeast that heavily in a while, maybe going back to the Don Nehlen years. Overall our recruiting classes are on par with how they've always been. We depend heavily on Florida of course, but being in the Big 12 hasn't seemed to hurt our recruiting there.

Hi Manayunkeer, So do you like being in the Big 12? Have you travelled to away games? Does the fan base still travel well...you guys always did but has it fallen off in the Big 12? Overall, is the fan base happy in the Big 12? Thanks,

 

[wheezer]

pods are stupid, how about just stopping at 14?

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exactly.....people are arguing who goes where in a pod, when we have it so good right now.....no reason not to leave us at 14

 

[getmyjive11]

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exactly.....people are arguing who goes where in a pod, when we have it so good right now.....no reason not to leave us at 14

It's fine now, but if more money is on the table we have to face reality.

 

[Ty Webb]

1/4 of its members would be private, "religious" school...nothing says mass appeal on a nation-wide scale like a religious school!!!

Ummmm..............

 

[getmyjive11]

Ummmm..............

The guy seems to think that 70% of the US population does not equal mass appeal.

 

[Manayunkeer]

Hi Manayunkeer, So do you like being in the Big 12? Have you travelled to away games? Does the fan base still travel well...you guys always did but has it fallen off in the Big 12? Overall, is the fan base happy in the Big 12? Thanks,

I've made the trip to Texas. In the old big east I'd try to make 1 road game a year, plus the BET in hoops at least every other year. Been to New Brunswick countless times. So my travel personally is down. I'd assume this is the case for most but don't have any numbers or figures to share.

 

[topdecktiger]

That, by definition, is other options. Had the Big 12 chosen Louisville instead of West Virginia, would the Mountaineers have been chosen by the ACC to replace Maryland after they left? Doubtful. I believe the ACC would have either have selected Cincinnati, UConn, or stayed at 13 before selecting WVU to replace Maryland.

No, it's not an option. The "option" did not exist until Maryland left. That was not in play when the Big 12 was replacing teams. So when the Big 12 was looking for a team, and it was down to Louisville and West Virginia, Louisville simply did not have another option. At the time, Louisville had no idea a spot would open up in the ACC.

Regarding West Virginia, you are incorrect. Florida St and Clemson specifically pushed for Louisville after Maryland left. Now, don't misunderstand, there was not a push for UConn or anyone else in the ACC. Florida St and Clemson did that preemptively. If Louisville had been in the Big 12, Florida St and Clemson would have made the same push for West Virginia. The goals you and some attribute to the ACC, regarding UConn and such, simply aren't accurate.

 

[ScarletDave]

Is UNC really willing to leave Duke? Did we ever think of this

 

[getmyjive11]

Is UNC really willing to leave Duke? Did we ever think of this

UNC couldn't give two craps about Duke. They care about UVA and that's it.

 

[derleider]

UNC couldn't give two craps about Duke. They care about UVA and that's it.

What? Ive never considered Uva and UNC to be rivals, let alone the joined at the hip kind. I dont think UNC cares about Duke enough to turn down tens of millions of extra dollars (and hell, they might consider the chance to bury Duke to be a good thing), but I also dont think they care about UVa. If UVa turned down the Big Ten, I dont htink it would impact UNC's decision at all.

 

[getmyjive11]

What? Ive never considered Uva and UNC to be rivals, let alone the joined at the hip kind. I dont think UNC cares about Duke enough to turn down tens of millions of extra dollars (and hell, they might consider the chance to bury Duke to be a good thing), but I also dont think they care about UVa. If UVa turned down the Big Ten, I dont htink it would impact UNC's decision at all.

It surprised me as well, but the fans of both teams insist that UVA and UNC are tied at the hip.

 

[derleider]

It surprised me as well, but the fans of both teams insist that UVA and UNC are tied at the hip.

Wow. How about that.

 

[topdecktiger]

What? Ive never considered Uva and UNC to be rivals, let alone the joined at the hip kind. I dont think UNC cares about Duke enough to turn down tens of millions of extra dollars (and hell, they might consider the chance to bury Duke to be a good thing), but I also dont think they care about UVa. If UVa turned down the Big Ten, I dont htink it would impact UNC's decision at all.

Serious question. Why do you think that? I mean, there really isn't any evidence to support the idea that North Carolina doesn't care about Duke or Virginia. Actually, it's quite the opposite. It sounds more like your evaluation is based on what you want to happen, not what the schools actually want.

 

[derleider]

Serious question. Why do you think that? I mean, there really isn't any evidence to support the idea that North Carolina doesn't care about Duke or Virginia. Actually, it's quite the opposite. It sounds more like your evaluation is based on what you want to happen, not what the schools actually want.

I dont want the Big Ten to add UNC or UVa or anyone else, so in fact I would be very pleased if they stayed put.

And Im not saying UNC wouldnt prefer to continue to play in the ACC. Clearly they would, since at a minimum the Big 12 would take them right now (and probably the SEC and Big Ten). I just figured that UVa was down the list of reasons why they would want that.

Also - dont kid yourself. If the chips really get down and a few teams jump - everyones rivalries go out the window. UNC is in a stronger position because their third tier rights make up alot of the ground between them and say the Big Ten, but its not 100% fool proof.

 

[topdecktiger]

I dont want the Big Ten to add UNC or UVa or anyone else, so in fact I would be very pleased if they stayed put.

And Im not saying UNC wouldnt prefer to continue to play in the ACC. Clearly they would, since at a minimum the Big 12 would take them right now (and probably the SEC and Big Ten). I just figured that UVa was down the list of reasons why they would want that.

Also - dont kid yourself. If the chips really get down and a few teams jump - everyones rivalries go out the window. UNC is in a stronger position because their third tier rights make up alot of the ground between them and say the Big Ten, but its not 100% fool proof.

See, that's the problem. There just isn't any indication that the chip will really get down.