Maryland and Rutgers to Big 10?

[WVAPPeer]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

[AppSt94]

It would be interesting to see how a fiscally strapped program can come up with $50 million exit fee. Donors are possible, but I don't know that the old guard wants to leave the ACC.

[HeffnerIV]

Makes sense for Maryland. They've been feeling unappreciated for years.

[ZTABabyMtnr]

A Penn State friend of mine just posted this and I wondered if y'all had seen it. He thinks this makes sense geographically and academically, but the argument becomes whether or not this actually strengthens the conference.

Maryland just axed 7 varsity sports for financial reasons and Rutgers apparently has some hefty athletic debt. Not sure either of them could handle the out fee.

But, as always, interesting speculation... The carousel keeps turning.

[sixtoes9134]

It's official.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/maryland-l ... /11792320/

[rbarthle17]

A Penn State friend of mine just posted this and I wondered if y'all had seen it. He thinks this makes sense geographically and academically, but the argument becomes whether or not this actually strengthens the conference.

Maryland just axed 7 varsity sports for financial reasons and Rutgers apparently has some hefty athletic debt. Not sure either of them could handle the out fee.

But, as always, interesting speculation... The carousel keeps turning.

The MD president just had a press conference and stated explicitly that they WOULD reinstate at least some of the sports they axed, possibly all of them. And they'll have no problem handling the fee. Between the new TV contract and their heavy ties to Under Armour, the cash will be there. Plus word is they plan to try and get the fees dropped some if they can.

[AppSt94]

If I am in Swoffords shoes, I don't budge off of the exit fee. If you reduce it for the first team out the door, it will allow Fla State to rethink leaving.

[appst89]

If I am in Swoffords shoes, I don't budge off of the exit fee. If you reduce it for the first team out the door, it will allow Fla State to rethink leaving.

Yep, the ACC needs to stand its ground. This is the next step toward four sixteen team conferences. I doubt the Big East survives this round, and if the ACC makes it easy for Maryland to leave, then they are going to end up as the weak sister of the remaining four superconferences. They may be destined for that fate anyway, but they really shouldn't make it easy.

[Black Saturday]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

"As The World Turns" in the Country Club.

[MountainMan]

Maryland will try to negotiate first and go to court second. I wouldn't be spending the entire $50 million yet if I'm the ACC.

[AppSt94]

Yea, I'm sure the lawyers are lining up to argue this but I don't see the legal leg to stand on. There is no precedence to base the argument for a reduction.

[MountainMan]

I think Maryland's legal position may be somewhat helped since they voted against the increased exit fee, and have now sought to exit the conference in a relatively short time frame. They will start throwing around a laundry list of legal arguments -- restraint of trade, unconscionability, contract of adhesion, blah, blah, blah... and shopping around for a judge that will listen to them, and the ACC may decide that trying to get a portion of the exit fee and moving on is better than getting bogged down in a court case and negative media that could go on for a long time. Plus, the ACC will probably be immediately looking to get someone else to jump ship to join the ACC and may want to help that team avoid/minimize a different exit fee. Should be interesting.

[AppSt94]

I must admit that my legal expertise is limited to Law and Order reruns but this is why I have diminished faith in the legal system. What is the point of comtracts and rules if one can simply argue their way out of it?

[ASUMountaineer]

I must admit that my legal expertise is limited to Law and Order reruns but this is why I have diminished faith in the legal system. What is the point of comtracts and rules if one can simply argue their way out of it?

I'm not sure they'd find a judge that would rule in favor of Maryland, but a settlement is probably likely. The ACC surely doesn't want to waste time and resources in a legal battle with a school that is leaving, while the ACC wants to add a team quickly. I would suspect Maryland and the ACC to come to some settlement that is close to splitting the difference. That would help Maryland and the ACC, and probably give FSU something to think about.

[TheMoody1]

These conference buyouts sort of remind me of the national debt ceiling. Just words on paper.

[Black Saturday]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

With APP being small potatoes and not members of the "country club", I wonder if our game with Michigan will get bought out when taking in consideration the Big 10 or whatever their name will have to schedule conference games for 2 more teams

[AppSt94]

It very likely will be bought out. IMO.

[firemoose]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/sto ... ources-say

The thunder in the distance grows a little louder. Not saying this is going to happen but moves are beginning to be made and talked about and schools are starting to position themselves. I posted that the realignment moves could start around now about three months ago, based on talks with some pretty good sources. The timing is almost dead on. Going to get a big bowl of popcorn, sit back, and see where this ride takes us.

[bcoach]

I find it very interesting that an ACC school had such great money problems that they had to drop 7 sports. There is not enough money in their TV contracts to keep them in business at 15 million a year plus their other income. The big 10 dishes out 24 million. The TV contracts just keep getting bigger and bigger and we think it will never stop. Kind of reminds me of the housing market. prices were never going to stop going up......till they did, and things like that never just stop, they start going down. Funny thing about that, is that the mortgage payments don't go down. Just something to think about.

[bcoach]

It very likely will be bought out. IMO.

That would be fine with me. We get to keep that very special day. We avoid all the crap we would take from the blonde jerk on ESPN and we get probably a very large part of the money. Looks like a win,win, win, to me.