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Post by Tizu on Mar 16, 2012 9:08:22 GMT -5
If the ACC expands to 16 (which seems likely), I don't know that I like the "expanded" tournament. I foresee something along the lines of this: 1-8 seeds play 9-16 at home on Tuesday. This leaves Wednesday/Thursday for travel to the site of the centralized ACC Tournament. Round of 8 starts on Friday and culminates on Selection Sunday with a championship game. Of course, given how early the ACC likes to sell tickets, this probably won't work. I like this idea, Kenny, but I agree due to the monetary factor, it will likely never happen.
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Post by Ken D on Mar 16, 2012 10:41:15 GMT -5
I wonder how much of a factor access to tournament tix is these days. There was a time when that may have been the single most important revenue source for many ACC schools. It was the scarcity of seats (with the arena being carved up eight ways) that motivated the major donations to booster clubs. With so much more revenue coming from TV contracts and bowl payouts, coupled with larger arenas, you don't have to be an Iron Duke or Big Ram to go to the tourney any more.
Couple that with the fact that the tourney is no longer unique (I think only the Ivy League doesn't have one) and it just isn't the same draw it used to be. I don't think there is any format that will restore what we once had.
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Post by Marty Da Hungry Wolf on Mar 16, 2012 20:21:35 GMT -5
If the ACC expands to 16 (which seems likely), I don't know that I like the "expanded" tournament. I foresee something along the lines of this: 1-8 seeds play 9-16 at home on Tuesday. This leaves Wednesday/Thursday for travel to the site of the centralized ACC Tournament. Round of 8 starts on Friday and culminates on Selection Sunday with a championship game. Of course, given how early the ACC likes to sell tickets, this probably won't work. Another excellent idea, in my humble opinion. If expansion is just gonna be, come hell or high water, they gotta go to 16. 14 doesn't work long-term I don't care what you do.
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Post by Marty Da Hungry Wolf on Mar 16, 2012 20:23:34 GMT -5
I wonder how much of a factor access to tournament tix is these days. There was a time when that may have been the single most important revenue source for many ACC schools. It was the scarcity of seats (with the arena being carved up eight ways) that motivated the major donations to booster clubs. With so much more revenue coming from TV contracts and bowl payouts, coupled with larger arenas, you don't have to be an Iron Duke or Big Ram to go to the tourney any more. Couple that with the fact that the tourney is no longer unique (I think only the Ivy League doesn't have one) and it just isn't the same draw it used to be. I don't think there is any format that will restore what we once had. Agree 150% I don't know what sportznut's connections are at UNC, but he was talking about ACC tourney tix being readily available to the public, and not just from standing outside the arena buying them off fans whose teams have lost, either. When I was a kid in the 70's and 80's, I would've donated an arm to have gone to the tourney.
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Post by Ken D on Mar 18, 2012 12:58:39 GMT -5
On WRAL a thread was started about State going to the SEC. Predictably, that just sparked a bunch of smack talk, and very little serious conversation. The gist of the subplots was threefold. 1) The SEC would never invite State in the first place. 2) State would never consider leaving the ACC, of which it's a charter member. And 3) State should consider applying to (insert lesser conference here).
If we can avoid the snark, I'd like to talk about alternatives for State, especially in light of the proliferation of blog posts and articles about State fans vis a vis "conspiracy theories" recently. But if sub plot #2 is valid, there would be no point to such a conversation. So my question is, how true is it that State would never voluntarily leave the ACC?
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Post by Marty Da Hungry Wolf on Mar 18, 2012 14:05:42 GMT -5
On WRAL a thread was started about State going to the SEC. Predictably, that just sparked a bunch of smack talk, and very little serious conversation. The gist of the subplots was threefold. 1) The SEC would never invite State in the first place. 2) State would never consider leaving the ACC, of which it's a charter member. And 3) State should consider applying to (insert lesser conference here). If we can avoid the snark, I'd like to talk about alternatives for State, especially in light of the proliferation of blog posts and articles about State fans vis a vis "conspiracy theories" recently. But if sub plot #2 is valid, there would be no point to such a conversation. So my question is, how true is it that State would never voluntarily leave the ACC? Personally, while I understood the frustration that bred the threads and posts, I'll never be a State fan that wants to leave the ACC; NC State helped found the ACC, southern basketball and the ACC tournament went vertical with NC State's and Reynolds Coliseum's help, the history is too great. Would it "feel good" if the SEC came calling? Sure it would. However, I can think of very few things outside of basic geography that NC State has in common with any SEC school; I think it's been well-documented there is a wide academic gap between ACC and SEC (outside of Vanderbilt), we'd have a disadvantage for a good long while in football (and no "natural" rival over time), we'd be O.K. in basketball short of Kentucky (IMHO) but it just doesn't make much sense to me on the large scale. NC State just simply needs to do what they did late season, in the ACC tourney, and today: take control, don't accept "no", win. Period.
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Post by Ken D on Mar 18, 2012 19:22:38 GMT -5
Just for the sake of argument, let me raise the stakes. Say Carolina accepts an invitation from the Big Ten (along with Notre Dame, not Duke). The SEC invites State, and to give them a partner in the eastern division also invites ECU, to bring that league to 16 teams and let Mizzou move back to the western division where they belong.
Still think State wouldn't leave the ACC under those circumstances?
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Post by mattncsu02 on Mar 18, 2012 22:38:06 GMT -5
Hard to say Ken. I don't think State would ever leave the ACC, but strange things happen in college sports. I feel the same way as Marty. A founding member of the conference leaving would be very tragic. I do know that State fans will continue to be passionate about their Wolfpack no matter what conference we're in! I would really hate to see Carolina go to another conference. I would miss the yearly whooping in football and the future wins in basketball we're going to see. ;D
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