Title: California and Stanford Eyeing ACC, Leaving Pac-12 in Shambles
In a surprising turn of events, industry sources have revealed that both California and Stanford universities are exploring the possibility of joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). These discussions, still at a preliminary stage, come in the aftermath of last week’s realignment moves, which left the Bay Area programs out of the Big Ten’s expansion plans.
The ACC athletic directors have scheduled a call to discuss the viability of adding Cal and Stanford to their conference. Additionally, the ACC presidents are slated to meet later in the week to delve further into the subject. While solid decisions are yet to be made, it’s worth noting that realignment moves often pick up momentum swiftly.
Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on travel expenses for both teams if they were to join the ACC. Nevertheless, the main question revolves around the average annual value (AAV) of the ACC’s media rights contract with ESPN. Adding prestigious institutions like Cal and Stanford would undoubtedly raise the AAV, signaling vast improvements for the conference’s broadcasting potential.
Meanwhile, the University of California Board of Regents has also arranged a meeting to discuss its Pac-12 membership. If this surprising move to the ACC materializes, it would be a significant fallout for Pac-12, alongside Oregon State and Washington State’s exclusion from major college football plans.
The Pacific Northwest universities had reportedly struggled with financial metrics within the Pac-12, placing them at the bottom compared to other public schools. A Pac-12 president allegedly even appealed to the Big 12 to take all the remaining Pac-12 schools except for Oregon State and Washington State. Consequently, falling into a non-power conference could potentially have devastating financial consequences for both programs.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Stanford has also hinted at considering independent status, a move that may heavily impact its Olympic sports teams. Furthermore, the recent discussions have mentioned the Mountain West and American conferences as alternative possibilities for both Cal and Stanford.
The potential departure of Cal and Stanford from the Pac-12, two highly renowned academic institutions, marks a significant shakeup in the college sports landscape. Regardless of the final decisions, it is evident that universities’ realignment choices can have far-reaching consequences both financially and competitively.
Stay tuned as Hollywood Crap continues to closely follow the developments in this ongoing saga and their potential impact on the ever-evolving world of college athletics.
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