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it appears that West Virginia and Missouri may be next targets-that might explain why Florida, Georgia, South Carolina voted for expansion. Based on several recruiting sources at UT, A&M and others

surprise surprise

West Virginia? are you nuts?

I'll explain why. Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida reportedly have a block on their instate rivals getting SEC invite. Missouri and West Virginia aren't in those states. Read Clemson and Florida St. So perhaps a deal was made to look at Missouri or West Virginia instead. Plus WV would balance existing divisions, SEC wouldn't be blamed for 4 X 16 Super Conference scenario and WV would expand footprint

Stallion wrote:I'll explain why. Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida reportedly have a block on their instate rivals getting SEC invite. Missouri and West Virginia aren't in those states. Read Clemson and Florida St. So perhaps a deal was made to look at Missouri or West Virginia instead. Plus WV would balance existing divisions, SEC wouldn't be blamed for 4 X 16 Super Conference scenario and WV would expand footprint

Va. Tech will go before WVU, and they deliver a considerably larger TV market. WVU as a TV market is laughable compared to the other schools that will be considered. Mizzou might be considered but I think the SEC would say thanks but no thanks. If Mizzou goes to the SEC not sure how that balances things out- do you split up Bama/Auburn or Ole Miss/MSU? You're right about FSU and Clemson though- don't see them getting the nod.

East Coast Mustang wrote:Va. Tech will go before WVU, and they deliver a considerably larger TV market. WVU as a TV market is laughable compared to the other schools that will be considered.

Virginia Tech is tied to Virginia, preventing such a move. Too much effort was placed in putting them together for them to so easily be broken apart.

You make a good point Samurai, but let's be honest, VT makes the most sense for the SEC after A&M right now. When the realignment in 2003 occurred, the concern was that VT would be hurt financially and left behind (so to speak) by the ACC's raiding of other BE teams, until they got their own offer. UVa won't really suffer if VT goes to the SEC- the ACC is still a very secure conference and UVa would much rather be with the likes of Duke, UNC, and Wake anyways.

East Coast Mustang wrote:You make a good point Samurai, but let's be honest, VT makes the most sense for the SEC after A&M right now. When the realignment in 2003 occurred, the concern was that VT would be hurt financially and left behind (so to speak) by the ACC's raiding of other BE teams, until they got their own offer. UVa won't really suffer if VT goes to the SEC- the ACC is still a very secure conference and UVa would much rather be with the likes of Duke, UNC, and Wake anyways.

Just look at what happened to the big 12. A team leaving the ACC will make that conference unstable.

Aggy entrance to SEC may be contingent on individual big 12 schools waiving their right to sue.

http://t.co/bamgQaX

Samurai Stang wrote:

East Coast Mustang wrote:Va. Tech will go before WVU, and they deliver a considerably larger TV market. WVU as a TV market is laughable compared to the other schools that will be considered.

Virginia Tech is tied to Virginia, preventing such a move. Too much effort was placed in putting them together for them to so easily be broken apart.

I've been preaching this for weeks.

Va got the acc to screw 'Cuse for the benefit of vatech, now the Va legis is gonna screw UVa/Acc by allowing vatech to sec?

Furthermore vatech is more like gatech/MIT, not an sec school (farmers fight)

goldenstang wrote:

East Coast Mustang wrote:You make a good point Samurai, but let's be honest, VT makes the most sense for the SEC after A&M right now. When the realignment in 2003 occurred, the concern was that VT would be hurt financially and left behind (so to speak) by the ACC's raiding of other BE teams, until they got their own offer. UVa won't really suffer if VT goes to the SEC- the ACC is still a very secure conference and UVa would much rather be with the likes of Duke, UNC, and Wake anyways.

Just look at what happened to the big 12. A team leaving the ACC will make that conference unstable.

No it won't. Sec will only pilf 1 to 3, max. No other conf will pilf. Quite the opposite, acc will backfill w big east teams.

Don't forget acc basketball

Baylor will not remain silent...they will have to make a serious objection. They have put on considerable debt to finance their improvements and obviously would be left out of any future conference talk.

If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Unfortunately for Virginia Tech, they used up a ton of political capital to get into the ACC. On the other hand UVa. never wanted them in the ACC and UVa. sure doesn't want to be in the SEC with their academic focus. Unfortunately for Tech, Gov. McDonnell is a Notre Dame guy, who doesn't have the UVa. centric view of life that most of Richmond has. Thus, my guess is that he might veto the idea because its bad for UVA because its bad for the ACC now for VT to leave. I think you are downplaying to some degree WVA's market. Their market goes pretty much from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh to Balto/Washington to Louisville each area having a solid number of WVa fans. So, WVa helps solidify Ky., and puts a pinky toe in the Big Ten Territory. VT doesn't do that. It delivers VA and a part of DC market. WVa gives an entre into several markets. Maryland plays WVa. with some regularity because WVa. packs their stadium. Same with Penn State. That tells the SEC some things about WVA. Oh, add in that Johnny Unitas and Sam Huff a legendary Baltimore Colt and a legendary Washington Redskin are WVa. guys. So, my guess is that WVa is ahead of VT in the SEC plan. Missouri gives the SEC an entre only into the St. Louis/KC market. I can't imagine that would be attractive to the SEC.

EastStang wrote:If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Unfortunately for Virginia Tech, they used up a ton of political capital to get into the ACC. On the other hand UVa. never wanted them in the ACC and UVa. sure doesn't want to be in the SEC with their academic focus. Unfortunately for Tech, Gov. McDonnell is a Notre Dame guy, who doesn't have the UVa. centric view of life that most of Richmond has. Thus, my guess is that he might veto the idea because its bad for UVA because its bad for the ACC now for VT to leave.

Maybe, and VT used up a ton of political capital in Richmond to get into the ACC, but a lot of those legislators are different now than they were, what, eight years ago. And VT stood to lose a lot being relegated to a post ACC expansion BE, whereas UVa will be just fine in an ACC without VT. Not sure where McDonnell being an ND alum factors in either way. ACC will just backfill with BE teams like someone else said and expand their market footprint (Rutgers, UConn, Syracuse for NYC, for example). ACC didn't even want VT to begin with.

EastStang wrote:I think you are downplaying to some degree WVA's market. Their market goes pretty much from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh to Balto/Washington to Louisville each area having a solid number of WVa fans. So, WVa helps solidify Ky., and puts a pinky toe in the Big Ten Territory. VT doesn't do that. It delivers VA and a part of DC market. WVa gives an entre into several markets. Maryland plays WVa. with some regularity because WVa. packs their stadium. Same with Penn State. That tells the SEC some things about WVA. Oh, add in that Johnny Unitas and Sam Huff a legendary Baltimore Colt and a legendary Washington Redskin are WVa. guys. So, my guess is that WVa is ahead of VT in the SEC plan. Missouri gives the SEC an entre only into the St. Louis/KC market. I can't imagine that would be attractive to the SEC.

Maybe, but they were nowhere to be seen on the ACC wishlist back in '03. SEC doesn't need KY market, they already have the flagship institution. VA is much more attractive state than WV in terms of TV markets, and Tech delivers it much moreso than WVU (obviously). I would say VT delivers more of DC market too (which is HUGE for SEC) although that might be a wash. But still, VA > WV by a longshot in terms of TV value