Getty Image / Peyton Williams
Conference realignment has slowed down for now, but it won’t forever. The next dominoes to fall are almost certainly going to be in the ACC.
Many focus on Florida State, as they seem like the university most likely to be the next to bolt their conference. But, the University of North Carolina may be the biggest prize of all the schools not yet in the Big Ten and the SEC.
North Carolina football isn’t up at the level that, say, Florida State and Clemson are. But, its basketball brand is as big as any, it has a huge fan base and alumni base, and the academics are among the top public schools anywhere in America.
The SEC and Big Ten will surely fight over UNC when the time comes, and that time may soon be approaching. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham spoke with Inside Carolina on the future of the school’s conference affiliation.
“I think our obligation to the ACC is to be the best partner with our conference that we can possibly be,” Cunningham said. “I also think that we have to look at what is in the best interest of the university today and going forward. And I think you can do both. I think you can be a great partner and say, we’re going to do everything we can to support this league. And maybe if we can get more into the ACC Network, support the ACC Network, drive subscribers, get more digital content that we can have direct to consumer relationships, that’s what we should be working on. If it benefits the league, great.”
That sounds like a man playing politics, but clearly with an eye on leaving. Bubba Cunningham isn’t stupid. He knows the best interests of the university is to get out of the clearly failing ACC that will have its teams see as much as a half-billion dollars less revenue each from media rights compared to the Big Ten and SEC. And, I expect UNC to be out the door shortly.
Florida State will probably the first domino to fall. And, if the ACC holds it together for a little bit after Florida State gets out, people may think it could stay together. But, if UNC, the centerpiece of Tobacco Road and the anchor for the conference for its entire history, leaves, it’s over.