4-1-Zoo: ACC Scheduling & The Florida State Fiasco
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) -- If you haven't been paying attention, the ACC spring meetings are going on right now.
There's a lot of useful information coming out of them, so go to the blog's main page if you want some updates. The biggest storyline has revolved around Florida State, as some speculate the Seminoles are looking to leave the ACC for the Big 12.
I'll get to that in a second. First, let's talk about some big news that broke Wednesday.
ACC commissioner John Swofford announced how scheduling will take place in the conference once Pitt and Syracuse join (that will likely be in 2013).
In the new 14-team ACC there will be a nine-game conference schedule. With that comes a bit of an unbalanced schedule, as teams will have five home games one year and four home games the next in conference play.
As announced, the Atlantic Division teams will have five home games in odd-numbered years and Coastal Division teams will have five home games in even-numbered years.
As a refresher, Pitt is in the Coastal Division, so it looks like they'll start out in 2013 with four conference home games and five away games.
This all could change, though, if something happens with Florida State.
The Seminoles are heavily rumored to be considering leaving the ACC for the Big 12. As it is, representatives from both FSU and the ACC are hesitant to speak on the subject.
Florida State is reportedly unhappy with the ACC's new 15-year deal with ESPN, which is confusing to me.
Conference members are set to make $17.1 million annually with the new deal, which allows five-year look-ins to potentially restructure the deal for more money. There's also the chance of setting up an ACC television network.
To me, it seems like the league is positioned as well as any, being affiliated with the worldwide leader. Big 12 Conference members will make approximately $3 million more annually.
Time will tell, but the silence by both sides only leaves us all to speculate. And the more we speculate, the more rumors, reports and "sources" run wild.
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Chris Gates | Area 4-1-Zoo Blog
Twitter.com/Chris_Gates
Chris.Gates@cbsradio.com
