The Blue Zone

Is possible but 50 million buy out makes it a difficult decision. Maryland jus dont fit with the big ten imo!

Does this really hurt the ACC?

I mean, I dislike losing a traditional ACC hoops power. But it seems like the only benefit for Maryland will be $$$ and feeling as if a conference cares about 'em. ... But I suspect its fan base won't really like it, and they'll be even more irrelevant in football and lose some hoops prestige.

If they want to leave good riddance to the twerps. We might miss there lax team but that is about it. When the new TV contract is signed we have one less team to split money with. Maybe we can trade them for Penn State.

Maryland isn't a big loss and can be easily replaced.

Personally, I would prefer Louisville, but I understand why UConn is considered the front runner.

However, Maryland leaving the ACC could trigger renewed interest from opportunistic conferences in Clemson and FSU. That could be disastrous. ACC needs to entrench its position on the buyout and demand the full $50M.

Hope it does not snowball! The ACC has to act swiftly IMO. Negotiating with Penn State and or Louisville!

I think it will. When Pac-12 moves, it will have to poach from B12. Tv deals are coming up in a couple years, and now that everyone knows the money distribution for the new playoff, this is what accelerated it for Delany. That and the ND deal.

There is an academic component to the new bcs deal in terms of how much money you get.
It also appears the more teams you have, the more money you get.

Cashing in stock options is tax planning for 2012 with strategies that will sunset at the end of the year.

I would be very surprised if he covered the full nut on the $50M. Not saying he won't throw some cash that direction, but I don't think he is covering the full nut.

It is more likely that Maryland is betting that the ACC will not hold them to the $50M or that it will not hold up in court.

"the ACC’s legal counsel was present during the September presidents’ meeting, listened to discussions concerning the exit-fee increase and is 'satisfied that the increased payment amount approved by the presidents is legally binding.'”

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"To withdraw from the conference a member must file an official notice of withdrawal with each of the conference members and the commissioner on or before August 15 for the withdrawal to be effective June 30 of the following year. Upon official notice of withdrawal, the member will be subject to a withdrawal payment, as liquidated damages, in an amount equal to three times the total operating budget of the Conference (including any contingency included therein), approved in accordance with Section V-1 of the Conference Bylaws, which is in effect as of the date of the official notice of withdrawal. The Conference may offset the amount of such payment against any distributions otherwise due such member for any Conference year. Any remaining amount due shall be paid by the withdrawing member within 30 days after the effective date of withdrawal. The withdrawing member shall have no claim on the assets, accounts or income of the Conference. (Revised: September 2012)"

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“'The law says that when you have liquidated damages, and in advance you anticipate a breaching of the contract, we will decide what the damages will be,' Loh said then. 'You talk about damages, not penalties, and it has to be a reasonable estimate. That’s the law. We live in a free economy. We want people to move freely in and out of relationships. That’s the philosophical principle. What constitutes reasonable? That’s for a court to decide.

'But if the damages are so huge that it prevents the mobility, the free movement of people, then I think it’s not good for society. Others may not be looking at it from this principle, and that’s their prerogative.'”

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The problem with Loh's argument is that it ignores the ACC's ability to substantiate the damages. The damages will be easily supported in court if it gets that far with a market comparable, the deteriorating value of the Big East with the loss of member schools. There are other tort claims to support the damages, but that isn't an area of the law that I know a lot about. I just know that Loh's position isn't nearly as strong as some have intimated.

And I wouldn't expect the ACC to just sit back and let Maryland walk away. The endgame is keep FSU and Clemson in the fold. Maryland can walk as far as I am concerned as long as they pay the exit fee. UVA/VT carry the DC market just as much as Maryland does. The Big 12 can't cover the $50M like the B1G can.

GT is a little concerning b/c of the ATL market, but I don't think there is a lot of traction there. Delaney is playing hardball since he didn't get Notre Dame. Maryland, Rutgers, and GT are chess pieces, but he can't fill the cupboard before the game is over.

My concern is Geographical! It is hard enough to recruit against the two power conferences without them suddenly having teams in your midst! The Quality not the quantity should be tell tell sign. There was reasons schools in certain areas got together. Travel. Recruiting having ideas in common. Now Leagues want schools because they want to be able to plug recruiting in a thousand miles away! The ACC is near Geographically perfect. Why would they say well Kansas is a good fit to our style lets get them in the ACC. I mean when WV went to the former Big 12 this year , that to me is overboard a

rutgers to bolster NY markket

Doubt Maryland pays anywhere near $50 million because it's based on damages from a new contract that is only two months old, that Maryland voted against and never signed. Basically, Maryland still has the right of freedom of association. it will be hard for the ACC to prove in civil court that Maryland caused $50 million in damages. Unless Notre Dame pulls out of the new deal, the ACC will have a very hard time proving any damages. Maryland could tie this up in the court system for 10-15 years and cost the ACC millions in legal fees. Much more likely that Maryland and the ACC have already agreed upon a exit fee and that it will be closer to the original $20 million exit fee.

Unless Maryland has leveraged their position (which is difficult to imagine given the circumstances), they will receive approximately $13M less than the rest of the B1G while it buys into Big Ten Network, like Nebraska is doing now. I believe that is a five year period.