The schools are huge, and the largest ones have rabid football fans that fill 100 thousand seat stadiums. The ACC never has and never will match that. This won't change unless football fan interest diminishes like NASCAR has. But the ACC can get closer to the B1G in television revenue. The upcoming ACC Network should help with that.

The advantage that the ACC has is with the population demographics in the United States. The ACC footprint has some of the most favorable regions for growth with the demographic change. Favorable for students. Favorable for football talent. Favorable for basketball talent. And we are seeing the ACC take advantage of that. We are also seeing the SEC take advantage of that. Access to the talent allows the ACC to compete against the money. The ACC has enough money to keep coaches.

The B1G additions of Maryland and Rutgers was an attempt by Delany to tap into some of this for the B1G, but it is a cultural mismatch for the demographics of his heritage fans. The Big XII north is a much better fit. But they also have the demographic challenges.

I think that the ACC fits better in the northeast, but I may be biased. I think so because most of the migration into ACC areas comes from the northeast. We've become used to Yankees if you will. We don't see the animosity in the ACC going on in the B1G regarding eastern schools. I see Syracuse developing rivalries quickly. Boston College seems to be developing one with Wake Forest.

I think we still have some regional holes in the footprint that could be helped with additions of West Virginia, Connecticut, Navy, or Temple. Among those rivalries are important, which makes West Virginia the best fit since they have rivalries with VT, Pitt, and Syracuse. UConn brings basketball rivalries and could get more ACC presence around New York.