Monday Musings: How Conference Realignment Impacts Syracuse Recruiting

The Orange basketball and football programs may have to address this issue with recruits.
Monday Musings: How Conference Realignment Impacts Syracuse Recruiting
Monday Musings: How Conference Realignment Impacts Syracuse Recruiting /

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Conference realignment has reared its ugly head once again over the last week or so, completely changing the landscape of collegiate athletics. With the moves leaving the Pac-12 with just four schools currently, the question becomes how this impacts the ACC. 

The Big-12 seems to have solidified itself with the latest moves, and we know the SEC and Big-10 are the strongest two financially moving forward. The ACC has a Grant of Rights (GOR) deal through 2036 that could cost schools hundreds of millions of dollars from which to back out. 

How does all of this impact Syracuse, specifically from a recruiting perspective? Let's start with football. Football, and related revenue, is the driver of all of this. While the ACC seems solid with that GOR, Florida State is making noise about its displeasure with the current revenue distribution. Specifically, how much it receives on an annual basis compared to those in the SEC and Big-10. The more noise they make, the worse the perception of the ACC will be. 

That can lead to negative recruiting. Syracuse needs to be ready to combat that. 

The more conference realignment is discussed, and the more the longterm viability of the ACC is questioned, the easier it is for schools from other conferences to use that against Syracuse. Think about it this way. If Syracuse is recruiting a player who is also being recruited by Rutgers, Central Florida and West Virginia, each can say to the recruit something along the lines of the following: 

"The ACC is going to fold at some point. It is inevitable. One of their top schools is being quite vocal about not being happy. As soon as they can figure out how, they will leave. Do you want to risk that happening, which will lead to the destruction of the conference, while you're playing in that conference?"

It may seem like a bit of a stretch to some, but do not underestimate the ability of coaches to use their salesmen techniques to convince impressionable teenagers of such things. Once again, Syracuse needs to be ready to combat that. 

The SEC and Big-10 are already the leading recruiting conferences. Negative recruiting the ACC will only further that and put non blue blood types, like Syracuse, in a potentially precarious situation. 

From a basketball standpoint, even if the football program does not land in a power program, the basketball brand is strong and has the best chance to remain as such. Still, being able to answer that question, should recruits bring it up, would be advised. 

A scenario where Syracuse ends up in the Big East for all sports except football is plausible. It makes all the sense in the world from every angle besides football revenue. Still, that would mean a hit in Syracuse's athletics budget, which would impact the basketball program. 

The other concern would be that Syracuse ends up in a conference like the MAC if the ACC dissolves and the remaining power conferences do not wish to add the Orange. That would not only significantly reduce overall revenue but also impact the prestige of a program like Syracuse basketball.  

There is no easy answer here, but the more Florida State voices its frustration, and if others join such as Clemson and Miami, the more this could impact recruiting for Syracuse programs. Perception is reality. If recruits perceive the ACC as unstable and not likely to survive, that is an issue Syracuse (and other schools in the conference for that matter) will have to combat on the trail. 


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Mike McAllister
MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting.  EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans.  After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years.  Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports.  Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College.