The haters came out in droves once Maryland announced its move to the B1G. People didn’t understand the meaning behind it. Moving to the B1G means Maryland can finally make money and climb out of debt created by its former Athletic Director Debbie Yow.
Current Athletic Director Kevin Anderson states:
“It guarantees our athletic department and our university financial stability. We have done so much with so little for so long.”
Moreover, in terms of lacrosse, people believed the historic tradition of Maryland lacrosse would be tainted. That was a fair assumption until rumblings began to come to light about a few more ACC teams leaving for higher ground.
EersAuthority.com reports:
The Big 10 conference has received applications for membership from UVA, UNC, and Georgia Tech while FSU, Clemson, UNC, NC State and Virginia Tech have contacted the SEC about potential membership. Despite public statements to the contrary the Big 12 conference has been in close contact with FSU, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami about joining the Big 12.
In other words, the ACC is done. If it all becomes a reality, then this means (hypothetically) the only remaining ACC teams are Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College, Pitt, Syracuse, and Notre Dame (excluding football).
Fun fact: The Minnesota Gophers just paid UNC $800,000 to take them off their football schedule in 2013 and 2014. What’s the point? Terrible programs, who have been waived from schedules, are now joining the conference they have never been able to compete against.
Who loses? Notre Dame and Syracuse. Both lacrosse programs thought they were joining the best lacrosse conference in the nation. Now, almost defunct, the ACC is no more. Additionally, can these schools void their agreement? They were essentially conned by the ACC (Maryland and Florida State were the only ACC schools to vote against the increased exit fee for jumping ship). Notre Dame may be able to move its olympic sports to the Big 12. If UNC and UVA join the B1G, then there will undoubtedly be a B1G conference. And, as a result, speculation about Maryland competing as an independent like Johns Hopkins would suppress.
Here’s the bright side to the depletion of the ACC. People will actually care about Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan lacrosse besides their own fan base. Say what you will, but these three schools were never in the conversation. Also, since Rutgers is moving on up to the B1G, that would mean five athletic programs have lacrosse, including Maryland and not including UVA and UNC. Translation, the pressure is on other schools to add a Men’s Lacrosse team, i.e. Minnesota. Lacrosse is about to explode in a big and incendiary way.
More links to curb your appetite:
Could Boston College and Virginia be the next to join the Big Ten
North Carolina and Virginia may have Big Ten offers
Big Ten Mailblog
