Wednesday (Updated with Notre Dame to ACC news): Your favorite seat in the house?
UPDATE 9:56 A.M. Here’s the release from the ACC.
ACC Accepts Notre Dame as New Member
Irish to become 15th member of the league
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference Council of Presidents has unanimously voted to accept the University of Notre Dame as a new member. The Irish will compete as full members in all conference sponsored sports with the exception of football which will play five games annually against league programs.
“We are committed to keeping the Atlantic Coast Conference a vibrant and competitive league dedicated to ensuring the appropriate balance of academics, athletics and integrity,” said the ACC Council of Presidents in a joint statement. “The addition of Notre Dame further strengthens the rich tradition and culture of the ACC as well as allowing for future academic collaboration and we enthusiastically welcome them into the league.”
“The ACC was founded on the cornerstones of balancing academics, athletics and integrity,” said Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford. “Our partnership with Notre Dame only strengthens this long-standing commitment. Notre Dame enhances the league’s unique blend of public and private institutions that are international in scope. The collective alumni and fan bases cover the entire country with exceptionally strong roots up and down the Atlantic Coast. This is a terrific milestone in the evolution of the ACC and showcases tremendous solidarity and vision by our Council of Presidents.”
“The ACC is composed of some of the most highly respected universities in the country, and we at Notre Dame look forward to joining them,” said Notre Dame President, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “With a mix of institutions – many of which are also private, similar to Notre Dame in size, and committed to excellence in research and undergraduate education – the ACC is an exceptionally good fit for us academically, as well as athletically.”
“We have monitored the changing conference landscape for many months and have concluded that moving to the ACC is the best course of action for us,” said Jack Swarbrick, Notre Dame Vice President and Director of Athletics. “We are able to maintain our historic independence in football, join in the ACC’s non-BCS bowl package, and provide a new and extremely competitive home for our other sports.”
With the addition of Notre Dame, the ACC’s future membership includes 11 institutions ranked among the top 58 in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report survey of “America’s Best Colleges”, more than any other conference also competing at the highest level athletically.
In addition to extending an invitation to Notre Dame, the Council of Presidents voted to increase the conference exit fees to three times the annual operating budget. Currently this would equate to an exit fee of over $50 million.
UPDATE 9:45 A.M. ESPN’s Brett McMurphy is reporting that Notre Dame will move to the ACC in all sports but football, with the Irish playing five football games per year against ACC foes. Here’s his Twitter feed. ACC announces it’ll have a news release at 10 a.m. I’ll post it when I get it.
THE ORIOLES LED SPORTSCENTER THIS MORNING. Yeah, I realize ESPN did it as much or more for the “Where do the Yankees stand” angle as the surging-birds angle, but I’m not going to be picky. The Orioles led SportsCenter. It’s chilly outside. There’s a tie atop the AL East with the promise of another round of games tonight. You’re dang right I’m in a good mood today.
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IDEA MAY LEAD NOWHERE. I’m OK with that, too. But I was thinking about it last night as I was driving home from Blacksburg and pondering our discussion here Monday about the stadium experience. And I wonder: If you could sit anywhere in the stadium or arena, where would you sit?
THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE I’M NOT SURE THE ANSWER’S AS SIMPLE AS WE MIGHT THINK. I’ve had friends text me pictures from major league games — “Three rows behind the dugout! I can smell the on-deck batter’s chaw!” — and while that’s cool, that isn’t where I would sit if I had my choice. I wouldn’t sit in the club seats or luxury suites, either. I’d sit in the upper deck, about halfway up.
THE REASONS? No. 1, it feels bigger. The panoramic view gives you the best sense of the crowd’s reaction. I don’t really want to see the game as the player sees it; I want to see the game as the masses see it.
No. 2: The people up there are great. They’re usually a little more budget-aware like me. They’re not wearing ties. They’re not on their cellphones making some business deal in the third inning, or waving at the television camera while texting their friends. They like to have a beer or two but aren’t there just to get sloshed like some of the standing-room only crowd. They’re my people.
I WENT TO MARYLAND DURING THE NOT-SO-GLORIOUS RON VANDERLINDEN FOOTBALL ERA, which preceded Ralph’s tenure. Basically, you could sit wherever you wanted (and I think it’s gotten back to that way now there). I would always climb to the upper deck, where maybe five other dudes were, and watch the game from there. I liked how you could always tell whether the team got the first down. If I had my choice in a packed house, I’d still opt for up there.
I TALKED TO A FAN AT A SALEM RED SOX GAME THIS YEAR who said he always sits in the upper deck on the far left side. His reasoning? He was a right-handed batter back in his playing days, and he likes to view the pitcher from the same side he did.
I GUESS WHAT I’M SAYING IS, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PREFERENCE. It’s not as simple as “This seat’s the most expensive, so it is the best.” So I’m curious: Where is your ideal seat at Lane/Scott/Cassell/JPJ/other venue? Why would you choose to sit there?
WEDNESDAY LOCAL HEADLINES
-Virginia Tech sophomore Kyshoen Jarrett is proving that he can be the physical, take-charge safety the coaches envisioned.
-It’s early, but so far, UVa tight end Jake McGee is following the same career path as former John Mackey Award winner Heath Miller.
-A second appeal to keep Franklin County out of the River Ridge District is denied by a VHSL committee. A final vote by the VHSL executive committee will settle the matter on Sept. 19. If the ruling stands, next year’s RRD will be Franklin County, Patrick Henry, Pulaski County, Salem, Carroll County, Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Hidden Valley and Cave Spring.
NATIONAL HEADLINES: O’s top Rays, pull into first-place tie with Yankees, who fall to Boston…Detroit rallies past White Sox for potential season-saving victory…Athletics keep rolling, beat Angels in Anaheim…U.S. soccer team beats Jamaica 1-0 in critical World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio…Penn State stickin’ with Sam Ficken to do the kickin’.
NAME THAT TUNE
-Nobody got yesterday’s: “Whatever You Like” by T.I. We’ll get you back on track with this one:
You’re playing so cool, obeying every rule
Dig a way down in your heart
You’re burning yearning for some
Somebody to tell you that life ain’t passing you by
I’m trying to tell you
It will if you don’t even try
You’ll get by if you’d only…
September 12, 2012 - 8:15 AM
When we had season tickets at Nats Park, we sat in the upper deck, in line with third base, about six rows up. Great seats. And I get why people like being up there. To be with “my people.”
But honestly, I’m typically a seat snob. I like seats closer to the action. Not always, but typically. I can have a great time no matter where I sit. But if I’m being handed tickets, I’m hoping they’re down low.
Football is different. I like being up a little bit (but not too high) so I can see all the action unfold. At Lane, that’d be on the home side, about three-quarters of the way up.
Basketball and hockey? As close as possible. Nosebleeds suck in those sports.
Golf? From my sofa.
Footloose
Best seat in the house?
High School Football Umpire position would have to rank pretty high
Lane Stadium I enjoy Sect 8 about 4 rows from the field although I really like the field view also
Salem Red Sox I sit there in sect 101 my favorite seat in the house AND I have someone bring my beer to me – WIN!!
Tropicana Field my wife and I usually go up top to get away from it all and relax although the the Corona Cafe there on the 3rd base line is pretty nice (and pretty damn pricey)
Qualcom Field my favorite was always the bleachers behind Tony Gywnn can’t beat a summer SoCal day game.
Chavez Ravine definitely the bleachers with a Dodger Dog
Roanoke Civic Center gotta be close to the ice for Tech Hockey games
okay okay I will stop now
Great topic!
Gosh, Aaron, that’s a tough one to think about. My seating experience at Lane have already been great, but the last one I sat was probably the best experience. I was in section 5, row ZZ where I could see the players charge out of the tunnel, watch the fireworks explode above the scoreboard, and just sit near fans that are classy. My first two trips there was in the section the closest to opposing team’s fans. That was not too bad, it was just different. Last year, we got the tickets to the West stand, slightly above the tunnel where the players charge out, and it wasn’t that great. The fans there are completely different than the ones on the East stands. So, if I had my choice, I’d stick with the East stands, probably in section 5 again. Also, I would probably prefer a night game over a day since it’s slightly cooler at night, the fireworks just make it awesome, and the energy is unmatched than during the day. That’s my observation.
I did attend the Salem Red Sox game once, and we sat on the far right side. I had a great view of everything. I left in the 6th inning as I was just about to fall asleep. Baseball isn’t my thing.
On my bucket list is to attend one game at the Dean Smith Center. Just once. I have been to the Big South basketball tournament at the Dedmon Center, and that place is LOUD when it was packed. I had a blast. Compare that experience to one game at Cassell, I believe it was the final year Tech was in the Big East, and the game was against Rutgers. It wasn’t as energetic as I have seen it on TV, so I haven’t been to a major game for VT’s basketball.
I think, experience wise, Lane wins hands down. I’m looking forward to go to Bank of America stadium for the ACC championship game. I have been to the gate, but never inside. I can’t wait!
At Lane I had season tickets on the 5 kind of low on the West side. Not so good. Any where near mid field, midway up. The crowd on the east side is much better but the sun gets you there, yet I’ll still take the east side. I do like the south end zone as you can see the gaps and alignments and the play unfold. The seating there is also much less cramped. Went to a football game at South Carolina once and sat real low on the sidelines, close in. Not good at all. Could barely see over the players on the sideline and forget about seeing anything on the other side of the field.
I’m with you Aaron in baseball. Midway up, anywhere between 1st and 3rd is good. I cannot stand it when you watch a TV game and see those people in the boxes being totally bored. If those people couldn’t sit there they wouldn’t be at the game. Give me those seats!
jeff scores on the song. Nicely done.
Trevor — Been to the BOA gate but never inside? What happened?
Scott — Good point on the sun. Underrated factor. Every day this summer when I showed up to Salem Memorial Ballpark, the fans had staked out the small area of GA seats just to the left of the press box. Sweet, sweet shade until the sun sets.
With the topic and Sept 11th being fresh in our minds one of the best places that I have seen a game would have been Zegra Kosovo. I was with the 101st Airborne, my buddy was a die hard Bama fan, me? Tennessee.
The stars aligned and we were actually on our scheduled down time and were able to watch the game on Armed Forces Network, drinking near beer, with the UT flag flying. It was a nice break from reality.
Good question on the seats Aaron. No right or wrong answer on this one. For football I like to be fairly high up so I can see the play develop. Baseball I have sat right behind homeplate in Fenway and that was really cool. I usually like to sit on the 3rd base side in the lower level at any ballpark I go to. Not sure why just where I seem to end up. Basketball and hockey I like to sit close to the action. NASCAR no closer than midway down.
Jake Mcgee going to be a good one. Already with a couple of Sportscenter worthy catches this year. Still hate the VHSL plan. World Cup qualifying already?
Off topic and only of interest if you’re a Phillies fan. Six in a row, 14 of 18. Two months ago 13 games under .500, now at .500. Howard and Utley rejoined the team shortly before that. Problem is, Washington has played even better than that! What might have been and the reality of having an aging team…
My first and only Morgantown, WV experience resulted in seats in a luxury box a Steelers game. Still not sure how this happen, typical the classic Morgantown experience, but it was pretty amazing. The glass of the box slides back so you get the experience of the crowd as well as the benefits of the all you can eat chicken wing platter and cooler of beverages. Oh, and there was an ice cream sundae fairy (yeah, I assume she was a fairy) constantly making rounds.
Granted, I don’t really fit in with the luxury box crowd, I left that thing looking like Bluto going through the cafeteria line, but by rule any place with an ice cream fairy is my favorite.
Aaron, the security guard took one look at me and turned me away saying I looked “suspicion.”
No, just kidding. I have a family member that lives in Concord, NC, and my father-in-law took me on a trip around the area. One of the places we visited was the Bank of America stadium. It was during the offseason, the gates were locked, but I got a glimpse at how huge the place was. We also went to the Lowes’ Speedway, bigger than on TV, the Dale Earhardt Memorial, and even visited the Canon village where the big manufacturing plant once employed an entire town.
So there you have it, Aaron.
The best seats depend on the venue. At the Diamond in Richmond, the best seat are either front row of the upper deck or near the back of the lower deck. Cassell the best seats are just outside the tunnel near mid-court, but anything about that level is great. I grew up sitting 40 yard line about 20 rows below the press box at Lane Stadium. Great seats. Now that I’m older anything around tunnel level between the 20s is good.
Right behind O`Stiney with a pained look on my face. Speaking of that, I see where Roberts is saying he thinks Logan could do just fine calling his own plays, thank you. Maybe we could try that for a quarter while we are still playing the Pitts and Bowling Greens of the football world. I realize the offensive mindset is as firmly entrenched in Blacksburg as the Stadium Oaks seem to be but Logan seems to need to get untracked too. Might help the O line too. There was a noticeable -and unsettling-pause from each coach after the game Sat when Mike asked about O line play. Change is good-as I have heard somewhere else.
I’ve been everywhere from 3 rows from the top in section 39 to marching on the field during halftime and pregame. My favorite place to watch a game was along the fence on the south end zone back when the only stands there were bleachers. Otherwise, I could either argue sections 3/5 (where the MVs used to sit, when I was one of them) or my current seat in Section 14/16, row KK – just a few rows up from the entrance ramp.
My new seats in Lane are in section 8 row EEE. Not as bad as I thought they’d be. About the 25 yard line and high up enough to see everything. Best seats I ever had there were my buddies seats in section 10 row SS. 48 yard line and perfect height.
For baseball games I usually prefer 1st base side, not sure why. At Salem, I sometimes have access to one of the “luxery” boxes, but when I don’t I like the general admission seats all the way down the first base line. Good view and the beer stand is close.
Went to my first game at PNC in Pittsburgh in August. Great ball park. Had ordered the tickets in February so we got great seats about 25 rows directly behind home plate. Great view of the game and the city over the outfield fence.
On Twitter, from Brett McMurphy of ESPN: Notre Dame will join ACC as full member w/exception of football. ND will play 5 football games annually vs. ACC, sources told @ESPN
Almost forgot, best seats ever in Baltimore. I think it was 1982, at old Memorial Stadium. First row next to the visitors dugout. We were at all 4 games of the last series of the year, against the Brewers. We only had the great seats for the third game on Saturday. The O’s had to sweep the series to win the pennant. They won the first 3 but lost to Don Sutton on Sunday. We recorded the game back home, we were shown on NBC everytime a lefty came up to bat.
AMan, if that twitter is correct, I will now have 2 hate teams in the ACC. Miami and Notre Dame. I hate the way people pander to ND. The ACC should say, all or nothing. They’re either a member or they’re not.
The Orrie’s best seat in the house is where ever the free tix tell Orrie to sit.
The O’s …just talking about them at this time of year resonates with Orrie.This team has faced so much adversity with injuries and such,how many roster changes have they actually made this year ?
The ole “Buckaroo” is manager of the year hands down.He has even kept the big guy,Mr.A quiet so far .
And while we are at it, The Orrie was very pleased with the Ravens effort
but….can they do this on a consistent basis ?
Aaron, that Notre Dame’s move is a huge (I mean, HUGE!) blow to the Big East in terms of basketball power. Now the ACC will have big time nationwide audience with Notre Dame in the fold as a basketball powerhouse. Gosh, to see Mike Brey go against Roy Williams or Mike K or
Seth Greenberg (wait, wait, I forgot he is no longer there), is huge TV rating draw right there. This will also help the Orange Bowl as well as there were rumors that ND would face off the ACC champions starting 2014 when the playoff takes effect. Nobody should be discounting this as this is a kick in the Big East’s…scrotum.No ducking us now Notre Dame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You can run but you can’t hide from us no more! Let the fun and the beat downs begin.
I’m not sure I see the real gain for the ACC. National appeal, perhaps, given that ND has a huge alumni base, and they’re pretty good in the other sports outside of football, where they are relatively mediocre. But now I wonder who the next team will be. Geographically, it’s a bad fit I think, lots of travel. And, it feels like the ACC is absorbing the strong programs of the Big East to effectively kill them off. But, I guess we’ll see how it unfolds.
As for seating, I typically enjoy about halfway up to 3/4 up, between the 30′s, so I can have a decent feel for what’s happening regardless of where the plays are happening. For baseball, I like being further up too, I like the big-picture view. For hockey though, I really enjoyed sitting right behind the glass, but it does make it hard to see the action…it’s just a cool experience. But for watching a hockey game, still that same half or so up the stands. Maybe it’s because I watched so much TV, but I like the view from further away because I can see more of what’s going on. Basketball might be the only sport I actually like the close seats. I have sat in the nosebleeds at the old Spectrum for some 76′ers games, and aside from burning up temperature wise, those weren;t terrible seats either.
Personally I fail to see where Notre Dame being in the ACC will help them at since they are not going to be a full member. I do like that ridiculous exit fee. That should keep most of the schools from ever leaving. Besides USC what national rival would Notre Dame be afraid to lose Navy? As for the other sports Notre Dame is sometimes a top 25 team in basketball and the non-revenue sports they are competitive. Notre Dame is strong in women’s sports. I just don’t see the value. I supppose next they will go after UConn.
If you ever go to Pittsburgh for a night game, make sure you sit on the 3rd base side. Unbelievable view of Pittsburgh skyline that until this year would take your mind off of the game.
Beamer Best….ND is ducking VT? Really? Let me know the last time ND played Austin Peay, Arkansas State, JMU etc. I’m a VT fan and season ticket holder. I personally think this is a win for both sides overall.
Seats – Salem Sox, we always sit halfway up GA, 3rd base side on the end about 5 rows above concourse entrance. We don’t mind the sun
Tech football, our seats have always been along the goal line, East side. Currently our row is FFF. If I had a choice, that high up is perfect, but would like to be closer to midfield.
Hockey, always in the middle up, center ice. Although we did try seats halfway up behind a goal a few times. Amazing how you can really see the plays develop.
I share justafan’s sentiment on the ND thing…when I first read the post that they would join the ACC without full commitment in football that was my first thought, all or nothing. The pandering to the Irish is sickening and this is just another example of it. However I do look forward to one of Bud Foster’s linebackers delivering a bone-jarring hit to one of their RB’s or receivers and welcoming them to the ACC. For all the ACC higherups to profess to sticking to such high standards both academically and athletically, I can’t believe they settled for this half-ass commitment from ND. Hope they get the crap kicked out of them every time they take the field in the ACC.
My favorite seats that I’ve ever actually had for season tickets at VT would have to be the seats that I had as a student during the 1999 season. It was the first or second season that VT offered student season tickets. We had a group that was in rows JJ and KK on the east side in Section 7 all season long. Awesome.
If I could hand pick my seats… I’ve got no problem admitting that I would get a box as close to the middle of the field as possible. I would want it to have windows that I could open though. I’ve had seats in a few different boxes at VT, and I loved it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the roar of the crowd and all of that, but having a little space to stretch out and relax (I’m a little over 6’3″) during the game sure is nice too.
I went to Baltimore for an O’s game this summer, and had seats on the first row of the upper deck, right above 3rd base. Those were great seats. I’d sit there again in a heartbeat. A couple of years ago during the off season, I got to take a tour of Camden Yards, just me, my girlfriend, her dad, and the tour guide. We didn’t see another soul in the whole stadium. We went on the field, in the dugouts, in the locker rooms, everywhere. It was awesome.
There is much to be determined here!
What is the ND share in revenue? Are the 5 teams from the ACC that ND plays on a rotating home and home basis(note this gives scheduling a problem and let us all hope that the ACC didn’t agree to give ND 3 HOME games every year against ACC foes)? Do the 5 games count as league games or at large games?
For the moment it appears ND does not factor in to the ACC BCS bowl bid so the ACC didn’t do any derriere kissing there.
Good move, not enough, but you take what you can get.
RIP Big East.
Sooo…this leaves the ACC with 15 teams for most sports. Hmmmm… methinks that either Louisville or UConn will be announcing the move to the ACC very soon…
Great topic, Aaron. I think a lot can be said about different seats. About every couple of years, my wife gets suite tickets to a Panther game at BOA stadium. The suite is in the endzone, but I’m not complaining because it’s free tickets with free food. However, something about that angle of being dead center in the endzone at the club level gave me a new appreciation for the NFL game. By seeing it at the same angle as the quarterback gave me a feel for the speed that I’ve never had before on TV or anywhere else in the stadium. You can actually see the quarterback read the defense and throw to a spot where his received has to be when the ball gets there. All of that happens in about one second. The window of opportunity is so small. It was amazing.
I think in today’s venues, their are positives about every seat location. I remember going to games as a kid where the view from some seats was obstructed by a support pole, or such. At least, you don’t have to worry about that any more.
I think it’s crazy that the ACC would agree to take ND as a partial member. What a load of crap. ND has been irrelevant for over a decade. Yeah yeah… they have a ton of fans that spend a lot of money… we know, we just don’t care.
Just another game to make ACC football schedules get called weak, if you ask me.
There are alot of negatives to this deal for current members. Notre Dame would not share their NBC TV money and they would get one of the ACC’s bowl bids. If you don’t get the BCS bid then you can bet any bowl eligible Notre Dame team would trump any other ACC team. Don’t care for this deal at all unless Notre Dame becomes a full member at some point. Seems like Notre Dame keeps all their money and the ACC really gets very little because Notre Dame was already playing Pitt, BC another ACC team just about every year anyway.
ND does not want to share their football TV money with the ACC. Will the ACC have to share theirs with ND?
Depends on the venue to a great extent.
Fenway: Right Center Field bleachers. You look straight in at the hitter and the action. Very easy to judge balls off the monster. The problem at Fenway is that the park is so old that the seats all face directly forward so if you are on the foul lines you have to sit half turned all game to watch the pitcher-batter. Also, those seats are not made for the 21st centruy butt.
Bush Stadium: The Club level, no doubt. Good food/booze. Air conditioning. Outside seats waiting for you when you want. Great during the July/Aug sweat a thons.
Toronto Skydome: anywhere
The Jake: Same as Busch.
Camden Yards: I always favored left field bleachers. Cheap and a chance of a homer. If you have to sit where you can see one of the in-park TVs you can’t see enugh of the game.
Redskins Field (whatever its called): Down low. The seats are all high enough to get a great view.
Old (now gone) Redskins Field (whatever it was called): Anywhere but under the press box.
Alamo Dome: High is ok for football but nothing else. Mid-level is better. If you go there they sell the best lemonade.
AT&T Center: Club level. You can get a reasonable ticket for divine comfort. Nacho type food and beer (all you can drink) included in the price. There is a restaurant on that level too. They do buffets before games and concerts. Hang there during a game. Best cocktail bar is there, too.
Every Minor League Park i;ve been to: anywhere
Gator Bowl: Home side, any level.
Polo Grounds (now gone): It was about 600 ft to dead center because the Polo Grounds were originally built for, well, Polo. People forget this when judging the Mays Over The Shoulder Catch as the greatest baseball play ever. People who were never there do not realize exactly how far that ball was hit or how far Mays had to run. Anyway, the Polo Grounds had a bazillion obstructed views (structural columns). Any seat within 2oo ft of home with no column was fine. My little league team was always in dead center.
The original Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium, as well as the 4th game ever played at Camden Yards: any seat in the house because my Dad was with me.
As for the Notre Dame thing. ND has done this before. They enter conferences on a sport specific basis. This is the first time I know of that they have agreed to any kind of football schedule as part of the deal.
Note: they aren’t joining for Hockey, either. Not that we care.
Another Note: Colin Cowterd used this as a way to jibe the ACC for being a weak football conference. Maybe so, but again, ND has done limited conference participations before. This is the first time they ever contributed anything in football. I am surprised.
If recent history is an indication, it seems to me that Hokie season ticket holders shouldn’t get their hopes up about Notre Dame and Lane Stadium magic.
Not if Jim Weaver has his way.
Can you say FedEx field?
If any of you guys are interested in playing cornhole, I have a group that plays every Wednesday night at Colonial Downs in Vinton. We start at 7pm. Don’t worry about bringing a partner, we do a blind draw to match up partners. I can’t guarantee you’ll win, but I guarantee you’ll have a good time!
11 Academic teams in the top 58? Which are the four that don’t make the cut? I guess the ACC felt they had to do this deal, but I can’t stand Notre Dame. What did they ever do for the Big East? I guess we can pretty much kiss the #2 bowl good bye as Notre Dame will probably get it every year. Bah HumBug
Not a ND hater or lover. Think in long run this is good for ACC. The question is no longer if ND has to join for football but when. ACC has leveraged ND not to be a free agent when it happens. Hate them or not TV contracts are friendlier with them than without. This will have to happen soon after the playoffs start. ND just making sure they have the place they want to land secure when that happens. Their preference of ACC has long been known. Next on ACC list will be Rutgers, Uconn or Pa. State. Do not be surprised about Pa. State. This has been rumored with Cincy, Louisville and Rutgers/Uconn going to Big whatever.
I imagine this ND situation will ‘revise’ itself eventually. The non-football piece will go away. It may take a few years, but it will eventually go away and they’ll be full members. Just call it a hunch.
They get to look like they are getting their way for a while.
As to seat locations – for races, up about halfway, or higher, for everything else, put me down low, front and center. For baseball, I do prefer behind a dugout, to be from behind the backstop. It is a little distracting to look thru for a full game.
First, I don’t have an issue with Notre Dame joining the ACC. I have an issue with the ACC letting Notre Dame in without being a full member. I always thought it was a joke that the Big East went along with that crap. It doesn’t make any sense. Notre Dame had no leverage in this deal yet the ACC let them in on Notre Dames terms.
Second, Notre Dame agrees to play 5 ACC teams in football. But Notre Dame retains the rights to their own schedule so there is no guarantee which teams they will play or where. So they don’t have to ever play VT anywhere if they don’t want to. They can play Duke, Maryland, Wake Forest, UNC, and Boston College every year if they want. Since they aren’t an ACC football team, the ACC can’t tell them who to play.
I hope this doesn’t mean that I will start rooting for any of the Notre Dame teams, since they are now in the ACC. It’s much more fun to pull against them!
Aaron, I think a column is waiting for you to be written, “Meeting of ACC Minds Proves Fact Stranger than Fiction, Take Duex.”
I remember the ACC saying that if they took Notre Dame it would be for all sports. Maybe Notre Dame is showing its hold card to NBC in hopes of getting a better TV deal and if NBC folds then ND football has a home. It will be interesting to see if ESPN is willing to reopen the ACC contract after this, if they give the ACC a significant bump then the ACC may look better to the Irish than NBC. The good thing for Tech fans, they will be seeing less of Austin Peay and Bowling Green but, just like Chris said they will be driving to D.C. or South Bend to do it.
Lets hope that if the ACC does expand to 16 that number 16 will not be UConn. They bring zero for football, and are a bunch of cheats in hoops. I would choose Rutgers over UConn any day.
I beleive you will see ND in Scott Stadium before you see them at Lane Stadium.
Swofford said he’s started conversations with ESPN. Expects “enhancement” of TV contract.
My understanding is that ND has agreed to play every ACC team over a 3 year span as part of the deal. So, if you follow the logic on that, that would mean each ACC team would get a home and home with ND over the course of 6 years.
And,my strong guess would be that VT would be going to South Bend before ND comes to the Burg. But it still means that, probably, in the next 7-8 years, the Irish visit Lane.
Weaver will be long gone as AD then and there is NO WAY any VT athletic director would pull that home game for a neutral location like FedEx field. Beamer wouldn’t allow it.
Penn State is who the ACC should pursue as member #16.
I guess my question regarding Notre Dame is simple. Would they ever actually join the ACC completely, or were we/will we always going to have to cut them a deal? Is their mindset that if they have to join any conference as a full member, it would be the Big Ten, or is this East Coast presence/private school mix really important to them. In other words, I’m sure they would have been a non-football member of the Big Ten than the Big East all these years if the Big Ten would have gone for that. The Big East is the girl with low self-esteem. We’re…..maybe not much better.
Obviously, getting them as a full member would have been better, but I do wonder if it should be obvious that that will never happen.
#41 Good call. I always pull for ACC teams but it will be hard with ND. Never in football though. Someone here posted about ND’s football schedule. Last years was good, the year before, not so much. They played on consecutive weekends, W. Michigan, Navy, Tulsa, Utah and Army…and ended the season 8-5. The schedule and their record were both forgettable.
You are correct on the once-every-three-years rotation, Bob H. Notre Dame will give the ACC the five dates every year and the league will create the matchups, with every team playing the Irish once every three years.
Swofford says the league will not pursue a 16th member, because it would create an unbalanced football sked.
I see a lot of posters are chapped about Notre Dame coming in on its own terms. I get that initial reaction, but when you ask yourself if the ACC is better off today than it was yesterday, I think the answer is an unequivocal yes. In other words, it’s not ideal (even Swofford admits that) but it is a major step forward in overall stability.
Thanks A-Man,
Swofford says ACC won’t expand to 16 until ND is in for all sports. Which may depend on the current NBC deal and whether that looks any good when renegotiated.
Just guessing if the ACC tells ND, at that time, hey, we have PSU ready to join if you join for all sports that there is some added incentive.
With 15 teams, how the heck will this play out in basketball?
A-Man,
Does the $50M exit fee apply to ND if they start getting concessions for the Big 10 (which I know coveted them for years)?
If so, then this IS the long term commitment.
Bob H, my understanding the $50 milliion dollars fee applies to ND now, so yeah, it’s long, long term commitment, and it also prevents schools such as FSU and Clemson from bolting from the ACC. So, that should put to rest all the realignment craze for the ACC.
For now.
Yes, Trevor’s right. It applies to Notre Dame regardless.
AMac…I agree with you on the Upper Deck seats. Years ago, I had the opportunity to watch an NFL game from the luxury box in Nashville. While I enjoyed the free food & flowing beverages, the box hosts insisted on keeping the glass screen shut during the first quarter. I hated it — totally separate from the game, even though the idea of a ‘luxury box’ sounds exciting
I know that contract-wise and attention-wise, bringing ND to the ACC is probably a positive. I just don’t like the type of attention that ND brings. Outside of ND fans… my perception is that most folks think of ND as a has-been, and not a positive to anyone’s strength of schedule.
H24, but suppose ND starts winning? Suppose they start recapturing their glory years? Then what? I think Kelly is starting to turn things around in South Bend, although their game on Saturday against Michigan State is gonna be a big ‘un, and I hope there won’t be another heart attack.
I realize that ND haven’t been the same since Lou Holtz’s days, but they have a brand that is instantly recognizable, like the U, etc, etc. I just have the inkling that things are turning around in South Bend. Time will tell.
Notre Dame gets to leave steadily eroding Big East, moves in sans the football program thus keeping NBC`s money and could very well help their recruiting in ACC territiory. To revive the dormant 6 worder: “Seems like the Gipper won again”
Twice, just by pure luck, I’ve watched a game at Lane Stadium from the 50 yard line, in what I think was row ZZ. It was the lowest row with the individual seats. The stadium wasn’t designed for seats, so there is an empty row there. It was like having a row for your legs, plus a real seat instead of a bench. I absolutely prefer to be up a little bit for most sports. I don’t see the appeal of the front row. I also think the front row has terrible sound at concerts.
Wasn’t long ago that people were saying the same things about Alabama (has-beens, irrational fan base, can never return to glory) that they now are about Notre Dame. Academic demands are different, obviously, but I’m not willing to count out a program with that kind of tradition as a future contender.
Notre Dame coming into the ACC football competition would be very foolish. First of all, the ACC is nowhere nearly as good as when Florida State dominated; the conference has become very mediocre. Notre Dame may want to wait until the caliber and quality of the teams pick up a bit. VT has won several ACC championships but have yet to beat a top 5 team or win a major bowl game. That tells you a great deal about how good the ACC is. Last year Clemson won the ACC easily over the Hokeys and then WV buried Clemson in the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame may want to consider the Big East or Big 12.
If you folks need to know about football, then just listen to me. By the way, big upset Sat. POITT 17 – VT 14
One question I have is if there is a minimum number of in-conference games you have to play to qualify for the ACC Championship game? Does anyone know?
Further comment; considering ND’s fan power (whether the team is any good or not) I think the ACC is smart to bend a little. No matter who ND plays within the ACC the game will have national TV. That is an ACC win. One has to think that both the Big 10 and Big 12 would have loved to have ND in its ranks.
With PIT and Syracuse coming into the league ND makes allot of sense.
Now the next thing is who either drops out of the ACC, or, what 3 teams do we add to become the first Super Conference? If 16 teams is no good then we have to go to 18 or 14. I just don’t see the ACC stuck at 15 for very long.
I suppose Clemson or FSU could drop out and go to the SEC but I don’t see much for the SEC in that. They already get good rivalry games out of GT-UGA, Clemson-SC and FLA-FSU. If the SEC saw a benefit I think this would have happened this past year.
So I say we expand to 18. PSU is a natural but under heavy baggage that will hurt them the rest of this decade. Louisville makes some sense as it sure won’t hurt ACC basketball and it sets up a great ACC-SEC hoops rivalry. I don’t think UCONN brings enough to the table overall and suspect Rutgers is in much the same boat. WVA is a natural VT rival but where is the advantage? CIN maybe?
So how about the ACC at 18 teams with a North Division and a South Division?
South: Miami, FSU, Clemson, GT, Duke, UNC, NC State, Wake and UVA (most of the classic ACC hoops rivalries)
North: VT, ND, BC, PIT, Syracuse, Louisville, CIN, PSU and UCONN (Rutgers as an alternative, maybe WVA) (retain some excellent Big East rivalries)
Both divisions have a share of strong, mediocre and weak teams in the revenue sports. You would create a very strong TV draw for basketball.
Barry, I don’t speak for everyone on this blog, but you are absolutely the last person I would listen to about football.
It is a done deal. ND is going to play 5 ACC schools, no ifs or buts about it, and it was one of the conditions the ACC imposed on ND and (gasp!) ND agreed to it.
Now, if ND was to suddenly have a change of heart, they will have to cough up $50 million dollars to terminate their relationship with the ACC.
“Notre Dame may want to consider the Big East or Big 12.” Really? In what sports? Notre Dame played all sports, except football, in the Big East. They are moving to the ACC where the basketball brand is getting stronger with the addition of Syracuse and Pittsburgh. Notre Dame never played football in the Big East and I think they had contempt for the Big East. The only Big East team ND will play in 2013, according to ESPN, is Temple. *snickers* They will play Oklahoma (Big 12 member) in 2013 also.
I did a quick search for ND current schedule. You say that the ACC is mediocre. Fair point. Then why do I see on their 2012 schedule they are gonna play Miami, Boston College, and Wake Forest? As a handy reference, I’m linking ND’s schedules for 2012 and 2013 so you can read and then weep that they are playing mediocre ACC teams.
Still waiting for the ACC to win a big one!! Last time it happened, the Yellow Jackets shared the final number one ranking. 1990? If Pitt does beat the Hokeys 17-14, then you will have to admit that I am the genius on this board.
Oops. Florida State also won a championship, they beat Mike Vick.
Having ND in the ACC will do nothing but good. In being in the ACC in all sports but football and Hockey,again do nothing but good for recruiting. They already recruit nationally in all of their sports so I don’t see that getting too much better than it already is.
They are looking to play 5 games a year in football with ACC schools. I am sure some will be home and yes away. My gut feeling is that the 5 games a year will give them a taste of conference life. I see after a few years of playing this game that ACC officials will some how persuade ND to become a full member in all sports.
In ND being the 15th school in the conference , it makes great conversation as to who the 16th school might be. Anyone want to start guessing?
This doe4s nothing but reinforce the perception that colleg athletics at this level is just a straight nbusiness proposition. The ACC is giving up its long held principle of being an all sports conference to grab the big bucks it thinks it will gain from allowing Notre Dame to skate on those principles. If Notre Dame wanted to be an ACC member, they should have to do it on the same terms as all the other ACC schools. Now what’s to prevent Fla. State, Miami, Clemson, or any other school frtom opting out of football membership in the future. Notre Dame is a great school and a storied program. But they should be in or out, not halfway. I think this is a bush lesgue move. Youwon’t see this happening in the other so called super conferences.
Don’t like the fact that ND will be getting more publicity in our recruiting territories. For some reason although they have been completely irrelevant for decades they still manage to poach talent. That really sucks with them coming into our back yard all the time.
Secondly the ACC should have demanded a cut of the NBC money in exchange for a cut of the Bowl revenue.
Third If Jim freaking Weaver arranges another stupid Labor Day game he should be run out of town by villagers with pitchforks. As has been said you know that ESPN is going to want the first ever meeting between ND and VT to be on Labor Day at Fedex. What a stupid, stupid, stupid idea that is. It will happen and it will probably be a decade + until you ever see ND in Blacksburg. Also just like 2000 ND will likely be selected over a much more deserving ACC team. It’s going to happen.
As far as seating goes. I have sat just about everywhere in Lane. In 99 and 2000 I sat on 15 yard line 2 rows off the field in the west stands. I remember talking to Vick after the infamous flip against JMU. I’ve sat low on the 50, high on the goal line, in the endzones, high on the 20 as a student, and I’ve sat in the luxury boxes. In my opinion there aren’t a lot of bad seats in lane and some of the best experiences I’ve had have been relatively low near the goal line.
That said, If you want to sit in a luxury box, you might as well stay home. There is very little excitement and it’s a bit pretentious up there. It’s like watch the game on TV with no commentary. You don’t feel the roar of the crowd and you feel as if your cheers are pointless. Sure you stay comfortable, but I can stay comfortable and get a better game experience on my couch.
Right now I’m on the 50 just above the tunnels on the West side. Really hard to beat. I’ve got a great view of the game, some very enthusiastic fans around me, I get shade at 2-3pm on an early kickoff game, it’s EXTREMELY easy getting in and out of the stadium, etc.
If you want the ultimate luxury experience that still feels like you’re at a game you have to go with the outdoor club seats. Higher up but you almost always have shade, the seats are now bigger with a lot of room / legroom, you have access to a private concession level… Those are the best seats in the house and as a result you make a $2000 donation per seat. If you can get in one of those one game you will not be sorry.
The exposure that ND brings to the ACC is certainly a positive, but still the exception of football full membership is like a three foot tall flame….it burns my ass. It’s like the ACC officials are letting ND take their conference for a test drive or something….stay a couple of years, play a few games, see how it feels to you and then if you don’t like it cast it aside and on to the next one. Couldn’t they have at least made it part of the deal that ND HAD to become full members after say three years or so? To just let the Irish come in and write their own contract and terms for football leaves egg on the face of the ACC IMO.
Hey Barry, let me pick that football “genius” mind of yours….Is Georgia Tech “stinging” anybody this weekend? And did you watch Pitt play last week or see the score from week one against Towson State? Here’s a bold prediction for you…Pitt gets shut out for the first time in (?) years at home by a nasty VT defense. That prediction has a better chance of coming true than that 17-14 stab in the dark…Pitt will be lucky to cross midfield.
Proof reader, I was listening to Greg Roberts yesterday and he took a stab at who that 16th member would be…Navy, giving ND their sixth ACC opponent since they play every year any way. I personally think he’s WAY,WAY off but he claims that he likes his sources on the matter. Hows that for a guess?
I don’t think comparing ND to Alabama is really applicable. If I remember right, Alabama’s down years were due to getting in trouble and sanctions. ND is down just because they’re down.
I don’t have any doubt that ND could become a winning program again… I just don’t think that they are going to anytime soon. But, we’ll also probably never really know how good they actually are, because they’ll get put up into the rankings as early and often as possible, whether they deserve it or not. Kinda like how Miami is always “back” until they lose 3 or 4 games and it just can’t be denied that they aren’t back yet, and FSU every season is “back” until they prove that they aren’t, etc.
H24 — I know it’s not apples to apples, but the point is that people counted Alabama out. Never again could they rise to contender status, the theory went, sanctions or no sanctions. No recruit would want to go to Alabama these days, the theory went, when they could go to Florida or Texas or USC instead. No chance Alabama could lure a top-notch coach, the theory went, when the best guys would pick Ohio State or Florida or Texas or USC.
Colin Cowherd would be the most high-profile of the naysayers perpetuating this myth back then, but he had company. The assumption was pretty wide-spread outside the state of Alabama, just as the Notre Dame-will-never-reemerge theory is prominent among the masses now. I’m just not prepared to join in the chorus.
Notre Dame just needs to determine how to mine the ideal recruiting territories. That’s a huge part of their problem, IMO. They need to lean heavily on the Midwest and Northeast for everything but the skill players. These are guys used to playing in the cold, so going to South Bend is not an issue, in fact it is a path to glory. The history of Notre Dame is built on the Northeast and Midwest, so continue to plumb it.
Skill players? Texas and California. Forget about Florida, those guys like to stay in the Southeast. Recruit Texas and California for your QB’s and speed guys. Then take in all those who dream of playing for the Irish, there are still a lot out there. Seems like every year, there is some Va recruit that wants to go there.
I guess I just never heard much of anyone ever counting Alabama out, but then I probably wasn’t paying much attention back then either. I never really paid much attention to ND until they stole VT’s BCS bowl game in 2000. Before that, for me, ND was just the place where Joe Montana came from.
Jealous much?