Clemson football: ACC – The writing is on the wall

The ACC losing financial ground at an unsustainable pace

Back in March I wrote about the coming disparity for  ACC teams vs SEC teams in the money race.  Make no mistake, this will have an impact in many ways, both on and off the field for ACC teams, including Clemson football.

Less than a month later, we look up and see that the Big 10 is going to surpass the SEC, at least temporarily, in the dollar sign race, potentially sharing $71,000,000 per team per year.

"Friday on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, the BIG TEN aims to have their media rights deal in place soon and the deal is looking like it’s going to be $1 Billion/year for the rights, which is a record $71 million/yr per school, more than the SEC."

I’m not sure I’ve watched five minutes of the Big 10 Network since its inception, but the people in flyover country are apparently watching in droves.

"BIG 10 schools are in good position given their audience which covers 1/4 of the country’s population (Maryland-Nebraska), approximately 82.5 million viewers."

Remember, just a few years back when Clemson opened the new football facilities and how big of a deal that way (and still is to some degree) in recruiting and publicity?  Just imagine what teams with Ohio State and Michigan can do with $71 million dollars a year.

You’re likely to see facilities that will put Clemson’s slide and putt putt course to shame in the coming years.

Money means more than facilities

Money allows you to build pretty things, but it also allows you to hire the best coaches, support staff, weight rooms and “nice to haves”, whatever that may be at that time.

As I pointed out back in March, you’re already seeing this in the SEC:

"It’s no coincidence that SEC basketball has become prominent as more money has flowed into the coffers of those teams, allowing them to hire the likes of Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes to coach SEC basketball.For years, SEC baseball has been top notch with multiple teams reaching Omaha and winning the National Championship, some finding ways around the 11.7 scholarship limit."

The playing field is not level, at least financially, and it appears it’s going to get  even more lopsided in the coming years.

At some point, if this continues, one has to wonder if the ACC will survive in its current form.