The 9th ACC games provides ESPN with more valuable content. Plus, if I understand it correctly, it would allow the conference to reopen the current deal. In addition to the money a smart deal would require that a high percentage of the 9th games get carried on ESPN or ESPN 2. By doing that ESPN would have less room for any potential Big East games. And they certainly wouldn't go paying a premium for them. With fewer bidders, the Big East's deal with Versus/NBC Cable or Fox would be less lucrative.
Now the downside of the 9th game is tougher schedules. But the Pac 12 currently plays nine games and the Big Ten is moving that way. I think most ACC schools would be willing to take on the added conference game in exchange for more money. Plus it would help ticket sales and the struggle to find valid and profitable non-conference games.
Look for the 9th game discussion to continue for the next 12 months as the ACC tries to figure out how to play catch up with the other conferences and not get bypassed by the Big East.
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Count me on board for playing Georgia Tech or UNC over MAC-du-jour. I think it would still work out that GDF still goes for a good BCS team + Syracuse and not usde a 9th ACC game as a replacement of one of them.
In the South, football is a religion. For BC, it is just not that important. As far as ACC tv, BC is not a very good draw. The natural tv interest is tied up with the Big East and BC does not play there. It will not be long before the ACC figures out that BC is a drag on their tv revenue. Maybe, they already have. Look at the film of the two BC ACC championship games. The tone was set early in both that BC wasn't wanted. There was a hit out of bounds that wasn't called and then a bad spot on third down. After that, it was all downhill even with Matt Ryan.
Pessism aside JBQ, it's not BC football that doesn't draw interest, it's New England college football. The biggest programs after us are Syracuse and UConn, and we all know what a hot bed those two teams are.
But as far as TV draws, BC does deliver the New England market when it comes to college football. It's the ACC's way in to what is otherwise a difficult market.
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