Distance Factor In Changing Conferences

[tonyota]

We are in the ACC, the Conference we wanted to be in for years. Forget the SEC. Have
you ever traveled to Missouri, LSU, ARK and stayed for 2 or 3 days. It is expensive.
I want my fan base when I travel to away games.

Having "your fan base" at away games is part of the problem. While it might be funny for Hokies to fill up Duke or Wake stadiums, it's also a major reason why Clemson and FSU are looking elsewhere.

[Old Line Hokie]

Much discussion has centered on the distance of SEC vs. ACC schools. Let's look at actual distance of our regular rivals. I will assume we continue to play UVA each year like we did in the Big East.

Georgia 326 miles GT 410 miles
Florida 623 miles Miami 900 miles
Vanderbilt 414 miles Boston College 704 miles
Kentucky 313 miles Pittsburgh 322 miles
Tennessee 237 miles UNC 175 miles
South Carolina 265 miles Duke 175 miles

There will likely be one or two additional cross rivals but Syracuse is 571 miles vs. going to Alabama, Mississippi, LSU, etc. Would you rather go to Syracuse in the fall or south? Would you be more excited with SEC games or ACC games?

Comments?

Tech will move from being nearly in the center of the ACC footprint to becoming a school on the northern edge. We will be like BC of the ACC. Plus you have to include all those SEC schools in the Central Time Zone (Gulf Coast coast states like Louisiana, Mississippi , Alabama, and Texas, not to mention Arkansas and Missouri). Our Olympic sports teams will spend much more time on the road, especially when they have to go out to Texas A&m, Arkansas, Mizzou, and LSU. Travel-wise, Tech will be playing in an upscale Metro Conference.

[82hokie]

need to look at where our alumni are as well.....imo, this is something that fsu isn't thinking about. VT's alumni are in the mid-atlantic area in large numbers, away games at mnay acc venues are closer to home for many of our fans, than a home game in blacksburg is. A move to the sec would not be all bad, there are still conf. teams in the area, but there will be far fewer away games that will be easy day trips for VT fans. Fsu has more travel now that VT does, but putting itself in the big 12 will make things for worse. Very few of their alumni live anywhere near away sites, support will drop, may well be their path towards irrelevance after 5-6 seasons of subpar performance

Much discussion has centered on the distance of SEC vs. ACC schools. Let's look at actual distance of our regular rivals. I will assume we continue to play UVA each year like we did in the Big East.

Georgia 326 miles GT 410 miles
Florida 623 miles Miami 900 miles
Vanderbilt 414 miles Boston College 704 miles
Kentucky 313 miles Pittsburgh 322 miles
Tennessee 237 miles UNC 175 miles
South Carolina 265 miles Duke 175 miles

There will likely be one or two additional cross rivals but Syracuse is 571 miles vs. going to Alabama, Mississippi, LSU, etc. Would you rather go to Syracuse in the fall or south? Would you be more excited with SEC games or ACC games?

Comments?

[HENRICO HOKIE]

we would be the Winterfell of the SEC

[fsghokie]

How many arguing against moving to SEC because of travel go to Miami? BC? Will go to Syracuse? What if Rutgers and Uconn come into the league as FSU and Clemson depart? Or the coveted Notre Dame ... is South Bend a much preferred trip over the majority of the SEC?

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[HOKIERIT]

Depends. Not for BC and Pitt if you live in Northern VA.

True...or Syracuse?

[HOKIERIT]

How many arguing against moving to SEC because of travel go to Miami? BC? Will go to Syracuse? What if Rutgers and Uconn come into the league as FSU and Clemson depart? Or the coveted Notre Dame ... is South Bend a much preferred trip over the majority of the SEC?

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EXCELLENT point..........

[hokiebob01]

How many arguing against moving to SEC because of travel go to Miami? BC? Will go to Syracuse? What if Rutgers and Uconn come into the league as FSU and Clemson depart? Or the coveted Notre Dame ... is South Bend a much preferred trip over the majority of the SEC?

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I've been to both Miami and Boston College and already have booked a room for this year's game at Pitt. I've been to VT at South Carolina and VT at LSU.
I also go to Duke or Carolina every year and go to Wake, State and Clamson when they come up in the rotation.
My biggest travel concern is not me it's all the Olympic Sports that can now do 3/4 of their travel in one day on a bus. UVa, Wake, State, Carolina, Duke, Maryland, Clemson and Georgia Tech are all in driving distance of Blacksburg.

[Hamburger]

The point of the OP remains, VT is in the footprint of the SEC. I don't buy the argument that the SEC is that much of a step down academically nor do I think our research or educational partnerships would suffer due to changing membership. If the ACC begins to lose football members ... which may or may not happen ... our recruiting and athletic budgets will almost certainly suffer.

If ... IF the ACC loses FSU and CU and the SEC extends an offer we are foolish not to accept IMO.

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How is Va Tech in the footprint of the SEC? I didn't know the state of Virginia had a squad in that league. But I do agree with your last sentence.

[Hamburger]

Having "your fan base" at away games is part of the problem. While it might be funny for Hokies to fill up Duke or Wake stadiums, it's also a major reason why Clemson and FSU are looking elsewhere.

Pretty foolish for FSU to look elsewhere. They have nobobdy to blame but FSU for their problems.