NC lawmakers introduce bill to require UNC and NC State to play ECU, App and Charlotte in football, men's and women's basketball. "It's what fans want to see and it's a good way to do it."
ESPN’s Pete Thamel says expansion candidate rankings are:
1) North Carolina
2) Virginia
3/4) Florida State/Clemson (in some order)
“People at Florida State and Clemson don’t like to hear this.” Right at 32:00:
Bill that would force UNC, NC State to play other in-state FBS programs routinely in football/basketball passes committee in less than 2 minutes. No discussion.
#ncpol
NC State coach Dave Doeren calls for fans to donate to
@SavageWolvesNIL
@packofwolvesnil
. Asks for 5,000 fans to donate $1,000 apiece so we can "recruit, retain and develop." Calls coming week "maybe the worst week in college football" with portal opening.
Dear ESPN, can I pay your directly (I mean more than I already pay you for ESPN+) to just watch your channel and not have to deal with YouTube, Disney and Hulu. Signed, lots of people.
Mack Brown calls out NC State coach Dave Doeren for calling UNC "a piece of shit" after rivalry game at end of the season. Mack says it was "classless." Says he's "never heard something like that before."
NC State's Dave Doeren will receive $50K bonus for finishing in Top 25 of final CFP rankings, $100K for winning 9 games ($150K if he wins 10th), $25K for bowl game ($50K if win) OR $100K for Orange Bowl ($200K if win). Asst coach pool goes up $300K w/9 wins ($400K if win 10)
From the outside: Boise State had an SEC-caliber QB, offense took off when he was named starter last year, jerked him around most of this season before injuries struck and he took over and led team to MW title and now is losing him to SEC. Do I have that right?
Two Triangle-area law firms (and five attorneys) have been involved in the Tez Walker case since early last month. AG sent letter to NCAA outlining legal arguments, saying NCAA would lose in court on Sept. 26.
Statement from attorneys/firms:
Judge grants temporary restraining order against UNC Board of Trustees, says board can't go into closed session to discuss UNC athletics' financials, budgeting or ongoing/future conference realignment. Hearing on May 20th.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi says there should be a "lid" on NIL deals, like a salary cap, so schools with huge alumni bases don't have an advantage over smaller schools.
Some news: Excited to be the new sports investigative reporter
@wral
. Thrilled to return to sports reporting, eager for this new career chapter and extremely grateful for the opportunities, experiences and especially the people that have helped and shaped me along the way.
Entire Boise State football media corps hyping schedule announcement with same words: big, wow. Sounds like they all know who it is, but not reporting. Good work by Boise State to get everyone to do free PR for 24 hours.
Dundon on
@Canes
ticket sales/attendance: "We sort of chose how many season tickets to sell. We would technically be sold out of season tickets if we had chosen to set the level where some people do. That’s a big difference from where it was in the past ... What I’ve found is if
NC State DC Tony Gibson's new contract is runs through Feb. 2026 at $1.25M per year. New NC State OC Robert Anae's deal is through Feb. 2025 at $850K per year. New OL coach Garett Tujague's deal is through Feb. 2025 at $500k per year, per documents.
UNC interim chancellor Lee Roberts offers passionate defense of AD Bubba Cunningham. “Our athletic director is one of the most senior well respected, well regarded, admired athletic directors in the country. He has broad respect from his peers and we don't have a more capable,
This is 100 percent true. As someone who lived in the Mountain Time Zone for 9 years and is now back on the East Coast, I will defend this take forever.
Imagine seeing your state has lowered its standards of care for patients and has a universal DNR order due to COVID overwhelming hospitals and then heading to Twitter replies to debate mask/vax policies (implemented in many other places) around going to a college football game.
ACC "is not acting as if it is representing the best interests of the member schools including the top tier of those schools - Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina. Instead, it is acting at the expense of those schools to prop up the bottom tier."
If AAC is going west to grab the PAC-4, does it snag some MW teams too? Could see a number of schools having some appeal, including San Diego State, Boise State, Air Force.
Chris Webber plugging Boise as NCAA Tournament host on broadcast. Said he liked waking up to see snow in the mountains and said he’d never seen tailgating for hoops before.
"Strong majority of the (UNC-CH) Board of Trustees opposes the proposed expansion of the ACC ... The economics of this newly imagined transcontinental conference do not sufficiently address the income disparity ACC members face." More to come.
NHL has committed to bringing All-Star Game to PNC Arena within 3 years of renovation completion and a Stadium Series game within 5 years of signing new agreement.
Can’t get over college football coaches - who seek every tiny competitive advantage, have influence over majority of players’ lives and convince parents they’re going to look after their sons - just completely bailing on vaccines with “personal choice” nonsense.
UNC System Board of Governors today gave approval for $20M renovation and addition to NC State's Doak Field. Up form original $15M plan unveiled in 2022 and previously approved by BoG.
1. Buried in North Carolina's 600+ page budget is a little-noticed provision that creates a secret police force, controlled by Republicans, with extraordinary powers
🧵
East Carolina coach Mike Houston says he turned a school in to NCAA for tampering this off-season. Has not heard from NCAA.
On NIL, tampering, fundraising fatigue and more calls for Congress to help:
UNC Board of Trustees gives OK for committee to initiate full audit of the athletics department. Talks of budget deficits, missed meetings, cost-cutting, changes to college athletics and conference affiliation.
It’s a bad look when (highly paid) coaches start blaming their own fans for not showing up or having opinions. Even worse to divide fans into those who donate money and those who cheer from the couch.
I love college football as much as anyone. But the abundant "we made it" tweets seem a bit off on a day when US set record for coronavirus cases, spread is happening all over the country and deaths stand around 225K. Play ball, I guess.
.
@PNCArena
gross arena revenue for FY2023: a record $147.3M (doesn't include NC State basketball admissions)
Up from $118M in FY2022 and $63M in FY2018.
"Tribute to Don Waddell and Tom Dundon for what they've done with this building," says Centennial Authority board member.
Never got the Tebow hate. Won a national title, the Heisman, 1st round draft pick, 32 NFL games, threw 17 TDs, rushed for 12, won playoff game, bounced around, wasn't good enough to stay in league, tried again. Imagine if he played at Florida with current NIL rules.
UNC Board of Trustees gives OK for committee to initiate full audit of the athletics department. Talks of budget deficits, missed meetings, cost-cutting, changes to college athletics and conference affiliation.
Judge: "Let's say FSU plays ... what's the team that has the blue artificial turf?"
Boise State making it into the official record of the FSU v. ACC case.
NEWS: The bill that would require UNC and NC State to play each other and other in-state teams in football, men's/women's basketball won't move during the current legislative session.
#ncpol
Why didn’t Harsin just say: “I love the passion of our fan base, from our biggest booster to the last fan in Bronco Nation. I don’t love the negativity that sometimes comes, but we’re 8-1 and working everyday to get better. Keep the faith and keep supporting our guys.”
Today is my last day at NC Insider, The N&O and McClatchy. My McClatchy career, including Macon, Boise, DC and Raleigh, is old enough to be in college. I am filled with gratitude. I owe thanks to so, so many people in those places and across the company. Thank you. Thank you.
Mack Brown says UNC needs a minimum of $5M for NIL this spring. Says
@Heels4LifeNIL
campaign, which raised over $1M, is "a step in the right direction. But it sure doesn't mean we're there."
ACC keeps saying its No. 3 in revenue now and in future, but Big 12 is doing a better job of getting its narrative out there.
Here's respected columnist
@BerryTramel
writing B12 "has leaped ahead of Pac-12 and the ACC" in revenue.
NC State coach Kevin Keatts entered the ACC Tournament with questions about his job status. After five wins in five days, Keatts has earned a two-year extension per his contract.
Boise State in email on 2021 policies says “facial coverings must be worn in indoor public spaces owned or controlled by the university as well as in crowded outdoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.” So mask up for football games.
North Carolina set to be the 7th largest state in the early 2030s, per governor's state budget director. Outside of NY (and you can argue about Rutgers and football viability of other NY schools), NC is the largest state not currently included in the SEC or Big Ten.
Why did UNC Board of Trustees change their tune on talking athletics today at closed session?
One possible reason: Complaint was filed yesterday in Orange County alleging board was in violation of NC's Open Meetings Law and Public Records Act.
Boise State had never received an at-large berth to NCAA Tournament before Leon Rice hired in 2010. This will be fifth since then (including third in a row). That is if Rice & Co. don’t win MW title and grab automatic berth. Program still looking for first tourney win (0-9).
Boise State is on its way to its THIRD consecutive NCAA Tournament. Leon Rice has done an incredible job with this program.
And New Mexico?
Lobos are going to have finish strong to cement an at-large berth before the Mountain West Tournament.
Dundon tells
@WRAL
on potential $2 billion MLB expansion fee: "If I ever say $2 billion is easy, then I've lost all perspective in life. But it's doable. That won't be our problem."
Every (non-Boise State) Mountain West fan: The league is biased toward Boise State.
Every Boise State fan: The league is totally biased against Boise State.
ESPN saved the Big 12 once. Wonder if, to protect its West Coast windows and to keep Oregon/Washington from becoming FOX property (as Big Ten members), it's willing to save Pac-12. Short deal, $30M per school, Friday/Saturday night windows, lots of ESPN+ content.
Final Four runs by men's and women's basketball teams have led to huge increase for
@OnePackNIL
memberships, donations. DJ Burns, a breakout star this March, is taking full advantage of NIL opportunities, too.
.
@packofwolvesnil
collective guarantees $25K for scholarship football players at NC State in 2023 in exchange for work with charitable organizations. Announcement comes a week before transfer portal opens up officially.
Commissioner Jim Phillips to
@joeovies
@giglio_OG
on message from ACC to members of NCAA selection committee: "You really did us a disservice last year ... We were 13-5 in the tournament. Don't do it again." Says league may look at reducing number of conference games from 20.
I love bowl games and I love the Potato Bowl but given the COVID situation in the state/country, I’m having a hard time figuring out why it’s a good idea to fly teams in from Reno and New Orleans to play a football game with basically no fans and no bowl experience.
More
@BubbaUNC
on
@AGoldFan
show on
@999TheFan
: "I don't think it’s good for our league for them (Florida State) to be out there barking like that. I’d rather see them be a good member of the league, support the league and if they have to make a decision, then so be it. ... (1/2)
Fire up the sports-related conspiracies: UNC System Board of Governors chairman Randy Ramsey, a big NC State supporter, is ending his term. He’ll be replaced by Wendy Floyd Murphy, a UNC Wilmington grad. Both her kids went to NC State.
Feels like college football should be moving up the playoff (to Dec. 12 & 19), not pushing it back. Just take the current top 4 and get this thing over with ASAP. Land the plane and evacuate it.
SMU officially joins the ACC today. Cal and Stanford will join in August, but the ACC is welcoming them today as it moves far from its mid-Atlantic roots and stretches coast to coast.