🏈 Resurrecting SEC expansion talk: A quick look at TV markets if the conference moves to the northeas

[TerryP]

ESPN released their TV ratings data from the 2013 and there are a few numbers I thought were worth noting here.

Those who've expressed their doubts about the SEC inviting teams like NC State or a Virginia based school have asked what do they bring to the conference. These number encompass those two states—a little broader in a few instances.

Birmingham had the highest draw for the ESPN family of networks as noted in their release:

Birmingham Leads All Markets for 13th Straight Year with Highest-Rated Season Ever
The top four most-viewed metered markets for ESPN’s game telecasts in 2013 were the same as in 2012 with Birmingham securing its first place finish for a 13th consecutive season. The Alabama city averaged a 9.2 rating, the highest ever for the market. Greenville was second with a 4.9 rating followed by Knoxville (4.4) and New Orleans (4.3).

Three of those top four cities are already in the SEC footprint. One could argue Greenville is as well but their households are more likely tuned in for ACC broadcasts; IE: Clemson, etc.

Other cities in and out of the current footprint: (highlighted in red are markets that would come into play with expansion)

<tbody>
[TD="width: 369"] Top 25 Markets for 2013
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Top 25 Markets for 2012 [/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 1 Birmingham: 9.2 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 1 Birmingham: 8.9 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 2 Greenville: 4.9 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 2 Greenville: 4.7 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 3 Knoxville: 4.4 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 3 Knoxville: 4.6 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 4 New Orleans: 4.3 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 4 New Orleans: 3.7 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 5 Nashville: 3.3 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 5 Jacksonville: 3.6 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Memphis: 3.3 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Columbus: 3.6 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Columbus: 3.3 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 7 Atlanta: 3.5 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Jacksonville: 3.3 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 8 Oklahoma City: 3.4 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 9 Louisville: 3.2 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 9 Nashville: 3.3 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Atlanta: 3.2 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 10 Memphis: 3.1 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 11 Charlotte: 2.9 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Austin: 3.1 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 12 Oklahoma City: 2.8 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 12 Tulsa: 2.5 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 13 Orlando: 2.7 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Charlotte: 2.5 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 14 Tulsa: 2.6 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Las Vegas: 2.5 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2.6 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 15 Portland: 2.3 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 16 Austin: 2.5 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Richmond: 2.3 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] West Palm Beach: 2.5 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 17 Orlando: 2.2 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 18 Kansas City: 2.4 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Dayton: 2.2 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Norfolk: 2.4 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Norfolk: 2.2 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 20 Dayton: 2.3 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 20 Louisville: 2.1 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 21 Greensboro: 2.2 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Tampa-St. Petersburg: 2.1 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] No. 22 Raleigh-Durham: 2.2 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"]No. 22 West Palm Beach: 2.0 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"] Richmond: 2.2 rating
[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Greensboro: 2.0 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 24 Ft. Myers: 2.1 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Cleveland: 2.0 rating[/TD]

[TD="width: 369"]No. 25 Dallas-Ft. Worth: 2.0 rating[/TD]
[TD="width: 375"] Ft. Myers: 2.0 rating[/TD]

</tbody>

 

[mhardiman]

2. Greenville; as in Greenville NC where ECU is? Don't know why, but I've grown a soft spot in my heart for ECU. I wouldn't mind if the SEC told the NC ACC School’s to go jump in a lake and get ECU instead. A school who would want to be with us; reading UVa, VT, NC and NC State forums the large majority of the fans doesn't want the SEC, and the School’s Admin appear to noise up at the thought of joining "Dumb SEC". I think ECU has the highest potential in football than the other NC schools, and we could groom them up much like we did SC. There is the "Regional school" thing there, but they could drop the East and go by Carolina University.<o></o>

 

[bamafan4ever]

2. Greenville; as in Greenville NC where ECU is? Don't know why, but I've grown a soft spot in my heart for ECU. I wouldn't mind if the SEC told the NC ACC School’s to go jump in a lake and get ECU instead. A school who would want to be with us; reading UVa, VT, NC and NC State forums the large majority of the fans doesn't want the SEC, and the School’s Admin appear to noise up at the thought of joining "Dumb SEC". I think ECU has the highest potential in football than the other NC schools, and we could groom them up much like we did SC. There is the "Regional school" thing there, but they could drop the East and go by Carolina University.<o></o>

My guess, it's Greenville-Spartanburg, SC., which encompasses the Clemson fanbase.

 

[TerryP]

My guess, it's Greenville-Spartanburg, SC., which encompasses the Clemson fanbase.

Yeppers...

 

[mhardiman]

Forgot about Greenville, SC; that is close to Clemson. So Terry what you're getting at is that five of the top twenty-five ESPN markets is in VA and NC (excluding Greenville since it's in SC and Clemson territory and Clemson has no chance of getting in to the SEC)? So what's your thought on the ACC GOR; is it weak enough to still pouch on the ACC schools or we expand with lesser schools and groom them up?

 

[TerryP]

Forgot about Greenville, SC; that is close to Clemson. So Terry what you're getting at is that five of the top twenty-five ESPN markets is in VA and NC (excluding Greenville since it's in SC and Clemson territory and Clemson has no chance of getting in to the SEC)? So what's your thought on the ACC GOR; is it weak enough to still pouch on the ACC schools or we expand with lesser schools and groom them up?

Yes. That at the crux of what I was pointing out. There are a lot who have been asking "what benefit is there to adding a team from that region." When things like the TV market are mentioned those have argued that it's not significant. These numbers prove otherwise as I see this whole conversation.

As to the Grant of Rights issue with the ACC? I'm not sure how that'll play out.

The appeals court in NC just rejected Maryland's plea to dismiss the suit filed against them by the ACC for leaving. Now, just because the court rejected the dismissal request doesn't mean much, in my opinion. If I understand the situation correctly it doesn't mean they won't go to court over that 52MM.

There's another suit pending in Maryland where the school has sued the ACC.

At this point I'm reminded a bit of the Daniel Moore case with UA. A dismissal here, a ruling there, and we find ourselves five plus years removed from the day the case was filed and it's just now coming to a conclusion. (Bet if this suit was filed against the former Big East it would be over by now.)