Figuring out Louisville's ACC future ten years into the league
By Ryan Stano
When conference expansion really started to change things in 2011, there was a ton of movement over the next few years. Louisville was caught up in the destruction of the Big East and needed a new conference. They wound up joining the ACC and have now been in the conference for ten years.
Ten years into membership of the league and there is some uncertainty hanging around the ACC thanks to a couple of big partners. Clemson and Florida State are trying to leave the league for either the Big Ten or the SEC because they are unhappy with the TV money the ACC is getting.
Florida State is especially motivated to leave after getting left out of the College Football Playoff despite finishing the season undefeated. They want to make sure that never happens again. So what does this mean for Louisville and their future in the ACC?
What can Louisville do to secure its future?
Unfortunately, there's not much that they can do right now. Football runs the world and they aren't one of the 10 or 15 programs that control the landscape of the game. Because of that, they are kind of at the mercy of how the ACC protects their Grant of Rights.
Louisville doesn't have anywhere else to go. If the ACC were to implode, the Big 12 could end up deciding to take them in. They wouldn't get an invite to join the Big Ten or the SEC. The football program isn't strong enough and that's what those two conferences care most about.
Historically, the Louisville basketball program is what has given them the most value as an athletic department. They are in the middle of a massive rebuild right now with a completely new roster. That doesn't make them uber-attractive to the other leagues if things in the ACC go south.
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Ultimately, the ACC should be able to stay together for at least the next three years. Any prognosticating on the future of any conference further than that amount of time is irresponsible with how much change we've seen. Louisville has until then to secure its future with a power conference, whether it be the ACC or somewhere else.