Really hope this quote was just out of context or something, because it looks pretty terrible. The quote comes from Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo, who presided over the ACC expansion committee and gives us an insight into the expansion process.
Boston College AD Says ESPN Told ACC ‘What To Do’ For Conference Expansion
”We always keep our television partners close to us,’’ he said. “You don’t get extra money for basketball. It’s 85 percent football money. TV - ESPN - is the one who told us what to do. This was football; it had nothing to do with basketball.’’
And yet, this wouldn’t be surprising at all. Television money makes the college world go round, and a network inserting itself into the realignment game was only logical. Still, seems like a bit of an ethics problem to have the largest sports network around engineering the death of the Big East.
Also, just tossing this one in for fun.
“We wanted new playmates and we wanted Eastern playmates,” said DeFilippo. “When the Big 12 inquired about Pittsburgh, we asked, ‘Why let them come into our area?’ ”
Expansion is a playground game and ESPN is the big bully. Because of course this is how it goes.
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