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Was UConn supposed to join SU in the ACC?
Posted: 10.09.2011 at 11:37 PM
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This report from the Boston Globe on Sunday sheds plenty of light on the recent ACC expansion of Syracuse and Pittsburgh.
The report quotes Boston College Athletic Director Gene DeFillipo in a very candid fashion saying that B.C. did not want UConn in the ACC, as it's a "turf war" with BC and UConn in New England.
The article states that Syracuse was the ACC's first choice when it decided to expand, but that the second team on the list was Connecticut, not Pittsburgh. Boston College, essentially, blocked the Huskies from entering the ACC. Pittsburgh was next on the list, and a unanimous choice, so it was tabbed to join Syracuse in the conference.
ACC Commissioner John Swofford has said the conference is "very settled" on 14 teams with the addition of SU and Pitt, and has now re-opened TV contract negotiations with ESPN to reflect the new 14 team league, as opposed to the former 12 team conference.