University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heel Monthly: Baddour on Scheduling in the New ACC
October 22, 2003 | General
Oct. 22, 2003
Atlantic Coast Conference athletic directors gathered in Charlottesville, VA on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 for their annual fall meetings. The issue of scheduling football and basketball for the new 11-team conference consumed a large majority of their time, and Carolina athletic director Dick Baddour discussed those scheduling plans with Tar Heel Monthly.
Tar Heel Monthly: Was scheduling the primary focus of the meetings?
Dick Baddour: Yes, we spent most of our time talking about men's and women's basketball and football scheduling. The conference office had already put a lot of work into it, so we weren't starting from scratch. We had options presented to us, then we selected from the various options.
THM: What were some of those options that were considered?
DB: In basketball we looked at a 20-game league schedule, which would be a true round-robin in which every team plays each other twice. We also considered 18-game, 16-game, and 14-game options as well as various primary partners. We looked at the schedule over a two-year period, a four-year period, and an eight-year period. We had already gotten input from the basketball coaches, so we knew how they felt about it. Once we decided on 16 league games then things started to fall into place. The partnerships for UNC were easy. It would be hard to dispute that we should always play Duke and NC State in men's basketball.
In some ways, women's basketball was more complicated because we adopted a 14-game league schedule with four primary partners. My opinion was the more permanent partners, the greater the opportunity for inequity in scheduling. To put it another way, the more complete rotations scheduled, the greater the chance things will eventually equal out.
In football, we considered two options: a divisional lineup and what is referred to as the Big Ten model, which is a rotation of schools on a two-year basis. It is important that it is based on a two-year period because teams should play each other both home and away. It would not be fair to play a team on the road and not have that team return the game. In football, there was strong agreement we should establish divisions in the event we have a championship game, but not to use those divisions unless we have that game. There was discussion about to divide the schools. It seemed natural for Carolina to partner with NC State, although a strong argument can certainly be made for us to pair with Duke, as well.
THM: How much were Virginia Tech and Miami involved in the meetings?
DB: They participated fully in the scheduling aspects of the meeting. There were other topics that came up when they participated but didn_t vote. But on scheduling, they were fully involved.
THM: Was it tougher than expected to select the basketball partners for Carolina since nearly every school considers the Tar Heels a rival?
DB: We definitely have strong rivalries outside of the ones selected. We've had intense games and rivalry with Maryland. It seems unusual that we won't play Wake Forest in a given year. But this is an expected consequence of expansion. We've talked in the past about expansion changing the culture of the ACC, and this is one of those situations that impacts the culture. But that's where the league is now and we'll move forward with this new format.
THM: Are the football divisions that have been published the actual divisions that will be used in case of a championship game?
DB: They are. Are they the divisions forever? I don't know the answer to that. We agreed to commit to this for two years and then step back and evaluate it. We've taken a giant step, but if there are compelling reasons to change the divisions, then that's what we'll do. We have agreed in principle not to have divisions in basketball, however.
THM: It sounds like there will be significant evaluation in two years. So is it safe to say that nothing we're seeing now is forever?
DB: It definitely will be reviewed, and that point was made repeatedly. Through experience, we may be able to improve on what has been established. It's not etched in stone, and I hope everyone will be flexible enough to improve it in two years if it is necessary.
THM: Why are the women playing 14 ACC basketball games, while the men are playing 16?
DB: On the men's side, we wanted to take advantage of the strong teams we have throughout the league. At the same time, we wanted to create opportunities to play inter-league games and not hurt special events like the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. League games are very important to the television contract. With women's basketball, we don't have to deal with the same impact on TV, and the coaches wanted even more games outside the league. There was some debate that the primary partners and the number of league games should be the same for the men and women in that it would be helpful for the fans. I think we should acknowledge there are differences and allow for some scheduling differences.
THM: Are you pleased with the men's ACC Tournament solution? [Three games--6 seed vs. 11 seed, 8 seed vs. 9 seed, and 7 vs. 10 seed--will be played on Thursday, and then the quarterfinals will take place as in the present format.]
DB: I had voiced concern about the impact of expansion on the ACC Tournament. I think this is the best option for the Tournament. We've changed the format before, so if this isn't in the best interests of the league, we'll adjust it.
THM: There seems to be some concerned that Carolina was given a raw deal in terms of the football scheduling. Is that the case?
DB: Obviously, we're going to play a difficult football schedule in 2004. It will generate a lot of excitement in our fans to see Virginia Tech, Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and William & Mary in Kenan Stadium. I was concerned about the perception you mentioned when I saw that schedule. However, there are four schools that will play Florida State, Miami, and Virginia Tech in the next two years. Wake Forest, NC State and Carolina play two of them at home and Virginia will play two on the road. Eventually, everyone will play those schools in the same year. It just worked out we would be among the first to play them. We've got a tough schedule next year, but so do other schools. The league expanded. It's going to happen. You can't expand and then not play these schools at some point.
Men's Basketball Primary Partners (teams play home-and-home series each year):
Clemson: Georgia Tech, FSU
Duke: Carolina, Maryland
FSU: Miami, Clemson
Georgia Tech: Wake Forest, Clemson
Miami: Virginia Tech, Florida State
Maryland: Duke, Virginia
Carolina: Duke, NC State
NC State: Carolina, Wake Forest
Virginia: Virginia Tech, Maryland
Virginia Tech: Virginia, Miami
Wake Forest: NC State, Georgia Tech
