As to Maryland staying in the ACC? Little reason for them to stay. They’ve already ticked off most of, if not all the other schools, and if they stay, they almost certainly will be a leader of any dissident vote for anything contentious brought up in the ACC.

Does the ACC share the research assets of the member schools like they do in the Big Ten?

Less than two years of Big Ten money from just the Big Ten Network will repay all the ACC money (if they have to pay $53 million in total, which they won’t, as the ACC already is withholding money, for one thing).

Athletic championships? Each year for the past 2-3 decades, the Big Ten has had multiple schools in football bowl games, the NCAA basketball championships, swimming, wrestling, and multiple other sports. And remember, after expenses, each school shares equally in the receipts, so even if they aren’t in the tournament, they get the benefit.

And remember, the Big Ten Conference was founded more than five decades prior to the ACC’s founding.

Its selfish, but as alumnus who was privy to some great moments in Maryland athletic history, like Fridge taking the football team from oblivion to the Orange Bowl, Final Four in 01′ and National Championship in 02′; I can’t imagine Maryland being anyplace else but the ACC.