Tech turned down a Big10 offer?

covingtonjacket

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http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ll-playoff-national-championship-home-atlanta

Lots about Tech (not all good), but this was buried in there:

"Not only does Atlanta sit at the geographic heart of the SEC and the ACC, two of the conferences that make up the Power 5, but five years ago, when the Big Ten expanded to 14 teams, the league didn't take Rutgers until it had been turned down by Georgia Tech."

How did i miss this?
 

Deke

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http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ll-playoff-national-championship-home-atlanta

Lots about Tech (not all good), but this was buried in there:

"Not only does Atlanta sit at the geographic heart of the SEC and the ACC, two of the conferences that make up the Power 5, but five years ago, when the Big Ten expanded to 14 teams, the league didn't take Rutgers until it had been turned down by Georgia Tech."

How did i miss this?
I know there was a ton of talk about us joining the Big 10 back in that general time frame, but I never once heard it confirmed that we had directly turned down an offer. Everything I remember was just speculation that, despite geography, we'd be a good culture fit.
 

00Burdell

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What a well-written article. Probably should have mentioned Heisman, tho.
 

gtzulu

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Scary that it was even a possibility
 

QuadF

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Scary that some people wanted it because the acc sucked at football
 

Dirty Jacket

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I'm just remarking on how much the perception of acc vs b1g has changed in so little time. I'm glad we stayed.
It wasn't a remark at you, it's just my general bitterness and saltiness for how 2017 has played out for us and the other school in georgia. I haven't been able to take a step without sands flowing down my legs since monday night.
 

WracerX

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The only reason I can see to turning down a B1G offer would be because no one was going to cover our buyout. The B1G shares more research dollars as well as athletic dollars. There is a big enough B1G alumni presence in Atlanta that we probably would have sold more football tickets. Iowa, MN, Northwestern, IN, and Maryland would have been ticket dogs, but the rest would have been solid. Travel costs would have been worse.
 

GT flunkout

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Lol at more B1G presence in Atlanta than ACC. That's what we need. More Indiana and Illinois and Rutgers and Maryland...yeah! What a disaster. When you are looking at opposing fans to drive ticket sales you have completely given up. A stadium half full of Michigan or Ohio State fans instead of Clemson or VPI fans sounds awesome.

FWIW I don't think we ever had an offer. It was talked about in the media. Selective memory by the writer of the piece.
 

johncu

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The only reason I can see to turning down a B1G offer would be because no one was going to cover our buyout. The B1G shares more research dollars as well as athletic dollars. There is a big enough B1G alumni presence in Atlanta that we probably would have sold more football tickets. Iowa, MN, Northwestern, IN, and Maryland would have been ticket dogs, but the rest would have been solid. Travel costs would have been worse.
Or the fact that it would be a nightmare for basically every sport except football and basketball.
 
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