[Giants]

I can see the point that it makes some sense for the ACC, as you point out, but I don't see how it'd benefit Stanford in any way. You make it seem as if Stanford has only two choices in all this, between the MWC and the ACC. With all its challenges, I'd much rather Stanford start planning out independence (in football) until the right door opens.

A Stanford/Cal (along with OSU/WSU?) move to the ACC makes sense because of the GOR mess and the current extended TV contract.  Specifically, bringing in new blood gives the conference (and their TV partner, ESPN) a chance to rip up the GOR and revise the TV deal.  This might be enough to placate FSU and Clemson (with a new set of numbers) while adding late night inventory for ESPN.  

Heck, even if the refugees from the West don’t receive a full share initially, it would be a heck of a lot better than the paltry payout they would receive from the MWC.  

For Stanford, football scheduling could include three conference games v. Cal, OSU, WSU, three road conference games v. old ACC members with two back-to-back and three home conference games v. old ACC members.  This would reduce conference travel to two long trips/season.  If future non-conference road games were to be scheduled v. western opponents (old P12 members?), the total long trips/season would only increase from one to two. 

The hang up is hoops and Olympic sports - admittedly a rather sizable issue to surmount….

As much as the idea of football independence sounds intriguing, it is a financial non-starter.  No one is going to pay Stanford “Notre Dame money” and without a check for that amount, the AD would have to slash the number of programs significantly.  

The ACC is not an ideal solution but given the alternatives, it is the best one.

[Giants]

I can see the point that it makes some sense for the ACC, as you point out, but I don't see how it'd benefit Stanford in any way. You make it seem as if Stanford has only two choices in all this, between the MWC and the ACC. With all its challenges, I'd much rather Stanford start planning out independence (in football) until the right door opens.

A Stanford/Cal (along with OSU/WSU?) move to the ACC makes sense because of the GOR mess and the current extended TV contract.  Specifically, bringing in new blood gives the conference (and their TV partner, ESPN) a chance to rip up the GOR and revise the TV deal.  This might be enough to placate FSU and Clemson (with a new set of numbers) while adding late night inventory for ESPN.  

Heck, even if the refugees from the West don’t receive a full share initially, it would be a heck of a lot better than the paltry payout they would receive from the MWC.  

For Stanford, football scheduling could include three conference games v. Cal, OSU, WSU, three road conference games v. old ACC members with two back-to-back and three home conference games v. old ACC members.  This would reduce conference travel to two long trips/season.  If future non-conference road games were to be scheduled v. western opponents (old P12 members?), the total long trips/season would only increase from one to two. 

The hang up is hoops and Olympic sports - admittedly a rather sizable issue to surmount….

As much as the idea of football independence sounds intriguing, it is a financial non-starter.  No one is going to pay Stanford “Notre Dame money” and without a check for that amount, the AD would have to slash the number of programs significantly.  

The ACC is not an ideal solution but given the alternatives, it is the best one.