[TriangleTree]

Why do you see the Board not on board, Chris?

the student experience primarily

At this point, the student experience is likely no sports at all for about 20 teams at Stanford or join the ACC. I think the board will be leery of cutting out most of the sports programs. It's either ACC, cutting 25 million dollars a year from the budget, or the ability to come up with 25 million dollars from somewhere. Are our rich BOT members going to cough up a million a year each personally to fund the athletic department?

This is it.
Far from ideal and not sustainable in the long run, but considering the situation Stanford has been forced into (or has put itself in, not really the point), I believe this to be the best choice if sports excellence is to carry on.
Dreadful from a travel perspective but the best fit based on schools and athletic programs (even if, maybe more so if Clemson and FSU exit). It provides sustainability until the next realignment/dissolution wave which can’t be far off given the mess we’re in.  
A lot to be said also for saving face and not implicitly endorsing the sewer rats that started all of this, but that’s just me. Keeps Cal rivalry and throws them a lifeline too, just like ND may be doing for us.

I hope they make it work. Who knows, maybe some kind of deal that allows for more off conference games in some/all sports but with enough for schedule stability and access to conference championships. 
Stop waiting for the ideal, we’re in a storm and it’s all about enabling options until the storm recedes. This may be the best.

[TriangleTree]

Why do you see the Board not on board, Chris?

the student experience primarily

At this point, the student experience is likely no sports at all for about 20 teams at Stanford or join the ACC. I think the board will be leery of cutting out most of the sports programs. It's either ACC, cutting 25 million dollars a year from the budget, or the ability to come up with 25 million dollars from somewhere. Are our rich BOT members going to cough up a million a year each personally to fund the athletic department?

This is it.
Far from ideal and not sustainable in the long run, but considering the situation Stanford has been forced into (or has put itself in, not really the point), I believe this to be the best choice if sports excellence is to carry on.
Dreadful from a travel perspective but the best fit based on schools and athletic programs (even if, maybe more so if Clemson and FSU exit). It provides sustainability until the next realignment/dissolution wave which can’t be far off given the mess we’re in.  
A lot to be said also for saving face and not implicitly endorsing the sewer rats that started all of this, but that’s just me. Keeps Cal rivalry and throws them a lifeline too, just like ND may be doing for us.

I hope they make it work. Who knows, maybe some kind of deal that allows for more off conference games in some/all sports but with enough for schedule stability and access to conference championships. 
Stop waiting for the ideal, we’re in a storm and it’s all about enabling options until the storm recedes. This may be the best.