Editorial : Move to ACC to change Orange traditions, fandom

Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh will pull out of the Big East conference and move to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2.5 years. Joining the ACC will have a complex effect on traditional Orange fandom.

The move ends decades of traditions and history, from the stadiums we’ll play at to the longstanding rivalries. The power of these traditions could draw even the mildest SU fan into the dome for a game against Villanova or Georgetown. Surely, new rivalries will form, but leaving the Big East certainly marks the end of an era at SU.

For many fans, especially from Upstate and Central New York, getting to the majority of SU’s away games becomes much harder, as the conference covers much more of the South than the Big East does. Virtually only two schools — Boston College and Pittsburgh — are in easy driving distance from Central New York. For low-budget fans or more importantly, the parents of regional recruits, tailing the team will become a much larger and more expensive commitment.

On the other hand, joining the ACC will expand the fan base to new regions of the United States. It will certainly reinvigorate some graduates outside the Northeast to renew their interest in SU sports.

But moving outside the Northeast comes at a peculiar time. SU used the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium as a huge marketing effort. The mantra splashed across New York City buses and posted on billboards touted SU as New York’s team. Under the current conference systems, SU’s downstate presence will greatly decrease as a result of joining the ACC. The Big East Tournament is always held at Madison Square Garden. Unless the conferences undergo big changes, the Orange won’t be playing at this pinnacle event for any die-hard fan. The hype of the event draws hundreds of even the most casual fans. Will SU be able to hold onto these fans without such strong regional presence?

Certainly, big teams like University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Duke University will bolster SU’s visibility in the coming years. Attracting new fans as a result of the move will depend more than anything on strong and competitive teams to foster pride.

The change will inevitably revolutionize the meaning of being an Orange fan. The old rifts between Georgetown and Villanova will heal and fall into history. New rivalries will dominate the coming decades. But for all the freshman and sophomores who may be here for the changes, cherish these final moments of the Orange as we know them now.