Spreading the ACC and Syracuse athletics brands globally in future seasons

With North Carolina State and Virginia set to open the college football season August 29 with the first college game to be played in South America, dubbed "College Football Brasil" , and North Carolina starting the same day versus TCU in Dublin, the ACC has been aggressively moving to spread its conference (and individual school's) brand to now ongoing and untapped international markets

When new Syracuse administrators led by new chancellor Mike Haynie and new AD Bryan Blair were announced this spring, and hearing their willingness to think far and wide when investigating sources of new revenue generation for the athletic department moving forward, we got thinking about a possible future global angle to SU sports competing in games aboard.

Those thoughts were further enhanced with last week's announcement that Notre Dame and Villanova (men's/women's teams) are going to open the upcoming college hoops season on Nov. 1 in Rome, tied into a hopeful visit and game appearance from Pope Leo XIV, the Villanova alumnus. (Also, the North Carolina women's team will play in Paris to the season.)

Whether the Pope's schedule works or not, simply opening the season in a FOX national TV game on a Sunday morning eastern time before NFL coverage, and in a major international city such as Rome, puts a completely different spin on brand name expansion.

Remember the Coca-Cola Classic?

Back in 1989 to close out its regular season, the Syracuse football team and others associated with the program went global, traveling halfway around the world to Tokyo (via the west coast) to face Louisville in the 14th version of this game, originally named the Mirage Bowl.

Inaugurated in 1977, the game was founded to bring American football to Japan which was just in the beginning years of playing college football at the time. The game's sponsors lined up some of the biggest name programs to relocate regular season contests to the Tokyo Dome, which like the then-Carrier Dome, had an air-supported Teflon roof.

The Syracuse team members took its passport photos on media day before the '89 season, and on Dec. 4, a forgotten name in 'Cuse football lore, third-string QB Wendal Lowrey, came off the bench to throw for 168 yards and two long TD passes to Rob Carpenter to lead SU to a 24-12 victory against the Cardinals. The 'Cuse finished with a 7-4 record to secure a bid to face Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

How about Syracuse and let's say, St. John's opening the 2027 hoop season in London?

If Notre Dame, NC State, Virginia, North Carolina, and Duke (women in 2025) are having football/basketball teams play regular season games abroad, why not Syracuse, with three international players currently on its roster, starting soon, too?

So we will throw out basketball first (also easier to transport). The Orange and Red Storm in the 2027-28 season opener. Two one-time Syracuse assistant coaches, McNamara and Rick Pitino, square off at completely different points in their respective coaching careers, and renew the two school's long-gone Big East rivalry as part of a college doubleheader at O2 arena. Sounds good.

Sure, Haynie and Blair have plenty of early priorities on their plates over basketball scheduling, as they begin to settle into their new posts over the next couple of months. But as ACC as looked at international venues to stake its brand names, Syracuse should likewise consider starting in a city where it has long had an international school presence, to expand its sports name brand globally.

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