Pittsburgh Basketball: Why Pitt Fans Should Rejoice About Joining the ACC

Pittsburgh's decision to join the Atlantic Coast Conference sparked a mixed reaction among Panthers fans, but ultimately, the positives far outweigh the negatives for Jamie Dixon's basketball squad.

It will be tough to part with the Big East, the conference that helped make Pittsburgh a basketball power.

But the financial stability, elite basketball competition and recruiting opportunities that the ACC provides make the move worth it.

Let's take a look at the variety of ways that the ACC will be great for the Panthers. Here are six reasons why Pitt fans should rejoice about joining the conference.

Joining a Special Basketball Conference

When Pittsburgh and Syracuse join the ACC, they will be part of the best basketball conference in the country. The ACC will ensure Pitt is part of top-notch hoops in a competitive conference.

With the Orange, Panthers, Blue Devils and Tar Heels, the conference will have four legitimate powerhouse programs, along with other solid teams such as Maryland, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech.

Also, since it is by far the top conference on the east coast, other premiere programs such as Connecticut, and maybe even Notre Dame, could soon follow.

Pitt fans should be excited to join such a great conference that will yield excellent basketball every year. Equally important is the fact that this conference will bring long-term stability that the Big East won't be able to provide.

Extends Dixon's Recruiting Southward

Think that Pittsburg's move to the ACC will hurt its recruiting production? Think again. Jamie Dixon is an excellent recruiter, and New York City isn't paramount for Panthers success.

The Panthers haven't relied heavily on one region, but they've been able to land athletes who work well in Dixon's system. The move to the ACC will only improve Dixon's southward reach.

Dixon discussed his ACC recruiting outlook with Pitt Panthers Examiner.

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"We don't recruit an area, we recruit the kid we see as a fit for our program, so I don't think we'll have a problem recruiting when we join the ACC," Dixon said. "We recruit against ACC schools now and we look for student athletes from all over. We don't limit ourselves to a certain area."

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Dixon has been successful recruiting all over the country, and the conference change will only improve his recruiting in the coastal and southern regions.

Blockbuster Showdowns in the Pete

The Petersen Events Center is already one of the best places to play in college basketball. The small arena with the Oakland Zoo student section creates an awesome atmosphere.

Now that teams like Duke, North Carolina and Maryland will be visiting, the energy in the Pete will be phenomenal. The Zoo faithful will make sure opponents get an earful, and the Pitt players will make ACC foes realize why they were a Big East power for years.

It remains to be seen whether these teams will be able to visit Pittsburgh every season, but the thought of even a couple of these ACC titans visiting the Panthers each year is exciting. And of course, they'll be able to continue hosting longtime Big East competitor Syracuse too. 

Not a Late-Mover out of Big East

Pitt fans should be glad that the Panthers were proactive in moving to the ACC. The program gets to be a part of the strongest conference on the east coast without having to deal with the disintegrating Big East.

Dixon explained the proactive move to SB Nation.

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"We realized it was time," he said. "If not us, it was going to be somebody else. I think we can all agree on that."

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If Pittsburgh didn't make the move when it did, it would be subject to higher exit fees that the Big East recently instituted, and it would have to spend even more time in the suffering conference.

The Panthers are in a much better position now than they would have been if they were a late-mover out of the Big East. They've secured their future, and Pittsburgh athletics will be strong for years to come.

Benefitting from Football Television Revenue

Pittsburgh's basketball team will benefit directly from the football program's move to the ACC. The Panther's move was predicated on bolstering the financial situation of the football team, which would in turn convenience the whole athletic department.

The football team will have a better television contract in the ACC, and the revenue generated from this upgraded television deal will benefit the entire Pitt program, including the basketball team.

More money and financial security for the basketball squad means the future is bright for Dixon and company.

Could Be a Beast in ACC North Division

The new ACC will likely expand to 16 teams, and when that happens, it will likely align itself into two divisions.

If it splits into an ACC North and ACC South, Pittsburgh could continue its competition with Syracuse and be a beast in the northern group.

Pittsburgh's prominence in the northern division would give it a great chance to win the ACC conference every season and upgrade its seeding in the NCAA tournament.

This divisional alignment is far from a sure thing, but it's something for fans to get excited about.