But the bigger issue hasn’t changed much for the Pirates, who have more fans and generally more football success than any of their peers but can’t make an upgrade in conference status.

The ACC and Big East don’t think ECU has enough of a television market base to justify getting a bid.

If traditional athletic logic carried any weight, the Pirates long ago would have been in the ACC or the Big East.

But since conference leaders in the ACC and Big East care more about annexing television markets than programs and fan bases with true regional athletic substance, the Pirates can’t catch a break.