http://www.mwcconnection.com/2012/2/24/2...conference

I agree with about everything in this article. If MWC drops the alliance nonsense and just grabs 2 to 4 more western teams, I wanna see Boise and SDSU back out west full time.

It all comes down to money and the next TV contract. If the TV contract doesn't live up to expectations then yeah Boise State and SDSU should just rejoin the MWC. Either way even if MWC drops the alliance and adds two more teams they will not get the same deal the Big East will get.

(02-25-2012 12:02 PM)ollin Wrote:  It all comes down to money and the next TV contract. If the TV contract doesn't live up to expectations then yeah Boise State and SDSU should just rejoin the MWC. Either way even if MWC drops the alliance and adds two more teams they will not get the same deal the Big East will get.

I really doubt The Big East is gonna come close to what they are expecting. I think if the MWC or heaven forbid this dumb Alliance gets somewhat close to The Big East..Boise and SDSU should stay. Boise will make more money if their Olympic teams are with the rest of the MWC than they will in the WAC or Big Sky...assuming the WAC gets raided. As well as the MWC is doing in basketball right now (over the last 4 years really), I wonder why that has not came into the money talks yet? Is it because no one east of the Mississippi River cares?

(02-25-2012 12:06 PM)War Torn Ruston Wrote:  

(02-25-2012 12:02 PM)ollin Wrote:  It all comes down to money and the next TV contract. If the TV contract doesn't live up to expectations then yeah Boise State and SDSU should just rejoin the MWC. Either way even if MWC drops the alliance and adds two more teams they will not get the same deal the Big East will get.

I really doubt The Big East is gonna come close to what they are expecting. I think if the MWC or heaven forbid this dumb Alliance gets somewhat close to The Big East..Boise and SDSU should stay. Boise will make more money if their Olympic teams are with the rest of the MWC than they will in the WAC or Big Sky...assuming the WAC gets raided. As well as the MWC is doing in basketball right now (over the last 4 years really), I wonder why that has not came into the money talks yet? Is it because no one east of the Mississippi River cares?

No one here knows what the next Big East TV contract will be. Boise State hired experts to get an estimated figure. They took that into account when joining the Big East. If BSU and SDSU figured MWC and the Alliance was going to get more or equal to the Big East they would have stayed.

I think the article takes liberties on the ideas of the western division. I understand why and what Boise would out of such a division but I don't think it has been specifically stated exactly what that "promise of a western division" means.

If Boise wanted Fresno and UNLV (both schools I'm not opposed to) as a condition to join the league they should have demanded it at the onset. But truth is they don't have that power, and it would be naive to expect that they did. It has never been a secret that basketball rules the roost in the Big East. Boise football has more clout than Seton Hall basketball, but it doesn't overtake the collective interest of Louisville, UConn, Providence, Villanova, Notre Dame, and Georgetown basketball.

In the long run I still think it is the financial interest of Boise to stay with the Big East. For many reasons Boise's success is still a fragile thing. Creating a solid financial base around the program will help create stability.

Possible Alliance conference...I want this:

West:
Boise State
San Diego State
San Jose State
Utah State
UNLV
Hawaii
Wyoming

East:
East Carolina
Southern Miss
Marshall
UAB
Rice
FIU
Middle Tennessee State

The BE will provide more money for Boise, but we don't yet know how much more, and the prospect of dumping every other Boise State sport into the Summit or Great West if the WAC goes away, that's not a happy prospect.

Does it come down to "AQ status" or whatever form it takes after the current BCS contract ends?

The OP link is a story written by a fan who doesn't understand the economics of TV media rights. The Big East was not trying to create a "true Western division." It was trying to secure the best national FB TV attraction still out there, and it agreed to bring along SDSU as a travel partner, to make it more palatable.

As another poster said, Boise and SDSU saw the official financial projections. This guy didn't.

From the article:

Quote:But this article is not a pitch to poach more teams from the Mountain West Conference, but only to highlight the direction the Big East is beginning to take now that they are content to get Boise State's BCS numbers.

...which is the only reason why the Big East sought Boise once TCU bolted for the Big Texas XII. I'm assuming Boise folks already understood that.

(02-25-2012 12:25 PM)TampaKnight Wrote:  Possible Alliance conference...I want this:

West:
Boise State
San Diego State
UNLV
Hawaii
Wyoming
Nevada
New Mexico
Air Force
Col St
Fresno St

East:
East Carolina
Southern Miss
Marshall
UAB
UTEP
Tulsa
Rice
FIU
Tulane
UMASS/Ohio/LaTech/ODU/someone else

FIFY

Maybe Boise should have done something like this...

-- Tell the BE that there needs to be a 6-team division, all western FB onlies. E.g., Boise, AFA, SDSU, UNM, UNLV, BYU.

-- Those six would be the core of a Western league for all other sports. Add a few schools that don't have FB, like Seattle and Denver.

But it's too late to ask for that now, especially since the BE has now crowded the bus further with Temple and Memphis...

Before beating up on the Big East too much, keep in mind they went hard for BYU and Air Force. They were not ready to go, although, I suspect much of the reason is the uncertainty over the size of the future Big East tv deal. That picture will clear up late in 2012. When they refused, the BE selected the best markets available to strengthen the TV contract and basketball side of the conference.

The next Big East addition will be in the West. The best two options remain BYU and Air Force. But some realighnment uncertainty over Louisville and BYU remain. We will know how this will shake out over the next year or so. If Louisville and BYU go to the Big 12---then the Big East will be at 12 when Navy joins. At that point, perhaps Air Force and a partner (Fresno/Colorado St/UNLV) may be ready to jump to the Big East to get to 14. That would give the league a bit more balance and at least one of the targets they are most interested in in the west. There is no reason who to add UNLV. UNLV brings good basketball---but this will be a football only invite. UNLV football is as bad as it gets. Its bad and always has been bad. At least Memphis football has exhibited extended periods of being quite good. Fresno would probably be the best western selection for the conference TV package as a travel partner for AF. However, the BE may be required let AF choose thier travel partner as this may be the only way to preserve a rivary that Air Force feels is too important to be left behind. If thats the case, then so be it. Air Force must be part of the package to complete the western division. No other team brings enough prestige.

(02-25-2012 12:53 PM)attackfrog Wrote:  The next Big East addition will be in the West. The best two options are BYU and Air Force. We will know how this will shake out over the next year or so. If Louisville and BYU go to the Big 12 then the Big East will be at 12 when Navy joins. Then perhaps Air Force and a partner (Fresno/Colorado St/UNLV) may be ready to jump to the Big East at that point to get to 14. That would give the league a bit more balance.

... But Boise's biggest issue IMO is their league for other sports. Just adding one more Western FB team to the BE does nothing to help Boise with that issue.

(02-25-2012 12:33 PM)TripleA Wrote:  The OP link is a story written by a fan who doesn't understand the economics of TV media rights. The Big East was not trying to create a "true Western division." It was trying to secure the best national FB TV attraction still out there, and it agreed to bring along SDSU as a travel partner, to make it more palatable.

As another poster said, Boise and SDSU saw the official financial projections. This guy didn't.

+1. All Kustra and BSU were promised was a "western partner" and they got it. After signing on the dotted line BSU lost all leverage with respect to further membership additions. It was clear from the outset that the Big East is run by eastern basketball schools and that it will do what most benefits eastern basketball schools.

I remain convinced BSU made the right move from a financial standpoint but a "true Western division" was never in the cards.

All this scheisse is coming from Las Vegas. There hasn't been a word coming from anyone in either SDSU nor BSU. If there were anything to this story, you'd hear at least something from one of the schools. Keep in mind, the UNLV school President is the guy in charge of the merger, its his baby. Bias much?

Boise's other sports are going back to where they came from the WAC. I realize its a different WAC, but is it really that much worse? No offense intended but have any of Boise's other sports been competitive nationally? I really dont know. Will having their teams in the new look WAC, or Summit or Big Sky or "x" conference really hurt them? At least now the BB teams (is there an arrangement for the womans program too?) will have an association with BE BB. Not a bad thing if you ask me

Expansion may not be over. BYU is looking at the Big 12 and Air Force seems content to stay in the Alliance. However, I agree approach both and get their feedback regarding the BE. If Louisville leaves or if there is further BE expansion ECU, UNLV and Fresno St may be in the mix. However, I think Hawaii is just too far to be considered for the BE.

(02-25-2012 01:02 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(02-25-2012 12:53 PM)attackfrog Wrote:  The next Big East addition will be in the West. The best two options are BYU and Air Force. We will know how this will shake out over the next year or so. If Louisville and BYU go to the Big 12 then the Big East will be at 12 when Navy joins. Then perhaps Air Force and a partner (Fresno/Colorado St/UNLV) may be ready to jump to the Big East at that point to get to 14. That would give the league a bit more balance.

... But Boise's biggest issue IMO is their league for other sports. Just adding one more Western FB team to the BE does nothing to help Boise with that issue.

Exactly.

(02-25-2012 01:40 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  Boise's other sports are going back to where they came from the WAC. I realize its a different WAC, but is it really that much worse? No offense intended but have any of Boise's other sports been competitive nationally? I really dont know. Will having their teams in the new look WAC, or Summit or Big Sky or "x" conference really hurt them? At least now the BB teams (is there an arrangement for the womans program too?) will have an association with BE BB. Not a bad thing if you ask me

Nothing people care about. Wrestling and men and women's tennis are top 20 programs every year. Also gymnastics and swimming have been top in conference for a few years now.
So..nothing people care about. Men's basketball is getting better but that is not saying much.
I know the people around Boise wanna care about basketball. They just need a reason too. It doesn't help that Taco Bell Arena is to damn big. We had 6000+ the last 2 games and it still looked empty.

(02-25-2012 01:02 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(02-25-2012 12:53 PM)attackfrog Wrote:  The next Big East addition will be in the West. The best two options are BYU and Air Force. We will know how this will shake out over the next year or so. If Louisville and BYU go to the Big 12 then the Big East will be at 12 when Navy joins. Then perhaps Air Force and a partner (Fresno/Colorado St/UNLV) may be ready to jump to the Big East at that point to get to 14. That would give the league a bit more balance.

... But Boise's biggest issue IMO is their league for other sports. Just adding one more Western FB team to the BE does nothing to help Boise with that issue.

Boise had to know that they were in a position of power prior to signing on with the BE. They also had to know or should have been smart enough to know that the BE is at its core an eastern, metro, basketball league and will make decisions accordingly. Boise leveraged getting SDSU in, and some out clauses if the landscaped changed or things didn't go according to plan, but if they wanted more they should have forced the issue before they signed.