(10-11-2009 04:32 AM)Hoquista Wrote:  http://www.projo.com/sports/billreynolds...140f1.html

For What It’s Worth: Big East on the way out of Providence?

01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, October 10, 2009

By BILL REYNOLDS

Journal Sports Writer

The Big East office moving out of Providence?

Don’t be shocked.

The lease is up next spring on their Richmond Street office, and the word is that the Big East is having difficulty finding new quarters in Rhode Island, both with price and the perception that the conference is a cash cow and must have unlimited pockets.

All this in the context of the conference presidents suggesting a year ago that the office move out of Rhode Island, which has been home based since Dave Gavitt founded the league in the late ’70s. Conference officials already have checked out sites in New York, Tampa, and Hartford as possible relocations.

Bottom line?

The Big East could be out of Rhode Island.

Say it ain’t so, Looie Carnesecca.

Moving the office to Memphis. Why am I not surprised?

(10-12-2009 09:49 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  Moving the office to Memphis. Why am I not surprised?

I guess that office deal in Greenville, NC fell through.

(10-12-2009 09:55 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  I guess that office deal in Greenville, NC fell through.

I've got space available...running water, indoor plumbing, electricity...the whole shootin' match. If the price is right, I might throw in one of those computer thingys at no charge. I'm gonna need references, though. Lots of references.

(10-13-2009 07:32 AM)swash Wrote:  

(10-12-2009 09:55 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  I guess that office deal in Greenville, NC fell through.

I've got space available...running water, indoor plumbing, electricity...the whole shootin' match. If the price is right, I might throw in one of those computer thingys at no charge. I'm gonna need references, though. Lots of references.

Ill vouch for them. They seem like good people. And that computer thingy is called a "calculator". Just for future reference.

(10-13-2009 10:55 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  

(10-13-2009 07:32 AM)swash Wrote:  

(10-12-2009 09:55 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  I guess that office deal in Greenville, NC fell through.

I've got space available...running water, indoor plumbing, electricity...the whole shootin' match. If the price is right, I might throw in one of those computer thingys at no charge. I'm gonna need references, though. Lots of references.

Ill vouch for them. They seem like good people. And that computer thingy is called a "calculator". Just for future reference.

Calculator...you mean a ciphering machine? Hell no...I ain't made of money, son...I'm talking about the computer thingy, you know...what shows the time? You know, on second thought...I might have to up my rent a little. I'm sure to catch flack from the neighbors, what with me bringing in yankees and all. Some folk don't take to kind to droppin a mess a yankees in the middle of a neighborhood.

Of course, if you could get them fellas to 'talk right' there likely won't be no problem.

(10-12-2009 10:16 AM)frogman Wrote:  I know some of our southern schools may not go for this idea but it's not a northern thing, I think it must be a large market thing. There's no reason we should be in NY and Philly and still be the brokest conference. We need to make money and that just aint happening headquarted in Providence.
Maybe get a Big East Float in the Thanksgiving Day parade as the starting hype for the Yankee Bowl. That parade is televised all over the country and around the world but it belongs to NYC.

Getting a Big East/Yankee Bowl Float in the Thanksgiving Day parade would be a huge deal and its one of the best ideas I've ever heard. Just bombard New York and the nation with the Big East being everywhere I love it!

(10-11-2009 06:57 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  If they are moving out of Providence because the costs are too high, I doubt Manhattan is where they wind up.

Cheers,
Neil

Exactly! The main point in the article that was made was that the BE is apparently trying to save on costs, so it's completely counterintuitive to think that they're going to move to Manhattan. Honestly, the locale really doesn't matter much. Can you name where the other BCS conference headquarters are located off of the top of your head? Well, take a look at this list of cultural meccas:

Big Ten - Park Ridge, Illinois (north suburban Chicago)
Pac-10 - Walnut Creek, California (East Bay area near Oakland)
SEC - Birmingham, Alabama
ACC - Greensboro, North Carolina
Big 12 - Irving, Texas (Dallas suburb)

Providence is arguably the big city of that group (if you're looking at suburbs as distinct entities from their nearby cities). A place like Jersey City or White Plains would actually be a decent choice - suburban locations are pretty much standard, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it. The conferences need space for equipment such as large satellite dishes and high tech communications tools, which means that offices in a skyscraper aren't effective. However, I still don't quite see how even moving to a Westchester or Jersey City location would really save much (or anything at all) over Providence. Newark is certainly cheaper... but that's kind of like saying that Gary, Indiana is a cheaper alternative to downtown Chicago or Oakland is a cheaper alternative to downtown San Francisco. There are pretty concrete reasons why they're a lot cheaper.

Maybe they can move to Newport and hob nob with the rich and powerful. Beautiful ocean views and the tennis hall of fame. Oh and JFK got married there!

Too many people who obviously do not live in this area are completely failing to understand that the Big East office does not need to be in Manhattan for Commissioner Marinatto and his staff to gain access to the New York City power structure. I have already said several times that the Path Train, which runs as frequently as the subway, stops at the Jersey City Waterfront, Downtown Jersey City, Hoboken, Newark Ironbound, and even Harrison/Kearney if they really want to save two or three more dollars. A dozen subway lines run through Downtown Brooklyn. Metro North provides regular service to Yonkers, White Plains, and all the other boring places up in that direction. Ditto for the LIRR on Long Island. Relocating to any of those locations is the equal of other leagues being in Park Ridge, Walnut Creek, or Arlington/Irving. The Big East office does not need to be in Manhattan, but it does need to be fairly close to New York City, in order to maximize our access and fully tap the corporate dollars necessary to truly take this conference, meaning all 16 members since we collectively compete in two dozen sports, to the next level.

To get an entity like The Big East to call it's city home, most city governments would donate office space. I know, given the chance, Louisville would as I'm sure many of the other cities in The Big East would.
CJ

(10-13-2009 05:08 PM)CardinalJim Wrote:  To get an entity like The Big East to call it's city home, most city governments would donate office space. I know, given the chance, Louisville would as I'm sure many of the other cities in The Big East would.
CJ

Taxpayers should not subsidize Big East office rent.

Greenville taxpayers would

Looks like they are looking elsewhere in Rhode Island.

http://blogs.courant.com/uconn_mens_bask...oking.html



Could Hartford be the home for the Big East Conference starting next season?

It's possible, though unlikely.

"Right now, we're focused on identifying some office space in Rhode Island," Big East spokesman John Paquette said Tuesday.

The lease for the building in Providence that is home to the Big East offices expires in June. Brown University has purchased the property on Richmond Street and the Big East must find a new building from which to conduct business starting July 1.

One option would be to relocate to another city altogether. Bill Reynolds of the Providence Journal reported Saturday that the Big East has discussed suites in New York, Tampa and Hartford.

There is no timetable for a new agreement and the process is in the early stages. Hartford has come up in preliminary discussions, but it is unlikely that the Big East headquarters will be transplanted far from the current home. The Big East has operated out of Rhode Island since it was founded in 1979.

(10-14-2009 03:20 AM)Hoquista Wrote:  The lease for the building in Providence that is home to the Big East offices expires in June. Brown University has purchased the property on Richmond Street and the Big East must find a new building from which to conduct business starting July 1.

So, the Ivy League is evicting the Big East here.

Well get used to another goofy administration if they stay in Providence. Where do they find these guys? We're trying to run a national conference out of Providence, Rhode Island. I've been to Providence. God awful place.

The frist article never said they were leaving because costs were too high in Providence. It said they were leaving because the lease was up and the perception was that they were a "cash cow with unlimited pockets." That tells me that they felt they were being overcharged where ever they looked. That doesn not mean they could not afford it.

I mean if someone charges you $150,000.00 for a used Toyota and you turn it down it doesn't mean you can't afford it, it means they are trying to take advantage of your preceived wealth.

If you're going to be charged a high price anyway make sure it's worth it.

(10-14-2009 10:04 AM)frogman Wrote:  Well get used to another goofy administration if they stay in Providence. Where do they find these guys? We're trying to run a national conference out of Providence, Rhode Island. I've been to Providence. God awful place.

The frist article never said they were leaving because costs were too high in Providence. It said they were leaving because the lease was up and the perception was that they were a "cash cow with unlimited pockets." That tells me that they felt they were being overcharged where ever they looked. That doesn not mean they could not afford it.

I mean if someone charges you $150,000.00 for a used Toyota and you turn it down it doesn't mean you can't afford it, it means they are trying to take advantage of your preceived wealth.

If you're going to be charged a high price anyway make sure it's worth it.

Thats how I interpreted the article as well Frogman. I dont know where everyone sees that the BE could not afford higher priced office space.

The BEast was just keeping the office there in the hope that JoePa (a Brown alumnus) would join. Since it's become doubtful, we told Brown to go ahead with their expansion...

I hope someone from NYC Mayor's office knows the BE's situation and calls them with an offer. I think that's the only way they come to NYC. They'll never figure this out themselves.