While some good points are raised in this thread, the problem with the Original Post and this thread in general is that the Big East is not looking for long term stability. If they were they would have given more consideration to the line of thinking in this thread instead of focusing almost entirely on market size and location.

If the BE had been concerned with long term stability they would have added football centric schools long before now to prepare for the scenario they find themselves in now.

Instead, they focused on short term revenue instead of long term stability. Will they do the same again?

Most folks on this thread need to be the conference expansion committee for the BE - some good ideas and analysis which seems sorely lacking from the current BE office.

Why do I%

Everything the good doctor said is truth. Even if it were a football-only conference, I think it would work. It won't happen, but a fantastic suggestion.

Why do I believe nothing would make Miko happier than to see this happen and the BE lose AQ?

(11-22-2011 04:44 PM)miko33 Wrote:  It's looking more and more likely that the best option for the BE is to throw in the towel on FB only invites, aka the academies and western expansions. Too many western entities want to have all of the advantages of the AQ tag but zero desire to truly make the BE better. What else can you expect from FB only invites? Regardless of what the short term issues and benefits to be derived from the FB only invite options, the BE is better served going after all sports invites only plus focusing only on those schools that are regionally appropriate to the conference. Right now there are 5 current members. Expand by 5 schools from the east to get to 10 schools (looking for 7 schools to get to 12 is too much). Here is what I would do now that it is getting beyond ludicrous for the BE:

The New Big East
Louisville
Rutgers
UCONN
South Florida
Cincy
UCF
ECU
Temple
Southern Miss
UMASS

This gives a nice group to maintain a northeast presence, a few schools with prominent fan bases and a school or two based on pure potential. Will this be enough for AQ status? Probably not in the short term. However, the advantage is that these schools look very similar to each other and the conference can begin to make long term bonds that will be much more effective than those FB only invites made purely for the sake of chasing after the AQ status. It's time to go after organic growth instead of chasing after growth via artificial means.

This is what the Big East SHOULD do....if they had a brain.

Both Miko or Dr's suggestions would work great. But I am absolutely convinced that the conference leadership will continue to pursue a western division and it will be an even bigger mess than anyone envisioned.

You just about got it right Miko....I understand why the Big East went the route they did but I think we all knew deep down it would be drama...The Big East needs geography to survive...You might have to take a few teams that are not balanced but in the long run it WILL be good for the BE.

Uconn
Rutgers
Cincinnati
Louisville
USF

New all sports members
UCF
Houston
SMU
Memphis
Temple
Football only members
ECU
Southern Miss.
Navy/Umass...If Navy Declines
Army/Marshall.If Army Declines