"Once the seven schools decide to move to a new league, they will keep their automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. NCAA rules state that as long as a group of seven universities have been in the same league for five years, they keep their bid after a move together."

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...ource-says

The New Metro Conference
---
Memphis
Tulane
Houston
SMU
ECU
UCF
+1 of Tulsa/USM
+5 Others

That will be the core of a new conference that starts probably two years from now. It will have an NCAA Automatic Bid without the waiting period.

Per Pete Thamel, in order for dissolution of the conference to happen, 2 football schools have to vote for it. It's in the Big East bylaws. So this may end up not being relevant at all. Stay tuned.

(12-13-2012 07:00 PM)CalallenStang Wrote:  Per Pete Thamel, in order for dissolution of the conference to happen, 2 football schools have to vote for it. It's in the Big East bylaws. So this may end up not being relevant at all. Stay tuned.

Exactly...There are going to be some nasty legal issues here.

(12-13-2012 06:57 PM)GreenMississippi Wrote:  "Once the seven schools decide to move to a new league, they will keep their automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. NCAA rules state that as long as a group of seven universities have been in the same league for five years, they keep their bid after a move together."

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...ource-says

The New Metro Conference
---
Memphis
Tulane
Houston
SMU
ECU
UCF
+1 of Tulsa/USM
+5 Others

That will be the core of a new conference that starts probably two years from now. It will have an NCAA Automatic Bid without the waiting period.

this MIGHT be the case for a conference that is an FBS conference

BUT

for a "multi-sport" conference there is ALSO a rule specifically for mens BB autobids that states there needs to be 8 years of CONFERENCE continuity meeting specific numbers of other sports offered

some people also believe that a FBS conference is a multisport conference AND a FBS conference and is thus subjected to multisport AND FBS conference requirements

I believe that a FBS conference is not subjected to the multisport conferences and thus has only the FBS conference rules to follow that DO NOT include the 8 years of CONFERENCE continuity in offering some specific sports

either way the basketball schools WILL NOT be able to form a new conference and get an autobid for mens BB for 8 years no matter how many schools they take with them because the requirements specifically for an autobid in mens BB in a "multisport" conference is 8 years of continuity meeting two specific rules dealing with the sponsorship of a particular number and nature of other sports

so the BE basketball schools are screwed if they dissolve or leave the BE and do not go to an existing conference

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...ource-says


The New Metro Conference
---
Memphis
Tulane
Houston
SMU
ECU
UCF
+1 of Tulsa/USM
+5 Others

(12-13-2012 07:58 PM)EPJr Wrote:  http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/...ource-says


The New Metro Conference
---
Memphis
Tulane
Houston
SMU
ECU
UCF
+1 of Tulsa/USM
+5 Others

directly from the NCAA

http://www.ncaapublications.com/productd...s/D113.pdf



20.02.5.4 Continuity. A multisport conference shall establish continuity. To establish continuity, a multisport
conference must meet the requirements of Bylaw 20.02.5.1. In addition, the conference must meet the
requirements of Bylaws 20.02.5.2 and 20.02.5.3 for a period of eight consecutive years. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective
8/1/11)
20.02.5.5 Grace Period. A conference shall continue to be considered a multisport conference for two years
following the date of withdrawal of the institution(s) that causes the conference’s noncompliance with the minimum
multisport conference requirements. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

************************

20.02.5 Multisport Conference. A Division I multisport conference shall satisfy the requirements of this
section. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
20.02.5.1 Minimum Number of Members. A multisport conference shall be composed of at least seven
active Division I members. The member conference shall include at least seven active Division I members that
sponsor both men’s and women’s basketball. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
332
20.02.5.2 Sports Sponsorship. A multisport conference shall satisfy the following requirements: (Adopted:
1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
(a) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of 12 Division I sports;
(b) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of six men’s sports, one of which shall be men’s basketball. In
addition to men’s basketball, the conference shall sponsor football or two other men’s team sports. A
minimum of seven members shall sponsor men’s basketball. A minimum of six members shall sponsor
five other sports, including football or two additional men’s team sports; and
© The conference shall sponsor a minimum of six women’s sports, one of which shall be women’s basketball.
In addition to women’s basketball, the conference shall sponsor two other women’s team sports. A
minimum of seven members shall sponsor women’s basketball. A minimum of six members shall sponsor
five other sports, including two additional women’s team sports (or a minimum of five members for an
emerging sport for women).
20.02.5.3 Regular-Season Conference Competition. Multisport conference members shall participate
in regular-season conference competition, subject to the following requirements: (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective
8/1/11)
(a) Basketball teams shall participate in a regular-season conference schedule of a double round robin, inseason
competition, or a minimum of 14 regular-season conference contests;
(b) In football or in a minimum of two men’s team sports other than men’s basketball [as required in Bylaw
20.02.5.2-(b)], teams shall compete in a minimum regular-season conference schedule of five contests. A
minimum of five regular-season conference contests must be hosted by one of the two competing teams
at its home venue; and
© In a minimum of two women’s team sports other than women’s basketball (as required in Bylaw 20.02.5.2),
teams shall compete in a minimum regular-season conference schedule of five contests. A minimum of
five regular-season conference contests must be hosted by one of the two competing teams at its home
venue.

***************************

so the CONFERENCE must meet 20.02.5.2 and 20.02.5.3

the CONFERENCE must meet those rules about sponsoring that number of other sports.....if the CONFERENCE does not meet that rule they will not get a mens BB auto bid for 8 years as per 20.02.5.4 Continuity

so that is different than the rules dealing with 6 teams being together for 2/5 years......which deals with TEAM MEMBERS......20.02.5.4 Continuity deals with the CONFERENCE meeting 20.02.5.2 and 20.02.5.3 for EIGHT YEARS

that is directly from the NCAA website for 2012-2013 and ESPN is wrong A LOT

Marquette and six other Big East C7 defectors - St. John's, Villanova, Georgetown, DePaul, Providence and Seton Hall will join Butler and Xavier of the Atlantic 10 to form a new basketball-centric league next season.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/183377221.html