CSNbbs

Speculation running high that Memphis and UCF are on their way shortly. We may see a little movement in the bottom and mid conferences coming. (MWC,WAC, CUSA, MAC,SBC)......

The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

(06-17-2010 07:49 AM)Rocketdamus Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

Ah, so that's where the TCU talk comes in.

Yeah, if this split were to come, lots of possibilities. ECU. Keep a spot for Villanova. Avoid Temple and shoot for Army+Navy. Hmmm.

A big factor in adding Big East teams is the creation of a Big East TV network. The main thing is the willingness of local TV providers to broadcast it within the basic packages.

A lot more changes over the next year are possible among the non-BCS leagues.

2003-2005 is an example. Only 6 schools changed hands among the BCS conferences, but over 25 did overall.

2010 only 3 BCS moves announced so far (Utah, Colorado, Nebraska), two more possibly planned (Memphis, UCF) and many non-BCS moves that are needed (Boise to MWC).

-MWC could go to 12 dissolving WAC.
-CUSA could split
-SBC absorbed by WAC/CUSA/MAC

At this point it really depends on how many openings are left in CUSA and what schools are taken as replacements.

(06-17-2010 07:49 AM)Rocketdamus Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

I think the Big E. for now will stop at 2 football members.

UCF for its huge potential and annual Florida trip in football for the northern schools. The Big E. #2 is also now playing in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Memphis for its basketball power and Liberty bowl arrangement.

In this manner, the basketball schools would be willing to vote the Memphis/UCF combination in. Terry Holland the ECU AD alluded to the fact that ECU wouldn't have votes from the basketball playing members to join.

10 football members will make scheduling easier for the Big E.

(06-17-2010 07:54 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:49 AM)Rocketdamus Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

Ah, so that's where the TCU talk comes in.

Yeah, if this split were to come, lots of possibilities. ECU. Keep a spot for Villanova. Avoid Temple and shoot for Army+Navy. Hmmm.

No possibility for Nova for a number of reasons...first and foremost, their existing stadium seats 12,500. The largest available facility in the region seats 18k with the possibility of expansion to 25k (for some perspective, smallest BE stadium is Cincinnati at 35k). People talk about Temple being dropped from the BE as being relevant - Nova is a school that at one point dropped their football program altogether in the 80s.

From a Nova poster on the Temple board:
For a school with less than 7000 undergrads, it would be difficult to support a major football program. As you mentioned, facilities tops the list; and from a cost standpoint and township limitations Nova faces two major hurdles just to get started. As I said, Nova has made its reputation on hoops and to a much lesser degree on the successful 1AA football program. Moving up is appealing to the alums and fans, but, they have to be concerned about funding a larger program. would moving to a conference where they play top 30 teams attract 30K plus? Nova dropped football once, mainly because of revenue. A non state supported private school cannot compete with the cash cow state schools. As a result, I would like to see the status quo....nationally ranked hoops program and a top D1AA football program. Will this force Nova out of the BE or other major conferences???? We'll see......

(06-17-2010 08:06 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]A big factor in adding Big East teams is the creation of a Big East TV network. The main thing is the willingness of local TV providers to broadcast it within the basic packages.

Do you have a link discussing this anywhere?

B/C the Big E is probably the worst conference to try and get a network:

-They're loaded w/ small schools who have small alumni bases.
-They do one sport really well, and that's already saturated in coverage.
-The do one other sport pretty well, but that gets covered adequately.
-Their primary markets are loaded w/ pro-sports teams and other entertainment activities that leaves little demand for ancillary entertainment.

The BTN works because it suits the market. It is not a "one-size-fits-all" guaranteed money maker.

(06-17-2010 07:49 AM)Rocketdamus Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

Why do you think they have to add 4 and not 2? At least their conference name won't change based on how many teams they have.

(06-17-2010 12:03 PM)CMUprof Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:49 AM)Rocketdamus Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

Why do you think they have to add 4 and not 2? At least their conference name won't change based on how many teams they have.

They could get to 12 football, but only 19 overall if Villanova makes the jump to FBS.

I read a report last year that said in the 16-team Big East, Syracuse's revenues are down $2.5 mil/year. If that revenue stream gets even smaller, I don't see them sticking around.

(06-17-2010 01:49 PM)squirrelystew Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 12:03 PM)CMUprof Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:49 AM)Rocketdamus Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 07:41 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]The speculation is that this move is coming because of a split. They football and basketball schools have until June 30th to split without paying exit fees, and each side would get to keep their auto-bid to the basketball tourney (not that either side actually needs an auto-bid to ensure they get a team in).

If that happens, they probably have to add 4. Memphis, UCF, Temple, and...the fourth one is tough....

Why do you think they have to add 4 and not 2? At least their conference name won't change based on how many teams they have.

They could get to 12 football, but only 19 overall if Villanova makes the jump to FBS.

I read a report last year that said in the 16-team Big East, Syracuse's revenues are down $2.5 mil/year. If that revenue stream gets even smaller, I don't see them sticking around.

But my point is that they do not need 12. The revenue stream and quality of play start to dilute if they are adding teams just to add them. I understand trying to get UCF (Orlando market and insane facility upgrades) and Memphis (market and BBall) because other conferences might be tempted to snatch them up. Temple will be there, even if they go to C-USA for a few years. The only way they lose out on Temple would be if the ACC offers but I haven't heard that idea anywhere.

Maybe not.

Big East Dismisses UCF, Memphis Expansion Report

(06-17-2010 02:52 PM)CMUprof Wrote: [ -> ]Maybe not.

Big East Dismisses UCF, Memphis Expansion Report

What are they going to/supposed to say?

I believe this as much as I believe the rumors that its happening. Time will tell.

The MWC said it was not planning on expansion 2 days before inviting Boise State. The Pac-10 denied Utah being invited the day before it happened.

I don't see the league's membership signing off on expansion, but the denial doesn't necessarily carry much weight, either.

(06-17-2010 10:49 AM)DrTorch Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-17-2010 08:06 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]A big factor in adding Big East teams is the creation of a Big East TV network. The main thing is the willingness of local TV providers to broadcast it within the basic packages.

Do you have a link discussing this anywhere?

B/C the Big E is probably the worst conference to try and get a network:

-They're loaded w/ small schools who have small alumni bases.
-They do one sport really well, and that's already saturated in coverage.
-The do one other sport pretty well, but that gets covered adequately.
-Their primary markets are loaded w/ pro-sports teams and other entertainment activities that leaves little demand for ancillary entertainment.

The BTN works because it suits the market. It is not a "one-size-fits-all" guaranteed money maker.

Agreed with your points here but the reason why the Big East is considering an network has to do with game distribution more than anything else.

The Mountain West has their own network that is struggling along. The Big East doesn't have large alumni bases but the names that play basketball there have a lot of national appeal.

Man, are those posters over at the C-USA board jealous of Memphis....Memphis has pretty much been everything in the league....brought in all the publicity, the buckeroos from the NCAA tourney, etc. Maybe the Memphis posters are cocky....but when and if they leave, C-USA will have big shoes to fill.

Personally, I don't buy the "Memphis and UCF to the BigEast" rumor. Adding just those two (BEFORE two are taken) would upset the delicate political balance in that conference. Suddenly what the non-FB powers would like wouldn't count as much as what the FB-playing schools wanted. Also - it would reduce the Catholic contingent to less than half of the conference. The agreement at the time they raided C-USA to re-establish BigEast FB after the ACC raid was designed to maintain both of those balances. They wouldn't just throw that away now. If the rumor was Memphis, UCF and 2 Catholic non-FB schools, I might bite - or if two FB schools had already announced that they were leaving - but this move by itself doesn't make any sense.