(10-17-2012 06:54 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote: [ -> ]With 14 I am not sure how important markets are this point because the Big East is pretty much in every major market already. I think we are looking at value for the tv deal, travel partners for either our eastern or western schools, impact on bowl games, and basketball.
I am answering this before reading past it, so forgive me if someone else already responded. But your main point is absolutely correct: more large markets really don't matter at this point. If it is a bonus for a team you otherwise want, great. But another top 50 market really won't matter for TV value at this point. A better option is a team with sex appeal, product appeal, or just rivalry appeal. BYU is great not because it is in a top 50 market, which it would share with the Pac 12 BTW, but because of their product, their success, and name brand. The mere fact that most of you seem to agree that BYU is the best option, then talk about the need for markets, shows a lack of commitment to one logic rhythm or another. If it was about markets, UNLV, New Mexico, Hawaii, FIU/FAU, UMass, Northern Illinois, Towson (sorry I went to school there so I had to mention them), Tulane, Buffalo, Colorado St, and Middle Tennessee St would all be ranked above BYU, Air Force, and Army on the wish list.
When the Big East lost some teams and needed to replenish, it made sense to look for teams with large markets such as SMU, Houston, and UCF, with Temple and Memphis added later to replace teams lost. But notice they were also the top (available) programs at that time with the most recent success in the BE region (cases can be made for USM and ECU, but the others were hot at the right time). Being in big markets certainly helped, but for the most part, was secondary to other attributes that made those programs attractive. With so many large markets in play now, one more won’t help nearly as much as a team that helps the on-field product.
Outside of BYU where there is no debate, and Air Force who brings more TV cache, ECU with a generally positive football history, an average attendance of 50,000 plus, the ability to fill a whole in the Olympic sports schedule, and being in an area that craves what the Big East is most known for (basketball), ECU is definitely a good dark horse candidate. Moreso than Fresno (sorry western fans, but you willingly joined an eastern based conference. No complains that further expansion did not include more western teams).
But I said before, outside of BTU and AFA, Hawaii to me is a better option than anyone else out west including Fresno. It adds 5 games to the TV package more than any other school (when you play @ Hawaii, you can play 13 games), adds even more time zones to the TV package, and is a hell of a recruiting tool (you'll get to go to Hawaii once in your 4 years here). But that is just me.
Also note, there are no travel partners available (of reasonabel additions). Travel partners need to be within a bus ride of another member, otherwise if you have to get on a plane to get there, you are not a "travel partner." UCF/USF are travel partners. UofL/UC are travel partners. SMU/Houston are borderline since you'd probably get on a plane to go from one to the other but you coudl drive. Boise/SDST are not travel partners, because once you have to go to the airport and get on a plane, it makes little difference between flying 500 miles and 800 miles time wise.
Remember Navy was the brain child of the of John Marinatto not new Big East commissioner Mike Aresco. 
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