(01-29-2016 07:52 PM)_C2_ Wrote:  That language was confusing in the OP, so as I remember it, you have to have a certain amount of members who have been together for a certain amount of years to draw an auto-bid or a certain amount of members must stay together for a significant amount of years. This explains why the new Big East immediately had access to an auto-bid while the Great West didn't and couldn't dream of it realistically.

And now, if I'm reading the thread right, it appears there are no more auto-bids to be had.

The language is confusing, but if you follow the chain of references to references, you never get to 7-schools-for-8-years or 6-schools-for-5-years or anything like that.

All you get is sponsor-a-sport-for-8-years, sponsor so many mens and so many womens, and so many men's and womens' team sports for 8 years. Which the Great West never had a prayer of doing.

People are relying on their memories of what the rules are, but the problem is that only tells you what the rules used to be.

The Big East didn't get an autobid because we met the requirements. We got it because everyone agreed that we should have it.