Big East may become a casualty of conference realignment

[oochymp 2,393]

Sources: 7 leaning to leave Big East

Updated: December 13, 2012, 12:21 PM ET By Brett McMurphy, Andy Katz, Dana O'Neil | ESPN.com

 

The presidents of the Big East's seven Catholic, non-Football Bowl Subdivision schools are expected to decide on their future in the Big East in the coming days, and it "would be an upset" if they remained in the league, sources told ESPN.

 

The seven schools -- DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova -- are "close to a consensus on what they want to do next," a source said Wednesday.

 

The presidents of the seven schools conducted a teleconference with Big East commissioner Mike Aresco on Thursday morning.

 

The presidents are expected to issue a statement on their schools' future in the next 24 to 48 hours, but a source from one of the Catholic schools told ESPN on Thursday morning that "our presidents continue to explore all possibilities.

 

"If the seven schools decide to move to a new league, they would 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 would keep their bid after a move together.

 

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the article continues to explain the issues and states that these seven schools could vote to dissolve the conference, which would take a 2/3 majority but there are currently only 10 voting members (those seven plus Cincinnati, UConn, and South Florida) I'm not sure where that would leave those other three schools or the eight schools that are scheduled to join the Big East over the next three years, even with all of the moves that have already taken place in conference realignment this still has potential to cause a bigger shakeup than even what we've already seen

 

I thought about putting this in the other sports section since it's primarily motivated by basketball, but the impact would be felt just as strongly in the college football world

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Good. The Big East doesn't deserve to be a BCS conference.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

This effects basketball more than it does football. IMO

[oochymp 2,393]

This effects basketball more than it does football. IMO

on it's face that's true, but if the Big East is dissolved then suddenly all of the schools who were trying to go there to get into an AQ conference (Boise, San Diego State, Houston, SMU, and others) are left looking for somewhere to go, and then there's still UConn, Cincy, and USF looking for a decent football conference, as much of a joke as the Big East is in football this is a pretty significant change to the entire college sports landscape

[BradyFan81 404]

As a college football and bball fan, I don't really see this as a bad thing. Football wise I don't give a shit and basketball wise it will just make all the other conferences stronger if they join the ACC and Big 12 etc etc.

Edited December 14, 2012 by BradyFan81

[oochymp 2,393]

As a college football and bball fan, I don't really see this as a bad thing. Football wise I don't give a shit and basketball wise it will just make all the other conferences stronger if they join the ACC and Big 12 etc etc.

I don't see all seven joining an already strong conference (and it does look like they're staying together) because they're making the move because they're tired of dealing with football schools (and the other conferences aren't looking to add basketball only members) I think they're more likely to form their own conference but I've also heard strong rumors of them joining the A10, which would make the A10 a pretty strong bball conference

Edited December 14, 2012 by oochymp

[BradyFan81 404]

Oh that's interesting. Are the other 8 teams (Syracuse, Pitt, ND, Louisville, Cincinnati, UCONN, etc) staying in the Big East or will they move also? I'm pretty sure ND is moving to the ACC in a few years anyway.

Edited December 14, 2012 by BradyFan81

[oochymp 2,393]

Oh that's interesting. Are the other 8 teams (Syracuse, Pitt, ND, Louisville, Cincinnati, UCONN, etc) staying in the Big East or will they move also? I'm pretty sure ND is moving to the ACC in a few years anyway.

the only other three teams currently in the Big East with no arrangements in place to move are UConn, Cincy, and USF (Pitt, Syracuse, ND and Louisville are all going to the ACC and Rutgers is going to the Big Ten, not sure who else you're wondering about) but they're also adding 8 new teams over the next three years (which are listed in the full article in the OP)

 

I'm really interested to see how this goes down, it looks like the seven schools splitting off may be able to keep the Big East name, they're probably not going to dissolve the league just to make the split smoother, also apparently Gonzaga has expressed interest in joining the new bball conference, but I think the geographic limitations would probably prevent that from happening

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

on it's face that's true, but if the Big East is dissolved then suddenly all of the schools who were trying to go there to get into an AQ conference (Boise, San Diego State, Houston, SMU, and others) are left looking for somewhere to go, and then there's still UConn, Cincy, and USF looking for a decent football conference, as much of a joke as the Big East is in football this is a pretty significant change to the entire college sports landscape

Indeed it is. However, I think it will be better for the Big East not to have an AQ bid, and force these teams to test their worth in real conferences...like the Pac 12, ACC, the Big 12..which has lost quite a few members, and I'm pretty sure the SEC is not going to allow a majority of those teams to join the conference. Texas A & M and Mizzou were added this year, and they had enough trouble trying to get in for a while.

 

 

Bradyfan, I don't know about the other schools. But this is Syracuse's last year in Big East Sports, they're going to be entirely ACC as of next year.

[oochymp 2,393]

so, apparently dissolving is off the table, the rules involve not only a 2/3 vote but also at least two non-FBS and two FBS members voting to dissolve, and none of the three remaining FBS members have any interest in dissolving (they'll probably keep the BCS AQ for whatever that's worth with playoffs coming) but with the seven schools leaving as a group they won't have to pay an exit fee