atl86bull

Please do not sign this contract Woolard!!  Play them at home but no return game. 

Houston announces groundbreaking for $105M, 40,000 seat stadium Feb. 8. Capacity can be expanded to 60,000. Will open Aug. 2014

20 team conference (BE & MW Merger) with two 10 team divisions in all sports:

West

Boise State

Fresno State

San Diego State

Air Force

Nevada

Wyoming

Colorado State

UNLV

New Mexico

Hawaii

East

South Florida

UCF

East Carolina

Memphis

Southern Methodist

Houston

Tulane

Cincinnati

Connecticut

Temple

Pete Thamel â€@SIPeteThamel

Three sources told me today that Boise's depature from the Big East is inevitable. “I would be shocked if it didn’t happen.â€

Retweeted by Greg Auman

Cincinnati, UConn talk of new all-sports league, could leverage ACC offer

Published 1 hour and 51 minutes ago Last updated 1 hour and 22 minutes ago

Mike DeCourcy Sporting News

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With the likelihood their athletic programs will be left without a conference as soon as next season, officials at longtime Big East members Connecticut and Cincinnati are exploring multiple options regarding their future.

The seven non-football Catholic universities in the Big East are expected to formally announce their withdrawal from the league soon, and the other members are operating under the assumption the Big East as they know it will not be in operation next year.

UConn and Cincinnati could lead the way for a new league that includes current Big East and Mountain West programs. Or it could all just be a leverage ploy against the ACC.

Sources close to the discussions told Sporting News on Friday that one possibility to give the Bearcats and Huskies a home, which is at the early stages of discussion, would be a cross-continent all-sports league involving disenfranchised members of the Big East as well as the most prominent members of the Mountain West.

The proposed entrants would be UConn, Cincinnati, South Florida, Memphis, Temple, Boise State, San Diego State, UNLV, New Mexico and possibly BYU or Central Florida. Such a league would include football programs that are comparable and competitive, as well as extraordinary basketball featuring eight teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season. NBC Sports Network is likely to be approached to gauge its interest in such a property.

In order to form such a league, however, UConn and Cincinnati would have to make some sort of profound commitment -- perhaps even a “grant of rights†similar to the Big 12’s, meaning they’d lose their media revenue for the length of time if they leave -- to convince the Western schools involved that they would not exit immediately if invited to join the ACC.

That could become leverage to convince current members of the ACC -- especially some of its more vulnerable longtime schools, such as Duke and Wake Forest, to invite Cincinnati and UConn now and bring the current conference membership to 16.

Because at some point, perhaps soon, the Devils, Deacons and one or two others might be left behind as ACC core members with more football power (Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech), larger fan bases (North Carolina, NC State, Virginia) and bigger markets (Georgia Tech) are swept up by the far-richer Big Ten and SEC and the slightly richer Big 12.

There is no short of awareness inside the ACC that such possibilities exists.

They’ll have Syracuse, Pitt and Louisville to help keep them company if several members depart, but would that be enough?

If they can get UConn and Cincinnati at a discount, why not move now?

Should the “Transcontinental Conference†became a reality, it would include three former NCAA basketball champions (UConn, Cincinnati, UNLV) and two others with multiple Final Four appearances (Memphis, Temple). Plus, UConn, Cincinnati and Boise State have all made BCS bowl games in the past five seasons.

Travel would be an obvious hassle for all involved, particularly in regards to non-revenue sports, but options are not plentiful for those teams that either have been in the Big East for years or were planning to join in the near future.

Just slip out the back, Jack

Make a new plan, Stan

You don't need to be coy, Roy

Just get yourself free

Hop on the bus, Gus

You don't need to discuss much

Just drop off the key, Lee

And get yourself free

South Florida: Don't be surprised if Western Kentucky head coach Willie Taggart and San Diego Chargers special teams coordinator / assistant head coach Rich Bisaccia emerge as candidates. Sources tell me that University of Arizona co-offensive coordinator / running backs / associate head coach Calvin McGee will be interested. You could see South Florida make a run at Texas Tech head coach Tommy Tuberville.

Greg Auman â€@gregauman

USF will announce firing of football coach Skip Holtz at 1 p.m. news conference. Bulls lost 12 of last 14 Big East games, finished 3-9.

Brett McMurphy â€@McMurphyESPN

Skip Holtz fired after 3 seasons at USF, sources told @ESPN

I have son at UGA and I went to USF. Believe me, I would much rather be a Bulldog today as I'm fans of both programs. Not even close.

It makes too much sense to combine resources and put this stadium on the USF campus. The economics of sharing a stadium could make a deal come together but I sense the soccer owners are going to want their own stadium.

More so than the Big East or Big 12

Our record vs. the ACC is better than our Big East record. We belong in the ACC and it would be great to be in a conference that is based in the southeast. ACC opponents would enjoy Tampa for away game especially in November and December.

Clemson (1-0)

Florida State (1-1)

Miami (1-3)

North Carolina (2-0)

North Carolina State (1-1)

Notre Dame (1-0)

Pittsburgh (3-6)

Syracuse (6-1)

16-12

http://www.gousfbulls.com/pdf8/949491.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=7700

BJ has been a great role model and has represented our university well. Difficult to see him go down with an injury but he needs to be proud of what he has done at USF.

This is Skips record if he would have held onto leads vs. his actual record at USF - 13 potential wins. USF lost nine games under Holtz in games that we had a fourth-quarter lead and four more in which we were tied. Difference from being coach of the year to being fired.

All football programs go through ups and downs (Florida was 0-10-1 in 79) and this is the first time our team has really struggled. We all hate losing but we need to support our team as I'm sure the players and coaches feel much worse than any fan about the current situation. We can't accept losing but lets not be so personal when it comes to calling out players and coaches. Do changes need to be made - yes - but let the season play out and make rational decisions at the end of the season. This team is not that far away from being good but if we stop supporting our team things could get much worse. Bulls fan for life!!

I'm staying there with 3 other USF alumni - using FSU allotted tickets!!! We have a big suite and will be parting pool side by Oystercatchers with some FSU guys (bringing their RV to the game). We will be rubbing in the 17-7 win up until kickoff. Hope the Bulls give them a game as this is my annual USF football weekend. Usually pretty lucky on USF football weekends - Auburn, Kansas, Notre Dame, FSU - just to name a few wins. May need more than luck this weekend.

At least we are not Miami... http://sports.yahoo....799--ncaaf.html

From USA Today ranking of BE stadiums: http://sports.photos.usatoday.com/gallery/Ranking-the-Big-East-football-stadiums?mediagallery

Big East: On-campus sites are where it's at

7) USF, Raymond James Stadium: Raymond James is an NFL stadium and it feels like that taking in a game. There have been a handful of memorable moments, but the seas of empty red seats look and feel ridiculous.

RJS is a great NFL stadium but nothing compares to an on campus experience for college football.

Nice surprise when they get back from Vero

They timed their stay in Vero to coincide with upgrades being made back on campus to the locker rooms in the Selmon Athletic Center

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/usf-bulls-look-forward-to-annual-training-trip-to-vero-beach/1244943

If we can get a $14 million per team Big East TV contract from NBC then USF Athletics would have an additional $10 million per year to finance a stadium. Donations, naming rights, increase to student fees, TV contract money, etc... can get it done. A $120 - $150 million stadium is in reach if the administration wants to make it happen.

I would have liked to see a little more research put into the article. Funding options, student interest (interview students - would they be willing to increase student fees), how have the UCF, FIU, FAU stadium projects been received (pros and cons), potential locations, overall benefits to the university, future BCS conference type discussions (we get dinged by playing off campus which may keep us in a lesser conference), potential sponsors (USF's Outback Stadium - get your free onion rings when the Bulls win!!). Wish the article had a little more substance.

Multiple ways to finance college stadiums

http://espn.go.com/b...ollege-stadiums

Multiple ways to finance college stadiums

June, 14, 2012

Jun 14

11:08

AM ET

By Kristi Dosh | ESPN.com

A city, county or other outside entity sometimes also acts as landlord, as is the case with county-owned Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where South Florida plays its home games. In 2011, the agreement called for $145,000 per game in licensing fees for use of the lower bowl and two club lounges. In addition, an 8 percent surcharge was added to the sale of each ticket and remitted to the stadium authority.

Greg - Has Woolard ever mentioned that he would like to start a fund raising campaign or does he need a major donation before he would ever consider the fund raising efforts. If you lay out a plan maybe the donations would come.... I know I would stroke a check.