Another Big East Raid on the Way?

[cygnus34]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/2007-07-25-network-expansion_N.htm

[bullcocky101]

I don't think the 'cuse will leave...Rutgers might, but even that is a long shot.

[TyBull]

If they cannot get Notre Dame involved...

then they will go after Mizzou.....

[Joe]

If Louisville or Rutgers is offered a spot in the Big 10, they're gone. No doubt.

[Jihme]

If Louisville or Rutgers is offered a spot in the Big 10, they're gone. No doubt.

So they want to be the new Big 12???  ;D

[Jamie]

Rutgers is too far east, I would think.

I think the two most likely targets are Missouri and Louisville. If Missouri gets picked, some wrongs can be righted. TCU would get a shot to join the Big XII like they should have been all along, and Boise State can move up to the MWC.

If Louisville gets picked, who knows what happens.

[Sunil]

Lousiville might make geographic sense to give their Network another state to broadcast...but so would WVU or Pittsburgh. Honestly, I can't see the upside to those schools in football...the path to the BCS is easier when you're one of 9 schools..why go to a 12 team divisional format with championship game.

What I take from this is that we will see another conference shake-up in the next 2 years or so...I believe it's inevitable. Big Ten could add a school..or maybe they finally decide Indiana isn't pulling it's weight. There have been rumblings about the ACC possibly losing Maryland or BC... Big East would like to have a 9th football school..but only if it is the right school.

The big money of these TV contracts makes this stuff an issue as each conference tries to jockey for larger markets and broadcast rights. It would not shock me at all to see schools like UCF, TCU, or Boise St.  jump in on the BCS party in the near future.

[Buller64]

If the B10 expands the most likely school would be Mizzou.  With Mizzou they get both KC and St Louis no other school brings that to the table.  Mizzou is also competitive in all sports and has repeatedly stated that they would like to be members of the B10, especially with annual rivalries with Iowa and Illinois. This would allow TCU (a former member of the now dead SWC) to become a member of the B12. 

If the BE expands look for them to add TCU  DFW would be more appealling than all other options available.  UCF would not get in the conference because of opposition from USF, UL and WVU who all recruit the central Florida region.

[Jamie]

I don't think the Big East would add a school unless one were removed. If the Big 10 did expand and they took Missouri, TCU would go to the Big 12 and the Big East would be left alone.

[Joe]

I don't think Missouri has a itch to move conferences just yet. Remember the Big 12 gets similar money to the Big 10 as far as TV contracts, etc.

I think you're more than likely going to see Rutgers as their top target. Although they are not IN NYC, they have that market. Delany said the move would be in a bigger market for TV purposes.

If Missouri does jump, I think the first target of the Big 12 would be Arkansas. I doubt they'd leave the MILLIONS the SEC makes them, but Arkansas is a SWC team, not a SEC team. Then you'd have an opening in the SEC...Georgia Tech or Clemson would be their 1st targets...Then the ACC has to fill the void...WVU, Rutgers, Louisville...Then the Big East...TCU, UCF, Memphis, Marshall...

None of that will happen. If I were a betting man, I'd guess that the Big 10 will add another team by 2011, and it will not be Missouri. I think they will give Notre Dame one last shot. However, with the recent move of dropping Michigan (apparently because of Michigan wanting ND to become a B10 member) I don't see it happening. I would think that they would then move to the Missouri, who will decline. Then go to UL, Rutgers, or Pitt and one of those teams wouldn't think twice about not taking the $40M a year the Big 10 gets for football alone and jump over.