Insider Claims Memphis, Maybe ucif, To Be Announced As Big East Members Soon

[Bullpride08]

oh my that's the biggest bunch of fiction I've read to date on the subject.

A few keys:

1.  the BE absolutely hated Calipari.  In fact his involvement with the athletic department for Memphis was a negative, not a positive.  For mr. sammy to suggest his departure gave the BE pause, is ludicrous.  His involvement, remember he was at Umass and was a dirty recruiter that many BE schools ran into-- there are three high level coaches that would bare his entrance at all costs.

2.  the football schools complaints do nothing.  ZERO!  This is a democratic vote, and the hoops schools dominate the landscape.  They will NEVER add 20 teams to the conference.  NEVER/EVER/NEVER.  The reason is smaller schools like Nova, and Quette make good money on the hoops revenue.  They are not diluting that for football.

3.  the mear mention of USM by someone explains the joke.

4.  Memphis fans have been pontificating on this since 2004, nothing new, even their AD is delusional on the subject.

5.  Suggesting Memphis would bring the Liberty Bowl, when the LB just signed a new agreement with C-DOA.  They couldn't bring that bowl right away.

6.  The Big East's tv contract isn't up for renegotiation for 3 more years.  Meaning they would have to share the revenue with these other teams.

The only scenario that possibly could be at play here is some of these schools would be added for football only, and a deal has been worked out with the non-football schools.  In conjunction with this Memphis would bring the Liberty Bowl (which would be impossible since the agreement the LB has is with C-DOA and was recently extended).   The football tv revenue is so bare right now, that it doesn't make sense to dilute it with 4 more teams.  As disappointing as this may sound, USF could not afford to give away that type of revenue without something in return.  The conference championship game would need to generate a ton of money to equate.

[bull2saintleo]

Those three don't give 12. ND better be part of the package then. I take it Memphis would bring te BEast the Liberty Bowl. What is ECU and UCF bringing?

http://ucf.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=899500

According to this, UCF is working to bring a bowl game to the Mickey Mouse Bounce House.  I hear rumors that with the auto industry hurting, that the GMAC Bowl in Mobile may lose sponsorship and could be relocated for 2010.

[nobull.Bulls]

Yeah thats a lot of BS

1. Just to clarify with everyone, Notre Dame will NEVER join the big east or any conferences because they are not going to share the profit from their TV Deal with NBC, and other bowl profits.

2. Memphis...may have a shot down the road....MAYBe, but probably not.

3. UCF, nope! just look at how there football team has done by end of the year. bad play will not get you in a BCS conference.

[Bullpride08]

well something happening might be a bonus considering our scheduling issues

It may seem crazy but a split conference in hoops with 9/10 teams each might work-- especially if they can find a way to break it up right.

add three more teams and you can split into two divisions in football ala SEC and have a championship game (probably at whoever has best record instead of a "site" like the ACC and SEC does-- that can be a real problem filling up.

we'll see - the thing I doubt most about this is the timing they are pronouncing. 6 months is very fast, unless it is simply an announcement of expansion plans that start in 2011 or 2012. We'll no doubt have to play some CUSA home and home games throughout the league (each team playing some, mostly the new members though) if we take 3 off of them. adding two might make more sense. Not sure I am thrilled about the teams under consideration but the logic is there.

Revenue Mike, revenue.  All of this stuff people like  because it sounds good, it's good for scheduling...it's all fans pontificating.  But is Marquette, St. Johns, and the others going to agree to break up their revenue for hoops- their life blood- to pay to 4 other teams?  Basically cutting a 5th of their revenue away?  

NO WAY!  The football  programs have no leverage.  It's not happening no matter how cool it sounds, how nice it looks...etc.

[BullsFanInTX]

what a bad move to bring in c america teams

big east is better standing pat

sometimes best moves are no moves

I couldn't agree more with this.  Why become even more of a laughing stock by coming CDOA, part II.

If, and a huge IF, the BE must expand, bring in ECU as a FB only.  Otherwise, stand pat, sit back and see what happens.  See if any of the candidates truly warrant expansion.  At this point, they do not.

[usf97]

The part about this that does not make any sense is why would you bring in 3 members? What would that do. You go from 8 to 11 football schools. Can't have a championship game with 11. Now you have to split the money up 3 more ways and have no new revenue. I have said all along, I could see Memphis being invited but that is it. They were on par with Louisville, Cincy and us when we left C-USA. Again, as many have said, where would you "fit" all of these teams in basketball. Mind you Depaul and Marquette don't seem to really fit geographically but they somehow make it work.

[KyleC]

Ya'll need to give ECU much more credit, I live in and work in Washington, D.C. and I was surprised at how many alumni they have up here.  They also LOVE their football and will bring another team from the South into the Big East.

[usf97]

According to this article Tranghese denies anything is going on. Interesting read posted today on the subject.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/sep/17/tranghese-proud-of-tiger-fans/

[Guest Scherdin]

Won't happen because UCF is not a basketball program or a football program

Memphis won't get in, cause they are not a football program and their basketball program may slowly fall apart without Calipari and they have a bit of a cheating and graduation problem

And ND will never join a conference with NBC paing the way

The BE will have to stay the same for a while

[dabull80]

Ya'll need to give ECU much more credit, I live in and work in Washington, D.C. and I was surprised at how many alumni they have up here.  They also LOVE their football and will bring another team from the South into the Big East.

Anyone that really follows college football knows ECU has had very good teams in the past and has a fine tradition and following.  You are so right on that.  BUT - that's the big but - NO TV market and almost impossible to get there- not as bad as USM but still tough.