Big East In serious trouble of being carved up (link)

[BullsFanInTX]

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/04/big-ten-reps-to-talk-expansion-in-dc-on-sunday.html

Accelerated timetable for Big Ten expansion

Remember the talk that the Big Ten would take 12-18 months to decide whether to expand?

An accelerated timetable has emerged, according to sources familiar with the process.

High-ranking Big Ten representatives will meet Sunday afternoon in Washington D.C. to discuss expansion. The timing and location of the session make sense considering the Association of American Universities is holding its semi-annual meetings in D.C. from Sunday-Tuesday, and all 11 Big Ten schools are AAU members.

Among those attending will be Northwestern President Morton Schapiro, according to a university spokesman, and University of Illinois interim chancellor Robert Easter.

If the league can emerge from the D.C. meetings with a mandate to expand, commissioner Jim Delany could take a substantial step next week at the annual BCS meetings, outside Phoenix.

As laid out in the Big Ten's Dec. 15 statement, Delany would "notify" the commissioner(s) of the affected conference(s) before "engaging in formal expansion discussions with other institutions."

In other words, Big East commissioner John Marinatto would get a heads-up if the Big Ten wishes to contact schools such as Rutgers, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

That would allow the Big Ten more than a month to negotiate with schools before conference presidents and chancellors meet in Chicago during the first weekend in June.

That timetable also makes sense from a financial standpoint. The fiscal years of universities end on the last day of June, "so if you go past July 1, then you have to wait an extra year," said one source.

Delany could not be reached for comment Saturday and has declined interview requests, saying he's in a "silent phase."

The thinking among those in touch with Big Ten officials is that the league is likely to add at least three schools -- to end up with a 14- or 16-team league.

"I don't think 16 is scaring anyone off, as long as you can find that many (five) that are a good enough fit," said one source who has been consulted during the conference's exploratory phase. "They're looking long-term, across the horizon. What gives them the best shot at keeping value at a high level?"

Notre Dame remains Option A, though observers are flummoxed about the school's intentions because of seemingly divergent statements made by Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick.

By joining the Big Ten, the Irish could increase their annual TV revenue from roughly $12 million to $22 million per year, get a national TV platform (the Big Ten Network) for its top-notch Olympic sports and decrease travel costs for its teams.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5106766

The Big Ten expansion process will accelerate this week in Washington, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune.

Sources tell the Tribune top Big Ten officials will discuss expansion Sunday in Washington, the site of the Association of American Universities meetings.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany confirmed in a text message to ESPN.com he will be attending the AAU meetings. The Tribune reported Northwestern president Morton Schapiro and University of Illinois interim chancellor Robert Easter also will be attending.

Delany had no other comment to ESPN.com, saying he's still "in a silent phase" regarding expansion.

The Big Ten said in December its expansion study was expected to take 12-18 months. The league also said in a Dec. 15 statement it would notify the commissioners of any affected conferences before engaging in formal discussions about expansion.

The BCS meetings take place next week in Phoenix, so the Big Ten could notify other leagues at that time. The Big Ten holds its meetings of coaches and athletics directions May 17-19 in Chicago, and the league's presidents and chancellors meet two weeks later in Chicago.

A Big Ten athletic director told ESPN.com on Thursday that the league's athletics directors hadn't had formal discussions about expansion with Delany or other top officials.

[MarketingGuy]

Win/Lose for us Big Ten AND Big East fans.. LOL.

Excited to see the Big10 grow to 14-16 teams. Not as happy to see teams being pulled from the Big East, because it'll mean the BE will get stuck pulling teams out of sub-par conferences.. CUSA, MAC, etc. UGH.

I'd rather see Big10 pull some teams from Big12. Big12 is kind of a joke anyway. Grab Mizzou, Nebraska, Pittsburgh.. I'd be happy with that. Pitt feels awkward in the BE anyway to me. Convince ND to pull in to the Big10.. and add one more to make it 16.

Mizzou and Nebraska already said they're on board.

[cmhatter]

honestly i don't care what happens as long as we remain an AQ school.

[BullsFanInTX]

Oh, what to do if you're the BE leadership.  Add the likes of TCU, Houston, Memphis, ECU, and (gulp) UCF?.  Break away and form new conference?   Or hope the ACC goes to 16, which may happen if B10 does?  As long as what ever remains is an AQ conf. and I think it will be with WVU, UL, UC, USF, UConn and possibly Pitt left behind.   

[cmhatter]

Oh, what to do if you're the BE leadership.  Add the likes of TCU, Houston, Memphis, ECU, and (gulp) UCF?.  Break away and form new conference?   Or hope the ACC goes to 16, which may happen if B10 does?  As long as what ever remains is an AQ conf. and I think it will be with WVU, UL, UC, USF, UConn and possibly Pitt left behind.   

either the BE adds schools or pray that the ACC wants us

[BullsFanInTX]

We absolutely must have a big year this year to be attractive in the event of conference realignments.

[outrunner]

We are at the doorstep of the Super-Conference era. If the Big 10 raids the Big East and Big XII, then expect the dominoes to start falling elsewhere.  

Big XII goes after MWC & CUSA (TCU, SMU, Houston)?  ACC goes after remnants of Big East? Big East picks off CUSA & MAC?  PAC 10 goes after WAC & MWC? SEC goes after......or they still have their heads up their rears?

[Joe]

Who knows what will happen. I'm pretty sure if more than one Big East team is picked off we're in serious trouble.

The ACC has two things going for them. First they're very big on academics which is why Syracuse and BC were their original targets in expansion. When the Virginia legislature stepped in for Va Tech they took Cuse off in favor o the Boston Market (heh).

Schools like Louisville didn't get a look because of academic standing.

Then you have the legisature of NC who will undoutably step in for ECU.

If we lose one team, say Rutgers, we'll add UCF and move on.

[813knight]

I don't know why any growing program(Rutgers) would to possibly part of a 16 team super conference, it's even a lower chance of ever making it to a BCS game and would most likely be a revolving door of traditional powers at the Big bowl games every year. But it's all about money.

[USFMikeB]

All it will take is one team to leave for UCF to get invited to the BE.  I absolutely believe they'll be the first school up for the BE, but they may not take the spot.  They seem to think they have an edge for getting into the SEC or ACC, and may defer to see if that happens.