Big East APPROVES to evaluate expansion options

[Goldenbuc]

I do see UCiF joining though, they are drooling at the mouth to get into a BCS conference one way or another and do see them joining as a football only member with some kind of provision that they can be an all sports member IF they do x,y, & z over x amount of years.

UCF has already stated that it will not accept any football-only invite...no matter how bad they want BCS.  Our AD was adament on that topic.  He would not jeopardize the rest of UCF athletics to benefit football alone.  If there were some sort of condition of joining football only in 2012 and a guarantee all-sports invite by 2014 or something...then yes...we could do fine with that.

[BleedGreenAndGold]

I don't agree that TCU is the only school that strengthens the league.  If every other conference were a 9 team conference then you'd be right, but that's not the state of things.  Houston, UCF and ECU are all solid.  They would all be very competitive in short order.  Top to bottom the Big East would be stronger than the MWC and WAC certainly and as strong as the ACC, who's auto-bid isn't being questioned by the way.  I'm not enamored with the idea of a 12 team conference but that's the way it's going to be I'm afraid.

TCU is ranked #3 in the BCS right? They have national appeal. ECU, UCF, and Houston do not have that at this time. Adding TCU alone makes the Big East stronger than the future MWC.

Not sure why the ACC's auto bid isn't being questioned. The Big East champion has finished ahead of the ACC champion in 4 of the 5 years since realignment, so if the Big East is to be questioned, then so should the ACC.

I still don't see the league going to 12 teams. You need look no further than the ACC to see that going to 12 teams doesn't necessarily mean better things.

TCU has national appeal right now because they're #3, if they were 7-2 no one would care about TCU.  That said, they're consistently good and would be a good add to the conference with an immediate impact in terms of perception.  Personally, I'd love a ten team conference, the scheduling nightmare goes away and a round robin format is certainly preferable to not playing everyone every year.  I don't think 12 teams is a magic bullet, but it may be a necessary evil and is preferable to what we have now.

The ACC isn't being questioned due to perception. The Big East needs to at least appear to be getting stronger.  I just don't think the quality over quantity argument is going to hold.  Eventually we need to be the same size as the other conferences for perception if nothing else.

[smazza]

not making national news like

pac 10 or big ten expansion

of big 12 implosion

big east has no juice

[mikemcp88]

Personally, if UCF did end up joining the Big East, I wouldn't mind it from a rivalry standpoint. I thinks it's exciting to play a team that you can't stand so much. I live in Ann Arbor and the days and months leading up to the Michigan-Ohio State games are exciting. Even though they hate each other, fans of both teams still enjoy the intensity of the matchups. Michigan loves having the chance every year to ATTEMPT to beat down the one team they hate the most. Even Michigan-MSU is pretty intense around here with a ton of MSU alumni in this area. I am not trying to compare these rivalries, b/c you can't, but my point is it can be exciting.

I want at least TCU to join

[BullTide]

as much as it pains me to say this i would like to see UCF added along with TCU.  TCU is obvious but UCF i would like to see join because i hate their guts so much as i do Rutgers.  Todays game against Rutgers is not only a day i have circled on my calender when they announce the football schedule but also during the basketball and soccer seasons.  their is nothing more that i would love to see then these teams lose to USF.  Todays game in my mind is almost like a bowl game in the fact that is that important to me to see USF win because of my strong dislike for rutgers(i'm not saying other games on the schedule are not as important just this one is emotionally more important).  i know by adding UCF my feelings would be mutual if not stronger when playing UCF. Which in return i feel this passion can help build a stronger and more loyal fan base with USF

Also, by adding UCF to the Big East USF and UCF could have a trophy game to fuel the rivalry which the BE needs more of in my opinion.

So i say add TCU and UCF and allow Nova to start to move up so that gives the basketball schools 3 to 4 years to warm up to the idea of a 11th team in 2014

[cygnus34]

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20101102/SPORTS02/311020122/1002/sports/Big+East+will+expand+in+football+with+two+more+schools

I would be very surprised if Villanova decided to go in football.  They have for years stated they have no intention of playing big time football.  They will have to play in Philly somewhere and I do not think they have alot of support, other than basketball

[widerberg]

What's the reasoning behind the generally-negative view towards a 12 team conference? SEC, ACC, and others have 12 teams.

I would think that with the potential of losing 2 or more teams to another conference in the next few years, we'd want to pad the conference a bit. If we're at 10 and lose 3 or 4, we're done unless we pick up someone. I'd rather be proactive than reactive when the dominoes all start to fall. If we're at 12 and don't get raided, I say we could still have a solid conference. We won't be the SEC, or even the ACC, but we'll be healthy and competitive.

And in terms of AQ and the ACC, I'd say, yeah, it's about perception. But it's also about who's in the conference and what they've done. Look who's in there and who's won NCs in the past: Boston College, Clemson, FSU, Miami, Georgia Tech. How many current BEast teams have a NC?

[DELdaBull]

3 years too late

[BleedGreenAndGold]

What's the reasoning behind the generally-negative view towards a 12 team conference? SEC, ACC, and others have 12 teams.

I would think that with the potential of losing 2 or more teams to another conference in the next few years, we'd want to pad the conference a bit. If we're at 10 and lose 3 or 4, we're done unless we pick up someone. I'd rather be proactive than reactive when the dominoes all start to fall. If we're at 12 and don't get raided, I say we could still have a solid conference. We won't be the SEC, or even the ACC, but we'll be healthy and competitive.

And in terms of AQ and the ACC, I'd say, yeah, it's about perception. But it's also about who's in the conference and what they've done. Look who's in there and who's won NCs in the past: Boston College, Clemson, FSU, Miami, Georgia Tech. How many current BEast teams have a NC?

Pitt and Syracuse, but none recently.  I think a lot of the negativity, as a fan, comes from not getting to play everyone every year.  I'm sure some fans would rather have a championship game.  As a fan, I like the round robin format.  For the viability of the conference I think you go to 12 teams.

[Mama_Bull]

From a post on the UConn Scout board today:

'Nova definitely moving up, according to their AD...

ThePrideOfCT 

Posted: Today 12:17 PM

'Nova definitely moving up, according to their AD...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As reported by Jack Arute on his Sirius/XM radio show a few minutes ago.

Arute says that AD Vince Nicastro told the AP that Villanova is looking to upgrade 'as soon as possible', but will have a better idea of how soon by the end of the year.

Apparently Mr. Arute is well connected: he also said that according to his sources, when UCF was brought up in yesterday's meeting the USF folks balked. Very interesting stuff...

http://forums.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=342&f=2873&t=6639299