All Conference Realignment Discussion(SEC, ACC, Big XII, Pac12, TA&M, FSU, Big East)

[slick1ru2]

Also today, the Big East's first commish died.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sns-tsn-aen-gavitt-obit-p1-20110917,0,5202662.story

Big East founder Dave Gavitt dies

Providence, RI —

Big East Conference founder Dave Gavitt has died. He was 73 years old.

Gavitt was the driving force behind the Big East, which formed as a basketball league in 1979. He served as the Big East's first commissioner from its inception until 1990, and was also instrumental in expanding the NCAA men's tournament to 64 teams in 1985.

The Rhode Island native coached Providence from 1969-79, leading the Friars to the Final Four in 1973. He guided the school to 209 wins, including eight straight 20-win seasons, and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Gavitt was named the head coach of the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1980, but the squad never made it to the Moscow Games because of the U.S.-led boycott. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Died on the same day the conference he founded died...

Can we wait and see? UL already said they are staying for now. And the conference was supposed to die when Miami and company left.

Its DEAD

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-fbc-acc-talks,0,1249080.story

FSU has confirmed that the ACC had voted to add Pitt and Cuse... if WV leaves then the conference will implode...

Woolard and Gentshaft need to be right now on the phone with the SEC, we could possibly get into the SEC in place of WV or when Baylor's lawsuit is over with we could be the 15th or 16th SEC member.

Right now BAYLOR is ******* us over... they are stopping A&M from going to the SEC and UT, OU, OSU, and TT from going to the PAC... the only way that we end up in a good conference is if the SEC goes to 16 teams. The ACC will never take us because they have both FSU an Miami, they are not going to want a third Florida team.

I can see the SEC taking WV, Louisville, and USF... who the **** else are they gonna take to reach 16?

Its been DEAD before. Has history taught you NOTHING?

ACC Invites Miami, Virginia Tech

Big East's Boston College, Syracuse Are Excluded

By Josh Barr

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, June 25, 2003; Page D01

After 11/2 months of deliberations, discussions and telephone meetings, the Atlantic Coast Conference stunned nearly everyone last night, extending invitations to Virginia Tech and Miami, according to a source close to the situation. Boston College and Syracuse -- Big East schools that had gone through a formal process to receive invitations -- were not included, the source said.

"It's all new," another source said, shocked that a proposal that had never previously been mentioned emerged last night.

The expansion is expected to occur for the 2004-05 season.

Last night's conference call between ACC university presidents was one of the closing chapters in a lengthy saga. It marked a 180-degree reversal for Virginia Tech, which last night had yet to learn of its invitation from the ACC according to a university spokesman, and remains a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by five Big East schools against the ACC, Miami and Boston College in an attempt to stop expansion.

"If you argue some kind of contiguous ACC, then you're picking up teams within the ACC," said the source close to the situation.

Multiple sources said that ACC university presidents pledged to keep last night's events in confidence so that the four affected Big East schools could be notified.

A news conference at league headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., is expected to be held today.

A spokesman for Syracuse last night said his school had heard nothing from the ACC.

The conference's original expansion plan -- which included Boston College and Syracuse in addition to Miami -- unraveled from nearly a done deal in mid-May to a political football that resulted in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit and public relations battle, with many school administrators facing awkward decisions.

"Obviously we haven't distinguished ourselves in how we've gone about this," Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said at a news conference yesterday afternoon before last night's events. "That's sad. . . . We have to be sensitive to our brethren in other conferences. This isn't about big business swooping in and getting another company and if that's what it's about, the hidden cost there is the destruction of in essence what intercollegiate sports should be about.

"I hope we mend fences because we've obviously gone into another person's yard with our tractor-trailer and knocked down a few trees."

With Duke and North Carolina solidly opposed to a three-team expansion, the original plan was foiled when Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner and Attorney General Jerry Kilgore used their political influence to force University of Virginia President John Casteen to protect Virginia Tech's interests, sources said.

The ACC then explored other options, according to multiple sources. League attorneys examined the ACC bylaws and constitution to explore the possibility of changing them so that six votes -- and not seven -- could ratify an expansion, sources said. Casteen floated the idea of adding Virginia Tech to the original three proposed members, but that unraveled because of concerns that a 13-team league was not financially attractive.

That left the ACC with two expansion options, replacing Boston College or Syracuse with Virginia Tech in a three-team expansion or adding only Miami.

The only way that a three-team expansion could occur was if Virginia Tech was included so that Casteen could vote for expansion.

Duke and North Carolina officials endorsed the idea of adding only Miami, as did former Big East Commissioner Dave Gavitt and Rutgers Athletic Director Robert Mulcahy, who saw it as a compromise solution.

It is the third time the ACC has expanded. The conference previously added Georgia Tech in 1979 and Florida State in 1992. South Carolina left the league in 1971.

Miami and Virginia Tech have until Monday to notify the Big East that they will leave the conference before the Big East exit fee doubles to $2 million.

The schools are expected to pay a $3 million entry fee to the ACC, though that payment is expected to be spread out over their first few years of membership and deducted from their annual conference payout.

Although NCAA rules require a conference to have 12 members in order to stage a conference championship football game, it is expected that the ACC will attempt to change that so that a conference with 11 members could hold such a game. An ACC championship game, which likely would be held in Jacksonville, Orlando or Charlotte, could be worth $12 million.

"It's a rule; Moses didn't bring it down from the mountain top,"

Krzyzewski said. "It's not etched in stone. Why not attack the rule and say, 'Look, why can't we have a playoff with 10 teams?' " In order to change existing NCAA rules, the ACC could propose legislation that would need to be approved by the Division I Management Council comprised of 49 athletic officials and the Board of Directors, comprised of 18 college presidents and chancellors. An NCAA official said if the legislation is proposed promptly and passed, it is possible that it could be enacted before the 2004 football season.

It remains unclear what is next for the Big East. When it seemed that losing only Miami was the most likely scenario, a league source said that the Big East's top preference to replace Miami was Louisville.

[Cow Pie]

Also today, the Big East's first commish died.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sns-tsn-aen-gavitt-obit-p1-20110917,0,5202662.story

Big East founder Dave Gavitt dies

Providence, RI —

Big East Conference founder Dave Gavitt has died. He was 73 years old.

Gavitt was the driving force behind the Big East, which formed as a basketball league in 1979. He served as the Big East's first commissioner from its inception until 1990, and was also instrumental in expanding the NCAA men's tournament to 64 teams in 1985.

The Rhode Island native coached Providence from 1969-79, leading the Friars to the Final Four in 1973. He guided the school to 209 wins, including eight straight 20-win seasons, and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Gavitt was named the head coach of the U.S. Olympic basketball team in 1980, but the squad never made it to the Moscow Games because of the U.S.-led boycott. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Died on the same day the conference he founded died...

Can we wait and see? UL already said they are staying for now. And the conference was supposed to die when Miami and company left.

Its DEAD

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-fbc-acc-talks,0,1249080.story

FSU has confirmed that the ACC had voted to add Pitt and Cuse... if WV leaves then the conference will implode...

Woolard and Gentshaft need to be right now on the phone with the SEC, we could possibly get into the SEC in place of WV or when Baylor's lawsuit is over with we could be the 15th or 16th SEC member.

Right now BAYLOR is ******* us over... they are stopping A&M from going to the SEC and UT, OU, OSU, and TT from going to the PAC... the only way that we end up in a good conference is if the SEC goes to 16 teams. The ACC will never take us because they have both FSU an Miami, they are not going to want a third Florida team.

I can see the SEC taking WV, Louisville, and USF... who the **** else are they gonna take to reach 16?

Its been DEAD before. Has history taught you NOTHING?

ACC Invites Miami, Virginia Tech

Big East's Boston College, Syracuse Are Excluded

By Josh Barr

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, June 25, 2003; Page D01

After 11/2 months of deliberations, discussions and telephone meetings, the Atlantic Coast Conference stunned nearly everyone last night, extending invitations to Virginia Tech and Miami, according to a source close to the situation. Boston College and Syracuse -- Big East schools that had gone through a formal process to receive invitations -- were not included, the source said.

"It's all new," another source said, shocked that a proposal that had never previously been mentioned emerged last night.

The expansion is expected to occur for the 2004-05 season.

Last night's conference call between ACC university presidents was one of the closing chapters in a lengthy saga. It marked a 180-degree reversal for Virginia Tech, which last night had yet to learn of its invitation from the ACC according to a university spokesman, and remains a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by five Big East schools against the ACC, Miami and Boston College in an attempt to stop expansion.

"If you argue some kind of contiguous ACC, then you're picking up teams within the ACC," said the source close to the situation.

Multiple sources said that ACC university presidents pledged to keep last night's events in confidence so that the four affected Big East schools could be notified.

A news conference at league headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., is expected to be held today.

A spokesman for Syracuse last night said his school had heard nothing from the ACC.

The conference's original expansion plan -- which included Boston College and Syracuse in addition to Miami -- unraveled from nearly a done deal in mid-May to a political football that resulted in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit and public relations battle, with many school administrators facing awkward decisions.

"Obviously we haven't distinguished ourselves in how we've gone about this," Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said at a news conference yesterday afternoon before last night's events. "That's sad. . . . We have to be sensitive to our brethren in other conferences. This isn't about big business swooping in and getting another company and if that's what it's about, the hidden cost there is the destruction of in essence what intercollegiate sports should be about.

"I hope we mend fences because we've obviously gone into another person's yard with our tractor-trailer and knocked down a few trees."

With Duke and North Carolina solidly opposed to a three-team expansion, the original plan was foiled when Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner and Attorney General Jerry Kilgore used their political influence to force University of Virginia President John Casteen to protect Virginia Tech's interests, sources said.

The ACC then explored other options, according to multiple sources. League attorneys examined the ACC bylaws and constitution to explore the possibility of changing them so that six votes -- and not seven -- could ratify an expansion, sources said. Casteen floated the idea of adding Virginia Tech to the original three proposed members, but that unraveled because of concerns that a 13-team league was not financially attractive.

That left the ACC with two expansion options, replacing Boston College or Syracuse with Virginia Tech in a three-team expansion or adding only Miami.

The only way that a three-team expansion could occur was if Virginia Tech was included so that Casteen could vote for expansion.

Duke and North Carolina officials endorsed the idea of adding only Miami, as did former Big East Commissioner Dave Gavitt and Rutgers Athletic Director Robert Mulcahy, who saw it as a compromise solution.

It is the third time the ACC has expanded. The conference previously added Georgia Tech in 1979 and Florida State in 1992. South Carolina left the league in 1971.

Miami and Virginia Tech have until Monday to notify the Big East that they will leave the conference before the Big East exit fee doubles to $2 million.

The schools are expected to pay a $3 million entry fee to the ACC, though that payment is expected to be spread out over their first few years of membership and deducted from their annual conference payout.

Although NCAA rules require a conference to have 12 members in order to stage a conference championship football game, it is expected that the ACC will attempt to change that so that a conference with 11 members could hold such a game. An ACC championship game, which likely would be held in Jacksonville, Orlando or Charlotte, could be worth $12 million.

"It's a rule; Moses didn't bring it down from the mountain top,"

Krzyzewski said. "It's not etched in stone. Why not attack the rule and say, 'Look, why can't we have a playoff with 10 teams?' " In order to change existing NCAA rules, the ACC could propose legislation that would need to be approved by the Division I Management Council comprised of 49 athletic officials and the Board of Directors, comprised of 18 college presidents and chancellors. An NCAA official said if the legislation is proposed promptly and passed, it is possible that it could be enacted before the 2004 football season.

It remains unclear what is next for the Big East. When it seemed that losing only Miami was the most likely scenario, a league source said that the Big East's top preference to replace Miami was Louisville.

I see this as a twisted game of musical chairs... we need to do everything we can to ensure that we have a seat in a stable conference, and not a seat on the deck of the titanic...

[slick1ru2]

I thought that the BE was stable after the addition of TCU. And what if the ACC gets raided? Nothing you can do but sit back and wait. I think only the SEC and PAC 10 are stable.  I just don't want to see USF drop in the quality of recruits it attracts. That is my biggest fear. Becoming a lower tier program that doesn't attract quality coaches or recruits.  I don't think the university, alumni or boosters will sit for USF not being in a BCS conference. Being ranked at this time, may be one of the best things to happen to USF. We have come to the forefront of the college world when it may help USF's future the most. 

[macphisto]

I thought that the BE was stable after the addition of TCU. And what if the ACC gets raided? Nothing you can do but sit back and wait. I think only the SEC and PAC 10 are stable.  I just don't want to see USF drop in the quality of recruits it attracts. That is my biggest fear. Becoming a lower tier program that doesn't attract quality coaches or recruits.  I don't think the university, alumni or boosters will sit for USF not being in a BCS conference. Being ranked at this time, may be one of the best things to happen to USF. We have come to the forefront of the college world when it may help USF's future the most. 

Nobody is leaving the Big Ten either. 

I'm also not worried about the Big East if Pitt and Syracuse leave.  West Virginia would be a much bigger loss.  Syracuse would be a symbolic loss.  Pitt is more of one because their football program has been stronger recently, but it still has been mediocre.

The truth is that right now West Virginia and USF are the heart of Big East football.  Big East basketball will be fine with UConn, Marquette, Nova, Georgetown, etc all staying in conference. 

And this year may play out that either we or WVU will get a BCS bid (hopefully both of us with WVU beating LSU next week and the two of us being undefeated when we meet in Tampa).  If both West Virginia and USF have great years then we both write our own tickets.

Maybe the Big East will collapse and we go Big XII.  Maybe the Big XII collapses and those teams come our way.  If Oklahoma and OSU leave then a merger would make alot of sense either under the Big XII moniker or the Big East moniker.  We could form a 14 team all sport conference and leave the rest of the Big East to their own devices, or we could bring Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, and St. John's along for all sports except football. 

The challenge would be getting Texas to agree to share revenue EQUALLY in the conference. 

[Gismo]

The presidents of the Atlantic Coast Conference voted Saturday morning to accept Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the league, according to an official in the ACC. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the league has not announced the move.

By Richard Mackson, US Presswire

The move of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC will have big effect on the changing of the conference landscape in college athletics.

Enlarge

By Richard Mackson, US Presswire

The move of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC will have big effect on the changing of the conference landscape in college athletics.

The ACC has scheduled a news media teleconference Sunday at 9:30 a.m., ET ostensibly to discuss the expansion, but no details were given.

Though news of Pitt and Syracuse's defection caught most of college athletics by surprise, the league has had discussions about expansion for the last year and the move was accelerated when Texas A&M announced its intention to join the Southeastern Conference last month, according to the official.

BLOG: Louisville AD: Big East trusted Pitt

The move would make the ACC a 14-team conference and certainly lead to speculation that the era of 16-team super conferences is about to arrive. The ACC also has not closed off its options about adding two other East Coast teams, depending on how the expansion dominoes fall in other leagues. Connecticut and Rutgers would be the candidates, the official said.

Syracuse and Pitt must give the Big East 27 months notice of their departure and pay a $5 million exit fee. Last week, in a regularly scheduled meeting ACC presidents unanimously approved raising their exit fee to $20 million - up from about $13 million - for any member leaving the conference. There has been speculation about the SEC's interest in Florida State. However, it appears FSU will stay put given Florida State president Eric Barron's stated commitment to the league and his vote for the pricey exit fee.

One official in the Big East, also requesting anonymity, said there was word about Syracuse and Pitt heading to the ACC three weeks ago. With the departure, the Big East is down to seven football schools, including Texas Christian, which joins the conference next year. News of the Big East's possible unraveling came on the heels of the death of its founder, Dave Gavitt, who died Friday night after a long illness.

More changes are expected based on the next move of several schools in the Big 12. The board of regents at Oklahoma and Texas are meeting Monday to discuss the possibility of the universities leaving that conference. Texas also made a pitch to the ACC, according to an official in the ACC.

After being silent all day, Big East Commissioner John Marinatto issued a statement late Saturday night:

"Although I was obviously very disappointed to learn the news about the ACC's being in discussions about membership with the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University, I continue to believe the Big East Conference is well positioned for the future and that the events of the past 24 hours will unify our membership. We have been working steadily to solidify and strengthen the Big East Conference and position us for our upcoming TV negotiations and I am confident that we will again emerge from this situation and remain strong."

The New York Times first reported news of the talks involving the ACC on Friday, and CBSSports.com first reported Saturday the schools had filed applications with the ACC.

In Louisville, Cardinals athletic director Tom Jurich said he initially doubted the schools were leaving.

"I didn't believe it because Pittsburgh was involved, and I didn't see where the value (is) they would bring to that league at all," he told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "That's no slap at Pittsburgh. I just couldn't see where that fit was."

In addition, Jurich said he was surprised because Pitt's chancellor, Mark Nordenberg, is chair of the Big East executive committee: "He was keeping everybody together and asking everybody to be unified. I think everybody trusted him."

Cincinnati president Greg Williams said his school remains committed to the Big East. "The Big East is a viable organization," Williams said. "I think they can survive. Syracuse and Pitt are great schools, but the Big East is a strong conference."

That does not mean he isn't surveying the landscape.

"We're always trying to get information about what's going on. We're not trying to jump to another conference. We're committed to the Big East. We think the Big East is a great conference, one that's really right for us. That's what we're committed to and hopefully that will be able to continue. If not, we're still going to be (well) situated because we're a strong athletic and academic program."

Link:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2011-09-17/acc-approves-syracuse-pittsburgh-big-east/50448806/1

[gomiami1972]

Rutgers will go somewhere due to their proximity to NYC.  They, coupled with syracuse would lock the NY market for the ACC.  I guess UCONN would also help the ACC since it would shore up the Hartford/Springfield market which fits nicely into the northern ACC profile.

I think the ACC's biggest problem is being robbed of schools like Clemson and/or FSU to the SEC.  If the ACC really wants to get to 16 teams, they might need to recruit a few more schools on top of Pitt. Syracuse, Rutgers and UCONN. 

If the Big Four conferences really all go to 16, this is going to be a fascinating and complicated mess.

[brazenbull]

ESPN reports that Syracuse and Pitt have been accepted.

[macphisto]

I'm not sure if all will go to 16.  The Mountain West couldn't keep it together in the 90s and there'll be a lot of bickering.

The ACC also is now asking for $20M to leave.  I'm not sure how many programs will want to front that kind of money.  Pitt and Syracuse sound like they approached the ACC.  UConn also fits the profile for basketball and Rutgers adds to the east coast region.  But even with those adds the ACC's football end is rather boring if FSU bolts.  Miami is facing probably about five down years (and they've been a shadow of their formers selves since joining).  FSU is looking like they're turning the corner, but they might be bailing. 

FSU, Clemson, and Virginia Tech appear to be the only programs capable of consistently putting together strong programs for football.  Duke is weak.  Georgia Tech has been up and down (though more good than bad).  Miami is sinking.  Virginia, UNC, Wake, NC State are all hit or miss.  Same for Maryland.  BC has been consistently average for a long time (though terrible this year).  And UConn, Pitt, Syracuse, and Rutgers aren't football juggernauts.  Pitt has so often failed to live up to expectations.  UConn has been a mediocre conference champ.  Syracuse has yet to return to former glory.  And Rutgers has been terrible outside of the past several years under Schiano where they've been mostly average.

If I'm FSU, I don't move because the ACC gives me the best conference to dominate in and get a shot at a BCS title.  You basically only have to worry about VT every year, for the most part.

But what if no ACC team wants to pay $20M to leave?

So the SEC would have to be looking elsewhere to get to 16.  A&M we know.  WVU has been rumored.  Mizzou?  Possible.  Baylor?  Far less likely.  Texas?  Maybe, but A&M would hate that.  Louisville?  Cincy?  USF?

Texas is the wildcard because they could help carry a new conference.

And I'm not sure the Big Ten will expand, but if they do then Mizzou would be a target.  They actually might try to pluck Rutgers because they like the market and the AAU membership.  Kansas would also be a possibility.

Who else will the PAC-12 get if Texas isn't interested? 

I think it far more likely we end up with five 14 team conferences or four 14 team conferences with the Big Ten sticking at 12.

ACC:

Boston College

Maryland

Virginia Tech

Virginia

North Carolina

NC State

Duke

Pitt

Syracuse

Clemson

Georgia Tech

FSU

Miami

Wake Forest

Big East + Big XII remnants in a new conference:

Texas

Texas Tech

USF

Baylor

Kansas

K-State

Iowa State

West Virginia (?)

UConn

Rutgers

Cincinnati

Louisville

TCU

Plus maybe one more bump up from a list of:  Boise St, Houston, SMU, UCF, East Carolina, FIU (throwing them out there, especially with Miami looking to struggle in the next few years and the upcoming stadium expansion for them), and maybe a few others.  Assuming Mizzou goes to the SEC.  You might as well create a continental conference and go with Boise State, IMHO. 

This setup would currently have six teams ranked. 

[Gismo]

I thought that the BE was stable after the addition of TCU. And what if the ACC gets raided? Nothing you can do but sit back and wait. I think only the SEC and PAC 10 are stable.  I just don't want to see USF drop in the quality of recruits it attracts. That is my biggest fear. Becoming a lower tier program that doesn't attract quality coaches or recruits.  I don't think the university, alumni or boosters will sit for USF not being in a BCS conference. Being ranked at this time, may be one of the best things to happen to USF. We have come to the forefront of the college world when it may help USF's future the most. 

Nobody is leaving the Big Ten either. 

I'm also not worried about the Big East if Pitt and Syracuse leave.  West Virginia would be a much bigger loss.  Syracuse would be a symbolic loss.  Pitt is more of one because their football program has been stronger recently, but it still has been mediocre.

The truth is that right now West Virginia and USF are the heart of Big East football.  Big East basketball will be fine with UConn, Marquette, Nova, Georgetown, etc all staying in conference. 

And this year may play out that either we or WVU will get a BCS bid (hopefully both of us with WVU beating LSU next week and the two of us being undefeated when we meet in Tampa).  If both West Virginia and USF have great years then we both write our own tickets.

Maybe the Big East will collapse and we go Big XII.  Maybe the Big XII collapses and those teams come our way.  If Oklahoma and OSU leave then a merger would make alot of sense either under the Big XII moniker or the Big East moniker.  We could form a 14 team all sport conference and leave the rest of the Big East to their own devices, or we could bring Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, and St. John's along for all sports except football. 

The challenge would be getting Texas to agree to share revenue EQUALLY in the conference. 

I wouldn't want USF to be in the shadow of the Longhorns with their network and ESPN bias. This is part of what triggered A&M to reach out to the SEC. The Longhorns had made concessions to the BigXII about the network content but then a rouge blogger's freedom of information act request revealed that Texas had been disingenuous with the rest of the BigXII teams. They agreed to no HS or live conf games on the network but then TX after the network got started made moves for both offering Texas Tech a few million to air their game on LHN but Tech basically said to screw off. I don't think Texas will give up their network and I think they have a high chance of ending up independent in football like ND because conferences don't want their network baggage.

It's that type of stuff within the BigXII which is why the conference is falling apart. They have some strong teams right now (TAMU, OU, Texas, Baylor, OSU all ranked and Mizzou just fell out) but they are not united.

[Gismo]

This has also been reported by USA Today, who also hinted that the announce would be 9:30am Sunday.