USF/Big East Realignment Discussion Thread

[Jake_Ryan]

Forget the ACC, because they already have the Florida market with UM and FSU (who are not going to the SEC). Forget SEC for us. No other viable conferences geographically.

We will be stuck with Big East and whatever remnants remain. They will probably add UCF, and the scraps of Big 12. And we will have to just smile an pretend we like it.

[tampabull]

There is no way the SEC takes WV as #14. 

i agree it will most likely be mizzou.

[NCBull]

There is no way the SEC takes WV as #14. 

i agree it will most likely be mizzou.

Why would the SEC stop at 14?  Agree WVU is not #14, but they could easily be #15 or 16.

[Dogma]

how does the "27 month notice" thing play out in all this? Are they still in BE for two more years?

Yup..

Which may lead to some interesting games/tailgates

[Jake_Ryan]

There is no way the SEC takes WV as #14. 

i agree it will most likely be mizzou.

Why would the SEC stop at 14?  Agree WVU is not #14, but they could easily be #15 or 16.

Agree that WV has better chance of being 15 or 16 but I still don't see it. They don't bring any TV market, no money. SEC can have anyone they want. I just don't see them settling for WV ever.

[NCBull]

There is no way the SEC takes WV as #14. 

i agree it will most likely be mizzou.

Why would the SEC stop at 14?  Agree WVU is not #14, but they could easily be #15 or 16.

Agree that WV has better chance of being 15 or 16 but I still don't see it. They don't bring any TV market, no money. SEC can have anyone they want. I just don't see them settling for WV ever.

They bring a huge loyal fan base....with the revenue that commands.  No "settling" about that.

[redfisher78]

how does the "27 month notice" thing play out in all this? Are they still in BE for two more years?

Yup..

Which may lead to some interesting games/tailgates

No. They would not stay for that long. They would work out a financial arrangement with the BE to get our earlier.

[Jake_Ryan]

NC Bull - rabid fan base doesn't matter. It's about the TV dollars. And WV has no value to SEC.

[macphisto]

how does the "27 month notice" thing play out in all this? Are they still in BE for two more years?

It's been called negotiable, but money talks.  A majority of remaining Big East teams would have to approve any exception, so they need 8 votes from the 14 teams remaining to get a shorter exit.  

I think a lot will be predicated on if the other Big East schools feel they can adapt more quickly.  I doubt they will easily approve a move for next year since we're in the season and scheduling problems exist.  Pitt and Cuse will probably want to do it more quickly because they haven't filled out their schedules for next year yet.  They both only have three teams scheduled (Pitt has four, but if they go ACC then Virginia Tech becomes an in conference game - and VT might not be thrilled because they already need one more game to fill out their schedule and Pitt joining next year would mean they'd need to find two more teams to play).  

If the remaining Big East teams fold in with the remaining Big XII teams then Pitt and Cuse would likely be let go for the regular exit fee, though the basketball schools might prove to be a pain in the butt for them.  Nova, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's, and DePaul (even ND, who would basically be downgraded to a lesser conference for their non-FB sports) are an eight team bloc that can block expediting the process.  

I'd guess the ACC doesn't want to get sued either, so they'll want Pitt and Syracuse to be able to get out cleanly.  I expect the SEC set the standard when it comes to legal waivers.

Remember, Notre Dame also would lose their bowl tie-ins if the Big East folds because we negotiate those together.  So Notre Dame does have an interest here.  This is the first time where I think they could conceivably join the Big Ten.  With the Big Ten paying out around $18M per school, that's greater than what they get from NBC and the Big East (around $14M).  And NBC's ratings continue to be down with NBC seriously pursuing a conference tie-in.

I think the most likely scenario is the the Big East folds as a football conference.  The Big XII also folds.  The remnants of both come together and form a new continental conference.  If the organizations fold, the TV contracts will void and the new conference is free to negotiate a new TV deal and come to an arrangement with the bowls as well.  

1. Texas

2. Texas Tech

3. Missouri

4. Kansas

5. Baylor

6. K-State

7. Iowa State

8. USF

9. Rutgers

10. UConn

11. Cincinnati

12. Louisville

13. TCU

14. West Virginia

Rutgers or Mizzou might go Big Ten to balance out ND IF they would decide to finally join a conference.  Then you pick from Houston, SMU, UCF, Boise St, etc.  

If it were me, I'd also look at bringing in several of the bball schools:  Marquette, Villanova, Georgetown, St. John's.  Doing so would get their votes to fully break up the Big East.  Then go out and let ESPN, NBC, and Fox bid on a TV contract while launching a national network that whoever wins that contract will manage.

[mikemcp88]

As long as we can be in a BCS conference, I don't care where we go.