USF/Big East Realignment Discussion Thread

[Roderick]

Big 12 staying put, Big East to add up to five teams, potentially Navy, Air Force, ECU, UCF.  Meeting concluded at 9:15 PM- few details here:

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2011/09/big_east_athletic_directors_an.html

[chrisdashley]

MEAC.... here we come!

[macphisto]

So looks like we might end up with a bunch of nothing.  Big XII stays put.  I'll betcha the PAC-12 will decide NOT to expand.  The ACC will stick with 14.  The SEC will probably stay at 13 because prying Mizzou away would open up the door to litigation and the Big XII staying together will secure the legal waivers desired for the SEC.

And the Big East might be adding five schools.

We probably should bet on the service academies.  Army, Navy, Air Force are pretty good gets.  Army not so much, but Navy and Air Force both have been solid over the past several years.  I'd bet that Houston will be on the list with Genshaft pushing for them and Louisville apparently siding with us on them in the past.  Renu Khator, their Prez, also has USF ties.  

I'd say ECU would be the fifth team.  They get strong ratings in Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Norfolk.  

Not trying to knock UCF, but ECU is more appealing.  Houston + TCU gives us the Dallas Ft. Worth Metroplex and Houston.  Army, Navy, and Air Force give us a national audience with so many active military, reserves, and veterans that will take an interest.  UCF has a lower draw in Florida than USF while East Carolina expands the conference into North Carolina and Virginia.  

ECU does well on TV in:

Charlotte (1.75 million met area)

Raleigh-Durham (1.1 million met area)

Greensboro-High Point (about 725K met area)

Norfolk (1.7 million met area)

Wilmington (365K met area)

So East Carolina would bring the Big East into a new region and has shown the ability to draw good ratings in several markets.  

Last year when UCF finished ranked they had trouble drawing great viewership in Orlando.  I'd be interested in them as a 13th or 14th if it ever came to that, but not as a 11 or 12.

[bullsbucsfan426]

Well, the Pac-12 has decided against expansion. Not sure if anyone posted this.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6998751/pac-12-officials-decide-expansion

That would indicate that our position is suddenly a lot more dangerous. Can we get into the Big 12 now? Not sure.

[redfisher78]

Pac 12 not expanding is worst case scenario. We are now stuck in the BE and will have to add non BCS teams. Crap.

[Reliable Source]

We actually come out of this smelling like a rose. We weren't a traitor like PITT, SYR, WVU, UCONN and Jersey Shore. We get to use the weasels until we have a great option. Mr. Potato Head seems to be growing a pair(Pitt, Syr stuck in BE until 2014) ACC really look like morons, hired 2 mediocre adds that can't play for 2.5 years. SEC also bought high on Mizzou and aTm. B12 is screwed basically a conference that NO ONE wants to be in. We add Navy Houston,  KU and KSU. Leave OU And UT to crap in their car. We till have AQ status and we get to grow up even more.

[South_Florida_Flip]

We add Navy Houston,  KU and KSU.

Who would be the 12th team?

[GaUSFBull]

Now that the Pac-12 is not expanding, the B12 is actually not screwed and will be in good shape - unless the SEC decides to add Oklahoma et al.  That's pretty much the only viable option for those teams other than the B12.  The SEC doesn't have to decide for a while so I predict things will be in limbo for a while longer there.  We'll add some teams (no service academies, please) but will still be at risk for poaching from the B12 because they will already be down 3 teams due to Nebraska, Colorado and TAM gone.  Now that the Pac-12 has bowed out, the SEC holds all the cards.  

[Reliable Source]

We add Navy Houston,  KU and KSU.

Who would be the 12th team?

Prob come from the pool of UCF(yech) Air Force and ECU

[nobull.Bulls]

Just go ahead with merge with Big 12 and say adios to the basketball members!