Big East commissioner mentions Air Force as a target; what does that mean?

[WoolyBully]

Rebranding: This might be a good time to develop a new conference brand, somewhat removed from the old Big East baggage and something that represents the coast-to-coast presence. Big East? Yeah, assuming your point of reference is Catalina Island.

Adding USAFA/BYU: I think, at this point, our conference is picking the best of what's left, as there doesn't seem to be a lot of Big[?] schools looking towards a future with us, so much as we seem to be pining for an opening in one of the Big[?] conferences. If one of those other conferences were to come calling, would USF say "Nah, that's ok...we're cool where we are."? While I do think USAFA/BYU add to the conference, it's the NBC TV deal that is going to do soooooo much more for the conference.

[cubuffsdoug]

Money talks. We get enough money and the ACC is in danger of breaking up or at least losing FSU and someone else. That would greatly lower their stock as a conference.

It is a foregone conclusion that the conference will be getting substantially more in their next deal than they are getting in their current one. That will help improve all the programs. In addition, being on NBC weekly will improve visibility and that will help recruiting. Greater national exposure for the conference also means greater exposure for the athletes, making them more likely to draw attention and climb up draft boards.

I think we can still be a better football conference than the ACC and PAC-12 overall and be on equal footing with the Big XII. The SEC and B1G would be high orders to challenge, but I think we can long term be the #3 or #4 conference and, frankly, I think we are better balanced than most conferences. Unless Temple reverts, we don't really have any perpetual bottom dwellers like a Duke, Indiana, Iowa State, or Stanford (sure, they've been better lately, but without Harbaugh and Luck, I expect them to plummet back down to Earth).

Here's what I found in the Sagarin ratings which is used to judge the quality of a conference:

2011

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 BIG 12 (A) = 83.61 82.83 ( 1) 10 83.08 ( 1)

2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 80.88 81.60 ( 2) 12 81.27 ( 2)

3 BIG TEN (A) = 75.55 75.30 ( 4) 12 75.49 ( 3)

4 PAC-12 (A) = 74.72 75.38 ( 3) 12 75.14 ( 4)

5 BIG EAST (A) = 72.41 72.86 ( 5) 8 72.82 ( 5)

6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 71.92 71.49 ( 6) 4 71.59 ( 6)

7 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 71.23 71.03 ( 7) 12 71.06 ( 7)

8 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 66.04 65.79 ( 9) 12 65.98 ( 8)

9 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 65.86 66.22 ( 8) 8 65.85 ( 9)

10 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 63.73 63.94 ( 10) 8 63.92 ( 10)

11 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 63.53 63.31 ( 11) 13 63.51 ( 11)

2010

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 PAC-10 (A) = 80.87 81.43 ( 1) 10 81.14 ( 1)

2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 79.84 79.56 ( 2) 12 79.72 ( 2)

3 BIG 12 (A) = 75.42 75.64 ( 3) 12 75.66 ( 3)

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 74.32 74.18 ( 6) 12 74.20 ( 6)

5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.18 74.72 ( 4) 11 74.52 ( 4)

6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 73.88 74.27 ( 5) 3 74.21 ( 5)

7 BIG EAST (A) = 73.27 73.00 ( 7) 8 73.04 ( 7)

8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.19 70.24 ( 8) 9 70.03 ( 8)

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 66.63 67.69 ( 9) 9 66.90 ( 9)

2009

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 80.48 81.07 ( 1) 12 80.87 ( 1)

2 BIG EAST (A) = 77.33 76.97 ( 2) 8 77.06 ( 2)

3 PAC-10 (A) = 76.23 75.45 ( 5) 10 75.77 ( 4)

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 76.04 75.90 ( 3) 12 75.92 ( 3)

5 BIG 12 (A) = 74.61 75.54 ( 4) 12 75.32 ( 5)

6 BIG TEN (A) = 73.74 74.49 ( 6) 11 74.30 ( 6)

7 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 71.04 69.61 ( 8) 3 70.09 ( 8)

8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.92 71.48 ( 7) 9 71.29 ( 7)

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 65.46 66.03 ( 9) 9 65.52 ( 9)

2008

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 78.31 79.08 ( 1) 12

2 BIG 12 (A) = 77.86 77.80 ( 2) 12

3 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.70 77.67 ( 3) 12

4 PAC-10 (A) = 76.14 75.39 ( 4) 10

5 BIG EAST (A) = 75.23 74.11 ( 5) 8

6 BIG TEN (A) = 73.21 73.49 ( 6) 11

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.90 71.72 ( 7) 9

8 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 65.88 65.75 ( 8) 12

9 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 64.26 63.74 ( 10) 4

2007 CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 81.99 81.83 ( 1) 12

2 PAC-10 (A) = 79.47 79.63 ( 2) 10

3 BIG 12 (A) = 78.62 78.35 ( 3) 12

4 BIG EAST (A) = 77.46 77.12 ( 4) 8

5 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 75.21 74.98 ( 5) 12

6 BIG TEN (A) = 74.63 74.17 ( 6) 11

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.95 70.84 ( 7) 9

8 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 61.74 61.79 ( 8) 4

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 61.29 61.72 ( 9) 9

10 SOUTHERN (AA)= 60.50 59.92 ( 11) 8

11 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 59.54 60.06 ( 10) 12

2006

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 81.60 81.23 ( 1) 12

2 BIG EAST (A) = 79.57 79.90 ( 2) 8

3 PAC-10 (A) = 78.78 79.15 ( 3) 10

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 75.49 73.79 ( 6) 12

5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.89 75.62 ( 4) 11

6 BIG 12 (A) = 74.34 74.01 ( 5) 12

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 68.34 69.30 ( 7) 9

8 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 65.97 65.74 ( 8) 4

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 63.88 64.92 ( 9) 9

10 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 63.58 64.00 ( 10) 12

This goes back to the last BE raid.

Average sagarin rating based on order of finish doing this period:

1) SEC

2) Pac 12

3) Big 12

4) BE

5) ACC

6) Big 10

Big 10 is all hype right now. If you move teams around to their new leagues like BSU to the BE, WVU to the Big12 and A&M to the SEC, etc,. the BE is in a dead heat for 3rd with the Big 12. BSU 10 win seasons and victories against "named" opponents really help. Also, Houston to my surprise since '06 has been 10-4, 8-5, 8-5, 10-4, 5-7, 13-1 with a few victories over some named opponents too.

[NCBull]

Money talks. We get enough money and the ACC is in danger of breaking up or at least losing FSU and someone else. That would greatly lower their stock as a conference.

It is a foregone conclusion that the conference will be getting substantially more in their next deal than they are getting in their current one. That will help improve all the programs. In addition, being on NBC weekly will improve visibility and that will help recruiting. Greater national exposure for the conference also means greater exposure for the athletes, making them more likely to draw attention and climb up draft boards.

I think we can still be a better football conference than the ACC and PAC-12 overall and be on equal footing with the Big XII. The SEC and B1G would be high orders to challenge, but I think we can long term be the #3 or #4 conference and, frankly, I think we are better balanced than most conferences. Unless Temple reverts, we don't really have any perpetual bottom dwellers like a Duke, Indiana, Iowa State, or Stanford (sure, they've been better lately, but without Harbaugh and Luck, I expect them to plummet back down to Earth).

Here's what I found in the Sagarin ratings which is used to judge the quality of a conference:

2011

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 BIG 12 (A) = 83.61 82.83 ( 1) 10 83.08 ( 1)

2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 80.88 81.60 ( 2) 12 81.27 ( 2)

3 BIG TEN (A) = 75.55 75.30 ( 4) 12 75.49 ( 3)

4 PAC-12 (A) = 74.72 75.38 ( 3) 12 75.14 ( 4)

5 BIG EAST (A) = 72.41 72.86 ( 5) 8 72.82 ( 5)

6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 71.92 71.49 ( 6) 4 71.59 ( 6)

7 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 71.23 71.03 ( 7) 12 71.06 ( 7)

8 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 66.04 65.79 ( 9) 12 65.98 ( 8)

9 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 65.86 66.22 ( 8) 8 65.85 ( 9)

10 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 63.73 63.94 ( 10) 8 63.92 ( 10)

11 MID-AMERICAN (A) = 63.53 63.31 ( 11) 13 63.51 ( 11)

2010

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 PAC-10 (A) = 80.87 81.43 ( 1) 10 81.14 ( 1)

2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 79.84 79.56 ( 2) 12 79.72 ( 2)

3 BIG 12 (A) = 75.42 75.64 ( 3) 12 75.66 ( 3)

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 74.32 74.18 ( 6) 12 74.20 ( 6)

5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.18 74.72 ( 4) 11 74.52 ( 4)

6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 73.88 74.27 ( 5) 3 74.21 ( 5)

7 BIG EAST (A) = 73.27 73.00 ( 7) 8 73.04 ( 7)

8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.19 70.24 ( 8) 9 70.03 ( 8)

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 66.63 67.69 ( 9) 9 66.90 ( 9)

2009

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50%

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 80.48 81.07 ( 1) 12 80.87 ( 1)

2 BIG EAST (A) = 77.33 76.97 ( 2) 8 77.06 ( 2)

3 PAC-10 (A) = 76.23 75.45 ( 5) 10 75.77 ( 4)

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 76.04 75.90 ( 3) 12 75.92 ( 3)

5 BIG 12 (A) = 74.61 75.54 ( 4) 12 75.32 ( 5)

6 BIG TEN (A) = 73.74 74.49 ( 6) 11 74.30 ( 6)

7 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 71.04 69.61 ( 8) 3 70.09 ( 8)

8 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.92 71.48 ( 7) 9 71.29 ( 7)

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 65.46 66.03 ( 9) 9 65.52 ( 9)

2008

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 78.31 79.08 ( 1) 12

2 BIG 12 (A) = 77.86 77.80 ( 2) 12

3 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.70 77.67 ( 3) 12

4 PAC-10 (A) = 76.14 75.39 ( 4) 10

5 BIG EAST (A) = 75.23 74.11 ( 5) 8

6 BIG TEN (A) = 73.21 73.49 ( 6) 11

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.90 71.72 ( 7) 9

8 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 65.88 65.75 ( 8) 12

9 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 64.26 63.74 ( 10) 4

2007 CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 81.99 81.83 ( 1) 12

2 PAC-10 (A) = 79.47 79.63 ( 2) 10

3 BIG 12 (A) = 78.62 78.35 ( 3) 12

4 BIG EAST (A) = 77.46 77.12 ( 4) 8

5 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 75.21 74.98 ( 5) 12

6 BIG TEN (A) = 74.63 74.17 ( 6) 11

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.95 70.84 ( 7) 9

8 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 61.74 61.79 ( 8) 4

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 61.29 61.72 ( 9) 9

10 SOUTHERN (AA)= 60.50 59.92 ( 11) 8

11 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 59.54 60.06 ( 10) 12

2006

CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS

1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 81.60 81.23 ( 1) 12

2 BIG EAST (A) = 79.57 79.90 ( 2) 8

3 PAC-10 (A) = 78.78 79.15 ( 3) 10

4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 75.49 73.79 ( 6) 12

5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.89 75.62 ( 4) 11

6 BIG 12 (A) = 74.34 74.01 ( 5) 12

7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 68.34 69.30 ( 7) 9

8 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 65.97 65.74 ( 8) 4

9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 63.88 64.92 ( 9) 9

10 CONFERENCE USA (A) = 63.58 64.00 ( 10) 12

This goes back to the last BE raid.

Average sagarin rating based on order of finish doing this period:

1) SEC

2) Pac 12

3) Big 12

4) BE

5) ACC

6) Big 10

Big 10 is all hype right now. If you move teams around to their new leagues like BSU to the BE, WVU to the Big12 and A&M to the SEC, etc,. the BE is in a dead heat for 3rd with the Big 12. BSU 10 win seasons and victories against "named" opponents really help. Also, Houston to my surprise since '06 has been 10-4, 8-5, 8-5, 10-4, 5-7, 13-1 with a few victories over some named opponents too.

Good stat find here...this is the fuel Aresco can use. But the TV markets will be much more of a bargaining chip for sure.

[slick1ru2]

Not sure what to think about a new conference logo. Is rebranding a good idea?

When the brought in the consulting firm, on Media Day, it said that ideas were put forth for branding. Sure it is.

[Ghost]

Rebranding is by far the best idea. The conference needs a new everything. If we can create a wave of momentum with a rebrand of logo(maybe name too?), teams added, and put together a quality season as a conference(beating all the teams we are supposed to beat, beating a few we arent(USF v. FSU comes to mind), and have a good bowl record, including winning whatever BCS bowl we are in), I think that will carry a lot of weight into these negotiations. 15+ million doesnt seem like a reach to me.

[HanniBull]

Granted it's a new Commish, but didn't BYU and Air Force already say no to the Big East

[Reliable Source]

Granted it's a new Commish, but didn't BYU and Air Force already say no to the Big East

Air Force said not yet(waiting for TV deal) and BYU is second choice.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Problem with saying we're a big six conference is that the other 5 don't seem to agree, and 1 vs. 5 isn't exactly a fair fight.

I think the bigger problem was seeing the first post in the thread showing someone following Fat Daddy UCF on twitter.

In all seriousness, I think we've all known that the 14th member was going to be from out West. No surprise that BYU and Air Force are being mentioned since they are the only viable options.

Nevada

What do they bring from a TV standpoint?