Big East v. ESPN - Tortious Interference

[BullyPulpit]

If contact negotiations end up falling through between the Big East and ESPN, I would love to see the brass in Providence sack up and file a Tortious Interference suit against ESPN. Based upon everything that we have seen and heard, I feel pretty confident that the Big East would prevail in a suit against ESPN. From the poaching of Pitt and Syracuse by the ACC (ESPN's involvement has already been alluded to by Boston College reps) to the defection of Notre Dame, ESPN seemingly has their fingerprints all over these moves. At the very least, the discovery process would be very interesting and would shed light on how all of this maneuvering went down.

[Matt]

i dont know. i think it would be a waste of time and look like sour grapes. it has been pretty well documented that the future of the Big East as a viable conference has been in question for some time (even prior to Pitt and Cuse leaving). I think it would be pretty easy to ESPN to state the case that these schools acted on their own best interest and not that of the networks

[GaUSFBull]

Looking like sour grapes < doing what you need to do to survive and/or protect your interests

[Matt]

I just don't think it would have any resolution that would help the Big East survive or protect their own interests. Just seems like an easy case to defend.

[BullyPulpit]

I am willing to bet it wouldn't be a waste of time. And, quite frankly, who cares if it looks like sour grapes. ESPN has been the one reporting the demise of the Big East. Then they create the conditions to bring about that demise. It is called a self-fulfilling prophecy and further proves the undue influence ESPN has had in this entire process. If PITT and Cuse were still in the Big East, TCU and WVU most likely would have stayed as well. Add in Boise State and our conference would be ahead of the ACC in football. The problem was that ESPN already had the ACC locked into a contract and didn't want the Big East to get any more powerful before contract negotiations, so they crippled the conference.

[BullyPulpit]

I just don't think it would have any resolution that would help the Big East survive or protect their own interests. Just seems like an easy case to defend.

It wouldn't be an easy case to defend if it can be shown that ESPN interfered with existing contractual relationships in the Big East. Additionally, the resulting damages of losing TCU and WVU could be attributed to the tortious interference. If this was put in front of the right Federal Court judge the Big East would have a decent case, IMO.

[Joe]

Good luck proving it.

If the league could they would.

[Matt]

I really think the Big East days were numbered when Miami, Virigina Tech, and BC left. And who is to say WHAT TCU and Boise St would have done.

When the Big 12 lost Missouri and A&M- TCU would have still went to Big 12 if they came called no matter who was in the Big East. And as for Boise St- if the Big East didn't also agree to add other teams from the mid-west, west coast- who knows if they would have stayed or maybe followed TCU to the Big 12.

.

[BullyPulpit]

In this electronic age, unless ESPN was communicating via courier pigeons there will be a paper-trail. You want to see a University President or AD squirm....just set them for deposition. I have insight into the Plancher v. UCF case and I know all about the athletic department depos and what transpired. A capable attorney will get the information out of them.

[GaUSFBull]

I just don't think it would have any resolution that would help the Big East survive or protect their own interests. Just seems like an easy case to defend.

It wouldn't be an easy case to defend if it can be shown that ESPN interfered with existing contractual relationships in the Big East. Additionally, the resulting damages of losing TCU and WVU could be attributed to the tortious interference. If this was put in front of the right Federal Court judge the Big East would have a decent case, IMO.

Wouldn't this depend on if there was a clause in the contract to not talk to other conferences about changing membership, which certainly there must not have been? Not to mention that each team has negotiated a buyout so that takes care of the contractual relationship.