What Happens If we're REJECTED!!!!

[CTEagle]

Given the fragile state Big East Football it would be suicidal for them to invite anyone who is not a sure thing. Rejections would definitely spell the end of the football league.

Of course, it may be just what Providence is looking for!

 

[ctchamps]

Marinatto is not running this ship. Any conference alignment is being run by the presidents of the BE university. Marinatto is just their messenger.

ESPN is at risk if all the optimum moves take place for the BE.

The BE is still a formidable BB conference. If they add a Temple or a Butler, that would undo some of the lost cache by Cuse and Pitt leaving. BB will still be impacted but the conference will remain a force in the college bb landscape. The arrangement of adding football only schools does not dilute the basketball side of the equation.

The football additions are critical. Forget history. People watch winners. People shift their viewership faster than ever. Loyalty is diminishing. The loss of Cuse and Pitt is not critical in football. The addition of Boise is critical. Adding Airforce, SMU, Houston, Navy and UCF, could be very attractive to Comcast/NBC. People were talking about the BE getting a big upgrade in its contract in 18 months before the Cuse and Pitt defection. The increased monies were based on comparisons with other conferences. And most people said football was the mover. So how does the loss of Cuse and Pitt, two mediocre football programs, and the addition of a Boise state, two Texas teams, and service academies, look less attractive to the media football wise?

I would love to see these schools come in. And I would love to see a bidding war between Comcast and the ESPN for the BE.

 

[gars44]

Marinatto is not running this ship. Any conference alignment is being run by the presidents of the BE university. Marinatto is just their messenger.

ESPN is at risk if all the optimum moves take place for the BE.

The BE is still a formidable BB conference. If they add a Temple or a Butler, that would undo some of the lost cache by Cuse and Pitt leaving. BB will still be impacted but the conference will remain a force in the college bb landscape. The arrangement of adding football only schools does not dilute the basketball side of the equation.

The football additions are critical. Forget history. People watch winners. People shift their viewership faster than ever. Loyalty is diminishing. The loss of Cuse and Pitt is not critical in football. The addition of Boise is critical. Adding Airforce, SMU, Houston, Navy and UCF, could be very attractive to Comcast/NBC. People were talking about the BE getting a big upgrade in its contract in 18 months before the Cuse and Pitt defection. The increased monies were based on comparisons with other conferences. And most people said football was the mover. So how does the loss of Cuse and Pitt, two mediocre football programs, and the addition of a Boise state, two Texas teams, and service academies, look less attractive to the media football wise?

I would love to see these schools come in. And I would love to see a bidding war between Comcast and the ESPN for the BE.

Keeping WVU and Louisville is critical also.

Regarding Marinatto, the fact is that the presidents and administrators don't trust him to run the ship. So yes, the Presidents do not delegate him very much authority, but there is a definite reason for that.

 

[ctchamps]

Keeping WVU and Louisville is critical also.

Regarding Marinatto, the fact is that the presidents and administrators don't trust him to run the ship. So yes, the Presidents do not delegate him very much authority, but there is a definite reason for that.

Absolutely keeping WVU and Ville are critical. The 10 million exit fee only works if the BE can get a decent contract in 18 months. It is the combination of these two that is necessary to stabilize the BE, imo.

There are two problems. The BE does not get the academies and/or Boise. Without them the next contract won't be enough to keep the BE attractive for UConn, WV and Ville. And 18 months is a long time for nothing else to happen.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

My gut feeling on this is that the only thing that will prevent UCF, Houston and SMU from accepting BE invitations is if they do not receive them. The two football only to schools in the mountain time zone are a different issue and I personally believe that the third (Navy) holds they key here. Navy's reluctance (considering everything I personally believe that it goes far deeper than merely exit fees) is what is preventing Air Force from joining. Boise St, would be on an island thousands of miles away from the conference (and on another island as football would be the only conference program) if Air Force doesn't join. I imagine that they have not yet made their decision but that they will think long and hard before deciding. During this time the MWC will work non stop to try to convince Boise St tha the better home for them is the MWC.

If the conference has second thoughts on adding the two Texas schools without the two Mountain schools (which was implied last night), we should just end this charade now as this would be absolute evidence that nobody has both a clue how to save this mess and the leadership ability to get the necessary parties on board. If this is our reality, we may as well throw in the towel, call the remaining football schools a football conference (even though the NCAA will not recognize it), find a way to fill out a football schedule and figure out a path to a better home down the road as that will be the only possible positive strategy remaining.

 

[UConnJim]

Remember, Navy's AD, Chet GladchuK, was BC's AD in the early to mid 90s. Thus, he probably has good BE contacts and understands the issues with the BE. He was also AD at University of Houston. I would think he has pretty good insight about what is going on with conference realignment and the stability of the BE.

 

[ctchamps]

I agree Ffld, Navy holds the key for Air Force, and Boise will be reluctant to join without Airforce.

I also agree, without Boise and AirForce, adding SMU and Houston would not be helpful. The conference would be lost football wise and should make the best of things by going with regional football programs, such as Memphis, Temple, Buffalo and UMass. That would be horrible, but the conference would be dead anyways.

From UConn's standpoint, the best option if this were to happen, would be the hope that the ACC gives them an invite down the road.

 

[UConnJim]

Adding SMU and Houston would be a good move. Both schools were once members of the SWC, one of the power conferences. They both have terrific football coaches and are located in 2 large cities in Texas. Houston is in the top 25 this year and SMU beat TCU and is also getting top 25 votes.

 

[tzznandrew]

Houston, SMU, and UCF are solid additions no matter what. If BSU and AFA don't join, that causes problems because I don't think Temple or (god-forbid) UMass would want to be football-onlies.

 

[Yonick]

We can talk about adding teams to the BE all year. Bottom line is the world knows WV, Louisville, UConn & Rutgers want out of the BE in the worst way. Why would Navy & Air Force wish to join a sinking ship. Boise State would've been a great addition had Syracuse, Pitt & TCU remained. But Boise won't want to come east considering these BE football schools will most likely all be gone within 2 years.

 

[Hoophound]

We can talk about adding teams to the BE all year. Bottom line is the world knows WV, Louisville, UConn & Rutgers want out of the BE in the worst way. Why would Navy & Air Force wish to join a sinking ship. Boise State would've been a great addition had Syracuse, Pitt & TCU remained. But Boise won't want to come east considering these BE football schools will most likely all be gone within 2 years.

I don't get this. Bring in the best schools you can. Do what you have to do to convince them and IF a better conference comes calling, pay the fee.

 

[tzznandrew]

We can talk about adding teams to the BE all year. Bottom line is the world knows WV, Louisville, UConn & Rutgers want out of the BE in the worst way. Why would Navy & Air Force wish to join a sinking ship. Boise State would've been a great addition had Syracuse, Pitt & TCU remained. But Boise won't want to come east considering these BE football schools will most likely all be gone within 2 years.

Because even without those schools, the BE is better than whatever conference they are in.

 

[EricLA]

I don't think that Boise St and Air Force are off the table for the Big East. The only people reporting that they have declined the BE invitation is ESPN. If you listen to the ESPN reports, their source is that the MWC and CUSA leaders told ESPN that Boise St, Air Force, SMU, and Houston all voted for the merger and told the conference officials they were committed to the league. But we all know how much that 'commitment' really means. That was before they were officially invited to the Big East.

I think that ESPN is jumping the gun here. I really find it hard to believe that the Big East is stupid enough to invite schools if they didn't already work out the details of the acceptance.

well i sure hope you are right. obviously my preference is to move to the ACC, if they ever invite us. but if they don't, we are stuck in the BE. i hope that if the SEC or any other conference expands, they poach the ACC instead of WVU and L'ville. until there is some movement OUT of any of the 5 remaining BCS conferences, there won't be a place for us at the big boy table.

 

[Adios]

This is better than the schools who left us. I think Navy would join this, too. More people would watch this conference than the ACC.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

That ticker is still running. I guess Marinatto's grand plan forgot to include schools that said "yes".

Houston and UCF would join ni matter what. But to be turned down by boise St. and ? Egads.

I wouldn't be surprised if all of the football only invites are rejected. Most schools would prefer to play all sports in one conference so the MWCUSA may very well be more attractive to them. I'd expect that Houston, SMU, and UCF will say yes just to boost their hoops and get a BCS bid. This puts us at 9 football members and I would honestly like to see Memphis, Temple, and ECU brought in for all sports to get to 12. I would honestly tell Nova that we'll let them move up in exchange for letting Temple in for all sports and add them both. I'd then invite UMass as well so that we'd have 14 for football and 21 for basketball. With UConn, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Louisville, Villanova, Temple, Memphis, UMass, and Georgetown the potential would definitely be there for this to still be the greatest basketball conference ever and football would be solid with a national footprint.

 

[Adios]

I don't think you get it. What makes athletic departments (and schools) powerful is money. Best way to get money for sports is TV. Whether I like it or not. This conference can do better than the ACC. The ACC has four freaking schools in North Carolina. We have four in Florida and Texas. And Boise State has a national football program. They developed so fast. And they want to develop their school. We can't forget what Jim Calhoun did for us, can we?

 

[Adios]

How the the heck is it our commissioner looks like a clown and the conference gets it done so well?? Pitt, Syracuse, and BC must be feeling jealous deep now. Traditions do change. We've gotten to witness it.

 

[huskydave]

CFU is huge.

Literally one of the biggest schools in the nation. They will bring plenty of potential revenue to the conference.

SMU is a super wealthy school with checkered yet storied history. They have a big fan base that will be thrilled to play in an AQ conference.

Houston has tradition, a Heisman winner, and new facilities on the way. Let's not forget they are in the fourth largest market in the nation. Lots of TV sets equals leverage when negotiating our deal with NBC ....

Two teams in TX and two teams in FL means we will almost certainly be visiting both these recruiting hotbeds once a year.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

CFU is huge.

Literally one of the biggest schools in the nation. They will bring plenty of potential revenue to the conference.

SMU is a super wealthy school with checkered yet storied history. They have a big fan base that will be thrilled to play in an AQ conference.

Houston has tradition, a Heisman winner, and new facilities on the way. Let's not forget they are in the fourth largest market in the nation. Lots of TV sets equals leverage when negotiating our deal with NBC ....

Two teams in TX and two teams in FL means we will almost certainly be visiting both these recruiting hotbeds once a year.

I think this has the potential to get us a very solid TV deal. I've thought so and been saying it for a while. I definitely don't want to deal only with ESPN either at this point. I'd be OK if we split it between them and another network like the Pac 12 did with Fox but honestly would be thrilled if we just moved to NBC and become their showpeice. I really want to get more money than the ACC if at all possible.

 

[tzznandrew]

This is better than the schools who left us. I think Navy would join this, too. More people would watch this conference than the ACC.

I'm not sure about that. Florida State and Clemson have much bigger fanbases than any remaining BE school right now.

 

[Adios]

I'm not sure about that. Florida State and Clemson have much bigger fanbases than any remaining BE school right now.

Tallahassee and the state of South Carolina?

 

[zls44]

If you think Clemson and FSU's fanbases are that small, you haven't been paying attention.

 

[tzznandrew]

Tallahassee and the state of South Carolina?

You don't have to live in the city to be a fan of a school. For instance, there are significantly more UNC, UConn, and Duke fans in Boston than there are Boston College fans. At least for basketball. If you live in the state of Florida, and you aren't an alumnus of a specific school, you're, by default, going to be a huge fan or Florida or Florida State. Some, in the south, Miami.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Boise State and Air Force have said no. Navy will likely say no. UCF will say yes. waiting on SMU and Houston.

Is this still your position?

 

[EricLA]

Is this still your position?

wasn't ever "my" position. it was reported by ESPN.