Blaudschun--Catholic Schools Met in NYC...

[Matt (Chicago)]

This tells me that ESPN has an offer out to the Hoops only schools that will keep them competitive financially if they split off. $50MM a year gets a 10 team basketball conference $5MM/year each, for the price of 3 all sports schools in the ACC. That is a pretty good financial decision for ESPN.

It is amazing that the entire ESPN engineered realignment has ended up destroying 3 athletic programs, one of whom is located about 50 miles from ESPN's headquarters.

What's amazing is how in the span of one post you convince yourself that your shot in the dark is 100% fact. Pulling figures out of thin air... give me a break!

 

[nelsonmuntz]

They wouldn't need to spend anywhere near $50 million on that conference. $25-30 and some up front cash would get it done yesterday.

ESPN needs the Big East basketball conference. I think they will pay up for it. They last thing ESPN wants is the only region in the country that likes basketball more than football with their hoops league on another network.

Every time I think UConn has hit the Armageddon scenario, we seem to find a new one. This scenario would be catastrophic for UConn. I do think football independence or joining the MAC or NNBE for football only while staying with the Big East for basketball and olympic sports would be the better play than joining the NNBE for all sports.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

What's amazing is how in the span of one post you convince yourself that your shot in the dark is 100% fact. Pulling figures out of thin air... give me a break!

McMurphy only posts what ESPN has already decided to do. His track record is pretty consistent on that.

 

[whaler11]

ESPN needs the Big East basketball conference. I think they will pay up for it. They last thing ESPN wants is the only region in the country that likes basketball more than football with their hoops league on another network.

Every time I think UConn has hit the Armageddon scenario, we seem to find a new one. This scenario would be catastrophic for UConn. I do think football independence or joining the MAC or NNBE for football only while staying with the Big East for basketball and olympic sports would be the better play than joining the NNBE for all sports.

I think they will pay too - just don't think it's anywhere near 50 they have to pony up. Werent getting that w Syracuse, UConn and Ville. Don't need to pay it now.

 

[ZooCougar]

Not a shot in hell at getting BYU, I dont think.......

If the premise of the conference is that everyone gets to sell their rights then BYU might appealing.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is what would make sense for everyone basketball wise.

I just hope our AD is monitoring the situation.

 

[caw]

This is what would make sense for everyone basketball wise.

I just hope our AD is monitoring the situation.

I'm sure he is lurking here right now, clicking away, going, "hmmm do I really want the Boston cream or the glazed this morning."

 

[ZooCougar]

Olympic sports need a home, so UConn has to align with the Catholic schools for that. What's wrong with Catholic 7 + Xavier, UConn and Cincy? A ten team league means you play everyone twice. 2x Georgetown, Nova, SJU, Marquette, Xavier and Cincy would be awesome. Even PC and Seton Hall are interesting. DePaul is the only dud on the schedule.

Football goes independent or football only in one of the smaller conferences. On average we have the 3rd highest attendance amongst non-Big 5 conference schools (BYU and ECU ahead of us). Any of the smaller conferences would be thrilled to have us.

Most of the Catholic Schools are closer. And those teams travel more frequently as opposed to football which travels 6-7 times a season. It just seems more cost effective to me.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Looks like the story is true, I am just suspired that it has taken this long to surface as there have already been issues between the Big E football and Big E basketball schools. Looks like right now the issue is whether or not Temple can vote.
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8735330/big-east-direction-concerns-conference-catholic-schools-sources-say
The big questions appeared to be who gets the Big E brand and what happens to the Big E Tournament at MSG, which is the second best fall hoops tournament after the NCAA dance.
A basketball/Olympic sports conference of just the Big E hoops team and throw in a few A-10 teams looks impressive, should have some value, if not football value.
1) Providence 2) St. John’s, 3) Seton Hall, 4) Villanova, 5) Georgetown, 6) DePaul, and 7) Marquette plus 8) Xavier, 9) Dayton, 10) Butler, 11) St. Louis.
Plus, throw in a Richmond or a Boston U who could be interested too with a lot of TV eyeballs.
As for MSG, MSG will protect itself first. If a new basketball Big E emerges and can provide value, they will keep it, if not, bye-bye. This is especially true if the ACC or BiG look to NYC and if are blocked by the Big E at MSG and subsequently look across the east river at the brand new Barclay’s Center. Not sure the tobacco road folks would allow the ACC championship to be played in NYC; but, the draw of such could even tempt them and the BiG, especially if a school like UConn is added whereby guaranteeing sell-outs.

 

[HuskyHawk]

ESPN needs the Big East basketball conference. I think they will pay up for it. They last thing ESPN wants is the only region in the country that likes basketball more than football with their hoops league on another network.

Every time I think UConn has hit the Armageddon scenario, we seem to find a new one. This scenario would be catastrophic for UConn. I do think football independence or joining the MAC or NNBE for football only while staying with the Big East for basketball and olympic sports would be the better play than joining the NNBE for all sports.

Hell, I've been predicting this scenario for more than a year. As I said while you talked up the BE media rights, ESPN loves the basketball content, and will pay for it. They obviously don't even want the BE football content. Not only do the traditional BB members of the BE not like the new all sports schools, they don't like USF either. This is a win-win for them, if they can find a way to retain the brand, as they improve the overall BB profile and reduce travel costs. I said two weeks ago, UConn, USF and Cinci should sell it to them (with Cinci and UConn joining them for Olympics). Agree to let them keep it for a payout. The NNBE, with a bunch of schools not playing football and a bunch of schools only playing football, plus a few doing both, is and always was a collosal catastrophe waiting to happen.

 

[uconNYC]

I don't get the allure of having these gigantic conferences. It means you will play most schools only once. Wouldn't you rather have a 10 team conference and play each school twice? You are essentially giving up an extra game against Georgetown, Villanova and Marquette for games against Dayton, Creighton and St. Louis. Give me quality over quantity.

 

[CL82]

It makes sense - the hoop-onlies need to have a plan moving forward. The football conference is just about one defection away from brain death and even if it survives, it can't be appealing to the basketball schools.

The financial benefits of remaining with a UConn or Cincy-less Big East are probably well outweighed by the burden of having to sell a home ticket slate made up of scrapple like UCF, Tulane and Houston.

I suspect we're seeing the end of the end.

lol at dubbing the NBE as scrapple. I see a major distinction. No one sees what goes into scrapple and thus are willing to purchase it. Everyone can see what has gone into the NBE and thus no one wants it.

WE ARE SCREWED. It will be a long slow slog out of the hell hole we now find ourselves in. I can't believe that BC reached a hand out of the grave to screw us to royally. Our only hope is for 4 major conferences to be formed. Someone would have to pick us up then, right...right?
.

 

[zls44]

ESPN needs the Big East basketball conference. I think they will pay up for it. They last thing ESPN wants is the only region in the country that likes basketball more than football with their hoops league on another network.

Every time I think UConn has hit the Armageddon scenario, we seem to find a new one. This scenario would be catastrophic for UConn. I do think football independence or joining the MAC or NNBE for football only while staying with the Big East for basketball and olympic sports would be the better play than joining the NNBE for all sports.

What, oh totally batshit insane one, makes you think that ESPN made the offer? In your absurd scenario, couldn't it have been NBC (ratings down 46% in November, thanks Bettman)? CBS?

 

[TRest]

lol at dubbing the NBE as scrapple. I see a major distinction. No one sees what goes into scrapple and thus are willing to purchase it. Everyone can see what has gone into the NBE and thus no one wants it.

WE ARE SCREWED. It will be a long slow slog out of the hell hole we now find ourselves in. I can't believe that BC reached a hand out of the grave to screw us to royally. Our only hope is for 4 major conferences to be formed. Someone would have to pick us up then, right...right?
.

This feels to me like an official rendering of major programs and minor programs for football. We got promoted ahead of time by the BE, and are now being slapped down by the rest of the BCS after rescuing their former comrades. We may be headed to an eastcoast football mishmash of cusa/caa/mac level teams. Fortunately, our stadium and fanbase will fit right in. Basketball and olympic sports should cut the best deal possible with BE catholics and best of the rest programs like Temple and Cincy. Keep it northeast as much as possible, and pray for deliverance every day.

 

[CL82]

Strategically thinking, this a perfect scenario.... We can now attack in EVERY direction!!

Reminds me of the 101st airborne (I think) at Bastogne. Upon hearing that the Germans had them surrounded they thought "poor bastards" and proceeded to mass resources selectively, and successfully, attack at various compass points in the Battle of Bulge. I'm not a big WWII guy so feel free to correct that if wrong.

 

[TRest]

Well, we always knew it would be the basketball schools that would get tired of the constant misdirection plays from the FB schools. I guess we can look forward to a "national all sports conference." Or are we looking at UConn being in a conference with

UMass
Buffalo
Temple
East Carolina
Memphis
USF
UCF
Cincinnati.

That is the Warde Manuel of football conferences.

 

[Marty Jackson]

http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=4188

Also on the MBB board but posted here per request.

haven't heard it mentioned on the boards, but he mentions that Uconn and Cincy abstained from the vote to add Tulane...
If either thought they'd be in the league long-term, wouldn't they be far more proactive in determining future conference mates???

 

[whaler11]

haven't heard it mentioned on the boards, but he mentions that Uconn and Cincy abstained from the vote to add Tulane...
If either thought they'd be in the league long-term, wouldn't they be far more proactive in determining future conference mates???

Which leads to an obvious question. If the football schools didn't want Tulane and the basketball schools didn't want Tulane - how did Tulane end up with an invite?

 

[TRest]

haven't heard it mentioned on the boards, but he mentions that Uconn and Cincy abstained from the vote to add Tulane...
If either thought they'd be in the league long-term, wouldn't they be far more proactive in determining future conference mates???

They were wrong to think the ACC was coming to save them. I don't think you could find 3 schools that admit to adding Tulane.

 

[whaler11]

haven't heard it mentioned on the boards, but he mentions that Uconn and Cincy abstained from the vote to add Tulane...
If either thought they'd be in the league long-term, wouldn't they be far more proactive in determining future conference mates???

Which leads to an obvious question. If the football schools didn't want Tulane and the basketball schools didn't want Tulane - how did Tulane end up with an invite?

 

[Marty Jackson]

ESPN needs the Big East basketball conference. I think they will pay up for it. They last thing ESPN wants is the only region in the country that likes basketball more than football with their hoops league on another network.

Every time I think UConn has hit the Armageddon scenario, we seem to find a new one. This scenario would be catastrophic for UConn. I do think football independence or joining the MAC or NNBE for football only while staying with the Big East for basketball and olympic sports would be the better play than joining the NNBE for all sports.

how's this for a new low...
Big East breaks apart and MSG signs with the ACC or Big10 for new bb tourney...
So now, not only are we totally screwed for FB, we are now outside the candystore looking in the window at the new BB tourney being played at MSG.
How about that scenario... irony is that we're screwed for no football tradition, but our BB tradition is literally ripped out from under us.

That would essentially dry up the NYC connection with Uconn in BB.

That is armageddon....

 

[CL82]

...and there it is again, the voice in my head screaming "WE'RE SCREWED". It used to be an annoying distraction but it is now an old friend. I can now manage a meeting quite nicely. I need to control the sponaneous head shaking though.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Hell, I've been predicting this scenario for more than a year. As I said while you talked up the BE media rights, ESPN loves the basketball content, and will pay for it. They obviously don't even want the BE football content. Not only do the traditional BB members of the BE not like the new all sports schools, they don't like USF either. This is a win-win for them, if they can find a way to retain the brand, as they improve the overall BB profile and reduce travel costs. I said two weeks ago, UConn, USF and Cinci should sell it to them (with Cinci and UConn joining them for Olympics). Agree to let them keep it for a payout. The NNBE, with a bunch of schools not playing football and a bunch of schools only playing football, plus a few doing both, is and always was a collosal catastrophe waiting to happen.

Given that ESPN will be paying for Syracuse, Pitt, WVU, TCU, Rutgers and Louisville, just through other conferences, it is clear that ESPN did want Big East football. I also think it is likely that the basketball schools end up with a contract on ESPN.

At the end of the day, the only schools ESPN DID NOT want were UConn, Cincinnati and USF.

 

[Vowelguy]

haven't heard it mentioned on the boards, but he mentions that Uconn and Cincy abstained from the vote to add Tulane...
If either thought they'd be in the league long-term, wouldn't they be far more proactive in determining future conference mates???

If you know you don't have the votes, what's the point in voting against your future conference partner?