Blaudschun--Catholic Schools Met in NYC...

[FfldCntyFan]

the uss connecticut has declared war on the bball schools, just becuase. we have always wanted them gone but we might as well bomb them on there way out. maybe we will let gtown go free...

Exactly how many fronts does this war have?

 

[ZooCougar]

Exactly how many fronts does this war have?

Exactly. It's messed up, but the tables may have turned. No we might need them more than they ever needed us.

I am a football first guy, but strategically we are screwed if we don't take measures to keep the basketball program in the best possible league in a conference tournament that is close to CT. If these guys leave and they somehow swipe MSG and we aren't involved then have really done disservice to the fans.

Anyone ever wonder how willing our fans will be to travel to a conference tourney in New Orleans, Memphis or Orlando? I don't want to know the answer to that question.

 

[tzznandrew]

If this happens, the ACC/B1G have to move.

There's no point in adding a diminished UConn or Cincy. They'll die in a basketball conference with those schools. If your long term plan includes them, one way or the other (as a replacement, etc.), time to get them so that they can still compete in your league when the come around.

 

[tzznandrew]

Exactly. It's messed up, but the tables may have turned. No we might need them more than they ever needed us.

I am a football first guy, but strategically we are screwed if we don't take measures to keep the basketball program in the best possible league in a conference tournament that is close to CT. If these guys leave and they somehow swipe MSG and we aren't involved then have really done disservice to the fans.

Anyone ever wonder how willing our fans will be to travel to a conference tourney in New Orleans, Memphis or Orlando? I don't want to know the answer to that question.

I would suggest joining them for bb, and playing in the NNNNBE for football only--but would the catholics want us? They'd know we'd leave at first opportunity...

 

[ZooCougar]

I would suggest joining them for bb, and playing in the NNNNBE for football only--but would the catholics want us? They'd know we'd leave at first opportunity...

I have no idea if they want us. But why would you pass on two schools like Cincy and UConn even if you knew you would have them only temporarily.

I am resigned to expecting that UConn will be an outlier like BYU is or TCU was for a time. Maybe forever. Might as well embrace it.

If we can continue to give the athletes, students and fans a chance at playing PC, Georgetown, Seton Hall etc.. then we push for it hard. Playing Tulane does nothing for us.

In football we need to make a new conference. Maybe for OOC we need to play as many scrubs as possible to boost the win count. The Bill Snyder smoke and mirrors strategy is a proven method of success.

 

[jdubct]

Who has the rights to the Big East name? If the 7 schools exit the conference, will they each owe the $10 million exit fee?

 

[uconNYC]

I think its a fairly strait forward scenario. The Catholic 7 would add 3 more Catholic Schools (Xavier, Dayton, SLU) along with Cincy and UConn. Once Cincy and UConn leave for a Big 5 conference, they would be replaced by Butler and Creighton.

For football, Cincy and UConn would be football only in a conference with all the CUSA schools (just like SDSU, Boise State and East Carolina).

Frankly I like this better than the current situation as we get the best of both worlds. We play the same teams in football, but basketball does not get watered down by Tulane, Houston, etc.

 

[ZooCougar]

Who has the rights to the Big East name? If the 7 schools exit the conference, will they each owe the $10 million exit fee?

Not if they vote to dissolve the conference.

 

[Marty Jackson]

well, i guess warde has a little bit more monitoring to do on his plate.

"Those schools are concerned about the defection of the core of the Big East basketball conference–Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Notre Dame as well as the expansion of the conference in football to 12 teams and the inclusion of schools such as Central Florida, Memphis, SMU, Houston and Temple in basketball."

In truth, can you blame them? the money they're going to receive, maybe $1-3m is that going to be worth it when the extra travel is factored in? trips to texas, florida, for the privilege of playing smu, houston, ucf, usf?

that 1-3m figure represents 10% of the ad budgets of the catholic schools. for them, at some point it isn't about the tv revenue.

if they do split, and the fb schools stick around, uconn's bb conference becomes:

uconn/temple/memphis/ucf/usf/tulane

smu/houston/??fresno state??/colorado state?/ecu??

i usually am not pessimistic, but i can't see uconn's athletic budget of $64m ( the highest by far of any current big east school, or new entrant) being sustained.

warde manuel and susan herbst. what a heavy burden to bear for two people, but that burden is rightfully placed, and i hope that their talents and efforts make us soon call them exceptional leaders. we have played games here, conjuring the most fancy of scenarios, some are rooted in logic, some in conspiracy, others hope. in the end, we as a fanbase are powerless to change things.


"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week."–George Patton

i sure hope herbst has delany's ear about what a great leader patton was.

dont foget cincy...

 

[jdubct]

Not if they vote to dissolve the conference.

And that would depend on how many votes of the existing members are necessary to dissolve the conference. I imagine this was a topic of discussion among the basketball schools.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Blowing up...

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...tball-members-meet-discuss-possible-breakaway

Note $$$ amount difference from above article. ($80m v.$60m)

Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN)
12/11/12, 12:25 AM
If Big East gets $80M TV deal, hoop schools would get less $ than currently do RT @AlexOPunk: @McMurphyESPN @espn do they not like money?

Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN)
12/11/12, 12:27 AM
Source told @ESPNAndyKatz MSG may get out of Big East tourney deal if league continues changing membership

Edit add...

Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN)
12/11/12, 12:32 AM
Big East source: "Basketball schools not thrilled w/Tulane & what they will do to lRPI. They would have fallen off ledge if we added ECU"

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.

 

[whaler11]

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.

 

[Doggie Style]

Wow. It would be a good league on its own, but do they really think that they would thrive without having UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, and UCF in the league??? I think they need those schools now more than ever, because I'm not confident that the "Catholic A-10" would even get the same money as they are getting in the current contract, much less more money...

' It would be a good league on its own, but do they really think that they would thrive without having UConn....' You lost me after Uconn.......

 

[Doggie Style]

Exactly how many fronts does this war have?

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

 

[HuskyHawk]

Who has the rights to the Big East name? If the 7 schools exit the conference, will they each owe the $10 million exit fee?

No they don't. They have a 2/3 majority at present, b/c Cuse, RU and Pitt can't vote, nor can the incoming schools. So they can dissolve the league if they want. No exit fee. But they have to do it before CFU, Tulane, SMU, Temple, Houston and Memphis come in. That's why this is coming up now.

 

[upstater]

I wrote on the basketball board that UConn should be in contact with BYU and Boise and Cincy about a loose conference where everyone sells their own TV rights.

Those 4 schools are likely better off selling their own rights than sharing them with bb-only schools or football schools such as Tulane and such.

For UConn, this would mean negotiating a deal with SNY and ESPN.

One of the things that confounds me about Aresco is that he keeps adding football schools. At this stage, they should simply strive to keep the league small, 9 or 10 members tops, and if you do that, you can actually remain viable for a good period of time. There are at least 9 decent schools out there for such a conference:

UConn
Cincy
USF
UCF
Boise St.
BYU
SMU
Navy
Air Force

Add Temple or Houston or San Diego St. if you must, but I wouldn't.

 

[Doggie Style]

I wrote on the basketball board that UConn should be in contact with BYU and Boise and Cincy about a loose conference where everyone sells their own TV rights.

Those 4 schools are likely better off selling their own rights than sharing them with bb-only schools or football schools such as Tulane and such.

For UConn, this would mean negotiating a deal with SNY and ESPN.

One of the things that confounds me about Aresco is that he keeps adding football schools. At this stage, they should simply strive to keep the league small, 9 or 10 members tops, and if you do that, you can actually remain viable for a good period of time. There are at least 9 decent schools out there for such a conference:

UConn
Cincy
USF
UCF
Boise St.
BYU
SMU
Navy
Air Force

Add Temple or Houston or San Diego St. if you must, but I wouldn't.

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

 

[uconNYC]

I wrote on the basketball board that UConn should be in contact with BYU and Boise and Cincy about a loose conference where everyone sells their own TV rights.

Those 4 schools are likely better off selling their own rights than sharing them with bb-only schools or football schools such as Tulane and such.

For UConn, this would mean negotiating a deal with SNY and ESPN.

One of the things that confounds me about Aresco is that he keeps adding football schools. At this stage, they should simply strive to keep the league small, 9 or 10 members tops, and if you do that, you can actually remain viable for a good period of time. There are at least 9 decent schools out there for such a conference:

UConn
Cincy
USF
UCF
Boise St.
BYU
SMU
Navy
Air Force

Add Temple or Houston or San Diego St. if you must, but I wouldn't.

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.

 

[TRest]

I wrote on the basketball board that UConn should be in contact with BYU and Boise and Cincy about a loose conference where everyone sells their own TV rights.

Those 4 schools are likely better off selling their own rights than sharing them with bb-only schools or football schools such as Tulane and such.

For UConn, this would mean negotiating a deal with SNY and ESPN.

One of the things that confounds me about Aresco is that he keeps adding football schools. At this stage, they should simply strive to keep the league small, 9 or 10 members tops, and if you do that, you can actually remain viable for a good period of time. There are at least 9 decent schools out there for such a conference:

UConn
Cincy
USF
UCF
Boise St.
BYU
SMU
Navy
Air Force

Add Temple or Houston or San Diego St. if you must, but I wouldn't.

The new football members (online fans anyway) seem hell-bent to stage a poorly attended BE championship game so keep casting the nets for crappy football programs. I find it hard to believe that the basketball schools are alarmed by the addition of Tulane, and the football schools were actually for it.

 

[mattp]

I was surprised that they said the catholic bball schools only expect about $1mil on their next TV deal whether they stay or leave. If that's the case it'd be crazy for them to sign up for trips to SDState, Tulane, and the like. $1mil will get eaten right up by travel costs. I think if they do split I'd like to see us go with them for all sports except football.

This NNBE makes more sense as a football only conference than it does an all sports conference and I'd like to see it go in that direction. The NNBE could probably cobble together $5-8m per football school and we'd get another $1m from bball and a couple million from our deals with SNY and what not. About $10m/year won't quite put us on even footing with the B1G and ACC schools, but I think that's what we'll have to make do with until we get somewhere else.

 

[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.

 

[FriarJ]

This is my hope and I really think it will be considered. Add Xavier, Butler, Dayton, Creighton, St. Louis to get to 12. Then invite UConn, Temple, Cincy, Memphis for all sports except football with the caveat that they can leave at anytime with no penalty. Keep the BE name, keep MSG. Call it a day.​

 

[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 my hope and I really think it will be considered. Add Xavier, Butler, Dayton, Creighton, St. Louis to get to 12. Then invite UConn, Temple, Cincy, Memphis for all sports except football with the caveat that they can leave at anytime with no penalty. Keep the BE name, keep MSG. Call it a day.​

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.