Louisville & WVU Possible to Big 12

[Wbbfan1]

Andy Katz - Link

I can see WVU & Louisville doing this for football if they get an offer from the Big 12. They'll make more money and have more favorable football games for National TV. They get to play Texas or Oklahoma every year and in some years who knows they may play both of them. I can also see TCU changing and going to the Big 12 as well.

 

[EricLA]

makes perfect sense for them. i'd jump too if i were them.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Indeed.

The current situation is of no relief to UConn or Rutgers, who remain in limbo.

It might have still been limbo if the Big 12 had broken up - but it would have been limbo with options to pursue. From the sound of things, UConn and RU's situation just got murkier, while the Big 12's just got clearer.

 

[ctchamps]

makes perfect sense for them. i'd jump too if i were them.

+1.
But that rumor is predicated Texas is willing to make compromises with its LHN network. ND has opted to stay independent in football, enjoying a less favorable tv arrangement, and it has worked for them. And they have a greatly inferior product to Texas regarding football and bb. So Texas may elect to keep the LHN and just go independent at least in football. Then OU, OSU, and Mizzou would head elsewhere. ND will elect to stay independent and UConn will get an invite to a merged BE/B12 or go to the ACC and say now or never.

 

[UConnChapette]

Make it stop, Ma! Make it stop!

This limbo business is maddening. How the heck can I focus on work, the family, the football season, and the upcoming basketball season with three fabulous new freshies while UConn's future conference affiliation hangs in the balance? Seems like every 10 minutes there is a new rumor, "sources say...", "so-and-so is reporting...". The sports media must be LOVING this. I on the other hand, not so much.

 

[SAMCRO]

The B12 may have folded and reunited at least 4 times in the 27 month waiting period alone.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If that happens, I personally, would be absolutely devastated as a UConn fan.

Everything we've built, everything Coach Calhoun, and Coach Edsall (gotta give him credit) have built will be ruined.

 

[jennyo70]

there are a million and one theories going around. a particular thread on our board says it will be announced on Friday.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This is the nightmare scenario. Maybe the President shouldn't be calling every reporter she knows and telling them UConn is not committed to the Big East.

 

[SAMCRO]

This is not a nightmare scenario, this moves the inevitable along. The BE is done either way. WVU and UL leaving triggers it's demise a bit more quickly and forces more moves. The ACC is not staying at 14, either is the SEC. the B1G is paying close attention too. This is far from over.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The one thing going for us is Texas' utter d-baggery. "the LHN was never on the table". This should go well.

http://news.yahoo.com/big-12-big-east-start-picking-pieces-225104296.html

 

[ConnHuskBask]

This is not a nightmare scenario, this moves the inevitable along. The BE is done either way. WVU and UL leaving triggers it's demise a bit more quickly and forces more moves. The ACC is not staying at 14, either is the SEC. the B1G is paying close attention too. This is far from over.

I wish I felt the same way.

Pac12-stays put at 12
Big12-adds BYU, Louisville & West Virginia to get back to 12
Big10-stays put at 10
SEC-stays put at 13 -- Mizzou's invite to the SEC was pending a Big12 collapse
ACC-stays put at 14 -- where is the incentive to further dilute their per team payout with no further Eastern competition from the Big East.

Big East--UConn, Rutgers (if we're lucky and they don't end up in package with ND to the ACC or Big10) USF, Cincy + C-USA and service academies.

It almost makes you want to to cry!

 

[UCHuskies08]

I wish I felt the same way.

Pac12-stays put at 12
Big12-adds BYU, Louisville & West Virginia to get back to 12
Big10-stays put at 10
SEC-stays put at 13 -- Mizzou's invite to the SEC was pending a Big12 collapse
ACC-stays put at 14 -- where is the incentive to further dilute their per team payout with no further Eastern competition from the Big East.

Big East--UConn, Rutgers (if we're lucky and they don't end up in package with ND to the ACC or Big10) USF, Cincy + C-USA and service academies.

It almost makes you want to to cry!

Big10 has 12 members

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Big10 has 12 members

Lol. My bad, I knew that. I'm losing my mind over here with this stuff!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I also doubt that the SEC will hold at 13.

 

[uconNYC]

Serious question - at what point does the Big East decide its not viable to add more teams and that it would be better if the FBS football schools look to another conference for their football teams to play in (while the rest of their sports continues in the BE)? If WVU, UL and TCU leave (for the Big 12) - then we are down to 4 teams. We'll probably be forced to go Independent or have a football alliance with CUSA)

 

[SAMCRO]

Once the B12 settles, the SEC is going to be adding 1-3 schools (depending on what Mizzou does). Where do you think they're going to go for those teams? $20 million exit fee is not going to prevent certain teams from jumping from ACC to the SEC.

 

[huskypantz]

Serious question - at what point does the Big East decide its not viable to add more teams and that it would be better if the FBS football schools look to another conference for their football teams to play in (while the rest of their sports continues in the BE)? If WVU, UL and TCU leave (for the Big 12) - then we are down to 4 teams. We'll probably be forced to go Independent or have a football alliance with CUSA)

You could get ECU/UCF/Temple/UMass/Memphis in a heartbeat. Throw in Navy and some other service academy. Maybe Houston too. It's ugly but those teams would jump over each other just to get a shot at the BCS spot (not saying it would still be there).

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I wish I were as optimistic as everyone else on the SEC and Big 10 expanding. The thing is, if the SEC wanted to expand, they would have expanded already, before the ACC passed the increase in the departure fee. If the Big 10 wanted to expand, they would have done it last year. If the ACC wanted to expand, they would have expanded. Anything is possible, but we have already been shopping ourself and we seem to have an answer. Turning a "no" to a "yes" is very hard to do in sales.

I think Louisville very much wants to stay in the Big East. If I was UConn, I think we are at the point where we should be selling the other conference members what a good idea that is, not telling media people how much we wish we were in another league.

 

[8893]

If I was UConn, I think we are at the point where we should be selling the other conference members what a good idea that is, not telling media people how much we wish we were in another league.

You mean lying? Maybe that's ok for the likes of BCU, Syracuse, Pitt and others. I, for one, am glad that the people making the decisions at my school don't think that's ok; and I'm glad you're not the one making the decisions there.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You mean lying? Maybe that's ok for the likes of BCU, Syracuse, Pitt and others. I, for one, am glad that the people making the decisions at my school don't think that's ok; and I'm glad you're not the one making the decisions there.

I mean facing reality. No matter how hard we beg the ACC, they are not going to add us. The only way they add us is if we have a credible alternative. Unfortunately, the only way to get a credible alternative is to commit to that alternative. One solution is real and likely achievable if Rutgers and UConn commit. The other is a fantasy where we have no reason to believe that the ACC is interested in doing anything other than destroying the Big East and our athletic program.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I wish I were as optimistic as everyone else on the SEC and Big 10 expanding. The thing is, if the SEC wanted to expand, they would have expanded already, before the ACC passed the increase in the departure fee. If the Big 10 wanted to expand, they would have done it last year. If the ACC wanted to expand, they would have expanded. Anything is possible, but we have already been shopping ourself and we seem to have an answer. Turning a "no" to a "yes" is very hard to do in sales.

I think Louisville very much wants to stay in the Big East. If I was UConn, I think we are at the point where we should be selling the other conference members what a good idea that is, not telling media people how much we wish we were in another league.

Waylon,

All posturing aside, as you are convinced that the BE can still land a monster television deal (one that I imagine would end up being reasonably close per school of the B-12's not including their local networks), why has a pitch gone out the Texas (who if added to the basketball side should improve the market reach and revenue potential of the product), allowing them to keep the entirety of the LHN, receive a full share of non-football conference revenues and the option of participating in football at whatever level they desire (full, partial or independent as ND is)?

Adding them would solve many problems for both sides (again, if we are in position to gain any legitimate television contract without them).

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Waylon,

All posturing aside, as you are convinced that the BE can still land a monster television deal (one that I imagine would end up being reasonably close per school of the B-12's not including their local networks), why has a pitch gone out the Texas (who if added to the basketball side should improve the market reach and revenue potential of the product), allowing them to keep the entirety of the LHN, receive a full share of non-football conference revenues and the option of participating in football at whatever level they desire (full, partial or independent as ND is)?

Adding them would solve many problems for both sides (again, if we are in position to gain any legitimate television contract without them).

$20MM a team is out of the question, but with CBS/TNT/TBS and Comcast still without product, a deal over $10MM per team with great exposure is very much on the table. I don't know why Texas has not been pitched. I think that is a good idea, since that is about to erupt again since Texas is once again retrading the LHN.

No league will ever agree to an exclusive negotiating period with ESPN after watching what happened to the Big East. Of all the terrible things to agree to, that was absolutely the worst. The weird thing is, this whole situation was caused by a lack of trust between the member institutions, yet most of the posters on this board seem to trust the ACC to do the right thing by us. The ACC's sole objective is to destroy the Big East as cheaply as possible.

 

[coachcap]

$20MM a team is out of the question, but with CBS/TNT/TBS and Comcast still without product, a deal over $10MM per team with great exposure is very much on the table. I don't know why Texas has not been pitched. I think that is a good idea, since that is about to erupt again since Texas is once again retrading the LHN.

No league will ever agree to an exclusive negotiating period with ESPN after watching what happened to the Big East. Of all the terrible things to agree to, that was absolutely the worst. The weird thing is, this whole situation was caused by a lack of trust between the member institutions, yet most of the posters on this board seem to trust the ACC to do the right thing by us. The ACC's sole objective is to destroy the Big East as cheaply as possible.

I agree with this point of view. The ACC decided years ago to kneecap its main competition on the East Coast. The conundrum for the remaining Big East schools is how to reinvent itself without jeopardizing its BCS autobid being revoked. Adding a UMass, 'Nova, Delaware, or any other 1-AA refugee only adds to the perception of weakness. The only viable additions should come from major market areas: Houston, Central Florida (as much as Disney is part of the Big East's problem, this adds a school that is in one of their primary back yards & is already competitive with modern facilities), & SMU. Geographically, this group of 10 is much more balanced, it adds the Houston, DFW, & Orlando markets, it ensures a trip to Florida & Texas Yearly (great for recruiting) &, with a 9 game conference schedule, it lessons scheduling hassles.

 

[Nostical]

Nelson, you are off on a tangent here. And you've fallen right in line with the program. There is no ACC in UConn's future. It will be the Big10. And Susan Herbst's public comments and all the assumptive tweets and noise about UConn and the ACC is no different than a decoy auto hired by a papparazzi chased movie star while she slips quietly out the back door in a rented Buick.