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Message: [QUOTE="ctchamps, post: 4669924, member: 37"] I was referencing the possibility of the Big12 adding basketball only schools. They've made clear they are not considering UConn in that category probably because UConn made it clear they want no part of that. You're into a lot of speculative machination possibilities. I'll add one. Fox could be using the Big12 to break up the ACC (ESPN product). I still have trouble understanding why Fox gave the Big12 the amount of money it gave with Texas and OU leaving. And offering a quick turnaround to another contract negotiation. The only reasons I can come up with is they have exclusive value over that conference and they might want to reduce ESPN's college footprint. Let's just say hypothetically UConn joins the B12. Would Fox help UConn by enticing teams closer to their footprint? What northeast BE schools would Fox/Big12 desire? I think Nova and Georgetown would be on that list and for a decent bump up those schools would consider it. Gonzaga would be in play from the west. This would be the attraction for the next scenario. If there is some back channel conversations between the Big12 and Syracuse, Pitt, and/or Louisville there could be enough votes to break the ACC GOR. A Big12 conference that has UConn, Cinci, WV, Nova, Georgetown, Syracuse, Pitt and Ville would include the best of the old BE. Breaking up the ACC gives the BIG Virginia and North Carolina. Virginia Tech and North Carolina State go to the SEC. Notre Dame has more pressure put on it to no longer remain football independent and that would be icing on the cake for the BIG. Who will get Florida State and Clemson. Most likely the Big12. So football gets better in that conference. And the BIG and Big 12 get significantly stronger in basketball. Since no one in the ACC loves Duke ........ Now Fox has the strongest media position in college sports and the BIG and B12 arguably are stronger than the SEC. The wild card is the PAC. I don't see them surviving as a conference. They will break up with the best going to the BIG and the Big12. And then Fox, via the BIG and Big 12 starts pushing to eliminate or reduce the importance of the NCAA bb tournament similar to what happened with the NIT. In its place will be a tournament giving the upper hand to the P3. Of course this is a long shot and UConn could easily be excluded from this process. But I fear some iteration of this scenario will be going down in the near future and it's why I fall on the side of having UConn go to the B12 if offered. [/QUOTE]

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