So for those who keep mentioning merging with the Big 12, does the Big East swallow the Big 12 or vice-versa? Either would be AQ status, at least until the next wave of BCS changes happens.
Who will the leftover's want in charge: Marinatto, Beebe or throw out both and start fresh?
Do you want your conference HQ in the mid-west, or on the east coast?
More importantly, do you want to continue the split fball/bball experiment that hasn't worked well?
Can you split from the bball only people and retain the Big East moniker and AQ bid?
While I'd like to see the Big East survive, I think on paper it makes more sense to leave the basketball only schools in the dust given that the football/basketball split hasn't really worked politically. I also think that if that occurs, you would have to give up the Big East name and AQ bid (again, fine if you get the Big 12's) because five or six football schools aren't going to have the votes to kick out the basketball schools.
On the flip side, if the Big East stays as is with the split and swallows the Big 12, you're looking at what, 20 to 22 basketball schools? That's way too many.