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[font="verdana][i]The immediate future of the Big East should be decided in less than a week.
Villanova is scheduled to vote on whether to make the move to FBS football and join the Big East on Tuesday when its trustees meet. The blog VUHoops.com, which has covered this story well, reports that Villanova [url="http://vuhoops.com/2011/04/07/expansion-apocalypse-what-to-expect-when-you-are-expecting-a-decision/"]has the votes to approve[/url] the jump up from FCS and that the Wildcats are likely to say yes.
I've spoken to some Big East administrators lately, and the general feeling is that Villanova will make the move. They say the school is worried its basketball program will lose prestige if there is an eventual split by the football schools in the Big East. But the administrators also conceded this is no slam dunk for Villanova, which will have to make a major investment -- school officials have said that at least $30 million will be needed up front to build facilities -- and which still lacks a suitable stadium for big-time football. For a small, private school in a pro town, Villanova is far from guaranteed success.....[/i][/font]
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[color="#333333"][font="verdana][i][url="http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/40489/villanovas-football-decision-looming"]My link[/url]
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[color="#333333"][font="verdana][/font][/color][color="#333333"][font="verdana][color="#2D4866"][font="Arial][size="4"]....What else?
Other than the venue and money, the last two issues are the school's dealings with the conference and the vote itself.
Regarding the conference, my sources (one of whom is Father Peter himself), have stated just that, there are "a few issues to be worked out," with the Big East. As for what those issues are, we don't know exactly.
PPL Park is likely a part of that equation, as will the financial deal between Villanova and the Big East once the school enters the conference officially in 2014. Perhaps most importantly would be any scheduling arrangements in 2012 and 2013 and the financial payouts that might be awarded as part of that.
The Big East could easily assist Villanova's transition expenses by asking it's football members to schedule the Wildcats in either 2012 or 2013 in a "buy" game. One-0ff games with no return date typically cut the visiting team a six-figure check, with the quality of the opponent determining the amount of the payout. A visit by second-year FCS program Georgia State to the University of Houston in 2011 will cost the hosts $300,000, for example.
That is all speculation, of course. All that we do know is that Villanova administrators have been, or will be discussing whatever specifics of the arrangement need to be hammered out with the league office this week.
So, lets pretend it's April 12th…
A source close to the situation has relayed to VUhoops that the trustees in favor of this move currently have enough votes for the measure to pass on Tuesday. That news was, of course, pending the results of the discussions with the Big East as well as the final fundraising push.
President Fr. Peter Donohue will also make his recommendation to the board when they assemble, and it is expected that his recommendation will carry much weight with the Trustees — though it is unknown exactly how many would be swayed to change their vote based on it. Fr. Donohue is reportedly stressed about the situation and it is unknown exactly what he will recommend.
Some members of the "no" contingent are reportedly unhappy with the way things have worked out so far. It is expected that they would attempt to use any late snags in the process to try and pull some of the "yes" voters to their side.
It does seem, however, that the University is very close to a vote in favor of moving Villanova football to FBS status and joining the Big East conference. It would be the first instance of a private university upgrading from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA) since Division 1 football was split in the late 70′s....
My link
This Article is a month old but it details what may derail Nova's move up to FBS football
Lately, it has emerged that the Big East conference has been lukewarm toward Villanova's preferred venue for games, PPL Park in Chester. The soccer-specific stadium currently seats only 18,500 fans, and while it would not be the smallest stadium in the Bowl Subdivision (both Idaho's Kibbie Dome and FIU Stadium are smaller), it would be the smallest stadium in the Big East conference by over 16,000 seats.
According to sources close to the situation, administrators at the University of Pittsburgh are unhappy with the idea of having such a small venue in the conference, and would prefer that Villanova plays it's home games at a venue that can hold a minimum of 35,000 fans (to match Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium).
Pittsburgh was also reportedly upset that Villanova has pushed the ultimate decision on this issue back until April, despite the fact that large the capital investment in moving from FCS to FBS football requires more due-diligence than a move from one FBS conference to another.
My link
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Villanova is scheduled to vote on whether to make the move to FBS football and join the Big East on Tuesday when its trustees meet. The blog VUHoops.com, which has covered this story well, reports that Villanova [url="http://vuhoops.com/2011/04/07/expansion-apocalypse-what-to-expect-when-you-are-expecting-a-decision/"]has the votes to approve[/url] the jump up from FCS and that the Wildcats are likely to say yes.
I've spoken to some Big East administrators lately, and the general feeling is that Villanova will make the move. They say the school is worried its basketball program will lose prestige if there is an eventual split by the football schools in the Big East. But the administrators also conceded this is no slam dunk for Villanova, which will have to make a major investment -- school officials have said that at least $30 million will be needed up front to build facilities -- and which still lacks a suitable stadium for big-time football. For a small, private school in a pro town, Villanova is far from guaranteed success.....[/i][/font]
[font="verdana][i]
[/i][/font][/color]
[color="#333333"][font="verdana][i][url="http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/40489/villanovas-football-decision-looming"]My link[/url]
[/i][/font]
[font="verdana]
[/font][/color]
[color="#333333"][font="verdana][/font][/color][color="#333333"][font="verdana][color="#2D4866"][font="Arial][size="4"]....What else?
Other than the venue and money, the last two issues are the school's dealings with the conference and the vote itself.
Regarding the conference, my sources (one of whom is Father Peter himself), have stated just that, there are "a few issues to be worked out," with the Big East. As for what those issues are, we don't know exactly.
PPL Park is likely a part of that equation, as will the financial deal between Villanova and the Big East once the school enters the conference officially in 2014. Perhaps most importantly would be any scheduling arrangements in 2012 and 2013 and the financial payouts that might be awarded as part of that.
The Big East could easily assist Villanova's transition expenses by asking it's football members to schedule the Wildcats in either 2012 or 2013 in a "buy" game. One-0ff games with no return date typically cut the visiting team a six-figure check, with the quality of the opponent determining the amount of the payout. A visit by second-year FCS program Georgia State to the University of Houston in 2011 will cost the hosts $300,000, for example.
That is all speculation, of course. All that we do know is that Villanova administrators have been, or will be discussing whatever specifics of the arrangement need to be hammered out with the league office this week.
So, lets pretend it's April 12th…
A source close to the situation has relayed to VUhoops that the trustees in favor of this move currently have enough votes for the measure to pass on Tuesday. That news was, of course, pending the results of the discussions with the Big East as well as the final fundraising push.
President Fr. Peter Donohue will also make his recommendation to the board when they assemble, and it is expected that his recommendation will carry much weight with the Trustees — though it is unknown exactly how many would be swayed to change their vote based on it. Fr. Donohue is reportedly stressed about the situation and it is unknown exactly what he will recommend.
Some members of the "no" contingent are reportedly unhappy with the way things have worked out so far. It is expected that they would attempt to use any late snags in the process to try and pull some of the "yes" voters to their side.
It does seem, however, that the University is very close to a vote in favor of moving Villanova football to FBS status and joining the Big East conference. It would be the first instance of a private university upgrading from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA) since Division 1 football was split in the late 70′s....
My link
This Article is a month old but it details what may derail Nova's move up to FBS football
Lately, it has emerged that the Big East conference has been lukewarm toward Villanova's preferred venue for games, PPL Park in Chester. The soccer-specific stadium currently seats only 18,500 fans, and while it would not be the smallest stadium in the Bowl Subdivision (both Idaho's Kibbie Dome and FIU Stadium are smaller), it would be the smallest stadium in the Big East conference by over 16,000 seats.
According to sources close to the situation, administrators at the University of Pittsburgh are unhappy with the idea of having such a small venue in the conference, and would prefer that Villanova plays it's home games at a venue that can hold a minimum of 35,000 fans (to match Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium).
Pittsburgh was also reportedly upset that Villanova has pushed the ultimate decision on this issue back until April, despite the fact that large the capital investment in moving from FCS to FBS football requires more due-diligence than a move from one FBS conference to another.
My link
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