angelo's frog
Active Member
Will the football/basketball schools divide keep the Big East from being aggressive if the conference musical chairs starts? Adding three more all sports schools could make keeping the league together difficult because the basketball schedule would be so unwieldy.
The SEC will likely look to the ACC or the Big East to even up the league and go to 14 (I don't see them going to 16 at least for now). In an ideal world the Big East would be able to fend off the ACC if the ACC came calling on one of our members to replace a team like FSU because I think in the long run we will be able to offer them more money than the ACC contract will. However, I don't see us being able to keep WVU in the fold if they got an SEC invite although I think that is unlikely. The ACC has several more attractive candidates for SEC expansion than WVU. So, at least in my opinion, an SEC raid on the ACC might not have any effect on the Big East.
As for the Big 12, I think they stay together for now even if A&M leaves. Add BYU, keep the league at 10 teams and pretend all is right with the world. We will not get an invite to the Big 12 and neither will Louisville or Houston. UT will not agree to go west to the Pac-12 with Tech, OU and OSU either because they would have to give up their precious network. The only thing that could screw this up for UT is if the SEC decides to take A&M and Mizzou which I don't think is likely or if the Pac-12 goes to 16 with OU, OSU, Tech and ??. However, I just don't think the Pac-12 is interested in an expansion to the central time zone unless it includes UT. Keeping the Big 12 together is what is best for UT so I think that's what will happen and the Big 12 will not be a threat to the Big East.
However, the big question is would we be able to get to get some ACC or Big 12 teams to switch to the Big East even if the Big 12 doesn't blow up. The core of the ACC is untouchable. UNC, NC St, Duke, Wake, UVa, Maryland, Ga Tech et al ain't gonna give up rivalries built up over generations for a few million more dollars a year and Va Tech ain't ditching UVa after pulling political stroke to get in. Boston College and Miami are potential targets especially Miami if the ACC loses FSU. Getting either one of the those teams back in the Big East would be a real coup and add a lot of value to a TV contract that is already going to be a lot more lucrative than what the ACC is getting.
Same for the Big 12, we would never get Baylor or Tech to get off Bevo's [ teat ] and if OU is leaving I think it would be for the SEC or the Pac-12. However, Mizzou, Kansas and KSU might be persuaded by $$ and stability to ditch the Bevo-10. The question is will the Big East be aggressive enough to pursue this?
I just hope the leadership of the league understands that they can't be passive or else their league will eventually be picked apart from the outside. My fear is that the basketball schools will veto aggressive expansion. If they try to do that, the football schools need to be ready to call their bluff and threaten to leave. This could be a real opportunity to stabilize the league for a long time and they better not screw things up.
The SEC will likely look to the ACC or the Big East to even up the league and go to 14 (I don't see them going to 16 at least for now). In an ideal world the Big East would be able to fend off the ACC if the ACC came calling on one of our members to replace a team like FSU because I think in the long run we will be able to offer them more money than the ACC contract will. However, I don't see us being able to keep WVU in the fold if they got an SEC invite although I think that is unlikely. The ACC has several more attractive candidates for SEC expansion than WVU. So, at least in my opinion, an SEC raid on the ACC might not have any effect on the Big East.
As for the Big 12, I think they stay together for now even if A&M leaves. Add BYU, keep the league at 10 teams and pretend all is right with the world. We will not get an invite to the Big 12 and neither will Louisville or Houston. UT will not agree to go west to the Pac-12 with Tech, OU and OSU either because they would have to give up their precious network. The only thing that could screw this up for UT is if the SEC decides to take A&M and Mizzou which I don't think is likely or if the Pac-12 goes to 16 with OU, OSU, Tech and ??. However, I just don't think the Pac-12 is interested in an expansion to the central time zone unless it includes UT. Keeping the Big 12 together is what is best for UT so I think that's what will happen and the Big 12 will not be a threat to the Big East.
However, the big question is would we be able to get to get some ACC or Big 12 teams to switch to the Big East even if the Big 12 doesn't blow up. The core of the ACC is untouchable. UNC, NC St, Duke, Wake, UVa, Maryland, Ga Tech et al ain't gonna give up rivalries built up over generations for a few million more dollars a year and Va Tech ain't ditching UVa after pulling political stroke to get in. Boston College and Miami are potential targets especially Miami if the ACC loses FSU. Getting either one of the those teams back in the Big East would be a real coup and add a lot of value to a TV contract that is already going to be a lot more lucrative than what the ACC is getting.
Same for the Big 12, we would never get Baylor or Tech to get off Bevo's [ teat ] and if OU is leaving I think it would be for the SEC or the Pac-12. However, Mizzou, Kansas and KSU might be persuaded by $$ and stability to ditch the Bevo-10. The question is will the Big East be aggressive enough to pursue this?
I just hope the leadership of the league understands that they can't be passive or else their league will eventually be picked apart from the outside. My fear is that the basketball schools will veto aggressive expansion. If they try to do that, the football schools need to be ready to call their bluff and threaten to leave. This could be a real opportunity to stabilize the league for a long time and they better not screw things up.
