Big East Realignment (GU-Specific Discussion)

If this article is accurate, then the 6 month window indicates the entrance of the rest of the schools has some bearing. Could the bball schools vote to drop the exit fee to zero and then break off? (of course it could just be a nice round number that gives aresco a chance to wind up his tv negotiations).

Also if a mirror home and away among the bball schools was being offered as incentive to stay, that sounds pretty similar to a special mini conference within the conference. Given how bad some of the bball only schools are i dont see how it helps gtown a lick.

Also, George Mason? Really?

From a reliable source (hopefully more reliable than the Nerlens source : The catholic schools are seriously considering splitting. While maintaining the Big East brand as their own. In addition, they would like to add St Louis, Xavier, Dayton, Butler and VCU. But the kicker I found interesting was that they believe they can also add Cinci, Uconn, Temple, and Memphis, rendering the current Big East football members to a football only conference which many believe would be better anyway. Ultimately the New Big East would have 16 members in all sports (minus football of course). They would keep MSG for conference tourney. Would have markets in NY, Chicago, DC, Philly, among others. And would be a competitive top 5 basketball conference that also allows for other sports to keep a more regional schedule. In addition, ESPN has hinted that they would be willing to pay somewhere in the range of 20-25 million for this arrangement, which would be similar to any deal that they would get by remaining in the current set up. Found it all interesting. Thought Id share....

All this is consistent with what has been an increasingly open topic here in SoCal for weeks. Barring a miraculous change in the conference realignment pattern or an unbelievable television contract, the issue for SDSU (and almost certainly BSU) is not whether but when and how they bolt the BE. Neither team intended to join this BE. Neither wants to pay a penalty to leave. Neither is interested in a legal challenge at this time. Both have Administrations who have boxed themselves in by relying upon the conference make-up they thought would exist. Also been told that a recent major push to obtain BYU for the BE has failed, with that school not willing to limit its options at this time.

This is the most significant and positive Hoya hoops development since the 2006-07 Final Four appearance.

Quite simply, a move like this will secure a stable economic future for the program and athletic department, maintain our national relevance, and align us with schools that make natural rivals and share a hoops-first mentality. Most importantly, it will relieve us from the crushing position of being subordinate to football schools in a broken conference.

Excellent!!!

If they can pull this off while keeping those four football linked basketball schools this would be a huge win. Keep this new FB conference in some form as a Conference USA and then have those hoops programs playing in the Big East.

Balla kept telling me that the Tulane at was a big get and was part of some genius master plan, I can't believe he didn't know that the University wasn't too keen on it.

Aside from the dream invite to the ACC, this seems like the best option left available for Georgetown. Not totally sure how keeping the basketball first FBS schools would work, but I suppose if they could be stashed in the C-USA it seems that would be a net benefit for them, as the football conference would be essentially the same, but the basketball would be measurably better than whatever the BE with football would have looked like. If we could maintain a yearly game with Cuse and throw in a game against a Duke or a Kansas, that would ensure Gtown hoops stays in the national spotlight.

With the way UConn and Cinci were falling all over themselves to get out of the Big East when the ACC came calling after the UMD defection, I doubt playing as an independent or in some such role would be attractive to them. If this move happens, you have to expect that they'll be looking elsewhere. The only way I see them staying is if they have no where else to go.

So, right now, it looks like the possibilities for make up of the conference basketballwise are as follows:

Option 1 (current option):
1. Catholic Schools
2. UConn/Memphis/Temple/Cincinnati
3. UCF/Houston/SMU/Tulane/USF

Option 2:
1. Catholic Schools
2. UConn/Memphis/Temple/Cincinnati
3. Some combination of Xavier/Dayton/Saint Louis/Butler/Creighton/VCU/George Mason

Option 3:
1. Catholic Schools
2. Some combination of Xavier/Dayton/Saint Louis/Butler/Creighton/VCU/George Mason

I'd say that Option 1 is preferable to Option 3, but Option 2 would be the best possible outcome.

So just so we're all clear what I assume NoBoumtjeInTheYaYaRoom's describing would be a league of:
Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, Seton Hall, Providence, Depaul, St. Johns, Cincinnati, Uconn, memphis, temple, VCU, Xavier, St. Louis, Dayton, and Butler for all sports except for Football.

Then a separate football entity that would be Cincinnati, Uconn, Memphis, Temple, USF, UCF, Tulane, ECU, Houston, SMU, Boise St, Sand Diego St, Navy, and a team to be named later.