Conference realignment discussion - v. 2015

[Hoya Hoya Hoya]

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@MHver3

ESPN again cranking up the pressure to try and get Texas to join the ACC.

ESPN desperately trying to get an ACCN to launch but financial issues are causing huge roadblocks

Wants UT to join ACC and convert LHN to an ACCN and buying out UT of LHN contract

This would free up lots of $ because ESPN will not renew B12 contract if UT bolts

ESPN fearing ACC defections in the near future if no ACCN and if the B10 contract is going to be what they believe it will be

ESPN doesn't mind defections fr ACC to SEC but B10 and B12 both are also in bed with fox

And with shrinking viewership ESPN cannot afford Fox to get more of a foothold in live content in big markets

[Jet915]

‏

@MHver3

ESPN again cranking up the pressure to try and get Texas to join the ACC.

ESPN desperately trying to get an ACCN to launch but financial issues are causing huge roadblocks

Wants UT to join ACC and convert LHN to an ACCN and buying out UT of LHN contract

This would free up lots of $ because ESPN will not renew B12 contract if UT bolts

ESPN fearing ACC defections in the near future if no ACCN and if the B10 contract is going to be what they believe it will be

ESPN doesn't mind defections fr ACC to SEC but B10 and B12 both are also in bed with fox

And with shrinking viewership ESPN cannot afford Fox to get more of a foothold in live content in big markets

Makes sense but who is mhver?

[TBC Alum]

Based on the last line, definitely not Stever!

[Jet915]

Based on the last line, definitely not Stever!

[Hoya Hoya Hoya]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... itle-games
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr- ... 24302.html

Could result in AAC being raided (LOL) and Cincy/Memphis being taken.

[pki1998]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/25401391/big-ten-trying-to-stop-acc-big-12-move-to-alter-conference-title-games
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr- ... 24302.html

Could result in AAC being raided (LOL) and Cincy/Memphis being taken.

If they are allowed conference championship games without having at least 12 teams, I don't see any incentive for the Big12 to go after Cincinnati memphis

[ivet]

They'll be forced to add 2 more so they can have a championship game, if not from the NCAA then pressure from the other conferences. I wonder if they would consider looking towards Florida, they have two viable options in UCF and/or USF. Pick up Memphis/Houston/Cincinnati for the other one. UConn will probably start making phone calls if this ever happens.

[NJRedman]

Our only chance of bringing UConn back in to the fold is with a Big XII raid of the AAC of Cincy and Memphis.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Upon the conclusion of the this year's college basketball season, the Big East will have its third completed season since its reconfiguration in 2013. Hopefully, at that point, the conference will see several deep tournament runs and even more national recognition that continues to keep the league as one of the top players in the college basketball world. Today's collegiate landscape, whether that's in football or in general, is all about growth and development - and the Big East has certainly done that over the past three seasons.

For starter's Xavier, Butler and Creighton have all been strong and imperative additions that have kept the conference as a basketball power (not to mention the great fans and following they have each brought on - class acts from each school). The conference, as a whole, has performed as an elite conference in out-of-conference matchups and tournaments, and, most importantly, gotten fans to games and at the conference tournament at MSG in March. While ratings are certainly not as high as say, being on ESPN, it is clear that Fox values what the Big East is, not just by what they have paid the conference and schools, but also the levels of advertising, marketing and production they have provided for all of our games, both in-and-out of conference.

The logical next step for the Presidents, Athletic Directors and Fox would be to address ways to continue to build and elevate the Big East - and for ways to challenge the B1G/ACC/Big 12 as the top basketball conference. Expansion is always a hot-topic around here, but - looking around at the performance of some of the A-10 schools - some of them could only add to the conference's footprint, RPI, basketball success, fan following and reputation. Adding strong basketball schools would only help alleviate the burden when a school(s) are going through a tough rebuilding process (see Marquette past two years, Creighton last year, St. Johns this year, etc.).

Bottom-line: After three years, is it time for the conference to consider expansion, or is it still in the build/develop stage - putting off expansion discussions until the FOX TV deal is close to expiring?

[anXUfan]

I still say you only add if there's a no brainer school like Notre Dame. I value the round robin schedule and think the league is great as is.

Also I believe this post should be merged into the realignment thread.