Big East targets SMU and Central Florida for football expans

[SMU 86]

This is big.

[Stallion]

Houston also has "promises" to improve BB arena-seems like they could do what NTSU, UCF etc have done. Make the tens of thousands of students pay for it with fees

[StangEsq]

I think there's also a rivalry here that they don't have with Houston.

[Pony ^]

What would happen if Houston was accepted after promising improvements and never did?

[Samurai Stang]

Houston also has "promises" to improve BB arena-seems like they could do what NTSU, UCF etc have done. Make the tens of thousands of students pay for it with fees

At best, Houston appears to be operating on a model in which they will improve their facilities when they are invited. Memphis has been known to make similar promises.

For BCS conferences, such promises appear underwhelming.

[Hoop Fan]

wow, top of the list. Boston source, no hype. I could see Notre Dame supporting us for all sports inclusion over lots of others, including Houston. Memphis has to be crapping their pants. They picked a bad couple years to suck beyond belief in football.

[Water Pony]

ND values a viable BE for BB and non-revenue sports. Helping TCU/SMU and USF/UCF helps recruiting value when their BB teams visit TX and FL.

[NickSMU17]

We defn have a relationship with nd, we have talked to them a lot lately hopefully they are pulling for us

[StangEsq]

It shouldn't matter if we are convinced that the new conference will be stable for the foreseeable future, but how much interest do these teams generate in terms of fan attendance?

Rutgers
Cincinnati
West Virginia
Louisville
Connecticut
USF
TCU
UCF
Temple

IMO most would draw more than Memphis, UAB, UTEP, Tulane, etc... just wondering how much. I guess it all comes back to winning.

[Comet]

Imagine if we go to the Big East and schedule ND in football in a couple years.

[PonyPatrol]

Is this true? From the article, referencing the addition of SMU/UCF...

"The combination of all those moves should stabilize the football conference which would guarantee the conference maintaining its lucrative automatic BCS berth. BCS berths are guaranteed to the conferences based on overall performance over a designated period of time. As long as the Big East remains intact, its bid can not be taken away by any change in the configuration of the conference."

[smupony94]

It means the conference needs to keep the Ohio River schools

[Stallion]

yeah I think its true until 2014 reevaluation period

[PonyPatrol]

If this "new" big east is able to hold onto its BCS qualification beyond 2014, WVU sure has to like their chances of playing in a BCS bowl every year. Maybe that's enough to keep them around?

[smupony94]

They are headed to the SEC