NYP: Big East to invite six

Pony^ · Post by **Pony^** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:04 am

"The Big East is prepared to take the steps necessary to quickly move on from the loss of Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the ACC by inviting six programs to join the conference, The Post has learned.

After what was described as two days of acrimonious conference calls in which the Big East's non-FBS members seriously considered the option of splitting from their football brethren, all the schools are on the same chapter, if not the same page, sources said.

The first order of business is for the Big East to agree to raise the exit fee from $5 million to $10 million for the FBS members. The exit fee for non-FBS members, such as St. John's and Seton Hall, would remain at $5 million. There could, however, be some shortening of the 27-month exit window, the source said."

"Once the exit fee is increased, which would send a message of commitment and solidarity, the league will invite Air Force, Navy and Boise State, followed by Central Florida, possibly as soon as this weekend.

The last two spots, as the league seeks to get to 12 FBS members, is up for grabs among three programs -- Houston, SMU and Temple."

"Sources told The Post that Villanova expressed strong objection to sharing the Philadelphia market with Temple. Philadelphia, however, is home to Comcast, which logically favors more Philly-based institutions. It's possible the Owls could receive a football-only invitation.

If the Temple issue can't be resolved, the league will move on Houston and SMU. Some factions in the conference don't favor inviting both Texas schools, although with Boise State and Air Force aboard, it would make sense to have other programs west of the Mississippi."

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/ ... N5Cz8tZSlM

Pony^ · Post by **Pony^** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:15 am

"According to several Big East sources, after another conference call Thursday, the league is moving closer to an expansion plan that has many, many moving parts, based on schools both coming and going. Right now the top working model includes adding Temple for football only, and no move-up to the Big East for Villanova football."

"A Big East source said the league's interest in Boise State seems to be increasing, but Boise presumably is in Navy's position: Tell them who is in first, really committed, and they'll think about it. So a big key remains the issue of raising exit fees and establishing TV rights, as other leagues have done. Conference USA schools such as Central Florida, East Carolina, Houston, and SMU are all on the board as possible all-sports targets as the league looks to go as high as 12 football schools and 20 basketball schools. Some schools have a better chance to join if the league moves west for football, if Boise State and Air Force sign on for football only.

What the league plans to do if Louisville and West Virginia bolt for the Big Twelve in the coming weeks is anybody's guess, so the whole circus may be far from over, or could even start over from the beginning. But Big East football schools not being considered by other leagues are in a precarious place and need to expand immediately to keep the league alive. The basketball schools are going along with that, believing they are stronger being part of a league with an automatic qualifier for BCS bowl games."

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/hom ... rates.html

Pony^ · Post by **Pony^** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:21 am

"Aside from Boise State, Navy and Air Force also have been targeted as football-only members by the Big East, and the league is considering Temple from the Mid-American Conference and Central Florida and East Carolina from Conference USA as members in all sports.

SMU and Houston from CUSA also are possibilities, allowing the Big East to regain the presence in Texas it thought it was going to have with TCU.

Having the Texas schools, along with Air Force, which is in Colorado Springs, Colo., in a western division of the league, would give Boise State some reasonable road trips. The closest current Big East football member to Boise, Idaho, is Louisville ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ 1,879 miles away."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleg ... -to-12.ece

ponyte · Post by **ponyte** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:55 am

Interesting. Temple actually may fit well. Philly is the #4 TV market (ahead of Dallas which is #5). THis may put us on the outside. For once the Dallas huge TV market is trumped. Not quite strong enough to be in like a UH. But in an attractive market so we can't be completely ignored. Of course BSU keeps the Big East in at he AQ status and they may well want more games closer to Boise.

that's great raplh · Post by **that's great raplh** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:09 am

So it's hurry up and wait.

StallionsModelT · Post by **StallionsModelT** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:17 am

As I mentioned a few days ago I think we are one spot short of getting in. Big East will add the following:

Boise
Air Force
Houston
Central Florida
Navy
Temple

So if we are left in a CUSA w/o UH and UCF, what do we do? MWC makes no sense w/o Boise. CUSA will backfill with FIU and UNT. What options does SMU have at that point? This is why we MUST find a way to inch ahead of Houston. But I just don't see it.

StallionsModelT · Post by **StallionsModelT** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:20 am

Just for grins here would be our home schedule:

Tulsa
Rice
UNT
Tulane
Marshall
UAB

Boy that'll fill the stands!

Dutch · Post by **Dutch** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:21 am

All wins

StallionsModelT · Post by **StallionsModelT** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:32 am

Attendance would be an absolute joke and we'd get even less media coverage than we do now.

StangEsq · Post by **StangEsq** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:34 am

I haven't seen any reports that we are the school left out. The ones we've seen indicate that several schools are opposed to Houston (academic and financial commitment reasons).

Dutch · Post by **Dutch** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:43 am

StallionsModelT wrote:Attendance would be an absolute joke and we'd get even less media coverage than we do now.

As opposed to now? Hate to admit it but ntsu would probably bring mire than ucf will this weekend.

StallionsModelT · Post by **StallionsModelT** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 6:44 am

UNT would but we would average 12-15K for the season.

mustangxc · Post by **mustangxc** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:00 am

I see no reason to add any teams. If the tams you suggest are taken I would look into adding FIA and FAU, La Tech and Miami Ohio, or staying at 10.

gostangs · Post by **gostangs** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:09 am

the school they are stuggling with is Houston. Not what they want in adademics. Would not matter in the SEC but it does to these folks. I hope we (texas schools) both get in.

smudubs · Post by **smudubs** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:16 am

StallionsModelT wrote:UNT would but we would average 12-15K for the season.

How do you reach this conclusion? We would lose one team that we currently play annually. We could schedule U of H in OOC. By your own knee jerk conclusion, you concede the team that would replace Houston would travel better thus increasing our attendance.

So your argument seems to imply that if we are no longer in a conference with UCF our attendance would drop by 10,000 per game. Brilliant! I'm glad you were just learning to read when the rumors of the SWC's demise first starting swirling. Then concerns of such an attendance drop were real.