BE Commissioner ... ‘We feel we have a very good league'

[Water Pony]

"In a telephone interview Wednesday, Aresco voiced confidence the Big East will remain a viable league, partly by expanding west of the Mississippi. He also shed light on the rationale behind the Catholic seven’s breakaway. And he said he expects issues such as who gets the "Big East" name and privilege of holding its basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden to be negotiated amicably."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/co ... story.html

[Digetydog]

Negotiated amicably? So in other words, he'll give them everything in excahnge for them not nuking the league. Got it.

Cox - at this point, I don't think that they can "nuke" the league. Both sides have some leverage and have an incentive to cut a deal. It will get done.

1) the Catholic Schools will get the MSG tournament b/c the "new" Big East teams won't be a big draw there;
2) they will figure out a way to distribute the money; and
3) the NCAA will figure out a way to make sure both groups are protected in the BB tourney.

[EastStang]

Personally, it might be worth more to make the exit fees palatable with a requirement that the Catholic schools play X number of games at NBE schools. This has a TV component which helps the NBE and has the ability to NBE teams to have marquee games in their arenas. Yes, Providence may have to play at Tulane, or St. Johns at ECU, but Seton Hall, DePaul, Marquette, Georgetown and Villanova may have to travel to Memphis, Dallas, UH, USF, UConn or Cincy.

[Digetydog]

Personally, it might be worth more to make the exit fees palatable with a requirement that the Catholic schools play X number of games at NBE schools. This has a TV component which helps the NBE and has the ability to NBE teams to have marquee games in their arenas. Yes, Providence may have to play at Tulane, or St. Johns at ECU, but Seton Hall, DePaul, Marquette, Georgetown and Villanova may have to travel to Memphis, Dallas, UH, USF, UConn or Cincy.

I negotiate for a living. Good negotiators keep options open and think outside the box. Using something like scheduling to compensate each other is a great way to close a deal.

Example: I could see a NBE v. FB BE challenge each year.
Memphis at SJU in MSG
Goergetown at SMU in Moody
Nova at Houston
Uconn at Providence
Cincy at Marquette

[Treadway21]

Now that would be cool.