NY Daily News on New BE
Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:00 am
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/2011/10/16/2011-10-16_rutgers_conference_call.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Marinatto's master plan, which was approved Friday by the league's presidents and chancellors, includes adding Boise State, Air Force, Houston, SMU, Central Florida and the Middies to create a strong 12-team Big East football conference that would include two new nationally ranked programs and two distinguished military academies and would incorporate four new major TV markets in Dallas, Houston and Orlando and Washington D.C.
Most of the pieces look like they are falling into place.
Despite ESPN reports that Boise State and Air Force would stay in the Mountain West, it appears both schools are ready to pull the trigger and make the move to the Big East, which has a better chance to be an AQ league and should wind up with a more lucrative TV contract and maintain its BCS status.
Navy sounds it may still be camera shy, waiting to make sure there are no more surprises in this league. But the Middies could be easily replaced with Temple as a football-only member if they opt to remain an independent and life could go on, provided the current six members on the football side, which signed off on an increased $10 million dollar exit fee Friday, don't get wandering eyes and looking for the first exit door.
A new Big East, which would be divided into two divisions with Rutgers, Connecticut, West Virginia, Temple and Central Florida, in the East and Houston, Boise State, SMU, Houston, Air Force, Louisville and Cincinnati in the West, would be stronger than the old Big East with Pitt, Syracuse and TCU in football and more attractive to TV when it re-negotiates its contract next fall.
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