Turner: SMU on right path
Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 3:49 pm
I don't know if you all saw this from this week from Chuck Carlton at the Dallas Morning News Sports page with that headline and his interview with Gerald Turner:
Turner: SMU on right path
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Nothing in the last five months has dampened SMU’s anticipation of Big East membership.
In an email interview Tuesday, SMU president R. Gerald Turner strongly endorsed his school’s move from Conference USA to the Big East beginning in the 2013-14 academic year. The Big East has been beset by four defections in the last year and speculation about more.
"We’re very excited about our future in the Big East," Turner said. "Rumors are just that. We must remain focused on the future, on moving forward. SMU is committed to winning in athletics and we feel we are on the right path."
In some ways, it’s an intriguing fit - a conference without a commissioner after the resignation of John Marinatto and a school that just fired athletic director Steve Orsini.
Yet, each provides what the other needs.
In the Big East’s case, the conference wanted football-playing members beyond the league’s traditional geographic footprint. Schools like SMU open up new markets and new possibilities across the country.
For SMU, the Big East, regardless of the member composition, represents an upgrade over Conference USA in both national prominence and TV dollars. A long-term Big East TV deal, to be negotiated later this year, could conservatively bring a full football/basketball member such as SMU about $11 million a year.
"Obviously, the negotiations are important to the league and its member institutions," Turner said. "The new TV deal will be important from both exposure and financial standpoints and will, we believe, create stability in the Big East."
One of SMU’s major goals throughout the realignment process was a berth in a conference whose champion automatically qualified for the BCS.
But BCS executive director Bill Hancock has said the AQ designation will be discontinued in the next version of the BCS.
Despite the decision, Turner said he still sees the Big East remaining among the nation’s elite conferences.
"While the label may change, we believe that tiers will continue to exist," Turner said, "and that the Big East will still be part of that top tier."
Interim Big East commissioner Joe Bailey agreed Tuesday when told of Turner’s comments.
"Absolutely," Bailey said. "Clearly, the conference is still going to be very competitive, no matter what. You still have an equal chance to compete for national titles. Nothing has changed from that standpoint."
The dismissal of Orsini came at an awkward time for SMU, the week before its first appearance at the Big East meetings.
Interim athletic director Tim Leonard has represented the school for three days of meetings. Discussions have included TV presentations, discussions of football divisions and a title game, and the breakdown for an 18-team men’s basketball conference tournament.
Turner pledged that nothing would fall through the cracks.
"Conference alignment issues are worked out at the presidential level, and we, as a university, will work together to make the transition a smooth one," Turner said.
"We believe most of the issues will occur later in the academic year, and the university leadership and athletic department, under the very capable leadership of Tim Leonard, are unified in our commitment to continued athletic success."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleg ... reregister
Turner: SMU on right path
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Nothing in the last five months has dampened SMU’s anticipation of Big East membership.
In an email interview Tuesday, SMU president R. Gerald Turner strongly endorsed his school’s move from Conference USA to the Big East beginning in the 2013-14 academic year. The Big East has been beset by four defections in the last year and speculation about more.
"We’re very excited about our future in the Big East," Turner said. "Rumors are just that. We must remain focused on the future, on moving forward. SMU is committed to winning in athletics and we feel we are on the right path."
In some ways, it’s an intriguing fit - a conference without a commissioner after the resignation of John Marinatto and a school that just fired athletic director Steve Orsini.
Yet, each provides what the other needs.
In the Big East’s case, the conference wanted football-playing members beyond the league’s traditional geographic footprint. Schools like SMU open up new markets and new possibilities across the country.
For SMU, the Big East, regardless of the member composition, represents an upgrade over Conference USA in both national prominence and TV dollars. A long-term Big East TV deal, to be negotiated later this year, could conservatively bring a full football/basketball member such as SMU about $11 million a year.
"Obviously, the negotiations are important to the league and its member institutions," Turner said. "The new TV deal will be important from both exposure and financial standpoints and will, we believe, create stability in the Big East."
One of SMU’s major goals throughout the realignment process was a berth in a conference whose champion automatically qualified for the BCS.
But BCS executive director Bill Hancock has said the AQ designation will be discontinued in the next version of the BCS.
Despite the decision, Turner said he still sees the Big East remaining among the nation’s elite conferences.
"While the label may change, we believe that tiers will continue to exist," Turner said, "and that the Big East will still be part of that top tier."
Interim Big East commissioner Joe Bailey agreed Tuesday when told of Turner’s comments.
"Absolutely," Bailey said. "Clearly, the conference is still going to be very competitive, no matter what. You still have an equal chance to compete for national titles. Nothing has changed from that standpoint."
The dismissal of Orsini came at an awkward time for SMU, the week before its first appearance at the Big East meetings.
Interim athletic director Tim Leonard has represented the school for three days of meetings. Discussions have included TV presentations, discussions of football divisions and a title game, and the breakdown for an 18-team men’s basketball conference tournament.
Turner pledged that nothing would fall through the cracks.
"Conference alignment issues are worked out at the presidential level, and we, as a university, will work together to make the transition a smooth one," Turner said.
"We believe most of the issues will occur later in the academic year, and the university leadership and athletic department, under the very capable leadership of Tim Leonard, are unified in our commitment to continued athletic success."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/colleg ... reregister