Another thought on the Big East/MWC saga?

[baddawg]

With the Big East becoming more unstable every day and the new playoff system taking away their AQ status what would be the hurdles to forming a new conference with these teams. To me this is just as strong a conference as the MWC and has more large markets which are considerably larger than any in the MWC besides San Diego and Las Vegas. It would stand to reason that a conference with teams from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Tulsa, El Paso, New Orleans, Birmingham, Tampa, Orlando, and Miami could get a better TV contract than what the MWC is able to get.

Tulsa
SMU
Rice
Houston
Tulane
UTEP
Tech
Southern Miss
Memphis
UTSA
UCF
USF
UAB
ECU
Marshall
FIU

[hookdown]

Houston and SMU probably do not want UTSA. UCF and USF probably do not want FIU. Memphis and Tulane do not want us. Do any of these pairs have the power to block another school? I have no idea.

If you are talking about forming a new conference and calling it the BE-Football, then the only hurdles are sending out the invites (and all that goes with that process). If you are talking about a new conference from scratch, then the NCAA steps in and makes things extremely difficult and virtually undoable.

[baddawg]

I would think that UH, SMU, UCF, USF, Tulane, and Memphis, would have enough foresight to realize they are going to be the only teams left in the BE in a few years.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

I would think that UH, SMU, UCF, USF, Tulane, and Memphis, would have enough foresight to realize they are going to be the only teams left in the BE in a few years.

Traditionally MASSIVE EGOS will potentially hinder the IQ's of SMU, Tulane, Memphis and probably Houston. But I sure hope not.

[parialex]

I would think that UH, SMU, UCF, USF, Tulane, and Memphis, would have enough foresight to realize they are going to be the only teams left in the BE in a few years.

No Conference USA team has, to date, turned down an invitation. I don't really expect that to change. The logistics of building from the BE beat forming a new conference quite easily. I don't see a need to go to 16 teams and some of the ones on that list would be met with more resistance than they're worth (Rice, FIU, Marshall). I'm not sure if UTSA is on that list. Obviously, not every school that has somebody that would prefer they not be there will be turned down.

It's worth noting that right now, incoming schools do not actually have a vote. So Memphis can't block anybody until next year (ditto UH) and Tulane can't until 2014. All they can do is threaten to take their ball back to Conference USA or some other conference). That threat would carry more weight with some schools than others.

When push comes to shove, though, Tulane didn't block LaTech into C*USA and USF didn't block UCF into the Big East. Desperate times, desperate measures.

[Dawg06]

I would think that UH, SMU, UCF, USF, Tulane, and Memphis, would have enough foresight to realize they are going to be the only teams left in the BE in a few years.

Even if and when UConn and Cincy leave, those you listed won't be the only ones left. Don't forget Temple has accepted a full member invite. Even though San Diego State will most likely go back to the Mountain West (but possibly not), East Carolina and Navy have accepted football-only invites. The Big East will still be able to steal UMass and anybody from C-USA or even the MAC if they want any of them. The Big East isn't going away.

[Dawg06]

With the Big East becoming more unstable every day and the new playoff system taking away their AQ status what would be the hurdles to forming a new conference with these teams. To me this is just as strong a conference as the MWC and has more large markets which are considerably larger than any in the MWC besides San Diego and Las Vegas. It would stand to reason that a conference with teams from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Tulsa, El Paso, New Orleans, Birmingham, Tampa, Orlando, and Miami could get a better TV contract than what the MWC is able to get.

Tulsa
SMU
Rice
Houston
Tulane
UTEP
Tech
Southern Miss
Memphis
UTSA
UCF
USF
UAB
ECU
Marshall
FIU

Why would those schools need to form a new conference when that conference you listed has the same core of the new Big East, a conference swimming in exit fee money and NCAA MBB units that roll over for 6 years?

[DawgFaninHous]

Even if and when UConn and Cincy leave, those you listed won't be the only ones left. Don't forget Temple has accepted a full member invite. Even though San Diego State will most likely go back to the Mountain West (but possibly not), East Carolina and Navy have accepted football-only invites. The Big East will still be able to steal UMass and anybody from C-USA or even the MAC if they want any of them. The Big East isn't going away.

Big East - 2015

East - Cincy, UConn, Temple, USF, UCF, ECU, Navy -(FBO)

Central - UH, SMU, Tulane, Memphis, and add Rice, USM & La Tech

Move Memphis to the east, when & if UConn & Cincy leave given you a solid 12.

Dr. Guice, Steve D. & Coach Holtz should be working on this plan right now!!!!!! We also have to hope that Tulsa hasn't already cut their deal or that they want to play in the MWC with UTEP!!!!

[TYLERTECHSAS]

Big East - 2015

East - Cincy, UConn, Temple, USF, UCF, ECU, Navy -(FBO)

Central - UH, SMU, Tulane, Memphis, and add Rice, USM & La Tech

Move Memphis to the east, when & if UConn & Cincy leave given you a solid 12.

Dr. Guice, Steve D. & Coach Holtz should be working on this plan right now!!!!!! We also have to hope that Tulsa hasn't already cut their deal or that they want to play in the MWC with UTEP!!!!

True. Or add UMass , Army or both to the east if UConn & Cincy leave. And if RICE is a no go for Houston add Tulsa on the west. We need somebody driving this boat of ideas now.

[DawgFaninHous]

True. Or add UMass , Army or both to the east if UConn & Cincy leave. And if RICE is a no go for Houston add Tulsa on the west. We need somebody driving this boat of ideas now.

I sure hope Dr. Guice has turned Steve D loose on this project! He is probably the only one in Ruston that could get this done! I would be using Holtz, Holtz's Dad, TB, Jimmy Johnson, Coach White's Dad at Duke, anyone who would be willing to make phone calls and/or attend meetings!

If we leave it up to BVDV & DR, I feel very confident we will end up when the music stops without a chair! The current bowl season is a good indicator of their abilities!

[Dwayne From Minden]

If you listen REAL close you can hear the crickets...

[Cougar King]

With the Big East becoming more unstable every day and the new playoff system taking away their AQ status what would be the hurdles to forming a new conference with these teams. To me this is just as strong a conference as the MWC and has more large markets which are considerably larger than any in the MWC besides San Diego and Las Vegas. It would stand to reason that a conference with teams from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Tulsa, El Paso, New Orleans, Birmingham, Tampa, Orlando, and Miami could get a better TV contract than what the MWC is able to get.

Tulsa
SMU
Rice
Houston
Tulane
UTEP
Tech*
Southern Miss
Memphis
UTSA
UCF
USF
UAB
ECU
Marshall
FIU

As leaders of the incoming nBE schools, Us and SMU will not allow the teams I bolded and most certainly the team I underlined to join our conference. There is way too much deadweight in the conference you proposed and in turn will do nothing but hold us back. We will most likely block Rice from joining whatever conference we go to in the future and most of us CUSA originals are very pissed off with Southern Miss due the 2011 CUSA championship game fiasco, hence why they're in the situation they're in. I astrisked La Tech because they could be useful but weighing in all of the pros and cons make it a 55/45 thing when it comes to benefitting us personally.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

As leaders of the incoming nBE schools, Us and SMU will not allow the teams I bolded and most certainly the team I underlined to join our conference. There is way too much deadweight in the conference you proposed and in turn will do nothing but hold us back. We will most likely block Rice from joining whatever conference we go to in the future and most of us CUSA originals are very pissed off with Southern Miss due the 2011 CUSA championship game fiasco, hence why they're in the situation they're in. I astrisked La Tech because they could be useful but weighing in all of the pros and cons make it a 55/45 thing when it comes to benefitting us personally.

I believe somebody actually posted that Houston and SMU don't get a vote until 2014 it seems.

[Champ967]

Even if and when UConn and Cincy leave, those you listed won't be the only ones left. Don't forget Temple has accepted a full member invite. Even though San Diego State will most likely go back to the Mountain West (but possibly not), East Carolina and Navy have accepted football-only invites. The Big East will still be able to steal UMass and anybody from C-USA or even the MAC if they want any of them. The Big East isn't going away.

I dont think the Big10, $ec, ACC, & Big12 are done with their plans. In addition to UConn & Cincy, I think Temple also fits the profile of a likely expansion target by one of the "AQ" conferences.

Then its just UCF, USF, Tulane, Memphis, Houston, & SMU. Even if ECU joins for all sports, it's still not enough. But that group might be able to poach some CUSA members if the money is right.

But if the MWC also grabs some combination of Houston, SMU & Tulsa, then BE football will go the way of, well .... WAC football.

[Dawg06]

The BTN and SECN aren't done yet. The ACC will react but won't go back to 14. I think the Big 12 and Pac-12 are done until their tv contracts expire over a decade from now.

I've said this numerous times, but... None of those schools that have left C-USA or declared that they are leaving C-USA will come back to C-USA. Forget it. They are gone. The Big East will do what's necessary to survive with a little help from ESPN and NBC, and they will always have the pick of any C-USA teams they want.

I think the East Carolina situation will be worked out after the San Diego State situation is settled.