Big East expansion

[COCK PIT]

Espn.com has an article quoting Uconn's Randy Edsall about the Big East expanding in football. Likely choices would be East Carolina, UCF or Memphis. Personally I would like to see this:

Big East North Big East South
Penn State \ Cincinatti
Boston College \ West Virginia
Uconn \ Lousiville
Syracuse \ South Florida
Rutgers \ UCF
Pittsburgh \ Marshall

Because I love college football I think this would be a great upgrade for the conference. BC belongs in the Big East. East Carolina could slide into the ACC.

[Ga_Gamecock]

what does the article say? who would they take in the expansion?

[COCK PIT]

basically that they are only looking to take one for now. They would like to take Notre Dame but that is not happening. I think it will come down to ECU or UCF. Those programs have a high ceiling in terms of growth. Really, it is rediculous that Penn State and BC are not in the Big East. That is there natual place with rivalries etc.

[SouthernCock]

i know this isn't about the big east but i though that ucf is joining the SEC by 2011 or something like that or maybe i have the wrong team

[FlorenceCock]

i know this isn't about the big east but i though that ucf is joining the SEC by 2011 or something like that or maybe i have the wrong team
How would that happen? Which team are we going to kick out of the SEC for them to join? I have no idea how they would structure things in a 13 team conference. I will go ahead and say that it will never happen.

[Ga_Gamecock]

if we take ucf - whc will never happen IMO - we would have to take a counterpart - like memphis - so the two sides balance out

[Mecklenburg Cock]

I agree. BC should be in the Big East and ECU should be in the ACC. Unforunately, $$$ got in way. The ACC wanted a piece of the Boston market. However, unlike in The South, professional sports will always outshine College Athletics regardless of National Ranking or Competitive Conference. Case in point, last night's nationally televised game between BC and NSCU was emptier than a Duke Football game. Also, BC's football team is nationally ranked and their coach jumped ship a year ago to coach at NCSU because of the facilities and the area/market.

[happygilmore527]

i know this isn't about the big east but i though that ucf is joining the SEC by 2011 or something like that or maybe i have the wrong team

I believe this was on Rivals a while back about someone playing a video game and UCF being invited to the SEC in 2011.

[FeartheSpur]

i heard at one time that the SEC was looking to drop two teams.. Vandy and Mississippi State... and try to pick up a team from NC and Virginia.........then they would have one team from every state in the SE

[SouthernCock]

well my bad i must have misunderstood or misread the rumor, but i saw something about it on G.C. i was just trying to get more info on it

[Mecklenburg Cock]

deleted cause I'm an idiot.

[COCK PIT]

Simple common sense could really increase the enjoyment of college football. What the heck is Penn State doing in the Big Ten? I know money. But all of their natural rivals, West Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse are in the Big East.
Here is the misconception. People think you have to have huge TV markets to general revenue in college football. Not so. You have to have great games and great rivalries within conference. Case in point-SEC. A bunch of southern schools with lots of good rivalries. That is what people should think about with conference affiliation. The product will bring the money, increase the fan base and draw attention. Grow the regional match ups.

As for the SEC you could always push Ark to the Big 12. That is a natural fit.

[tptgamecock]

I like the idea of BC moving to the big east and the ACC picking up ECU. The rivals just fit. AS for the SEC expanding you would have to add two teams and not one for it to work and even then it would be difficult. I think we have the best conference in all of college athletics so why mess with it???

[COCK PIT]

I have an NC State friend and he is very opposed to ECU in the ACC. However, if you think about it they have a larger and more passionate fan base than Wake Forest and others. They have a lot of potential for growth in their football program if they are in the right spot. Plus they have like 5 rivals in the ACC. People are short sided. Who would have thought South Florida or Rutgers would be where they are ten years ago. Also, ECU can track the seaboard very well in recruiting.

[CoverTwo]

I'd take UCF or USF in the SEC..The SEC wants one of those markets.

[USCMusicMan]

I'd take UCF or USF in the SEC..The SEC wants one of those markets.

I would like to have more diversity in state...I think it would be bad for the ACC to take East Carolina. That would mean NC St., Duke, UNC, and East Carolina would all be in the ACC from the same state...that is a little too much.

[JspurW]

Simple common sense could really increase the enjoyment of college football. What the heck is Penn State doing in the Big Ten? I know money. But all of their natural rivals, West Virginia, Pitt and Syracuse are in the Big East.
Here is the misconception. People think you have to have huge TV markets to general revenue in college football. Not so. You have to have great games and great rivalries within conference. Case in point-SEC. A bunch of southern schools with lots of good rivalries. That is what people should think about with conference affiliation. The product will bring the money, increase the fan base and draw attention. Grow the regional match ups.

As for the SEC you could always push Ark to the Big 12. That is a natural fit.
But then you'd have to find a western team to replace a quality school like that, and there aren't many contenders. Memphis is an OK team but would get trounced in regular SEC play for many years to come. Southern Miss would be a decent fit, but 3 SEC teams in Mississippi is stretching that whole state, poached as it is by LSU and the Alabama schools, really thin.

ECU and UCF would both be good fits for the SEC or ACC, but at least in our case the divisions would have to be completely redrawn. I don't see the SEC changing for some time, though the Big East could pick up one or both to expand to 10 teams. It also wouldn't completely isolate USF from the rest of the conference.

[COCKYTALKIN]

I recall watching a spot on ESPN about South Florida setting a goal to join the SEC in 5+ years, haven't heard anything about UCF though.

I hope ECU does join the Big Eas(t)y. One more mediocre team to help upset all the other mediocre teams.

[Gaichon]

I agree with most all points previously stated. Bottom line for me is I hope ECU can get into a BCS conference. That program has potential.

[JspurW]

I recall watching a spot on ESPN about South Florida setting a goal to join the SEC in 5+ years, haven't heard anything about UCF though.

I hope ECU does join the Big Eas(t)y. One more mediocre team to help upset all the other mediocre teams.

The only way I could see that happening is if Vandy went to a non-BCS conference, which I can see them doing for monetary reasons. Not sure how much they value their SEC tradition in Nashville. But how disgusting would that make the SEC East?

[COCKYTALKIN]

The only way I could see that happening is if Vandy went to a non-BCS conference, which I can see them doing for monetary reasons. Not sure how much they value their SEC tradition in Nashville. But how disgusting would that make the SEC East?

That would be the only sensible way, let's hope that doesn't come to fruition for USF. That program has too much potential, and our division doesn't need anymore disgustiness.

[Ga_Gamecock]

The only way I could see that happening is if Vandy went to a non-BCS conference, which I can see them doing for monetary reasons. Not sure how much they value their SEC tradition in Nashville. But how disgusting would that make the SEC East?

That doesnt make sense ... Vandy makes $ by being in the sec

if they left they would lose on all of the conference-generated revenue that is divided up amongst conf members


::EDIT::

http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=20&url_article_id=7426&change_well_id=2
The Southeastern Conference will distribute approximately $116.1 million to the 12 league institutions in the revenue sharing plan for the 2005-2006 fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31, 2006, according to league commissioner Mike Slive.
The $116.1 million is the highest total ever distributed in SEC history and represents a 4.4 percent increase from the $110.7 million distributed to the schools in 2004-2005.
The revenue sharing plans include money generated by football television, bowls, the SEC Football Championship, basketball television, the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament and NCAA Championships.
Broken down by categories and rounded off, the $116.1 million was derived from $47.4 million from football television, $20.7 million from bowls, $13.2 million from the SEC Football Championship, $12.1 million from basketball television, $4.4 million from the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament and $18.3 million from NCAA Championships.
The average amount distributed to each school which participated in all revenue sharing was $9.68 million.
Not included in the $116.1 million was $7.3 million retained by the institutions participating in bowls and $696,000 divided among all 12 institutions by the NCAA for academic enhancement.
Other yearly money distributions, since 1980, are as follows: 1980 ($4.1 million); 1981 ($5.57 million); 1982 ($7.24 million); 1983 ($9.53 million); 1984 ($18.4 million); 1985 ($9.34 million); 1986 ($13.1 million); 1987 ($13.56 million); 1988 ($14.34 million); 1989 ($13.85 million); 1990 ($16.3 million); 1991 ($20.6 million); 1992 ($27.7 million); 1993 ($34.34 million); 1994 ($34.36 million); 1995 ($40.3 million); 1996 ($45.5 million); 1997 ($58.9 million); 1998 ($61.2 million); 1999 ($68.5 million); 2000 ($73.2 million); 2001 ($78.1 million); 2002 ($95.7 million); 2003 ($101.9 million); 2004 ($108.8 million); 2005 ($110.7 million) and 2006 ($116.1 million).-SEC-
SEC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR 2006-07
Dr. Andrew Sorensen, University of South Carolina - President
E. Gordon Gee, Vanderbilt University - Vice President
Robert Weems, University of Mississippi - Secretary
Dr. Michael F. Adams, University of Georgia
Larry Templeton, Mississippi State University
Marcia Boosinger, Auburn University
Judy Southard, Louisiana State University

[ShutTheSuccop]

That doesnt make sense ... Vandy makes $ by being in the sec

if they left they would lose on all of the conference-generated revenue that is divided up amongst conf members


::EDIT::

http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=20&url_article_id=7426&change_well_id=2


I agree 100%. There is no way that Vandy will leave the SEC based on the money. IMHO, I can see the SEC expanding as opposed to having a teams leave. I could see the SEC picking up ECU in the east and Memphis in the west. I know that Memphis has nothing to add in Football but everything to add in Basketball while ECU has nothing to add in Basketball but a lot to add in Football. I think that if the SEC wants to expand, it makes no sense to add both ECU and UCF as they are both eastern schools. i for one think that Memphis would be good addition and I really think that their football program would improve from a recruiting standpoint if they were in the SEC...they could go into eastern arkansas and northern Mississippi to recruit. It would have natural rivalries with Ole Miss (which is only like 60 miles from Memphis). However I think that my diatribe is moot as I doubt that the other SEC schools want to expand due to less of a share from conference money.

[COCKYTALKIN]

That doesnt make sense ... Vandy makes $ by being in the sec

if they left they would lose on all of the conference-generated revenue that is divided up amongst conf members


::EDIT::

http://www.secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=20&url_article_id=7426&change_well_id=2


Isn't that the point of all conferences, to make money?

I'm sure they wouldn't have as big a share in another conferences but they would get something. In order to determine whether or not it makes sense you would need to take a much more comprehensive look at the situation.

Transferring to another conference could turn them into a winning program. Let's say the Big East for example... they could compete with UCONN, USF, Louisville, Rutgers. Winning sells tickets, attracts donations, achieves bowl invitations... all of which will suffer as they receive their perennial beat downs in the SEC. Add that to their smaller share of conference earnings and I could imagine it would be a situation worth thinking about.

I'm not saying it's likely... but wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility.

[Ga_Gamecock]

JMO, but when the admin @ vandy sits down and cruches the #s, at the end of the day walking away from the SEC = walking away from guaranteed millins each year

Besides, vandy prides itself on being the "harvard of the south" ... and didnt they disband their athletic dept a few year back in favor of an ambiguous department 'for all students'? ... i remeber reading something like that. My point is it seems that vandy is much more focued on the academics rather than the athletics of its school ... with that said, they would be fools to take a mulitmillion dollar hit by leaving the sec.

football is a business and the admins treat it as such

[McNasty]

the Big East needs to add who i said a while back... UCF, ECU, Notre Dame, and either Troy or FAU. then divide:

North - Rutgers, UConn, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame
South - Louisville, West Virginia, USF, UCF, ECU, Troy/FAU

[mickeyrivers]

the only problem with that is that notre dame is not looking to join a conference, and they sure as hell don't want to join the big east. if they ever did join a league it would be the big ten.

i think adding ucf could help the big east... that is a school that has imo similar potential to that of usf. it's a big school in a talent rich area. they just built a new stadium. i think they'd be a good fit.

imo, though, if you're going to take 1 team and make it 9, you might as well go ahead and expand to 12 so you can have the title game and all that. that's where i think teams like ecu come into play... i dunno who else is out there that would really be worthy though. maybe memphis? marshall? ugh... don't really know if the big east is gonna be able to pull off 12 now that i think about it.

[mickeyrivers]

JMO, but when the admin @ vandy sits down and cruches the #s, at the end of the day walking away from the SEC = walking away from guaranteed millins each year

Besides, vandy prides itself on being the "harvard of the south" ... and didnt they disband their athletic dept a few year back in favor of an ambiguous department 'for all students'? ... i remeber reading something like that. My point is it seems that vandy is much more focued on the academics rather than the athletics of its school ... with that said, they would be fools to take a mulitmillion dollar hit by leaving the sec.

football is a business and the admins treat it as such

correct, also vanderbilt has a history in the sec that i don't think you can just throw away. the donors they do have would probably be very unhappy if they left the league.

moneywise it doesn't make sense, which you already touched on...

they do compete well in every sport other than football.

one more thing helping them stay in the league is that i don't think the other members of the league are in any way wanting vandy out. let's face it, in the sec east you have usc, uga, uk, uf, and tenn... do you really want to bring in a usf or louisville to deal with on top of all that? i don't.

[COCKYTALKIN]

**edit** potential hijacking

[McNasty]

the only problem with that is that notre dame is not looking to join a conference, and they sure as hell don't want to join the big east. if they ever did join a league it would be the big ten.

i think adding ucf could help the big east... that is a school that has imo similar potential to that of usf. it's a big school in a talent rich area. they just built a new stadium. i think they'd be a good fit.

imo, though, if you're going to take 1 team and make it 9, you might as well go ahead and expand to 12 so you can have the title game and all that. that's where i think teams like ecu come into play... i dunno who else is out there that would really be worthy though. maybe memphis? marshall? ugh... don't really know if the big east is gonna be able to pull off 12 now that i think about it.

the notre dame thing is true, but i think at this point after last year it would benefit them to join a conference. their strength of schedule would increase, and they'd have a chance for a championship. plus they're big east in basketball and baseball, so why not football too IMO. plus i'm just sick of them being able so play whoever they want and have all these TV and BCS contracts. it's not fair.

i think UCF and FAU would be perfect additions because they're both on the rise. and then ECU is a good enough program for the Big East. better than Syracuse and Pitt, right?

if those four teams were to be added, i would actually have legitimate respect for the Big East.

and as for Notre Dame in the Big Ten, i think they should take Iowa St from the Big 12 and the Big 12 replace them with BYU. or just have the Big Ten add Toledo, Bowling Green or Ball St. Something like that.

[mickeyrivers]

the big ten's already tried to get notre dame once... i'm sure they'd walk into the big ten if they ever decided to join a league. i agree it isn't fair that they don't need to join a league but as we all know life isn't fair. they have fans all over the country and just as many haters all over the country to prop up their tv contract. as long as that support system is there, they will stay just where they are.

i remember a long time ago joe paterno started up rumbles about a "super east" conference that featured teams like vtech, penn state, pitt, notre dame, boston college, miami, west virginia, and others... that would have been something cool to see. that will never happen now obviously, but that probably would have been the most fitting conference for all those teams.