Memphis, Ecu Not Going Anywhere ...

MeanGreen61 · May 17, 2008

Exerpts Orlando Sentinental article from the muts board.

Memphis and East Carolina aren't going anywhere soon (much as they'd like to).

The next round of conference expansion -- or realignment -- isn't ready to take off yet. Too many BCS leagues are too healthy. The Big East, the league everyone thought would fold up and blow away, is arguably stronger financially than it ever has been. How the league survived the ACC's raid from five years ago and thrived will be in commissioner Mike Tranghese's obit (which we hope doesn't come for some time.)

Other BCS leagues ARE talking to schools. The Big Ten, for instance, might have expansion on the back burner. (Or, at least, not on a front burner.) But the league is still talking to a handful of potential 12th members. You know, just in case. Among those on the speed dial: Texas, Missouri, Syracuse and Rutgers. (Notre Dame? Puh-leeze. Don’t think the Big Ten's gonna get embarrassed a third time there. Besides, ACC Commissioner John Swofford has always held out hope he can make Notre Dame an offer the Fighting Irish won't refuse.)

The suspicion around the Big East is that East Carolina and Memphis, for whatever reason, leaked all of this stuff. That each of them is desperate -- for different reasons -- to get out of C-USA and get into a league that sends out more than $2 million a year in revenues.

That schools, including Memphis (but maybe not East Carolina or Western Kentucky), are actually not so enthused about a football-only membership in any conference. Football is still the big money driver as the NCAA Tournament's coveted units seem to miss less and less ever year.

That the Big East's football coaches really, really, really want to find a ninth member -- and maybe a 10th. The difficulty in finding five non-conference games is a pain they're tired of dealing with.

That any notion the Big East is going to ADD to 16 basketball schools is, well, wrong. There's still a bit of believe that the league will at some point divide into eight all-sports schools and eight non-football schools (including football-independent Notre Dame.

ARTICLE

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...carolina-m.html

Edited May 17, 2008 by MeanGreen61

Arkstfan · May 17, 2008

All the divide theories were based on two things.

1. Having 16 didn't work for the WAC

2. The money split wouldn't work.

The WAC deal didn't work because there was no way to insure BYU, Utah, Wyoming, Air Force, and Colorado State played every year in football without screwing the other 11 schools. Those schools are gate receipts driven and playing every year is essential to that.

The money split is working quite well. If the day comes that one group or the other is clearly dominate in making basketball money and believes the other isn't carrying their weight, or the money takes a big drop. They'll split the sheets quicker than Britney Spears and whatever his name was that filed for an annulment while still hung over from the wedding.

UNTFan23 · May 17, 2008

They'll split the sheets quicker than Britney Spears and whatever his name was that filed for an annulment while still hung over from the wedding.

It's Kevin Federline ... geez. :rolleyes:

Arkstfan · May 17, 2008

It's Kevin Federline ... geez.

Nope Jason Allen Alexander http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britney_Spear...99.E2.80.932004

NT80 · May 17, 2008

Humm, this article is from an Orlando newspaper, home of Big East also-hopeful UCF, trying to dispell rumors about UM and ECU. Humm..... :rolleyes:

PlummMeanGreen · May 17, 2008

Humm, this article is from an Orlando newspaper, home of Big East also-hopeful UCF, trying to dispell rumors about UM and ECU. Humm.....

Almost like one of those "Coach Bucko's job is safe" and then he gets fired the next day? Never say never about U of Memphis not going to the Big East. Ask a few ex SWC schools just how fast things can change when it comes to conference re-alignment.

GoMeanGreen1999 · May 18, 2008

Exerpts Orlando Sentinental article from the muts board.
Other BCS leagues ARE talking to schools. The Big Ten, for instance, might have expansion on the back burner. (Or, at least, not on a front burner.) But the league is still talking to a handful of potential 12th members. You know, just in case. Among those on the speed dial: Texas, Missouri, Syracuse and Rutgers. (Notre Dame? Puh-leeze. Don’t think the Big Ten's gonna get embarrassed a third time there. Besides, ACC Commissioner John Swofford has always held out hope he can make Notre Dame an offer the Fighting Irish won't refuse.)
ARTICLE
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_co...carolina-m.html

Let's see......Big 10 - Missouri maybe, Syracuse maybe, and Rutgers maybe, but Texas? NO.

May 18, 2008

I'm not saying that they're wrong but the Orlando Sentinel and the San Jose Mercury-News have always been cutting edge sensationalists who continually swim upstream. I'd take the Denton Record-Chronicle over either for dependability.

There is little doubt in my mind that there have been talks between Memphis and the Big East. Memphis could bring a lot of revenue to the conference with their consistently high tournament finishes. In turn, the Tigers would receive a lot more back from a BCS conference than they could from CUSA. That means that the talks are all about MONEY.

UNTflyer · May 19, 2008

ACC Commissioner John Swofford has always held out hope he can make Notre Dame an offer the Fighting Irish won't refuse.

South Bend, IN is nowhere close to the Atlantic Coast.

I would love to see Notre Dame in the Big 10. The rivalries are already there, hell they play 3 Big 10 opponents a year.

I know, it won't happen...

ADLER · May 19, 2008

Notre Dame is the linchpin in this whole ordeal and the Big Ten and Notre Dame are both waiting until the Notre Dame-NBC contract expires in 2010. Notre Dame will go with whichever plan is more financially lucrative; Big Tem membership or Independent.

If Notre Dame remains independent, watch for the Big Ten to add Syracuse or Rutgers to bring its membership to 12.

The Big East will probably respond by not only replacing the departed school, but by raising their football membership to 12 just like the Big Ten, ACC, SEC, and Big Twelve. All 5 of those new schools could be current eastern CUSA members that have already been positioning themselves; Memphis, Marshall, ECU, UCF, and Southern Miss.

Quoner · May 19, 2008

Let's see......Big 10 - Missouri maybe, Syracuse maybe, and Rutgers maybe, but Texas? NO.

Texas has been floating around for awhile wit the Big 10. I doubt it happens, but imagine the money to be made in an annual (or close to annual) series between Michigan, Ohio State and Texas alone.

Green Mean · May 19, 2008

Texas has been floating around for awhile wit the Big 10. I doubt it happens, but imagine the money to be made in an annual (or close to annual) series between Michigan, Ohio State and Texas alone.

I even heard about Texas as a possibily for the Pac 10 which then there would be two divisions in that conference. I think its all a long shot but it makes for interesting conversation.

emmitt01 · May 19, 2008

Texas has been floating around for awhile wit the Big 10. I doubt it happens, but imagine the money to be made in an annual (or close to annual) series between Michigan, Ohio State and Texas alone.

No way. Why would Texas give up annual games with Texas Tech, and aTm? Baylor and Ok State I'm sure they could live without (could Baylor live without UT?) but why give up the other two TX schools. The OU game would be a given to continue as an OOC (and would actually be a plus since a loss in the Red River rivalry game wouldn't hurt them in a conference race).

But why would TX (a school whose coach even came out and said "we don't want to schedule tough teams in OOC anymore" after Ohio State spanked them two years ago) willingly set themselves up to play OH State, Michigan, Purdue, Iowa, etc every year? Why replace the only real goliath in their conference in OU with several in the Big 10? We all know BCS schools try to take the road of least resistance (while still playing in a "BCS" conference).

Eagle1855 · May 19, 2008

But why would TX (a school whose coach even came out and said "we don't want to schedule tough teams in OOC anymore" after Ohio State spanked them two years ago) willingly set themselves up to play OH State, Michigan, Purdue, Iowa, etc every year? Why replace the only real goliath in their conference in OU with several in the Big 10? We all know BCS schools try to take the road of least resistance (while still playing in a "BCS" conference).

Are Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue and Iowa much different than OU, Mizzou, Texas Tech and Texas A&M on any given year? Nevermind maybe-one-day Nebraska.

I can't see Texas going anywhere without A&M. Fans wouldnt want to see UT in the Big 10. Pretty much eliminates traveling to see them play.

Actually the more I think about it, the dumber this discussion really is.

And as for Texas flirting with the Pac-10, that was during the SWC breakup.

Edited May 19, 2008 by Eagle1855

greenminer · May 19, 2008

Wonder where the Texas to Pac10 rumor mill started. Certainly not in Austin, where Longhorns would clean up 6th Street before they succumb to west coast game times and media cemetery.

MeanGreen61 · May 19, 2008

Wonder where the Texas to Pac10 rumor mill started. Certainly not in Austin, where Longhorns would clean up 6th Street before they succumb to west coast game times and media cemetery.

Dates back to the SWC breakup days.

Edited May 19, 2008 by MeanGreen61

Arkstfan · May 20, 2008

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories...ch.1ca3e1c.html

Eagle1855 · May 20, 2008

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories...ch.1ca3e1c.html

thanks for posting this, great article.

All thought they could deliver big television markets to a league in search of the same, but the Big 12 members felt that UT and A&M could deliver Dallas and Houston.

And that is why we'll never see UH, UNT, TCU, or SMU in the Big 12. Never. gonna. happen. Those schools offer absolutely nothing to the league they don't already have.

TheTastyGreek · May 20, 2008

And that is why we'll never see UH, UNT, TCU, or SMU in the Big 12. Never. gonna. happen. Those schools offer absolutely nothing to the league they don't already have.

Maybe if we had helmet stickers...

May 20, 2008

thanks for posting this, great article.
And that is why we'll never see UH, UNT, TCU, or SMU in the Big 12. Never. gonna. happen. Those schools offer absolutely nothing to the league they don't already have.

How about viewers? I don't know about SMU or TCU becasse thay don't have as many alumni but Houston and North Texas have more than 100,000 alumni in the Houston and DFW plus their extended families who would watch their alma maters play Texas, OU, Nebraska, etc. who won't watch them play Troy, Middle Tennessee, East Carolina, Marshall, and others.

We're talking apples and oranges here. You give either the prestige of the Big 12 (especially North Texas who has never been in a major conference) and you will see even more interest than Baylor/Texas Tech can generate. Eventually that would spread outside the two major markets. Tech can hold its own but an institution with 35,000 students will beat one with 10,000 every time when on equal footing.

Eagle1855 · May 20, 2008

How about viewers? I don't know about SMU or TCU becasse thay don't have as many alumni but Houston and North Texas have more than 100,000 alumni in the Houston and DFW plus their extended families who would watch their alma maters play Texas, OU, Nebraska, etc. who won't watch them play Troy, Middle Tennessee, East Carolina, Marshall, and others.
We're talking apples and oranges here. You give either the prestige of the Big 12 (especially North Texas who has never been in a major conference) and you will see even more interest than Baylor/Texas Tech can generate. Eventually that would spread outside the two major markets. Tech can hold its own but an institution with 35,000 students will beat one with 10,000 every time when on equal footing.

I never questioned whether or not the Big 12 would be good for UNT- there is not denying that fact. What I question is what VALUE we bring to the Big 12. We aren't a prestigious academic institution (even compared to SMU, TCU and UH) and we have very little national appeal (much like UH, TCU, SMU, and UH).

And I'd love to see where this alleged large group of UNT alumns is in Houston. I've been here almost 4 years and I've never seen more than couple dozen congregating for an occasional televised game. The fact that an area the size of Houston has an exes chapter that supposedly encompasses the entire Gulf Coast region (which is a massive area) is only further evidence of how sparsely populated UNT alums are down here. I'm sure the same can be said about UH alums in the DFW area. Which means, very little appeal outside of our respective markets.

Arkstfan · May 20, 2008

I can't find the article online but around the time of the Big 12 land grab there was an article that explained what happened with ABC. The Big 8 and SWC were struggling to get a TV package similar to the Big 10, Pac-10 and SEC deals. They approached ABC and asked for a combined bid that would cover both leagues with every SWC school playing one non-conference game against the Big 8. ABC offered the same money as for two independent deals. The Big 8 folks then asked ABC to give them a figure for just the Big 8 plus UT and TAMU and it was identical. Part of ABC's logic was that ratings in Dallas were through the roof for UT games and good for TAMU. Any game involving OU drew better ratings than SWC games without UT or TAMU. The fall off in Houston and San Antonio was nearly as dramatic if TAMU or UT weren't involved.