Boise State, San Diego State and BYU may rejoin MWC

[Harry]

Boise State, San Diego State and BYU have had conversations with Mountain West membership about the possibility of returning to the league, sources told ESPN.

The talks originated after last week's decision in Denver by the BCS commissioners to award an automatic access bowl berth to the highest-rated champion to the "Group of Five" conferences. That decision in essence put the Mountain West on equal footing, as far as playoff access is concerned, with the Big East starting in 2014.

The "Group of Five" includes the Mountain West, Big East, Conference USA, Mid-American and Sun Belt conferences.

Sources said Monday those talks are expected to bring on greater significance after Maryland announced it was leaving the ACC for the Big Ten. ESPN reported Rutgers will announce Tuesday it is also leaving for the Big Ten. That means the Big East will lose Rutgers and then potentially either UConn or Louisville to the ACC.

A San Diego State official said: "Nothing changes, we are committed to the Big East."

With the Big East losing two more schools and having the same playoff access as the Mountain West, Boise State and San Diego State are reconsidering their options. One of the main reasons both schools opted to join the Big East was the draw of more television revenue.

However, it's unknown how much more the Big East's future media rights will be worth compared to the Mountain West's after losing Rutgers to the Big Ten and another member to the ACC. It's also unknown how much the Mountain West's media rights deal would increase if Boise State, San Diego State or BYU returned to the MWC.

Even though Boise State and San Diego State don't join the Big East until July 1, 2013, the schools would have to pay an exit fee to get out of their contract. Both schools signed contracts with the Big East on Dec. 6, 2011, with a $5 million buyout, but that amount was increased to $10 million in January when Navy announced it was joining the league in 2015.

BYU, which left the Mountain West after the 2010 season to become an independent, would have to get out of an eight-year contract with ESPN to rejoin the Mountain West or Big East.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/c...urn-sources-say

[golfingomez]

Lulz... This is great

[MeanGreenGlory]

SMU and Houston going to try to come back to CUSA?

[Green Mean]

SMU and Houston going to try to come back to CUSA?

I see a lot of LOL's at SMU and Houston but they could very well end up at the MWC if the Big East fails.

[MeanGreenGlory]

I see a lot of LOL's at SMU and Houston but they could very well end up at the MWC if the Big East fails.

Fact.

[shaft]

A Big East implosion would be awesome.

Rutgers to the Big Ten (+4) takes a lot of money out of the BE tv deal.

Maryland to the Big Ten creates a hole in the ACC for UCONN.

Boise and SDSU are rethinking the MWC with BYU.

The Big 12 may make a play for Louisville and Cincy before the ACC gets greedy and goes for 16.

The MWC may want UTEP to go to 14.

That leaves CUSA to take back Houston, SMU, USF, UCF, Memphis to go to 18.

Navy stays independent and Temple goes back to the MAC.

And there is one less conference for the BCS access group to pay money to.

Edited November 20, 2012 by shaft

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I think Lousiville will go ACC.... and Big Twelve pick up Houston and someone..... and that is the big mystery. .. not SMU, Rice, Cinn., or Memphis...... This a stretch but we are huge in a huge market..

[buff64]

I think Lousiville will go ACC.... and Big Twelve pick up Houston and someone..... and that is the big mystery. .. not SMU, Rice, Cinn., or Memphis...... This a stretch but we are huge in a huge market..

Lousiville has been pressing the Big 12 for membership for the last year or so.

[Harry]

A Big East implosion would be awesome.

Rutgers to the Big Ten (+4) takes a lot of money out of the BE tv deal.

Maryland to the Big Ten creates a hole in the ACC for UCONN.

Boise and SDSU are rethinking the MWC with BYU.

The Big 12 may make a play for Louisville and Cincy before the ACC gets greedy and goes for 16.

The MWC may want UTEP to go to 14.

That leaves CUSA to take back Houston, SMU, USF, UCF, Memphis to go to 18.

Navy stays independent and Temple goes back to the MAC.

And there is one less conference for the BCS access group to pay money to.

Shaft is right - Rutgers heading out takes a lot of cashola from the Big East TV deal -- now the Big East basketball schools are losing all of the teams they agree to expand for in the first place. Will they break off? I think it's possible now.

If the Big East money goes down it makes the regional aspect of C-USA and Mountain West become more attractive. Remember Boise and SDSU were going Big East for football only - and having to place their other sports in other leagues.

This is a big blow to the Big East no matter how you look at it.

[MeanGreenGlory]

Shaft is right - Rutgers heading out takes a lot of cashola from the Big East TV deal -- now the Big East basketball schools are losing all of the teams they agree to expand for in the first place. Will they break off? I think it's possible now.

What's the red tape around forming a new conference? I thought there was a probation period of some length where you couldn't attend bowl games/tournaments or something??

[Coffee and TV]

At this point I almost see the Big East just getting "merged" into the ACC. And of course by merge I mean takeover.

[Rudy]

I would LOVE for Coogar High and $mut to come back to CUSA. I know it won't happen, but still.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Rudy

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I think Lousiville will go ACC.... and Big Twelve pick up Houston and someone..... and that is the big mystery. .. not SMU, Rice, Cinn., or Memphis...... This a stretch but we are huge in a huge market..

Big 12 won't even sniff Houston. Big 12 addition talks have been Florida State, Clemson, or Louisville. Houston isn't even in the equation.

[Green Mean]

Not a chance Houston goes to the Big 12. Their options will be to stay in the future BE, CUSA or MWC.

[untjim1995]

It was just a matter of time before this all happened. The western schools need to be in the MWC--and they now know it. My guess is that Boise, SDSU, and BYU will definitely go back to the MWC and I bet they add UH to get to 14.

Now that CUSA has added the likes of ODU and UTSA, I think the former CUSA schools may just try and form something new, even if it means starting over without NCAA Tournament bids or bowl bids yet. I could easily see UCF, USF, SMU, Temple, Memphis, and Navy going to Tulsa, ECU, USM, Marshall, Tulane, and Rice to form a newer version of the old CUSA or Metro Conference. If that occurs, I would see UTEP heading back west, which would give the MWC 15 teams, and I would hope and pray we would get the 16th spot, especially since there wouldn't be too many other options left for additional markets that the MWC would want to get into for TV exposure. Either way, I'd think we would be ok. What would crush my soul is if the MWC added UTSA for that last spot, just because of their untapped market, bowl game tie-in potential, and being a destinationi city.

[Green Otaku]

Lousiville has been pressing the Big 12 for membership for the last year or so.

Louisville doesn't fit the academic profile for the ACC. If they go its most likely the Big12, maybe the ACC but they will have to campaign hard.

I can see Louisville and Cincinnati going to the Big 12, it will help bridge West Virginia and no way is the Big12 sitting quietly as everyone else expands. UConn will likely be the ACC pick, so what happens to USF and Temple?

[Harry]

There appears to be a breaking point we are nearing with the Big East. The basketball schools were willing to add western football only schools to hang on to teams like Rutgers Pittsburg etc..conversely Boise AFA SDSU etc were willing to jump into the new Big East because pf the auto bcs bid and the basketball schools would help drive more revenues through the TV contract. the auto bid is now gone, the Big East is with the gang of five now.

Now that the football schools which kept the basketball schools in tow are bolting, and Boise AFA and SDSU are realizing that their non-revenue sports will suffer it makes a strong case for the basketball schools breaking off and starting their own deal and the west schools going back to the MWC and the former C-USA schools returning to C-USA.

Some will say that the Big East would lose their auto bids by forming a new conference but I beg to differ -- they are the original Big East and will likely retain all rights they had before. The lynchpin is the new Big East TV contract. That has been waved about like a flag and if they were able to secure anything near what they had before it would keep the Big East alive on sheer TV revenue. I just think if I'm a basketball school I say lets bolt and keep all the revenue we have coming to us.

[VideoEagle]

Uconn isn't a complete lock for the ACC. Remember, they sued Boston Collage and the ACC to stop their move together and Boston Collage has made a point to fight Uconn every step of the way since. It is similar to SMU working against us, but with more passion at the administrator level.

I'm not sure about Ciny and Louisville to the Big12 either. If the dollars and markets made since they would have already done that but the Big 12 chose to hold at 10. Louisville doesn't fit the academic profile of the ACC and while football and markets matter, the ACC Presidents have stressed academics. Florida State was a big enough add to override the issue but I don't believe Louisville is big enough to do the same. Plus, Florida State has be forced to raise some of their admissions standards, at least that's what I"ve been told.

[VideoEagle]

There appears to be a breaking point we are nearing with the Big East. The basketball schools were willing to add western football only schools to hang on to teams like Rutgers Pittsburg etc..conversely Boise AFA SDSU etc were willing to jump into the new Big East because pf the auto bcs bid and the basketball schools would help drive more revenues through the TV contract. the auto bid is now gone, the Big East is with the gang of five now.

Now that the football schools which kept the basketball schools in tow are bolting, and Boise AFA and SDSU are realizing that their non-revenue sports will suffer it makes a strong case for the basketball schools breaking off and starting their own deal and the west schools going back to the MWC and the former C-USA schools returning to C-USA.

Some will say that the Big East would lose their auto bids by forming a new conference but I beg to differ -- they are the original Big East and will likely retain all rights they had before. The lynchpin is the new Big East TV contract. That has been waved about like a flag and if they were able to secure anything near what they had before it would keep the Big East alive on sheer TV revenue. I just think if I'm a basketball school I say lets bolt and keep all the revenue we have coming to us.

I believe if the Catholic schools hang together they have enough to NOT lose their auto bids. They liked the football dollars, but if Boise doesn't come combined with the loss of RU I can't see those dollars continuing. They can keep lots of basketball units to themselves in the future to make up for a football dollar loss as I don't believe they got full shares of the football money.

[untjim1995]

One way or the other, either the ACC or the Big XII is gonna get poached at the end of this. The Big East was the first AQ league to get cannibalized. The Big XII has somehow mangaed to stay alive, but it is completely dependent on Texas. Now, if the ACC football powers know that they cannot get a competitive payout from their league, then moving to the Big XII might be their best move. FSU, Clemson, GT, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Louisville would be a coup for the Big XII. Then, the SEC gets their prizes (Va Tech and NC State) and the B1G gets their prizes (UNC and UVa). At that point, the Big East and ACC leftovers (Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse) would just combine into a basketball league. This is the way the Big XII survives with 16 schools, the SEC has 16 schools, the B1G has 16 schools, and the Pac-12 stays at 12. When you add ND, you have 61 schools that are in the "club".

On the other hand, the ACC adds UConn (which is probably a wash with Maryland leaving) and they hold at 14. Then, the Pac-12 adds Texas, Tech, OU, and OSU, leaving the Kansas schools, Baylor, TCU, Iowa State and WVU out there to find their way. The B1G or the ACC could add the Kansas schools and WVU and Louisville, which would give the Pac 16 teams, the B1G 16 teams, the ACC 16 teams, and the SEC at 14 teams. With ND, you have 63 teams in the "club".

[MeanGreenTexan]

One way or the other, either the ACC or the Big XII is gonna get poached at the end of this. The Big East was the first AQ league to get cannibalized. The Big XII has somehow mangaed to stay alive, but it is completely dependent on Texas. Now, if the ACC football powers know that they cannot get a competitive payout from their league, then moving to the Big XII might be their best move. FSU, Clemson, GT, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Louisville would be a coup for the Big XII. Then, the SEC gets their prizes (Va Tech and NC State) and the B1G gets their prizes (UNC and UVa). At that point, the Big East and ACC leftovers (Duke, Wake, BC, Syracuse) would just combine into a basketball league. This is the way the Big XII survives with 16 schools, the SEC has 16 schools, the B1G has 16 schools, and the Pac-12 stays at 12. When you add ND, you have 61 schools that are in the "club".

On the other hand, the ACC adds UConn (which is probably a wash with Maryland leaving) and they hold at 14. Then, the Pac-12 adds Texas, Tech, OU, and OSU, leaving the Kansas schools, Baylor, TCU, Iowa State and WVU out there to find their way. The B1G or the ACC could add the Kansas schools and WVU and Louisville, which would give the Pac 16 teams, the B1G 16 teams, the ACC 16 teams, and the SEC at 14 teams. With ND, you have 63 teams in the "club".

I really think if you stack them top to bottom, Big 12 is just as good as, if not better than the Big10/11/12/13/14 and Pac12. Oklahoma is in this conference as well. This year's KS St... OK St & WVU are perennial top 25 teams. TX Tech bounces in and out of the top 25. It is a very competitive league. It's most powerful member is obviously UT, but the conference does not rely on UT to carry them.

[NorthTexan95]

What I hate is that if it becomes four super conferences then there are some really bad teams in those conferences that will benefit unfairly from the system. If the Big 4 would then attempt to block out the other teams I see lawsuits flying.

[untjim1995]

I really think if you stack them top to bottom, Big 12 is just as good as, if not better than the Big10/11/12/13/14 and Pac12. Oklahoma is in this conference as well. This year's KS St... OK St & WVU are perennial top 25 teams. TX Tech bounces in and out of the top 25. It is a very competitive league. It's most powerful member is obviously UT, but the conference does not rely on UT to carry them.

This year, K-State has done well in football, no doubt. But Texas is the crown jewel that can name where they go if they would drop that stupid LHN. OU found out real fast just how much clout they don't hav ewhen they thought the Pac-12 would take them and OSU without Texas. The Pac-12 basically told them that we ain't taking you two by yourselves--we'll only take Tech or OSU if we get Texas. The Pac-12 would do back flips to get OU and Texas by themselves. The other Pac-12 schools don't want bad academic schools to add, since they already have Arizona State, Wazzou, and Oregon State, so the only way Tech and OSU get there is if they bring their big brothers. I would bet you that OU could go west without Texas if they could get KU to go with them, since Kansas is an AAU school and brings good hoops out west. But KU and OU are stuck with poor academic schools due to state legislatures keeping them tied together.

The Big XII has three crown jewels (Texas and OU football, KU basketball) that bring in tons of money and attention. After that, there just isn't much. West Virginia's academics are the only school in the AQs that is worse than Tech, and OSU ain't that far away. Iowa State is just the opposite--great AAU school, but very little interest in their school. Baylor and TCU are too pissant programs for any other AQ to consider membership.

On field performance, the Big XII is fine, as compared to everyone else. If I had to guess, Texas will eventually go independent, if only for a few years. That way, they can get away from the Baylor lawsuits for leaving them for another conference, since they are just leaving to be independent. Then after a couple of years, they will go out west. Tech would actually be stuck at that point, because the Baylor lawsuit threat would still be there for them--and probably added to by TCU, as well.

If the ACC holds it together, the Big XII will get pilfered. Obviously, Texas and Oklahoma are in the best shape for landing in a Super 4 conference (100%). Tech and OSU are in good shape by proxy to their big brothers in state (90%), KU and KSU probably land somewhere in those Super 4 conference (75%), West Virginia would be 50/50 with the ACC being their only hope for Super conference inclusion. Iowa State, Baylor and TCU are gonna be stuck in a MWC/CUSA setup. I want the Big XII to last, just because I like that league and the games played in the CST at decent times (unlike the Pac-12). I just have my doubts that Texas is gonna keep this together for the long-term without reinforcements from the ACC's southern schools.

[Christopher Walker]

Lulz... This is great

What really gets me is how ESPN is the primary reporting mechanism in all of this.... but they're also one of the major media players manipulating the outcome with their TV contract input.

Clever, are they?

[Edited for sentence structure....not that it got much better.]

Edited November 20, 2012 by Christopher Walker

[Eagle1855]

Not a chance Houston goes to the Big 12. Their options will be to stay in the future BE, CUSA or MWC.

This. Houston has absolutely zero chance of being in the Big 12. Why?

1) It's a market that is already sufficiently covered.

2) They don't raise the academic nor the athletic profile.

3) Because UT said so.

Also, I think the Big XII will be doing the poaching this time around. Louisville would obviously be a better catch than UH, but FSU would be a whopper. It would put the conference closer to equal footing with the SEC, from a competitive standpoint, top to bottom.

That FOX TV deal is pretty sweet. Wouldn't say it's out of the realm of possibility.

Edited November 21, 2012 by Eagle1855