Big East Football Still has Options

Harry · December 15, 2012

The Big East already has been left behind plenty of times. It's used to this. The crushing blow would be a mass exodus starting with UConn, Cincinnati and Boise State. But their options seem limited right now. Joining another smaller conference provides no guarantee of more television dollars, despite the Big East's low valuations in recent months.

The ACC isn't begging UConn and Cincinnati to join anytime soon. Perhaps Boise State and San Diego State could find a Pac-12 home eventually.

The Mountain West would have to flip quite the renegotiation with CBS to lead a small-school cannibalization of the Big East. It would have to sell CBS, which holds the Mountain West's rights until 2016, on a package involving current and potential members. It's possible, but hardly a sure thing.

Perhaps a small-school alliance is feasible down the road, some sort of 40-team mega-conference. But getting that deal done would be cumbersome because of legal wrangling and scheduling conflicts.

The basketball schools' exit will be ugly, just another dart into the chest of a commissioner who clearly didn't sign up for this four months ago. Recently-joined members didn't sign up for this, either. The Conference USA defections spent money to join a conference that looks an awful lot like Conference USA.

But now is not the time for Big East football to jump off the ledge. There are still options. Get the remaining members to pledge public support for the league, maybe in a unified press release like the ACC did, and take that to the television execs. Public assurances are hollow in realignment, but they're better than the alternative, which is playing out with the basketball schools.

Maybe go on the offensive, gobbling up as many football schools as possible. Go to the MAC, Mountain West, Conference USA for invites. Go for a 20-team membership. That could dilute the brand, but that has already happened. Maybe the Big East will find strength in numbers.

Read more: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/jeremy-fowler/21406426/big-east-football-still-has-options-amid-breakup-from-basketball-schools

H-towngreen · December 15, 2012

The only way I can see the BE staying alive is if they decide to do a 20 team football league. Just start inviting everyone. Fresno, UNLV, UTEP, Tulsa, whoever and wherever.

Mark Gommesen · December 16, 2012

What a mess.

UNTexas · December 16, 2012

Good thing we are where we are. I am still thrilled about the new conference. I really like all the other teams too and I hope we beat the crap out of them regularly.

The only road game in conference that will be rough is Tulsa because of their awful 3.2 beer up there. Everyone else will be awesome. I like this conference.

Who cares about the Big East...

eulessismore · December 16, 2012

Good thing we are where we are. I am still thrilled about the new conference. I really like all the other teams too and I hope we beat the crap out of them regularly.
The only road game in conference that will be rough is Tulsa because of their awful 3.2 beer up there. Everyone else will be awesome. I like this conference.
Who cares about the Big East...

Maybe you could stop just north of the Oklahoma state line and play some Choctaw Bingo. UNT alumni Ray Wylie Hubbard has sung about that; just saying.