Big East schools return to their roots

Harry · December 16, 2012

Another scenario could involve welcoming Cincinnati and Connecticut itself a founding Big East member for all sports and those schools finding separate homes for their Division 1 football programs. Those discussions have not begun and are said to require a great deal of persuasion, but as well-placed individual at one of those schools said: "Every option is on the table."

Regardless of how the new conference shakes out, it appears that by forging out on their own and bucking the trend of conference realignment which favored moves based on football the seven schools appear set to put money where their mouths are. Despite financial limitations by not having major, Division 1 football programs, each of the seven schools are reportedly committed to investing in the basketball product.

What will help that: A new television contract.

One of the main reasons why the seven basketball-only schools stuck with the Big East through the defections of Rutgers (Big Ten); West Virginia and TCU (Big 12); Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Notre Dame (ACC), was because of the promise of a still-lucrative television contract. However, even with additions of schools like Boise State, San Diego State, Temple and five former Conference USA members for football, those hopes dwindled. And it became harder to swallow adding schools that diluted its once-proud basketball product.

But according to two individuals with knowledge of the television rights market, the defecting seven schools have already received interest in a deal which would earn them a fee comparable to what they would've received under a new football deal under the Big East umbrella. The individuals asked to remain anonymous because no negotiations have begun.

For now though, the seven schools wake up this morning with a sense of stability they have not enjoyed since the collegiate realignment wheel began spinning nearly 18 months ago. Once the crown jewel in the Big East's sports profile, the teams with college basketball as their center-point had been left to waver as their brethren bolted for big payouts elsewhere.

read more: http://www.nj.com/college-basketball/index.ssf/2012/12/big_easts_basketball-only_schools_defect_from_conference_citing_a_return_to_their_roots.html