Room Opening For X to the BE?

[xudash]

Perhaps, as has been noted on the realignment thread, the BE might be coming around to the idea of having to address basketball concurrently with addressing football.

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-men/hc-notes-big-east-media-1020-20111019,0,842629.story

Different thread to address your insights into X changing conferences again, this time for the BE.

[waggy]

Many expansion models surface for an unclear future


NEW YORK -- In these uncertain days of conference realignment, Big East commissioner John Marinatto said "anything is possible." And for the Big East, anything includes expanding from 16 to 24 teams for men's basketball.

Marinatto revealed the conference's potential expansion models Wednesday -- including examples of 19, 20 and 22 teams -- at the conference's annual basketball media day at the New York Athletic Club.

"There are a lot of different models," Marinatto said. "With 24 schools, you would have four divisions of six teams each."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11293/1183454-233-0.stm?cmpid=pitt.xml

[MD Muskie]

Its just not going to happen. I don't understand why people keep having this idea that Xavier is BE bound. All this realignment talk is centered around football and will always be centered around football. We really don't have a dog in this fight. The "Big Six" Conferences want football and football tv money and will do whatever they can to try and appease that urge.

[GoMuskies]

Its just not going to happen. I don't understand why people keep having this idea that Xavier is BE bound. All this realignment talk is centered around football and will always be centered around football. We really don't have a dog in this fight. The "Big Six" Conferences want football and football tv money and will do whatever they can to try and appease that urge.

I'm not sure why you think this. I would say there's a really good chance the "Big Six" becomes the "Big Five" very soon because of the football realignment. Then the second stage of realignment begins, and that stage of realignment is going to be centered on basketball. And that's almost certainly coming. It may not end with us in the Big East, but it's coming.

[xudash]

I'm not sure why you think this. I would say there's a really good chance the "Big Six" becomes the "Big Five" very soon because of the football realignment. Then the second stage of realignment begins, and that stage of realignment is going to be centered on basketball. And that's almost certainly coming. It may not end with us in the Big East, but it's coming.

Agreed. At least the very first step, the ultimate elimination of the BE as a BCS AQ football conference, is virtually a given at this point. From there, this situation won't exactly be rolling down hill for the BE.

We may learn about Mizzou going to the SEC as soon as today. If it is true that the Big XII and BYU couldn't get things worked out over scheduling issues associated with the latter's faith restrictions, and if the Big XII otherwise sees value in going to 12 programs now, telling Texas to knock it off about that, the BE will be receiving the final torpedo in its football side.

[Founding Father]

I'm not sure why you think this. I would say there's a really good chance the "Big Six" becomes the "Big Five" very soon because of the football realignment. Then the second stage of realignment begins, and that stage of realignment is going to be centered on basketball. And that's almost certainly coming. It may not end with us in the Big East, but it's coming.

I agree with this.

The bball only schools have to know that this is coming and I really don't see why they would vote any full time BE members in right now.

One problem I see is WVU and Louisville leave for the B12 and UCONN eventually leaves for the ACC.

I could see UC, South Florida and Rutgers staying in the BE with ND and the 7 bball only schools and the BE adding 5 football only schools to be an 8 team football conference and a 16 team bball conference.

UC, South Florida and Rutgers won't have anywhere to go and I can see them wanting to stay in the BE even if it is really the new CUSA. I don't know if they will be able to convince 5 schools to join JUST as football only schools though and again the bball onlies would be stupid to add in any full members that play football.

[LA Muskie]

I agree with this.

The bball only schools have to know that this is coming and I really don't see why they would vote any full time BE members in right now.

One problem I see is WVU and Louisville leave for the B12 and UCONN eventually leaves for the ACC.

I could see UC, South Florida and Rutgers staying in the BE with ND and the 7 bball only schools and the BE adding 5 football only schools to be an 8 team football conference and a 16 team bball conference.

UC, South Florida and Rutgers won't have anywhere to go and I can see them wanting to stay in the BE even if it is really the new CUSA. I don't know if they will be able to convince 5 schools to join JUST as football only schools though and again the bball onlies would be stupid to add in any full members that play football.
I think they will eventually split, but that the BE basketball schools are waiting out the exit and annual payments while taking the time to chart a new course. In general I wouldn't agree with the strategy of taking short-term profits at the expense of long-term growth and potential. But it's a lot of money to leave on the table, and more importantly, they really don't seem to have planned in advance for this, so it's probably the right call for them. Realistically we're probably looking at 4-6 years.

The reality is that the trust is gone, and everyone knows it. At this point, everyone's out for themselves. That's a recipe for ultimate disaster, but not necessarily immediate breakup.

[waggy]

I wonder if the 24 team bball scenario takes into account the departure of 1 more team (WVU to B12)? Assuming a loss of WVU, a 24 team bball conference means at least 7 of the additions would have to be all sports, correct? The 4 BBall only schools would be the easy part. The all sports programs would be the hard part. Boise, Navy and Air Force have all been floated as football only. So it doesn't add up.

SMU, Central Florida and Houston are easy. After that I'm not sure what they do. If X is included I'd selfishly want Temple and Memphis for their BBall programs.

[XUFan09]

I think they will eventually split, but that the BE basketball schools are waiting out the exit and annual payments while taking the time to chart a new course. In general I wouldn't agree with the strategy of taking short-term profits at the expense of long-term growth and potential. But it's a lot of money to leave on the table, and more importantly, they really don't seem to have planned in advance for this, so it's probably the right call for them. Realistically we're probably looking at 4-6 years.

The reality is that the trust is gone, and everyone knows it. At this point, everyone's out for themselves. That's a recipe for ultimate disaster, but not necessarily immediate breakup.

I agree with all of this, but especially the last part. Of course, "not necessarily" does not mean "not." However, my wishful thinking gets in the way when contemplating immediate breakup. It would be awesome, but it's only a hope...