(08-20-2010 07:19 PM)Brick City Pirate Wrote:  He made that post shortly after we beat them in 2008 and were ranked in the top 25. Maybe he thought we were going to be the next Boise State at that time.

If ECU had played BSU's schedule since then there's no telling where ECU would be right now.

(08-11-2010 10:01 PM)Sandiss Wrote:  My father has informed me of some of the latest open and 'closed' door topics that were discussed at the Big East meetings and what is currently on the table. Overall the preference among majority, and I say majority because not all existing Big East members have the same mind set, but the majority would rather stay together in the current 16 member form in any way possible. All have made the pledge to stay together; however, at least two or three unversities made this pledge with some doubt. This is the main reason why several of the Big East Catholic Universities have pushed the idea of Nova moving up to football. The Big East Catholics do not want the conference to split. Splitting would kill the programs at several schools that have under performed in basketball and non revenue sports over the past few years. Some Big East football playing members believe that these schools are using the Big East as a crutch; however, they understand that is a part of the game. This was not originally Nova's idea but the idea of four Big East Catholic University Presidents and some at the Big East office in Providence. My father has told me that I am cannot mention which schools pushed the idea nor mention who at the Big East office pushed this idea nor which Big East schools are very hesitant about the idea. Nova's administration is very hesitant about the idea for several reasons: start up cost, operation cost, stadium, attendance/ticket sales, and enrollment. Several Big East schools are willing to provide some financial assistance to help Nova to move up to BCS level football within the next two to five years. Several Big East schools have even pledged to help Nova in seeking out deals with UPenn to use Franklin Field for home games or other facilities in the Philly area. Nova's administration is very concerned that their current competitive football program will be used as a 'whipping boy' to save the Big East for several years which would hurt their ticket sales and attractiveness in the Philly/Delaware/NJ area. One saving grace and maybe ironic is the growth and improvement of Temple. Some Big East Presidents and ADs believe that if Temple can get 25,000 to 30,000 or more at their home games, Nova could eventually do the same and even better by being in a BCS conference. Nova is the number one option for football growth / expansion.

The number two option for football growth remains to be Notre Dame. Many Big East Presidents are trying their hardest to get either some type of scheduling agreement with ND or entice them to either play a conference schedule in football with a greater financial share of revenues. ND's President and AD have passed on this idea in the past and it does not look like this will change.

The number three option for football growth is a football only membership. This idea was actually thrown on the table several years ago; however, the Big East non football playing members were against this idea. Today, this really concerns 7 of the 8 non football playing members as one member has had a change of heart. The overall thought among those 7 against this move is that the football only member will eventually want full membership and the football only member could become more popular in terms of football (if that school reaches a BCS game or if that school sells out their home games more so than other Big East schools) and that popularity will eventually force the hand to add that member as an all sports member. Those 7 schools are worried that a football only school could become "a Virginia Tech." My father quoted "Virginia Tech" as that school was mentioned as an example during a recent Big East meeting. The weird part about this is that the most if not all the football playing schools actually support this more than adding Nova as a 9th member; however, these schools are not willing to push this further just yet until the Nova idea is dead. This topic may heat up again next spring.

The last option is to bring in at least two to four more schools into the Big East creating a 12 team football conference and a 20 team basketball conference or 10 team football and 18 team basketball based on what the Big 10 does next spring. This idea right now is pretty much dead; however, three football playing members would like further analysis on this idea. There will be some further evaluation of possible expansion schools conducted over the next nine to 14 months which will be led by leaders at two Big East schools. My father believes that if the Nova push fall flat, this idea will gain some steam next spring especially if the Big 10 makes a push to add the likes of Rutgers, UConn, Cuse, or Maryland.

For those that ask, Georgetown is not considering moving our football program up to BCS level. There are just too many hurdles; however, there is some small and I say small talk that we may try to get into the CAA football conference which will greatly improve our football program.

As far as the TV Network, the study is still on going. Several what if scenarios have been conducted with the status quo, with Nova as a 9th football playing member, and with single and multiple configurations of the additions of several of the universities mentioned on the expansion board often such as ECU, Memphis, UCF, and etc. One thing that the what if scenario did show is that one existing C-USA school would actually gain a substantial statewide and regional market share for football games and a pretty good national share for football games and expand revenues for a Big East network close to the desired goals. I am not going to mention the school to avoid the pissing match but I am sure most will probably have some idea who this school is. There is some serious thought that the Big East network could advance in the current Big East configuration without expansion. Big East officials are actually taking small steps in setting the groundwork for a network. The problem is that the analysis shows that revenues would be lower with only 8 football playing schools. Throw in Nova, those numbers improve a bit but it may not be enough to generate the projected network revenue goals. Even with basketball, the analysis show that football is the cash cow.

That is all I have for now, I hope this sheds some light on some of the rumors and what is going on within this conference.

Epic Bump! Sandiss was largely correct. 2 years ago!

Definitely a lot of interesting thoughts there. Also, I think it is pretty clear that the "Nova issue" was the breaking point for a number of now former Big East schools.

Why would they NOT WANT a FB member to become a "name" program? Just because they don't want them in basketball? Makes no sense. Otherwise that is a pretty good prediction of how things went down.

(11-28-2012 11:59 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  Why would they NOT WANT a FB member to become a "name" program? Just because they don't want them in basketball? Makes no sense. Otherwise that is a pretty good prediction of how things went down.

Because it would have detracted from basketball, the very thing the conference formed to promote...