The outward reason that the Big East doesn't want the West Virginia Mountaineers (or the Syracuse Orange or Pittsburgh Panthers) to leave before the contracted 27-month waiting period is because they don't want to be stuck with a five-team football conference come 2012.
The much-more obvious reason that hasn't been talked about enough is the financial one. Namely, the clause in the conference's TV contract with ESPN that states the network can renegotiate reduction of rights fees.
In other words, if West Virginia walks after this year like they say they want to, the remaining Big East schools could see their TV money shrink before the current deal is even up. It would also send a serious damper into the 2014 renegotiation, which the Big East must already be dreading.
Meanwhile, just when you thought this whole situation couldn't get any more ridiculous, Dennis Dodd alerted everyone to the fact that the person who drafted the Big East's withdrawal provisions is the former West Virginia president and general counsel chief.
So, yes, West Virginia is suing to prove that the withdrawal bylaws that West Virginia wrote are unfair.
For more, visit West Virginia blog The Smoking Musket and Big East Coast Bias. Stay tuned to SB Nation's conference realignment news section.
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Not true
The Big East deal can be reworked in Nov. 2012.
by stholeary on Nov 4, 2011 7:59 PM EDT reply actions
NEX
by YankeeMePleeze on Nov 5, 2011 1:27 AM EDT reply actions
iT SHOULDN'T EVEN MATTER
There is only one year, at most, left on the damned thing anyway! The BE has two tv contracts. One for fball and one for the olympic sports. One ends this year and the othe ends next year, so, really this is the best time to leave causing the least amount of damage.
by YankeeMePleeze on Nov 5, 2011 1:33 AM EDT reply actions
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