If the Big East is ever going to have any stability, discipline must be invoked.

There are several Big East schools wanting to join B1G, Big 12, ACC, or SEC. Some have announced their desires.

Some schools are making manipulative moves such as reestablishing old rivalries or creating new ones with programs in other conferences. When this is done simply for out-of-conference games, no one can complain. When it obviously in hope of creating working relationships for future moves, that is an entirely different story.

If an increased number of schools actually happens, the commissioner may have more control.

I once worked for a retired military man. If an employee entered his office with an issue he did not think was in the best interest of the organization, he would simply say "I accept your resignation".

Perhaps, the new commissioner could do something similar. As example, if a school publicly states an interest in joining another conference, that is detrimental to the other schools in the conference. It could diminish media contracts, bowl agreements, stature of the remaining schools, etc. In that situation, the commissioner should simply say "We accept your withdrawal from the conference. We will make sure your name will not appear on the schedule next season".

That would work for the benefit of every school except those that think they are better than others, when they clearly are not. Such a school is acting to the detriment of the conference and its members. The school establishes itself as undesirable.

All such a policy asks is for schools to be a little discreet in their public statements and activities. Other than that "don't let the door hit your sorry ass on the way out.

With West Virginia leaving for the Big 12, every Big East team may not have a full schedule of football games this fall. First, the Big East administration attempted to resolve scheduling problems with the help of Boise State. Now, they hope Temple will come to the rescue.

Starting at least as early as September 10, 2010, the Big East was attempting to add Villanova's football team. One could speculate that spending a very long period trying someone's "impossible dream", endangered the very existence of the conference.

What would have been the differences if at that time Temple had been added in all sports? Speculation was that Pittsburgh and West Virginia were two of the teams which objected to adding Villanova football. Would Pittsburgh and Syracuse have not decided to leave the conference?

What would it take to have Pittsburgh and/or Syracuse remain in the Big East? There are some obvious reasons not to leave the conference, including:
1. The geographical locations save money and are convenient for teams and fans.
2. Their more likely to receive fans from New Jersey or Connecticut than miami.
3. Losing past rivalries and relations is going to hurt more than they think.

Stability is not a reason for them to leave the Big East as they are the ones causing the lack of it.

Money might be a reason but they do not and will not know until the end of the year whether there is significant gain.

Are any efforts being made to keep them, or does no one care if they leave?

The Houston area has been rated among the 20 fastest-growing economic regions in the world. The fourth largest city in the U.S. is the fastest growing in North America. Houston ranked at 19 and Dallas at 36 are the only two North American metropolitan areas to finish in Brookings' Top 40 for 2010-2011. http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Houston-earns-high-marks-for-strong-economy-2655834.php With the two Texas cities, San Diego, and Orlando, the Big East will soon be much larger. Great expectations for media contracts next year. The Big East presidents and commisioner were not dummies when rejecting their contracts last year. Size == TV $. The Big East will have the biggest and best media markets. Other conferences will not even be close.The Big East has offered much to the four new schools but not without gain. Cheers!

A quick examination of what can be expected from Big East media contracts.

Current Contracts
-----------------
December 12, 2011
http://louisvillesportslive.net/big-east-expansion-breakdown-part-1/

"The Big East is currently in a television contract with CBS for basketball
for about 9 million dollars and a football and basketball contract with ESPN
for about 33 million dollars, which is roughly 3.5 million per year the all
sports schools make in the Big East currently. Both of these contracts will
expire after the 2012/2013 athletic seasons".

"There seems to be a distinct game plan by at least Fox and NBC to challenge
ESPN with offering a multiple channel lineup for college sports."

Contracts Rejected
------------------
August 2, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/sports/ncaafootball/big-east-is-still-big-deal-on-tv-if-not-on-field.html?_r=1

"The league’s annual $37.5 million television haul could easily increase
to more than $200 million annually. The market has never been hotter
for live sports programming, which Big East Commissioner John Marinatto
called “DVR proof.” The Big East recently turned down a deal similar to
the $155 million that the Atlantic Coast Conference signed last year, a
move that looks shrewd in the wake of the Pac-12 deal that could average
as much as $250 million a year. The Pac-12 struck a deal with ESPN and
Fox for the most desirable games and still had enough remaining —
inventory in TV parlance — to create seven networks.

http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-26/sports/29587197_1_john-marinatto-villanova-big-east

"The latest issue came this week when the Big East, with its contract for
football and men’s basketball with ESPN running out after the 2012-13 season,
turned down an offer from the network that insiders say would have paid Big East
schools in the neighborhood of $11 million each."

New Competition
---------------
A year ago, it was a very different marketplace,” he said. “Comcast and
NBC were not a part of the equation. I don’t think it’s any more complicated
than that, to be honest with you.”

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/backpage/nbc_new_sports_channel_going_after_mq4uQb6vIkOh1CZTopZLSP
"The Peacock is gunning for ESPN."
NBC "intends to actively pursue the rights to Big East Conference sports".

Consultants's Analysis
----------------------
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/06/sdsu-football-set-join-big-east/

"SDSU has been working with media consultants who have advised them on what the
Aztecs could earn from a new TV deal in a newly constructed Big East. The lowest
estimate was $6.4 million annually." (Analysis is for a team playing football only)

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2011/12/big_east_officially_adds_five.html

"Carparelli said the new Big East has been well received by TV consultants. That's
important because the league is the only BCS conference with a television contract
up for renewal a year from now."

"It comes as no surprise that we engaged a number of TV consultants and presented
them with this expansion model to see what kind of value they put on it," said
Carparelli, and we've received a very, very positive reaction in terms of the value
that it could bring us."

Losses and Gains
----------------
Since August 2, 2011, the Big East is set to lose media markets in
Pittsburgh(23), Syracuse(83), and Charleston-Huntington(63); and gain those
in Dallas(5), Houston( 10), Orlando(19), San Diego(28), and Boise(113).
Notice, the markets being gained are in football "hot beds", while the ones
being lost are not.

None of the teams leaving the Big East were ranked at the end of 2010, but
UCF finished 25th in the BCS ranking. At the end of 2011 West Virginia is
ranked 23 while Boise is 8 and Houston is 20. Boise has finished in the
top 10 of the BCS standings for four straight seasons.

There is an increase of at least 2 football playing members than when the contracts
were rejected. The number of basketball playing schools may be more but will not
be less.

Big East teams could play 4 games on a Saturday without overlapping due to the
time zones. That is a valuable contributor to game inventory for TV.

Both Fox and NBC are now ready to compete with ESPN.

Negotiations
------------

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7327683/big-east-conference-introduces-boise-state-broncos-san-diego-state-aztecs-houston-cougars-smu-mustangs-ucf-knights

"In September 2012, the Big East will enter an exclusive 60-day negotiating period
with its current television partners before any new suitors can try to get the Big
East contract, Marinatto said."

During the exclusive 60-day negotiating period the media partners will know contracts
for about $11 million were rejected and the Big East can soon commence negotiations
with NBC and Fox. What will be offered? It is reasonable to believe ESPN and CBS will
try to preclude negotiations with others. If the offer is only slightly greater than
$11 million per school they would expect it to be rejected again. This means something
significantly greater will be offered. Let the bidding begin!

Big East ready for their billion dollar payday
http://www.examiner.com/college-sports-business-in-national/big-east-ready-for-their-billion-dollar-payday-3

SLTrib is reporting BYU may join Big East this week:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars/52922957-88/byu-east-football-conference.html.csp

UCF may be in Western DIvision:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/videogallery/66099628/Sports/Sentinel-reporter-Iliana-Limn-talks-about-UCF-football-basketball-on-Open-Mike

 

 Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs! Go UH Coogs!

., Monday, October 24, 2011 Sports

Comments (6)

Larger | Smaller

Printable Version

Email This
Font

The University of Houston could be taking a step closer toward the Big East this week.

The UH Board of Regents has called a special meeting for 4 p.m. on Thursday in regard to the school's athletic conference affiliation.

On the meeting agenda is a request for approval to "delegate authority to the Chancellor to negotiate and execute a contract for athletic conference affiliation and to negotiate and provide notice of contract cancellation as necessary."

UH received an invitation from the Big East Conference last week, a person familiar with the Big East's expansion discussions told the Chronicle last week.

UH is currently a member of Conference USA and is a charter member of the league. The Big East is looking to expand to 12 football playing members in an effort to retain its automatic-qualifying Bowl Championship Series status.

sam.khan@chron.c

This post is being promoted from the fanshot section partially because it is good and to give equal time to a similar article regarding UTEP to the Mountain West.

Academics
Commuter School
Why is UH not in the Big 12
Can Houston Compete
Sports History
Sports Status
Leadership
New Facilities
Location
Texas Recruits



During recent realignments the University of Houston has been mentioned as a possible conference addition. The question: "Why not Houston?" has been asked and many comments have been made. Some accurate and current information is provided below.

Continue reading this post »