THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE THREAD

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As the fissures continue to grow in the Big East, the league's seven non-football members have decided to explore their options.

The athletic directors of St. John's, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence, DePaul, Marquette and Notre Dame have scheduled a teleconference Monday to discuss the league's ever-changing status. The move follows the defections of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC, with the prospect of more losses if the SEC targets West Virginia, the ACC absorbs Connecticut and perhaps Rutgers, and TCU reconsiders its decision to join this BCS conference in 2012.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/co...#ixzz1YSQp3WqA

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Time for 'basketball' schools to unite?

But what if there was another direction? What if, instead of becoming an Ellis Island for woebegone football, the Big East went back to its roots and formed a basketball superconference?

One man thinks it could work.

"Yes, there's no question it can," said former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. "If you have schools playing basketball at a high level, you can have success. Can you make money? Yes. Can you be competitive? Absolutely. Can you have as much success as the current Big East? Maybe not, but I'm not sure any league will ever match that success. But you can be successful and be happy."


By Tranghese's count, the league would need only 10 teams to be viable.

"You could separate by divisions, playing within your division during the week and the crossover games on the weekends," he said. "That would minimize expenses, travel time and time away from class."

Of course, it would mean opening up another round of conference raiding. Xavier, Dayton and Butler would be at the tops of the wish list, putting folks at the Atlantic 10 and Horizon League on high alert.

That's just the first of several roadblocks to overcome for this sort of fantastical vision to come to light.

For starters: the conference name. If the football schools and basketball schools from the Big East split, who retains the brand name? That's far more than just a marketing question.

"There is such a rich history and association with the Big East and basketball that I would think people in the television networks would want them to retain that," former television executive Neal Pilson said.

But it is even more critical than mere marketing appeal. For basketball, it could determine just who gets an automatic bid.


http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ege-basketball

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2 Big East Members Have Discussed Starting Basketball-Only League

I report today on two Big East members that have had conversations about leaving the conference to start a new league built around traditional basketball powers. The discussions are preliminary and may not lead to any departures, but could signal dissatisfaction among at least some of the basketball schools with the league’s uncertain future or its choice of new members.

According to sources who were involved in the discussions at two Big East institutions, the colleges have discussed the possibility of a so-called Super Basketball Conference that could seek to add Butler, Temple, Xavier, or others. The sources were unwilling to publicly identify either institution because of the early stage of talks.

http://chronicle.com/blogs/players/2...y-league/29335

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Departing Big East would be costly for basketball-only schools


What the Chronicle of Higher Education reported Thursday, identifying neither of the Big East members supposedly involved in the conversation, long has been a fantasy among many fans of the mostly Catholic universities that belong to the league but do not sponsor Division I-A football programs. It’s even a bigger dream for fans at non-member Xavier, whose program would be first in line to upgrade from the Atlantic 10.

The obstacles to making such a move remain immense, however, and keep the Big Catholic Conference in the realm of whimsy:

1. Money
2. Brand
3. MSG
4. ND
5. The future

Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...#ixzz1hIRXfOTz

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Big East could dissolve,
basketball schools create own league

The Big East is fast approaching a “tipping point.” Not as the league we’ve come to know and love. But as a league, period.

Should Louisville and/or Connecticut leave the Big East, the seven basketball schools could well vote to dissolve the conference, according to The Providence Journal.

The Big East could dissolve, with schools like Marquette joining a basketball-centric league with other hoops powers. (AP Photo)

With dramatic instability on the football side in the wake of Rutgers’ pending move to the Big Ten and with Louisville and Connecticut believed to be actively seeking new conference homes, the seven Catholic basketball schools in the Big East could vote to leave the league


http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...gonzaga-butler

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Big East fate vexes Catholic schools

The seven Big East Catholic, non-FBS schools met with Big East commissioner Mike Aresco on Sunday to express their concerns for the direction of the conference, multiple Big East sources confirmed to ESPN.com on Monday.

Sources said the New York meeting was the first among the seven schools (Marquette, DePaul, St. John's, Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall and Villanova) and ultimately could lead to them splitting from the Big East's football members.

http://www.basketballforum.com/newth...newthread&f=94

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The Atlantic 10 has discussed the possibility of a 21-team basketball league in the event that the changing conference landscape makes high-profile Big East schools available, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN.com Tuesday.
The A-10 has been proactive over the last year, strengthening its brand as a high-profile basketball conference with the additions of Butler and VCU, two programs that were in the 2011 Final Four.
The A-10 currently is a 16-team conference for the 2012-13 season, but Temple and Charlotte are set to leave for the Big East and Conference USA, respectively.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcspor...tball-schools/

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...hools/1767387/

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...ss-source-says

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-...61--ncaab.html

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Potential all-Catholic conference offers schools challenges and opportunity


As a chunk of the Big East transforms itself into a mostly or even all-Catholic basketball league, the conference faces a choice: play up or play down its faith-based roots?

With Catholic higher education already struggling to strike a balance between faith and financial security, either course carries both challenges and opportunities.

On the one hand, the seven schools that announced Saturday they’ll set off on their own — St. John’s, Georgetown, Marquette, DePaul, Seton Hall, Providence and Villanova — have already made clear they’ll look to non-denominational institutions that otherwise fit their profile, such as Butler, to expand.


http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-...s-challenges-a

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GAME OF NAME IN THE BEC SPLIT



“The Catholic Seven will claim that the name belongs to them because they are synonymous with the Big East brand,’’ Rupp said. “Like trademark disputes over rock band names, the Catholic Seven will likely argue that they are like Mick Jagger, who was largely responsible for making the Rolling Stones, the Rolling Stones. “This argument is more likely to succeed if the Catholic Seven can show that they and not the three schools that are staying controlled how the mark was licensed. In trademark law, if you control the quality of the product sold under a trademark, you have standing to claim that you own that mark.’’


No one knows this better than former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, a Georgetown alum who was hired as a consultant by former Big East commissioner John Marinatto. Tagliabue knows the ins and outs of the Colts’ notorious midnight move from Baltimore to Indianapolis and the machinations that went on when the Browns were considering an exodus from Cleveland.

In other words, long before the Catholic Seven decided to secede, they knew what the legal challenges might be. Fortunately for everyone involved, the Big East once again has a strong commissioner who likely can get the split done as expeditiously as possible.

Mike Aresco, sources said, has been working tirelessly toward this solution: After the 2013 football season, the last year in the current BCS system, and the 2013-14 basketball season, he will sell the rights to the Big East name to the Catholic Seven. The league with those teams will continue to play its postseason tournament in the Garden.


http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/colle...rVQYweK2jPQK/1

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Catholic 7 presidents to discuss timing of Big East exit


The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because the meeting details were supposed to remain confidential.

Although no major expansion plans are expected to be announced, the group is expected to announce that it has reached an agreement with the remaining Big East schools to leave the league a year earlier than originally stated, with a start-up date of July 1, 2014, rather than July 1, 2015.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...-york/1807735/

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NEW YORK -- The seven Catholic schools that have decided to leave the Big East and form their own league continued to plot the future Friday, retaining Proskauer Rose LLP and Pilson Communications, Inc., to aid in their defection.

The university presidents met Friday in New York to discuss the future of the new league. They vow to "honor the history and tradition on which the Big East was established." There is no timetable for when other schools will join the league

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...-big-east-exit

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Report: 'Catholic 7' banking on big payday with new TV deal


The seven Catholic schools that plan to leave the Big East to form their own basketball conference expect to double their money off a television deal, according to sources.

Sources say that Fox, whose Fox Sports 1 channel is set to launch in August, has an initial high offer on the table of more than $500 million for a 12-year deal. Fox Sports 1 will replace the network's motorsports channel Speed, already in 81 million homes. Sources say officials with Fox are scheduled to meet with those representing the interest of the "Catholic 7" in New York City on Wednesday. A Fox spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. A high-ranking source at NBC Sports Network, which has so far engaged in preliminary discussions with the "Catholic 7," declined comment. ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz also declined comment on the network's interest in the "Catholic 7" games.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...eal-basketball

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C7 Meeting With Fox Today, 1-9-13


It is being reported that each school will make 3 million each and no unequal revenue sharing.

Also being reported that interest in VCU as the 5th team in has been intensifying the last few weeks. Looks like they could give SLU a run for that last spot.


Plus, the C7 will be meeting in DC on Saturday, hopefully we will get some concrete news afterwards about the makeup of the league.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/col...html?mobile=no

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UConn, Cincinnati leaning towards Catholic 7?


While the football half of what remains of the Big East was conducting meetings in Dallas, hoping to keep San Diego State–and other nervous members–in the fold, the group of 7 Catholic schools were considering the possibility which would add existing football members Connecticut and Cincinnati into the group for all sports but football.

http://ajerseyguy.com/

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C-7 and Fox are talking and some C-7 games maybe shown on BTN (a Fox partner)


http://www.vuhoops.com/2013/1/9/3855...es-in-new-york

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MacManus: CBS Wants “Catholic 7″ Deal: CBS Sports is interested in acquiring television rights to the “Catholic 7″ college basketball conference, CBS Sports chairman Sean MacManus told Sports Illustrated in a piece published Sunday. CBS has already spoken with the former Big East schools, MacManus said, with the intention of acquiring rights for both CBS and the CBS Sports Network. (SI.com)

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2013...nba-countdown/

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Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said Thursday the Fighting Irish have given up hope on departing the Big East early for the ACC and instead will play a full Big East schedule in 2013-14.


"We do know we'll be in the Big East next season,” Brey said on the Big East coaches’ teleconference. “That decision was made last Friday.". "I feel strongly that the Catholic schools are going to be there with us (in 2013-14)," Brey said Thursday.


http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...st-for-2013-14

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The Big East is hoping to resolve its divorce with the seven departing Catholic-based basketball schools within the next few weeks -- in time for a summer 2014 departure -- according to a source who had detailed knowledge of Friday's conference call with the Big East.

The source said the remaining Big East schools expect a legal battle with the departing schools for the Big East name, which carries with it branding rights and national recognition.

The departing seven -- Georgetown, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's, Marquette, DePaul and Villanova -- still must form a league. They also need to decide on a commissioner, bylaws, location, championships, compliance rules and how many schools they will add. The departing seven are expected initially to target Butler and Xavier out of the Atlantic 10 and possibly grow to 10 or 12 teams with candidates among Creighton, Dayton, Saint Louis, Richmond and VCU.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...14-source-says

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NBC joins bidding war for Catholic schools


NBC Sports Network verbally offered the Big East between $20 million and $23 million per year for six years to acquire the league's media rights, sources told ESPN.

NBC Sports Network's deal for the Big East would include a "bridge year" for basketball in 2013-14 and then would "sync" the football and basketball deals together for another five to six seasons so they expire at the same time.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...a-rights-deals

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NBC joins bidding war for Catholic schools


NBC Sports Network verbally offered the Big East between $20 million and $23 million per year for six years to acquire the league's media rights, sources told ESPN.

NBC Sports Network's deal for the Big East would include a "bridge year" for basketball in 2013-14 and then would "sync" the football and basketball deals together for another five to six seasons so they expire at the same time.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...a-rights-deals

Two people familiar with the deal say the Big East is closing in on a six-year contract with NBC Sports Network for football and basketball rights that will pay the conference about $20 million per year.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because negotiations weren't being made public.

One person said the deal would likely be announced within the next two weeks. The Big East first has to go through the process of allowing ESPN, which currently holds the conference's football TV rights, to match the offer

Among the issues being discussed by the departing and remaining Big East members are how to split tens of millions of dollars in revenue and which group will play under the Big East name.

Notre Dame is also in the Big East for at least one more season before moving its sports - other than football and hockey - to the Atlantic Coast Conference

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-sour...71--ncaaf.html

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John Feinstein
Catholic 7 schools, including Georgetown, charting a new yet familiar path

Now it appears that the Catholic 7 may launch as early as next season as a two-division, 12-team league with a TV contract that will probably be comparable to what the former Big East schools would have made if they had accepted ESPN’s offer.

In the next few months, the league will formally decide what schools it will invite to join, no doubt after first learning which ones will accept their invitation. It must also resolve two issues with its former conference: who gets to keep the Big East name and who might play their conference tournament at Madison Square Garden. The smart money is on the remaining Big East teams hanging on for dear life to the conference name and MSG preferring the new league, which will have a number of glamour teams, to be its March tenant going forward.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...b_story_1.html

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No winner in name game
ROBBINS' NEST

St. John’s president Father Donald J. Harrington said — in a hastily arranged conference call just minutes before the Red Storm’s tipoff against St. Francis of Brooklyn — his group was ready to move forward without the Big East name.

Multiple sources told The Post that is not so. The Group of Seven want the name, which belongs to the Big East. Those sources also said teams remaining in the Big East see great value in the name recognition of the league.

A source in the Big East said though the league prefers not to litigate, it will fight to retain the name. The Post recently reported the Big East probably would win such a case, but it’s not a slam dunk.

The Catholic 7 would have a legitimate argument that when John Q. Public thinks Big East, he thinks Georgetown and St. John’s, not Cincinnati and South Florida. A lawsuit would be messy and expensive.

Is it possible the two sides reach an agreement and everyone puts on a smiley face? Sure. But even the most amicable divorces leave scars.

So now the Garden is in a great place: It can go with the ACC, which would bring its tournament to New York for the 2015-16 season. Or it can go with the Catholic 7, which has a deal in place through 2026.

Even if the ACC decided after five years to rotate its tournament site — a move that might be necessary to placate the Southern schools in the league, it would continue to return.

“The Garden is more important to the Catholic 7 than the Catholic 7 is to the Garden,’’ said one source.

If this should happen, if the Catholic 7 doesn’t get its ducks in a row and the Garden goes with the ACC, there could be, let’s call it arena realignment.

Barclays Center has the Atlantic 10 postseason tournament. But if Butler, Xavier and St. Louis, among others, leave the A-10 for the Catholic 7 conference, that league could move to Barclays. Sources said Barclays has even had a couple of “feeling out” conversations with the Big Ten

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/colle...OxZqMmA5Ph1NzN

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Report:
Big East could change conference name as part of new TV deal



The Big East Conference might be looking for a new name in the wake of a brand new television deal with ESPN.

CBS Sports’ Jeremy Fowler reported that the conference discussed a name change as part of television negotiations with NBC Sports Network. NBC reportedly offered around $20 million per season for the conference’s television rights, but ESPN matched the offer.

The conference could then sell the name to the “Catholic 7″ schools — DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s and Villanova — that are planning to break away from the conference to form their own league.

As Fowler points out, the conference’s name will likely hold little meaning to the teams set to make up the conference in the coming years. Tulane, Memphis and SMU are set to enter the conference. The “Big East” will have more of an old Conference USA look, and no football team in the conference’s 10-team 2014 roster has been a part of the league for more than nine years


http://tracking.si.com/2013/02/26/bi..._a10&eref=sihp

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Big East, ESPN agree to TV deal


The Big East Conference confirmed Saturday that ESPN has matched a media rights deal offer, keeping the network as the league's primary rights holder.


The deal is for seven years and worth $130 million through the 2019-20 school year, league sources said. The Big East's new deal is worth less per school than its current ESPN deal and six times less than what ESPN presented two years ago.


The conference did not reveal terms of the agreement in its announcement


http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...tv-rights-deal