Non-football schools splitting from Big East

[CincyEngGrad02]

I'd like to see this:

BEast
Marquette
GTown
Villanova
Depaul
Providence
Seton Hall
St. John's
Xavier
St. Joes/Dayton
Butler

CUSA
UCONN
Cincy
Memphis
Temple
Tulane
South Florida
Central Florida
SMU
UAB
Marshall
ECU
Houston
Rice
Southern Miss
UTEP
Tulsa

[98bearcat]

Well, if that CUSA list were to happen, UC will have a lot of conference championships and guaranteed spot in one of the 6 rotating bowls

[Banter]

Well, if that CUSA list were to happen, UC will have a lot of conference championships and guaranteed spot in one of the 6 rotating bowls

False, if we move back to CUSA, our recruiting will greatly diminish. We may have an easy road for 2-3 years then we will be back on par.

[Fear the Binturong]

The only thing we know for sure is that the dissolution of the Big East produces a nasty legal battle over things like the Big East name, tournament in MSG, exit fees and NCAA tourney revenue. And while we're at it throw in the 5 CUSA schools, San Diego State and Boise State who are set to join a conference that may not exist. I'm sure some of those schools will be seeking damages. The real winner in all of this will be the lawyers working on these lawsuits.

The Catholic schools I don't think appreciate how big and multifaceted a fight they are picking here.

There is no way the Big East could win a lawsuit against these BBall schools that would force them to stay. The conference has done nothing to look out for their best interests over the last 2 years and wouldn't have a leg to stand on in a legal battle against them trying to leave. There will be some sort of settlement regarding the division of the assets but at this point does anyone really care about the Big East name?

The Big East is dead, whatever brand recognition they did have is over. After this season UC is right back where they started before they moved into the Big East. Hopefully we've gotten ourselves to greener pastures before this all shakes out.

[bg703]

Not to shoot down the CUSA idea but they are already adding a bunch of schools for 2013 and 2014 so that probably isn't a landing spot at this point. My guess is the Big East refugees would have to form a new conference or individually find conference affiliations.

Here is who CUSA is adding next year: Charlotte, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio. In 2014 they add Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic.

[bg703]

There is no way the Big East could win a lawsuit against these BBall schools that would force them to stay. The conference has done nothing to look out for their best interests over the last 2 years and wouldn't have a leg to stand on in a legal battle against them trying to leave. There will be some sort of settlement regarding the division of the assets but at this point does anyone really care about the Big East name?

The Big East is dead, whatever brand recognition they did have is over. After this season UC is right back where they started before they moved into the Big East. Hopefully we've gotten ourselves to greener pastures before this all shakes out.

I think you are misunderstanding what I am suggesting. Nobody expects UC/UConn/USF to force the Catholics into staying in the Big East. But there would be a fight over money.
1. Who receives the exit fees from Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville and Rutgers?
2. Who receives the NCAA basketball tournament revenue?
3. Who retains the Big East name? (this matters as the Big East has an agreement to hold the conference tourney at MSG through 2026)
4. Will CUSA schools such as Houston, SMU, Memphis, Central Florida and Tulane sue for damages as they agreed to come to the Big East, leaving CUSA and then there was no conference?

Are there contracts regarding all of this? Yes. But lawyers get paid to argue what those words mean and with millions of dollars at stake I expect the football schools will mount a legal challenge before any settlement is reached.

[CincyEngGrad02]

Not to shoot down the CUSA idea but they are already adding a bunch of schools for 2013 and 2014 so that probably isn't a landing spot at this point. My guess is the Big East refugees would have to form a new conference or individually find conference affiliations.

Here is who CUSA is adding next year: Charlotte, FIU, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, North Texas and Texas-San Antonio. In 2014 they add Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic.

Good point, you kind of blew my idea out of the water with that observation.

[GoBearcats31]

Listening to CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish on with Tim Brando. Obviously said UC, UConn, USF in some trouble. But thinks SEC or Big Ten will grab 2 more ACC teams, which would pave the way for UC, UConn. ACC will look like old Big East.

[cpawstoney]

Sources: Big East expected to split

CBS Reports:

The NY Post reported that the split would be announced later Thursday.

But a source told CBSSports.com that no announcment is expected that soon.

What happens next is unclear.

"Lawyers are going to have to sort it all out," a source told CBSSports.com. "I don't think anybody knows exactly how this is going to happen. They just know it's time to separate."

"Everybody likes the idea of being in a conference with Connecticut, Cincinnati, Memphis and Temple, but what happens when Connecticut and Cincinnati leave one day?" said a source from one of the nonfootball playing schools. "It's not like this is over. Eventually, Connecticut and Cincinnati would be gone, too. So I think the opinion from our side is to just move on. And I think we're just tired of it. That's the bottom line. We're just tired of this because none of this is helping us."

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ected-to-split

[cpawstoney]

1. Who receives the exit fees from Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville and Rutgers?
2. Who receives the NCAA basketball tournament revenue?
3. Who retains the Big East name? (this matters as the Big East has an agreement to hold the conference tourney at MSG through 2026)
4. Will CUSA schools such as Houston, SMU, Memphis, Central Florida and Tulane sue for damages as they agreed to come to the Big East, leaving CUSA and then there was no conference?

Are there contracts regarding all of this? Yes. But lawyers get paid to argue what those words mean and with millions of dollars at stake I expect the football schools will mount a legal challenge before any settlement is reached.

I would expect WVU, Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville and Rutgers to sue for the return of their exit fees. Their thought will be, "Why should we pay a penalty to a non-existant league. We just had the fore sight to get out when we could."

[RedRocker]

Listening to CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish on with Tim Brando. Obviously said UC, UConn, USF in some trouble. But thinks SEC or Big Ten will grab 2 more ACC teams, which would pave the way for UC, UConn. ACC will look like old Big East.

That's been what I've been thinking all along. If GT and UVA go to the B1G, then UC and UConn go to the ACC and if FSU and somebody else go to the B12, then USF will likely get an invite too.

It will be interesting how the pile of money gets split up. I assume the BB schools will get nothing since they are leaving under the dissolution bylaw.

[bg703]

Pete Thamel has a pretty good analysis of the situation on SI. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/col...2_a2&eref=sihp

[RedRocker]

CBS Reports:

The NY Post reported that the split would be announced later Thursday.

But a source told CBSSports.com that no announcment is expected that soon.

What happens next is unclear.

"Lawyers are going to have to sort it all out," a source told CBSSports.com. "I don't think anybody knows exactly how this is going to happen. They just know it's time to separate."

"Everybody likes the idea of being in a conference with Connecticut, Cincinnati, Memphis and Temple, but what happens when Connecticut and Cincinnati leave one day?" said a source from one of the nonfootball playing schools. "It's not like this is over. Eventually, Connecticut and Cincinnati would be gone, too. So I think the opinion from our side is to just move on. And I think we're just tired of it. That's the bottom line. We're just tired of this because none of this is helping us."

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ected-to-split

Waaaahhhhhh!!!!! I'd argue that the BB schools have been the problem all along by nixing expansion over the past few years and Marinatto not having the balls to stand up to them. They may be tired of it, but I, as a Bearcat fan, am just as tired of them and their self-importance. The blood of the BE is on their hands and Marinatto's.

[mjv780]

I don't know about you guys, but the basketball schools leaving feels worse than the individual schools who have bailed for bigger conferences... it's almost like the basketball only schools are saying, "We don't have another option right now, but anywhere is better than being tied to you guys (UC, UConn, & USF)"
Really makes me sad for the state of UC athletics. UC IS A GOOD SCHOOL! Solid football, solid basketball, good academics. Our big problem is the small revenue stream. It really upsets me that money is the biggest downfall here.
Sick.

[Banter]

I don't know about you guys, but the basketball schools leaving feels worse than the individual schools who have bailed for bigger conferences... it's almost like the basketball only schools are saying, "We don't have another option right now, but anywhere is better than being tied to you guys (UC, UConn, & USF)"
Really makes me sad for the state of UC athletics. UC IS A GOOD SCHOOL! Solid football, solid basketball, good academics. Our big problem is the small revenue stream. It really upsets me that money is the biggest downfall here.
Sick.

Its more that the three of us don't offer anything they can't obtain on their own. When we had Cuse, Pitt, Ville it was much different. Now we are watering down the conference with Tulane and SMU. The Shooty Hoops teams could probably make a very dominant league with the A-10 and be better than where they are now.