Big East Tourney

[Goose85]

Sounds like the Big East and the Garden are ready to ink an extention for the conference tourney through 2026.

New Commish also indicated another football playing member may be added within the next year.

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/college/basketball/buck_east_conference_Iz9DBJqbfyAt0f7ojmGKCI

[Hamostradamus]

I have to wonder if, by the time this is inked in the fall, Syracuse doesn't have a huge case of buyer's remorse. They jumped ship because they panicked, assumed the Big East would crumble, blah blah blah. Now they have to travel tobacco road every year, are shut out of MSG, and if the BEast deal is as big as we're hoping, maybe end up with less money at the end of the day than if they had stayed put. Prediction: Jimmy B retires in 2 years and 'Cuse quietly inquires about coming back.

[TheSultan]

I really, really doubt that the BE is going to do better than the $17.1M per year per school that Syracuse is getting with the ACC television deal. However, I think the schools that will have the most regret aren't Syracuse and Pitt, but the 12 schools that invited them. SU and Pitt didn't bring $17.1M in marginal revenue per year to the conference. In other words, the ACC panicked just as much and likely cost them more.

[Hamostradamus]

But I think the difference in being the third-best ACC team versus the best BEast team has to have a number attached to it (merchandise sales, marketing deals, etc.). Five years from now they may end up slightly down from where they would have been if they stayed put, although cause and effect would be difficult to prove.

[IWB]

The move was supposedly about football. Does anyone see Syracuse football consistently beating teams like Florida State, Clemson, Va Tech, Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech? Not likely.

[CaribouJim]

I see the possibility of SU's decline in b-ball due to the forced succession of Mike Hopkins as the new coach. I too think JB will be around for no more than 2-3 years. I think Hopkins will be in over his head and more than a few SU fans feel the same way. Another example of these ego inflated college coaches throwing their power around. You mean to tell me if they went to the open market they couldn't find a more qualified coach/recruiter than Hopkins?

[CaribouJim]

The move was supposedly about football. Does anyone see Syracuse football consistently beating teams like Florida State, Clemson, Va Tech, Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech? Not likely.

Another reason why I hate the SU departure to the ACC is that SU football is one of the my 2-3 favorite college football teams. They are far from being a power again, but Marrone has them going in the right direction at least. You're right though - things could be real ugly for a bit.

[Hamostradamus]

The move was supposedly about football. Does anyone see Syracuse football consistently beating teams like Florida State, Clemson, Va Tech, Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech? Not likely.

Exactly. Cuse football had one winning record in the last 10 years, winning the Pinstripe Bowl in 2010. Other than sucking in ACC football and collecting their tv rights check, basketball is it. I just can't believe that they will be better off at the end of the day overall in the ACC than if they'd stay put.

[Goose85]

I think the Big East has a really good shot at getting more money than the ACC. I didn't think that prior to the hiring of the new commish and the TV consultants, but now I do. I think the $17 mil for the ACC doesn't kick in for 5 years or so, after the point in time there is a renegotiation option in the ACC contract. I think initially they are getting something closer to $13 mil.

If the Big East does get a decent deal, let's say the same as the ACC, then Syracuse just paid $10 mil for the ACC and won't get the bump in pay they expected.

Syracuse basketball will be an interesting one. It is likely they will have a bit of a drop off with the new coach, not uncommon when a long time legend leaves a program (think IU, MU, G-Town, St. Johns, UNC, etc). I think Syracuse will be good - too much money in the program not to be - but they will have a drop off after JB.

[Markedman]

I think the move was about football money not football success. I think conference stability was also a big factor. There was just too much uncertainty surrounding the Big East for them to turn down the chance to go to the ACC.


I'm sorry to lose them but I doubt they regret the decision in the future. Clearly it didn't work out well for BC but the same thing could have happened to them if they had stayed in the Big East. There is no way of knowing.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

What is interesting to me is that they are considering adding another football school... Who might that be? At this point id assume it has to be a big splash or it wouldn't be worth it... Maybe BYU?

[Goose85]

Would have to be a team that would add value to the TV contract negotiations.

[IrwinFletcher]

Bingo! The answer is no....which means they are going to be stuck every year at a mid-ling bowl. Remember when Pitt was in the Fiesta Bowl a few years ago. They were awful, but because they were the best awful team from the Big east, they went to a major bowl game.


The move was supposedly about football. Does anyone see Syracuse football consistently beating teams like Florida State, Clemson, Va Tech, Miami, NC State, Georgia Tech? Not likely.

[2012Warrior]

I've lost track. How many football schools are we at? I think the key number is 12 for a championship game. If we are there already, then I agree that it only makes sense if we are adding a big name.

[TheSultan]

The BE will be at 12 football schools in 2013, with Navy slated to join in 2015.

2013 football schools: UConn, Rutgers, Cincinnati, South Florida, Louisville, Boise*, SDSU*, Memphis, Temple, UCF, SMU, Houston

*-football only

2013 "basketball" schools: MU, DePaul, Georgetown, ND, Providence, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Nova (18 total)