THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE

[Seahawks08]

absolutely not. I don't think the alumni would allow that to happen.

[EPJr]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc ... s/1767387/

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... ource-says

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

[dal4018]

If these schools defect who will accept them???

[tampajag]

If these schools defect who will accept them???

they'll start their own league.......

[UNI88]

If these schools defect who will accept them???

they'll start their own league.......

And a number of other schools will line up to join them.

[bluehenbillk]

Reason #1 this is a bad idea:

TV money.

Ratings from Saturday:

New Mexico Bowl 1.9
Butler upsets #1 Indiana: 1.5

[Seahawks08]

It's not college basketball season until January, so any ratings before then are moot.

[bluehenbillk]

It's not college basketball season until January, so any ratings before then are moot.

Well honestly they don't get ratings until March.

[EPJr]

A Smart Breakaway for Big East Basketball Schools

A conference composed of these seven teams, along with select others that do not sponsor Division I football programs, could offer a men’s basketball league that was roughly as competitive as that of major conferences like the Pacific-12 and the Southeastern Conference. The alternative, to remain attached to the other members of the Big East, would put these schools at risk of being associated with a conference that would come to be regarded as second-tier.



http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.co ... l-schools/

[SDHornet]

No brainer move by the C-7.

[Seahawks08]

Well honestly they don't get ratings until March.

That's probably true, but what I was really getting at was conference play.

[SuperHornet]

they'll start their own league.......

And a number of other schools will line up to join them.

A rumor out here is that one of the schools in line to join them will be Gonzaga. I doubt if there's any cred in that as they already have a great situation, and the travel costs would be oppressive. But it's an open secret that Gonzaga was p!$$ed that the WCC brought in UOP....

[EPJr]

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-men ... allenges-a

[EPJr]

fans are also splitting

http://www.holylandofhoops.com/viewforu ... 8ba849afb6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://csnbbs.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=771" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EPJr]

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/nc ... k/1807735/

[EPJr]

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-basketb ... -east-exit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EPJr]

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-basketb ... basketball" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bluehenbillk]

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-basketb ... basketball" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If those schools can REALLY get that $$$ number they should jump over the table for it. FOX would be grossly overpaying for it, must be looking to grab programming. A good portion of the Big East collapse can be pointed toward misjudging their relative worth in regards to TV money.

[EPJr]

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/colleg ... ?mobile=no" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EPJr]

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/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EPJr]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... ntain-west" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[UNI88]

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/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So UConn and Cincy go independent in football hoping to land with one of the big-boy leagues in the near future. And they've already started the clock ticking on their exit timeline and would avoid a larger exit fee that the conference would require after this is all worked out? Risky but probably a smart play.

If that happens how does the new BE compare to CUSA and the Sunbelt? Without actually looking at which team is in which conference I gotta think that CUSA is the better conference.

[EPJr]

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


http://www.vuhoops.com/2013/1/9/3855070 ... n-new-york

[EPJr]

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/2013/01 ... countdown/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EPJr]

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-basket ... or-2013-14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;