Conference wars

[onejayhawk]

It looks like the raiding is starting up again. The Big East is taking on the look of a basketball only conference, since two schools have jumped to the ACC, and TCU is expected to go to the Big XII. For their part, the Big XII is fighting to keep Texas A&M from the SEC, while quietly pursuing BYU.

J

[Moonlight J]

Just get UCF placed already!

[onejayhawk]

Just get UCF placed already!

Big East Bound!

J

[onejayhawk]

TCU officials are meeting with the Big XII today. The move appears to next to done. This will largely offset the loss of Texas A&M and their ties to the Houston Market. Rumors persist that BYU will also come in at some point.

J

[onejayhawk]

It is now all but official. TCU joins the Big XII, returning them to full strength (10 teams).

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-big12-tcu

With Baylor blocking Texas A&M leaving, the conference could, conceivably, add BYU and have 12 teams again next year. Some believe, Baylor's lawsuit was primarily an attempt to buy time. If so, Texas A&M now has both another reason to remain and a face saving way to back out of their move.

J

[Moonlight J]

A trusted source has told me that UCF gets their invite by tomorrow and presser will be at the end of the week.

[Trautdiggity]

A trusted source has told me that UCF gets their invite by tomorrow and presser will be at the end of the week.

I don't really understand what the Big East is doing. They will definitely lose the BCS bid and the teams that come in aren't going to change that. Id have to imagine they'll still make money at football (the MAC and Sun Belt do right?) but this is desperation.

[Bob Kohm]

Just one more great big glaring confirmation that the NCAA and college sports in general is every bit as bad as the pros and in many ways worse.

[Moonlight J]

I don't really understand what the Big East is doing. They will definitely lose the BCS bid and the teams that come in aren't going to change that. Id have to imagine they'll still make money at football (the MAC and Sun Belt do right?) but this is desperation.

The rules in place make it tougher for a conference to gain BCS status than for one to lose it. Big East reportedly also has invites out to Navy, Boise, Air Force, SMU, and Houston.

Add those to what's in place, and they arguably stack up better than what they have now.

Lousville & Cincy were added the last time the conference expanded 6 years ago: those 2 schools have 3 of the 6 Big East titles since then. Adding UCF gives the conference a school that finished 20th overall in the BCS standings last season, a school that has won CUSA 2x in the last 4 years, and has been bowling 4 of the last 6 seasons. SMU and Houston regain the presence in Texas the conference lost when TCU was in and out again. In fact, it gives them the Dallas market back as well as the Houston television market.

Adding Navy & Air Force pretty much ensures nobody will really want to touch the lightning rod of stripping a conference of their AQ status with two prestigious service academies on board.

Geographically, it's a nightmare and the football end should rename itself if it adds schools in Colorado and potentially Idaho. Adding Boise is all about getting their points in play.

[Moonlight J]

Just one more great big glaring confirmation that the NCAA and college sports in general is every bit as bad as the pros and in many ways worse.

Agreed...it's never about the student-athletes.

[onejayhawk]

Agreed...it's never about the student-athletes.

Dont say never. But with revenue producing sports, it is a rarity.

J

[cardboardbox]

It is now all but official. TCU joins the Big XII, returning them to full strength (10 teams).

The Big 12 is at full strength with 10 teams? lulz.

With Baylor blocking Texas A&M leaving, the conference could, conceivably, add BYU and have 12 teams again next year. Some believe, Baylor's lawsuit was primarily an attempt to buy time. If so, Texas A&M now has both another reason to remain and a face saving way to back out of their move.

Its been a done deal for quite a while now, where have you been? Failyor couldnt block anything.

[onejayhawk]

The Big 12 is at full strength with 10 teams? lulz.

The Comference President joked that he was negotiating with the Big 10 to trade name rights.

Its been a done deal for quite a while now, where have you been? Failyor couldnt block anything.

May be. Some see it as a holding position. Some see it as buying time to make a case to stay. Some see it as a legitmate contract enforcement suit. In any event, there is still a suit blocking the move of Texas A&M to the SEC.

J

[cardboardbox]

May be. Some see it as a holding position. Some see it as buying time to make a case to stay. Some see it as a legitmate contract enforcement suit. In any event, there is still a suit blocking the move of Texas A&M to the SEC.

J

Texas A&M is already in the SEC.

[onejayhawk]

Now Missouri is looking hard at becoming the 14th SEC school.

J