Big TelEveN To Explore Expansion.

[jaycevs]

In five minutes, the Big 10 is having a press conference on future expansion. Obviously they have talked about this for years, with people wanting ND, Pitt, Rutgers, WVU, or Syracuse mostly to join the league and tap into bigger TV markets. They obviously need it, with a 12th team and conference title game that would go along with it. So, the question is what will happen if they take a Big East team? Will Temple get an invite back to the Big East (unlikely)?, will a CUSA team make a big jump that we dont expect? Will a spot in CUSA open up to a MAC program? If they got ND, they would not upset the other conferences, but this is unlikely and chances are that 3-4 conferences or more could see changes if they do become less stubborn and do what they needed to do long ago.So, how will this impact UA?

[Zip Watcher]

News From the Worldwide Leader.Here's hoping they look East for #12. Opportunity exists in chaos. B) B) Go Zips!

[Zip Watcher]

Merged topics.

[GP1]

Interesting. This is a huge story and there has not been much news about it until this story.

[meatwad]

News From the Worldwide Leader.Here's hoping they look East for #12. Opportunity exists in chaos. B) B) Go Zips!

Not sure what you mean here? What do you have in mind...

[jaycevs]

This only happens to the national picture once every five years or so, fans already are creating shifts like Iowa State or Mizzou, Arkansas to Big 12, Florida State to SEC, WV to ACC, Marshall to Big East( thats from Michigan State's forums). I doubt many things about that scenario, but the impacts it will have would be similar, even if it is Midwestern teams like Mizzou or Iowa State. Consider Rutgers, they wont be Big 10 ready in football or basketball, but have facilities, market, size, and fit with the Big 10 in most other areas. Is that similar to Akron and CUSA?

[Dr Z]

In five minutes, the Big 10 is having a press conference on future expansion.

According to ESPN "There will be no press conference to make the announcement"Are they going to change the name of conference so it represents what it is? That should be the story. If they do maybe the MAC should take their old name. At least we would have our own network then.

[jaycevs]

CBS sports said 3, some outlets say 4, some are saying 4 central time, and some say theres no conference but a release. If this was big news, they really are sitting on it and not handling it well. I cant see the possibility of needing 12-18 months to make a decision on this. There are few schools ready to make a switch, and I would think they have all been evaluated by now.

[ZachTheZip]

CBS sports said 3, some outlets say 4, some are saying 4 central time, and some say theres no conference but a release. If this was big news, they really are sitting on it and not handling it well. I cant see the possibility of needing 12-18 months to make a decision on this. There are few schools ready to make a switch, and I would think they have all been evaluated by now.

They're FUDing it up. How much more talk will happen thanks to rampant speculation before the press release?I've heard it will be released at 4 ET.

[Zip Watcher]

Not sure what you mean here? What do you have in mind...

Just in thinking about the logical candidates for Big TelEveN membership, based on size & location of the institution, I'd come up with the following, no particular order:ND (never happen)Pitt (natural rival for PSU .. competitive pretty much across the board?)LouisvilleCincyMissouriOther Big East (Syracuse or Rutgers?)I'm sure there's many more that folks will speculate about .. but it seems to me that the move that would have the LEAST impact on the MAC and potentially UA's situation would be if Missouri jumped to the Big TelEveN. Big XII could back fill easily from within the WAC / C-USA / MTN West .. and the dominoes would probably stop there.If however, the new member comes from the Big East, the dominoes and implications for UA could be MUCH more interesting. Some Big East coaches are already clamoring for a ninth team since they now have to schedule 5 OOC games (only 7 conference games). If one of the teams jumps out, the league will be FORCED to take action to at least replace that team. Perhaps it would trigger the re-structuring / growth of the Big East than many have been predicting since the last go around .. maybe it won't.My comment that chaos brings opportunity relates to UA and its options. If the move is Missouri .. nothing's going to really change with BigEast, C-USA, MAC .. etc. However, if a member of the Big East jumps, then UA will be presented with potential options to re-evaluate it's conference affiliation.The strategy around UA has been to think bigger .. a big dustup within FBS conference alignments will give Luis & Co. the opportunity to explore more options than they have available to them right now.I'd like to see the Big East forced into some action, needing at least 1, maybe 2 or 5 teams. B) Go Zips!

[jaycevs]

I dont think the Big 12 would go with any CUSA or WAC team. IF they lost Missouri, there is mutual interest with Arkansas, a former SWC member and rival of Texas, which their fans have wanted for years. The old SWC had them with Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State among the others. If they went, the SEC needs a 12th team, and would go after an ACC (FSU, Georgia Tech, Miami, etc or maybe Louisville from Big East). Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th. No one is taking a CUSA except for the Big East, I could be wrong but as you see anyone can compete in the Big East in football in short time (UConn, Cinci, South Florida, etc). The only way that scenario doesn't play out to me is if the ACC goes after Central Florida, the one giant school in CUSA (6th largest D1 I believe) and a good market, new stadium, etc.

[Zip Watcher]

Hadn't really thought about Arkansas and the SWC thing. So the dominoes could circle around to the Big East eventually.I'd just like to see the Big East lose a team, need two .. recognize they actually need FIVE .. and split into two leagues (one FBS full members, and one with the Catholic schools that don't participate in FBS). There was an interesting article awhile back .. not sure who wrote it or where it was .. about the 8 non FBS BigEast members splitting off and forming a new Metro league, taking Dayton, Xavier and maybe a few others with them to form a 10 or 12 team league for all sports sans football.If the day came where the remaining 7 Big East members need to find 5 suitable members (5 so they could have 2 divisions and a Champion$hip Game) .. I think it would be fascinating to watch the whole thing play itself out. MAC schools probably wouldn't be in the conversation for spots #1 or #2 or maybe even #3 .. but if you think about that league finding 5 new members that play FBS .. there's not many other places to look.Go Zips! B)

[GP1]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

[zippy5]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

Temple didn't leave the Big East. They got kicked out. Temple will not be back in the Big East, in the next 15 years.

[GP1]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

Temple didn't leave the Big East. They got kicked out. Temple will not be back in the Big East, in the next 15 years.

Never say never. If they were desperate enough they would. Self preservation makes people do things they might not normally do.

[zippy5]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

Temple didn't leave the Big East. They got kicked out. Temple will not be back in the Big East, in the next 15 years.

Never say never. If they were desperate enough they would. Self preservation makes people do things they might not normally do.

true. Say you're the Big East, do you take Temple, or Akron? I would say Temple under normal circumstances, but there could be pressure to stand by their initial decision of kicking them out and look elsewhere for expansion...

[g-mann17]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

You know, I don't see why not, ACC doesn't really have a historic "pattern" for their affiliates. You have everything from Wake Forest (private low enrollment school) to Florida State (Public Large University)Another option for the whole thing is that the Big 10 could be smart and recognize it needs to go after the "power conferences" and find a financially beneficial way to lure a SEC or Big 12 school (Say Missouri or Kentucky). Which quickly opens the door for TCU in both of those conferences.

[g-mann17]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

Temple didn't leave the Big East. They got kicked out. Temple will not be back in the Big East, in the next 15 years.

Never say never. If they were desperate enough they would. Self preservation makes people do things they might not normally do.

true. Say you're the Big East, do you take Temple, or Akron? I would say Temple under normal circumstances, but there could be pressure to stand by their initial decision of kicking them out and look elsewhere for expansion...

The Big East removed Temple because it didn't really fit the conference's Profile, not because of poor performance (Temple was a part-time member anyway).

[Zip Watcher]

Say you're the Big East, do you take Temple, or Akron? I would say Temple under normal circumstances, but there could be pressure to stand by their initial decision of kicking them out and look elsewhere for expansion...

That's easy .. if I'm the Big East, I take Temple .. the dynamics are different than they were a few years ago, and Temple would have to come in as a full member. But after Temple, if you're looking for 5 total additions so as to have a 12 member league .. who else do you try and get?Temple to the ACC is an interesting one that I hadn't considered before. In fact, I think that's a REALLY interesting idea. Especially with BC in the mix now .. the footprint wouldn't really change. And how far is Philadelphia from College Park, MD .. can't be too far.I'm just rooting for multi-conference chaos. Is that too much to ask?Go Zips!

[zippy5]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

Temple didn't leave the Big East. They got kicked out. Temple will not be back in the Big East, in the next 15 years.

Never say never. If they were desperate enough they would. Self preservation makes people do things they might not normally do.

true. Say you're the Big East, do you take Temple, or Akron? I would say Temple under normal circumstances, but there could be pressure to stand by their initial decision of kicking them out and look elsewhere for expansion...

The Big East removed Temple because it didn't really fit the conference's Profile, not because of poor performance (Temple was a part-time member anyway).

I think Temple's abysmal football team had something to do with it.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Then the ACC takes a Big East school because they need a 12th.

If the BE would never take Temple back (never say never), wouldn't it make sense for the ACC to go after Temple? They already stretch as far as Boston and Maryland is not far away. Temple is a basketball school first, but it also plays in an NFL stadium. In addition, Temple is in an extremely large media market stretching from C. PA through NJ.

Temple didn't leave the Big East. They got kicked out. Temple will not be back in the Big East, in the next 15 years.

Never say never. If they were desperate enough they would. Self preservation makes people do things they might not normally do.

Like eat other people.

[jaycevs]

Even if it is Notre Dame (which is a possibility being that congress seems to want to get the anti BCS ball rolling and they are a main factor), I dont think Akron is in bad shape. The Big East would lose a lot of OOC games with the Irish, who play usually Pittsburgh and 1 or 2 other Big East schools every year, and as already mentioned, they need to get more teams already to make their scheduling easier. Also, for ND, I think the pressure will be on them, after this their suitor will be gone, and there are no other real places for them to go. Its almost now or never.I also read more on the possibilities of Memphis as a Big East member, they would be ready to compete in the country's best basketball conference, and need improvements at their already large stadium, but have huge booster support from FedEx,etc.In general, this could be the biggest development of Akron athletics ever, bigger than joining D1, bigger than going to the MAC, bigger than a fantastic stadium. It would however, cost more money and need a greater commitment, but they would also make more as well and I think it would do positive things for enrollment, local support, etc. I could put up with a couple more 3-9 seasons if we were supposed to be a lower team in the league, and get the ball rolling faster in Akron on a new arena.

[ZachTheZip]

Official StatementEven if they don't choose a Big East team, it could cause them to act if the BT contacts their comissioner saying that they're looking at one of the teams.

[jaycevs]

I personally think Temple is screwed. They didnt have a commitment to winning in football to get thrown out of the Big East, even though the conference was a lot better then, but Penn State really left the East Coast market and should have expanded their opportunities to recruit and be seen in Eastern PA. And as far as media markets, they dont increase the Big East with Villanova there, and they cant beat Nova in football now, the conference would be better off with Villanova going FBS like UConn did and playing an independent schedule for a couple of years.I dont think the ACC would want them, they are a good football conference, and basketball wouldnt be better than Huggins WVU teams. Advantage goes to WVU to go to better places.

[Zipmeister]

Really interesting speculation going on here, most of which is based on the possibility of Mizzou leaving the Big 12 to join the Big(er) 10. Only problem, there's NO WAY Mizzou would leave the Big 12, especially to join the Big 10. But keep up the good work. I think you guys are only a couple of wild eyed, hair-brained assumptions away from getting Akron into the Big 12 South.