Big East and Big Whatever Challenge

[BD80]

The real challenge is figuring out why the conference with 14* schools is called the Big 10 and the conference with half of its schools west of central Ohio is called the Big East.

Anyway, this new made for TV event will "bind the two regions together"

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...nst-each-other

Let's see, one conference stretches from Nebraska to Rhode Island,

the other conference stretches from Nebraska to New Jersey.

What regions are being bound together?

* 15 if one considers lacrosse - John Hopkins

[Henderson]

The real challenge is figuring out why the conference with 14* schools is called the Big 10 and the conference with half of its schools west of central Ohio is called the Big East.

True that, but South Bend, Louisville, and Pittsburgh ain't exactly within spitting distance of the Atlantic Coast either.

[BD80]

I found this humorous:

Gary Williams on potential Georgetown-Maryland to @SNYtv: "It would be as exciting a college game as has happened in D.C. in a while."

[hurleyfor3]

Let's see, one conference stretches from Nebraska to Rhode Island,

the other conference stretches from Nebraska to New Jersey.

What regions are being bound together?

Well, they're united by Nebraska, aren't they.

[Class of '94]

I thought the article on the front page had some interesting information about this new partnership. As the article pointed out, the BIG continues to push forward with having a presence on the east coast, especially in the Northeast. I was still a bit surprised that they are moving forward with a second office in NY city since their bid to get more ACC teams failed; and they only have 2 teams on the east coast. Ironically, the second office is not that much closer to College Park than the Greensboro offices of the ACC. So I don't know how much closer the BIG is going to feel to MD (even with that second office in NY). I wonder how successful the BIG's foray into the Northeast will ultimately be. I still feel that the BIG is a regional midwest conference. And despite the gains the BIG have made in basketball, I still wonder how a basketball centric/basketball is first school like MD is going to fit into the football-centric/football is first culture of the BIG.

On an aside, Alex Prewitt of the Wa Post (who covers MD basketball) has tweeted that the BIG will hold their tournament in the Verizon Center in 2017 (the year after the ACC holds theirs in the Verizon Center). With respect to this new partnership between with the new Big East, is this a foreshadow of the ACC and BIG dissolving their challenge? I know the ACC is working a arrangement for ACC teams to play A-10 teams in return for getting the Barclays Center. While both leagues could continue playing each other in a challenge format, it seems that it would be a lot to have this many challenges; and it would further takeaway the excitement of having an ACC-BIG challenge imo.

Also, do any you think that this relationship with the Big East might be the BIG's way of positioning themselves to get MSG once the Big East's contract with MSG (by cozying up to the Big East and working behind the scenes to transition MSG to the BIG)? I know there is a lot of paranoid-conspiracy theory here; but I am concerned about the BIG's continued and purposeful push into the east coast market and the ramifications it could have on the stability of the ACC in the future.

[Olympic Fan]

Can I make two observations about this new series:

(1) Although the Big East is a proud name with a proud history, it's no longer a major conference. It's a good mid-major ... but not as good as the A-10, which ...

(2) The ACC has agreed to a series with the A-10, starting in 2016 (part of the deal to get the Barclays Center for the ACC Tournament).

Both very similar deals -- except the ACC linked itself to the stronger mid-major.