Catholic 7 + Xavier + Butler + Creighton = New Big East

[hurleyfor3]

Seems self-contained enough to merit its own thread. UConn and friends are selling the Big East name. And it's all coming to a Fox Sports affiliate near you. Hurray, it's nice to see some cracks in the Disney/cbs hegemony.

Espn is rarely wrong about this kind of thing.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9000502/catholic-7-schools-keep-big-east-name-new-league-next-season-according-sources

[BD80]

Seems self-contained enough to merit its own thread. UConn and friends are selling the Big East name. And it's all coming to a Fox Sports affiliate near you. Hurray, it's nice to see some cracks in the Disney/cbs hegemony.

Espn is rarely wrong about this kind of thing.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9000502/catholic-7-schools-keep-big-east-name-new-league-next-season-according-sources

Nice league: "joining DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova -- in the new "Big East" this fall will be Xavier and Butler"

Who is left it the conference formerly known as "the big east?" uCon, SFla, Cincy, ... UCFla, SMU, Houston, Navy, Memphis? San Diego still in?

It would be kind of cool to have ND play in the Catholic league just for next year

[MulletMan]

Nice league: "joining DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova -- in the new "Big East" this fall will be Xavier and Butler"

Who is left it the conference formerly known as "the big east?" uCon, SFla, Cincy, ... UCFla, SMU, Houston, Navy, Memphis? San Diego still in?

It would be kind of cool to have ND play in the Catholic league just for next year

And Dayton and SLU in 2014. It would have shocked me to see Xavier join this league and not have UD end up there as well.

[SCMatt33]

I wonder what this means for L'Ville, Rutgers, and Md. I doubt that Louisville and Rutgers want to stay in that train wreck for an extra year, but I'm not sure if the Big 10 and ACC would be able to accommodate the schedules. I don't see why not, unless the Big 10 is planning on adding an extra conference game out of this.

[-bdbd]

Where does this leave Notre Dame as well? Perhaps they and L'ville can join the ACC, at least for BB, a little early...

:confused:

[sporthenry]

Where does this leave Notre Dame as well? Perhaps they and L'ville can join the ACC, at least for BB, a little early...

:confused:

ESPN said ND will look to join a year early but that Louisville can't join early b/c of the football conferences/schedules. Similar thing with Rutgers. I guess they'll play a year as an independent?

[Kedsy]

ESPN said ND will look to join a year early but that Louisville can't join early b/c of the football conferences/schedules. Similar thing with Rutgers. I guess they'll play a year as an independent?

Would that necessarily affect basketball and other non-football sports?

[Olympic Fan]

Nice league: "joining DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Villanova -- in the new "Big East" this fall will be Xavier and Butler"

Who is left it the conference formerly known as "the big east?" uCon, SFla, Cincy, ... UCFla, SMU, Houston, Navy, Memphis? San Diego still in?
It would be kind of cool to have ND play in the Catholic league just for next year

Don't forget that East Carolina is joining as a football-only member.

It's kind of pathetic -- ECU has longed for years to join a BCS conference and when they finally get accepted, the conference loses its BCS status!

[pamtar]

Don't forget that East Carolina is joining as a football-only member.

It's kind of pathetic -- ECU has longed for years to join a BCS conference and when they finally get accepted, the conference loses its BCS status!

I'm surrounded by delusional and annoying ECU fans. (Arrrgghh No Quarter!) It's great to see them finally get what they want - only to see it dissolve before they could ever enjoy it! Is it too late for them to rejoin CUSA?

One positive for them is that Jeff Lebo is doing a great job with their basketball program. If he keeps it up he may be on the Ram's Club short list in a few years.

[brevity]

It's official. Butler, Creighton, and Xavier join the Catholic 7 to form the new Big East.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9074722/new-big-east-adds-butler-bulldogs-creighton-bluejays-xavier-musketeers

There's a surprising lack of bitterness in the statement from the Atlantic-10 Commissioner, a female. Also didn't see anything about departure fees and whatnot for Butler and Xavier, which means this could be the smoothest realignment yet. Makes me wonder if all the other ugliness is just male posturing. ("Our conference is bigger than yours. Hey, check out our revenue stream.")

[loran16]

It's official. Butler, Creighton, and Xavier join the Catholic 7 to form the new Big East.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9074722/new-big-east-adds-butler-bulldogs-creighton-bluejays-xavier-musketeers

There's a surprising lack of bitterness in the statement from the Atlantic-10 Commissioner, a female. Also didn't see anything about departure fees and whatnot for Butler and Xavier, which means this could be the smoothest realignment yet. Makes me wonder if all the other ugliness is just male posturing. ("Our conference is bigger than yours. Hey, check out our revenue stream.")

Not sure how you can assume it's a gender thing - seems kind of stereotypical. As for the lack of bitterness, that could indicate a bunch of things. Remember, the A10 was originally having 2 teams leave after this year - Temple and Charlotte. Unlike other conferences - like the CAA and Horizon - the A10 didn't complain about this happening and has allowed those teams to compete in their conference tourney this year (the CAA and Horizon wouldn't have, which is why Butler and VCU jumped a year early).

Moreover, I suspect departure fees are much smaller even in the A10 despite it seeming like a "major conference" than the Big East. In short, the A-10 is not surprised to see this sort of thing happen and thus doesn't overreact.

[Gugafan2005]

I'm surrounded by delusional and annoying ECU fans. (Arrrgghh No Quarter!) It's great to see them finally get what they want - only to see it dissolve before they could ever enjoy it! Is it too late for them to rejoin CUSA?

One positive for them is that Jeff Lebo is doing a great job with their basketball program. If he keeps it up he may be on the Ram's Club short list in a few years.

Come on now, don't you think that first part is a little bit harsh? Of course ECU fans aspire to be a part of a bigger conference and see their school raise their profile. I am a lifelong Duke basketball fan, but also an ECU alum and I think it would be great to see my little school in Eastern North Carolina become more of a powerhouse someday. I think that is only natural for any fan of any school.

I'll agree with respect to Coach Lebo, he is indeed doing well in Greenville. Though I must admit that part of me struggles with him being a Carolina guy.:p

[sagegrouse]

Not sure how you can assume it's a gender thing - seems kind of stereotypical. As for the lack of bitterness, that could indicate a bunch of things. Remember, the A10 was originally having 2 teams leave after this year - Temple and Charlotte. Unlike other conferences - like the CAA and Horizon - the A10 didn't complain about this happening and has allowed those teams to compete in their conference tourney this year (the CAA and Horizon wouldn't have, which is why Butler and VCU jumped a year early).

Moreover, I suspect departure fees are much smaller even in the A10 despite it seeming like a "major conference" than the Big East. In short, the A-10 is not surprised to see this sort of thing happen and thus doesn't overreact.

Butler has to pay the A-10 $2 million (http://www.indystar.com/article/20130315/SPORTS0605/303150071/Butler-withdraw-from-10-next-week-will-join-Big-East), which is reasonable. -- sagegrouse

[loran16]

Butler has to pay the A-10 $2 million (http://www.indystar.com/article/20130315/SPORTS0605/303150071/Butler-withdraw-from-10-next-week-will-join-Big-East), which is reasonable. -- sagegrouse

And by reports, Butler will make double that in one year in the Big East. No complaints there. (By contrast, the Big East was 5M to leave in 27 months, and it cost Cuse 7.5M to leave in a shorter period. And the ACC wants 50M which would take MD a few years to recoup).