I hope the Big East is on the phone with KU and KSU right now

[ChicosBailBonds]

Improves the football fortunes of the Big East as well as the basketball fortunes.  Most importantly, keeps the BCS aligned with the conference.

[79Warrior]

Improves the football fortunes of the Big East as well as the basketball fortunes.  Most importantly, keeps the BCS aligned with the conference.

Those two are really a stretch for the BE. In addition, the non-revenue producing sports will incurr higher travel and expense costs. 

[Litehouse]

In addition, the non-revenue producing sports will incurr higher travel and expense costs. 

I think the cost of sending the women's track team to a meet in Syracuse is pretty far down the list of priorities at this point.

[Dawson Rental]

Holy Sh*t, take Big East basketball and throw in KU.  Split out the basketball and football TV contracts and sell them separately.  That way football schools can't say they aren't being treated fairly.  And everyone gets the advantage of the number one college basketball TV package.  That would keep the Big East at the top of the college basketball heap, at least. And should I mention the basketball recruiting aspect?

Yeah, 79Warrior, KU and KSU are a stretch at this moment in time, and I guess that they would be noncommittal right now, but at the rate things are going, that may very well change.  And if it does being on the phone now would create the relationship that would allow a later conversation to proceed much more smoothly.  With the realistic prospect of being abandoned, I'm sure both schools would appreciate getting the interest now.

[Ready2Fly]

If we can grab four of the remaining five B12 members, one of them including Kansas, the Big East becomes the best hoops conference in the country over the ACC and the football becomes legit.  We need to get this done before the SEC and ACC even think about expanding.  The glimmer of hope for this scenario is that the SEC and ACC don't NEED to take these teams in, whearas the BEast needs them and they'll need us.  There's a chance MU's position could actually IMPROVE with all this reshuffling, but it needs to happen fast.

[texaswarrior74]

FWIW: I heard this at breakfast this morning from an Atty friend of mine who has done legal work for several Big 12 schools and is fairly well connected to their ADs.

The latest he has heard (as of last nite) is that KU plans to petition the NCAA to become an independent for basketball like ND is for football and subsequently take their football program down a notch from BCS level. Considering the fact that the NCAA's home for many years was in Kansas, they have many friends and contacts there. This also avoids the potential for politicians to get involved trying to keep KU and KSU joined at the hip.

Like I said the person I heard this from is pretty well connected to several of the Big 12 ADs and this is what he was told could unfold as a scenario if the Big 12 imploded as it appears that it is now doing.

[GGGG]

Improves the football fortunes of the Big East as well as the basketball fortunes.  Most importantly, keeps the BCS aligned with the conference.

KU and KSU really don't have to rush to make a decision on their future.  If I were them, I would want to see what happens to the BE with the ACC and B10 before jumping into a conference based 1000 miles away.

[bamamarquettefan]

Yes, we have to grab K-State and Kansas, no question.  I hope the Big 10 really has soured on Mizzou for some reason, and would love to grab them too.  Maybe the scheduling of a bigger conference would let the non-revenue schools do the loop of those three every other year and have them come to Milwaukee the years in between.  

However, 79 Warrior is correct - the kind of dollars at stake based on whether the BE remains BCS and we remain in it will easily eclipse travel concerns.

Kudos to Fr. Wild et al for building the program so that even though we don't bring football, we bring the 10th biggest attendence and an amazing five straight NCAA bids on our resume.

[MUEng92]

The latest he has heard (as of last nite) is that KU plans to petition the NCAA to become an independent for basketball like ND is for football and subsequently take their football program down a notch from BCS level.

What would they do with all of their other sports (conference-wise)?

[wyoMUfan]

What if the five remaining try and rebuild the big 12...adding the likes of
Utah, BYU, TCU, Boise State, and maybe stealing a few teams from cusa like memphis, houston....
We were talking about this at work, and I think it makes more sense than expanding the acc or sec w/ these (less quality) football teams.

[Dawson Rental]

What if the five remaining try and rebuild the big 12...adding the likes of
Utah, BYU, TCU, Boise State, and maybe stealing a few teams from cusa like memphis, houston....
We were talking about this at work, and I think it makes more sense than expanding the acc or sec w/ these (less quality) football teams.

I think that you're right.  The SEC ain't gonna ride to their rescue.  It's either rebuild or go Big East.

[Ready2Fly]

I think that you're right.  The SEC ain't gonna ride to their rescue.  It's either rebuild or go Big East.

I really hope these are the only options they're left with.  In that case the Big East is a no-brainer.

[Aughnanure]

FWIW: I heard this at breakfast this morning from an Atty friend of mine who has done legal work for several Big 12 schools and is fairly well connected to their ADs.

The latest he has heard (as of last nite) is that KU plans to petition the NCAA to become an independent for basketball like ND is for football and subsequently take their football program down a notch from BCS level. Considering the fact that the NCAA's home for many years was in Kansas, they have many friends and contacts there. This also avoids the potential for politicians to get involved trying to keep KU and KSU joined at the hip.

Like I said the person I heard this from is pretty well connected to several of the Big 12 ADs and this is what he was told could unfold as a scenario if the Big 12 imploded as it appears that it is now doing.

No. Do you know how hard it would be to schedule games in February and March for Kansas? KU football may not be impressive, but its still a money maker. KU and KSU will have options, though limited, and its not the end of the world.

[T-Bone]

No. Do you know how hard it would be to schedule games in February and March for Kansas? KU football may not be impressive, but its still a money maker. KU and KSU will have options, though limited, and its not the end of the world.

Basketball-wise, scheduling really wouldn't be an issue.  I hope we would jump at the opportunity to do a home and home with them even if it comes during mid-conference season.  It means national TV-exposure for whatever team is playing them.  Which means money. 

Hell we played Florida Gulf Coast University of the South a few seasons back late in February. 

[Dawson Rental]

Basketball-wise, scheduling really wouldn't be an issue.  I hope we would jump at the opportunity to do a home and home with them even if it comes during mid-conference season.  It means national TV-exposure for whatever team is playing them.  Which means money. 

Hell we played Florida Gulf Coast University of the South a few seasons back late in February. 

Did we win, I can't remember.

[Aughnanure]

Basketball-wise, scheduling really wouldn't be an issue.  I hope we would jump at the opportunity to do a home and home with them even if it comes during mid-conference season.  It means national TV-exposure for whatever team is playing them.  Which means money.  

Hell we played Florida Gulf Coast University of the South a few seasons back late in February.  

Florida Gulf-Coast will come to Lawrence. How many high-major programs want to take on KU in Lawrence in the middle of an important conference season? You have to find at least 20+ home and home games with other high major programs between January and April...thats really hard.

KU will have options. The ACC/Big East raid by the SEC and Big-Ten might leave enough room for them...and Kansas State. The Mountain West isn't the end of the world as everyone seems to act like it is. If you still have Mizzou then you can just go add Houston, Memphis, Boise State and merge with the MWC and they will be a BCS conference.

[bilsu]

I think Kansas becoimg an independent in basketball will destroy their program. Who will they play in January, February and March?

[GOO]

It would force Kansas to go on the road a lot more to play games, but the games would be TV games so they can book games in Jan, Feb, March.

[T-Bone]

It would force Kansas to go on the road a lot more to play games, but the games would be TV games so they can book games in Jan, Feb, March.

Maybe not.  If they did a home and home (h-h) arrangement, it's no worse than a conference schedule (speaking after Jan 1.).  I think they could probably do better than a h-h on average during the regular conference portion of the year.  They are a draw.