It's official

[The Process]

Marquette comes home to see Georgetown rolling around with UConn in the bedroom???

"It wasn't me."

[The Equalizer]

The conversation actually should be pretty easy.  "Hey conference formerly known as Big East, if you want to be a football conference go nuts, but leave us out of it.  We want basketball to be king and we want MSG and the BE name which is known for basketball. You take your exit fees, we take the NCAA units, automatic NCAA qualifier, BE name and MSG.  Sound good?"

I don't see any way in hell the football teams would accept that.  

My guess it that it would elicit something like this as a counter from football teams:  
"How about we just let you 7 go, and because we're nice guys we'll waive your exit fee.  We'll even waive the 27 month waiting period.  We'll let you take any tournament units your teams have earned.  BTW, its up to the NCAA whether or not you get an automatic bid.  You can have MSG for your tournament, but we want to keep the Big East name.  And we'll indemnify you from potential future litigation from Temple, Tulane, SMU,  Houston, UCF and any other members that joined the Big East expecting you were part of the league."

[Benny B]

True love is hard to find, sometimes you think you have true love and then you catch the early flight home from Spokane and a couple of nude schools jump out of your bathroom blindfolded like a goddamn magic show ready to double team Georgetown...

Yep.... I was thinking the same thing.

[GGGG]

I don't see any way in hell the football teams would accept that.  

My guess it that it would elicit something like this as a counter from football teams:  
"How about we just let you 7 go, and because we're nice guys we'll waive your exit fee.  We'll even waive the 27 month waiting period.  We'll let you take any tournament units your teams have earned.  BTW, its up to the NCAA whether or not you get an automatic bid.  You can have MSG for your tournament, but we want to keep the Big East name.  And we'll indemnify you from potential future litigation from Temple, Tulane, SMU,  Houston, UCF and any other members that joined the Big East expecting you were part of the league."

Then the C7 say "Fine...we'll just dissolve the SOB and figure it out later."

[Lennys Tap]

Best outcome is to keep Big East name. Too bad ND left for ACC before this. I'd like to think they would have stuck with the rest of the Catholic schools.

I'd like to think that too. But I don't.

[mu-rara]

I'd like to think that too. But I don't.

Yeah, They're Notre Dame.

[Pakuni]

I don't see any way in hell the football teams would accept that.  

My guess it that it would elicit something like this as a counter from football teams:  
"How about we just let you 7 go, and because we're nice guys we'll waive your exit fee.  We'll even waive the 27 month waiting period.  We'll let you take any tournament units your teams have earned.  BTW, its up to the NCAA whether or not you get an automatic bid.  You can have MSG for your tournament, but we want to keep the Big East name.  And we'll indemnify you from potential future litigation from Temple, Tulane, SMU,  Houston, UCF and any other members that joined the Big East expecting you were part of the league."

To which the C7 would respond:
"Exit fees? Waiting period? Future litigation? Read the bylaws, dummies."

It's simple. The bylaws explicitly state that a 2/3 majority can dissolve the conference and decide how to allocate its assets. All the other schools that signed on to the Big East did so knowing those bylaws existed. They can't honestly claim now that they weren't aware of this could happen, because they signed onto the very document that said it could happen.

[The Equalizer]

Then the C7 say "Fine...we'll just dissolve the SOB and figure it out later."

If this were viewed as a viable alternative, then the other offer wouldn't have been made.

[GGGG]

If this were viewed as a viable alternative, then the other offer wouldn't have been made.

Sure it would.  We can either figure it out nicely, or we can figure out in courts.  If you are petty about it, we just dissolve and sort it out later.

[jficke13]

To which the C7 would respond:
"Exit fees? Waiting period? Future litigation? Read the bylaws, dummies."

It's simple. The bylaws explicitly state that a 2/3 majority can dissolve the conference with no penalty. None. Zero. All the other schools that signed on to the Big East did so knowing those bylaws existed. They can't honestly claim now that they weren't aware of this could happen, because they signed onto the very document that said it could happen.

As for the name, if the C7 vote to dissolve the conference, the Big East no longer exists. Nobody retains the rights to the conference name because there is no conference. I suppose, out of spite, SMU, Boise State, San Diego State, Tulane, etc., could try to name their new conference the Big East, but I don't see how that helps them much.

The assets of the Old Big East would have to be sorted out. The trademark to "BIG EAST" is one of those assets. It wouldn't just disappear.

[Pakuni]

The assets of the Old Big East would have to be sorted out. The trademark to "BIG EAST" is one of those assets. It wouldn't just disappear.

You're correct.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Will our new league have "Legends" and "Leaders" divisions?

Divide it into 3 divisions:  Jesus, Mary, Joseph.

[🏀]

Divide it into 3 divisions:  Jesus, Mary, Joseph.

Nah. Father, Son & Holy Spirit divisions.

[swoopem]

Call the league "God's Squad"

[TheGym]

I don't see any way in hell the football teams would accept that.  

My guess it that it would elicit something like this as a counter from football teams:  
"How about we just let you 7 go, and because we're nice guys we'll waive your exit fee.  We'll even waive the 27 month waiting period.  We'll let you take any tournament units your teams have earned.  BTW, its up to the NCAA whether or not you get an automatic bid.  You can have MSG for your tournament, but we want to keep the Big East name.  And we'll indemnify you from potential future litigation from Temple, Tulane, SMU,  Houston, UCF and any other members that joined the Big East expecting you were part of the league."

Okay this should be fun.  Let's negotiate this.

"Then Mr. Conference formerly known as the Big East.  So we all agree that we should get some NCAA units, MSG and we will let the NCAA decide the automatic qualifier.  First, let's talk about the units.  How about you keep the UCONN and Cincy units and we get the rest.  Fair?  Second, not sure why you want the Big East name, but in return for the Big East name you give us $10M, deal?  Remember we can always just disband and let the courts decide this.  I don't think anyone wants that, right?"

[Pakuni]

Nah. Father, Son & Holy Spirit divisions.

Amen.

[🏀]

Call the league "God's Squad"

Trinity Athletic Conference. It's the TAC.

[chapman]

The assets of the Old Big East would have to be sorted out. The trademark to "BIG EAST" is one of those assets. It wouldn't just disappear.

This is where I see the most litigation coming.  The schools that already left have to pay their exit fees, those trying to join knew the risk that the conference could not exist, those in now accepted that the conference could be dissolved within the bylaws.  But a simple vote or agreement on asset distribution will be hotly contested and primary driver of litigation.  There's the brand and the cash, and UConn/UC/USF are going to argue that assets have to be divided equally and contest that giving up their share of the brand is worth a lot of the cash.  As far as timing for C7 to move forward, it'll be just like all the other conference defections - do it now, settle the legal issues later, never wait around.

Trinity Athletic Conference. It's the TAC.

We have our first sponsor.

[Skatastrophy]

Divide it into 3 divisions:  Jesus, Marion, Joseph.

fixed

[🏀]

We have our first sponsor.

Orange Tic-Tacs, delicious, but they don't do a damn thing for your breath.

[chapman]

Orange Tic-Tacs, delicious, but they don't do a damn thing for your breath.

There is little better than putting an entire package of orange Tic-Tacs in your mouth at once.

[Skatastrophy]

There is little better than putting an entire package of orange Tic-Tacs in your mouth at once.

That's not what your favorite female relative says.

[Benny B]

That's not what your favorite female relative says.

*dammit*

[ATL MU Warrior]

Trinity Athletic Conference. It's the TAC.

If we stop at 8 members we could be the Celib8.

[JD]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/bigeast/2012/12/13/big-east-conference-basketball-split-catholic-member-schools/1767387/