It's official

[GGGG]

Hey...Marquette students are the picture announcing this on Deadspin!

http://deadspin.com/5968214/it-looks-like-the-big-easts-non+football-schools-are-jumping-ship

[GOO]

First vote should be to do away with any penalty for leaving the conference.  Let the football teams leave if they want.. maybe Boise/SDSU will simply leave.  No reason to have a penalty, of course.  Maybe UConn, Cinci, Temple, etc form a new conference.

Next get an agreement that the conference ceases to exist in 2 years when the football TV contract is up.. in the mean time, the basketball and football schools have their own separate divisions and basketball negotiates it's own TV contract starting next year.  This limits potential damages, treats other schools in a dignified manner (not that most deserve it), gives us our new conference next year albeit under a BE umbrella.  In exchange for one odd year, we probably limit damages/lawsuits and give the other schools a year and a half to figure it out.  

Just my thoughts, now all can tell me where I'm wrong.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I really dont want this to be just a bluff by the C7 just to keep the conference together. I also dont want a football basketball split, thats how this whole mess started in the first place. The C7 should just follow through with the split and poach off the A-10 and MWC. This would put Marquette in the best place possible. No sense of staying on a ship that may eventually sink in another 5-10 years. Sure up the basketball conference where nobody will want to leave.

[The Lens]

I would think this would help reciting. Selling a conference solely driven by basketball would allow recruiters to assure recruits that all the attention will be theirs. How awesome would it be if this new group got to be known as the NBA-prep conference?

This conference will be pretty good but lets be honest, over the last 5 years the best schools have been:

UConn
Pitt
Cuse
Louisville
MU
Nova
Georgetown

4 of those 7 are gone.  We're adding solid teams but we're not replacing the caliber of the missing 4.  I know Butler went to two final games and I know X is a tourney regular but I would bet the RPI of this conf will be a step down from the past 5 years.

Nonetheless this is a great landing spot.  We're better off than we were in CUSA, so all good.

[GGGG]

I really dont want this to be just a bluff by the C7 just to keep the conference together.

Why would they bluff to keep the status quo?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I dont think its a bluff at all but some posters seem to think it would be better to stay in the conference with Tulane, SMU and them. I dont like that idea.

[T-Bone]

First vote should be to do away with any penalty for leaving the conference.  Let the football teams leave if they want.. maybe Boise/SDSU will simply leave.  No reason to have a penalty, of course.  Maybe UConn, Cinci, Temple, etc form a new conference.

Next get an agreement that the conference ceases to exist in 2 years when the football TV contract is up.. in the mean time, the basketball and football schools have their own separate divisions and basketball negotiates it's own TV contract starting next year.  This limits potential damages, treats other schools in a dignified manner (not that most deserve it), gives us our new conference next year albeit under a BE umbrella.  In exchange for one odd year, we probably limit damages/lawsuits and give the other schools a year and a half to figure it out.  

Just my thoughts, now all can tell me where I'm wrong.

There's no exit fees if the conference abandons.  No entity to levy or pay fees to.  

If the conference decides to disband, the new schools have nothing to go to.  There may be some sort of payout to them as a result or at least as a way to prevent litigation.  

Keeping the basketball only teams with the football teams mean that the conference will always be moving in two different directions with different priorities.  It'd be like a company merger having two CEOs, I don't think that has ever worked out very well.

Dissolve, reform, and move forward distraction free.  

[Warriors10]

I dont think its a bluff at all but some posters seem to think it would be better to stay in the conference with Tulane, SMU and them. I dont like that idea.

Some of these posters also want football to be restarted here...

[GGGG]

Unless those posters are named Larry Williams or Scott Pilarz, it really doesn't matter what they think.

[lohaus]

I'm glad this move is coming.  I'm tired about the BE adding all these other football schools with their JV level teams.  It is about time!  As for the 3 left overs. . .good for them.

[Marqus Howard]

Unless those posters are named Larry Williams or Scott Pilarz, it really doesn't matter what they think.

Until they start an email campaign.

[GOO]

I don't think the basketball schools dissolve the conference because of the lawsuits/damage potential.  It would be nice, but I don't see it happening, unless it is agreed to by the football schools as well.

But, to just leave the conference and leave 60M or so in exit fees, and leave 30M to 40M or so in NCAA units to the remaining teams, seems like a lot to give up (probably 8 to 10 million per team leaving).  If we just leave, UConn, Cinci, and USF will have not place to go, but at least they'll get the conference and 90 to 100M to split.

The more I think about it, unless there is some quick action and just letting it sort it self out in court over the next 5 years or so, there is no dissolution of the conference and no breakaway.. unless there is a nice check waiting on the Media Side to make up for leaving millions behind.... so, some crappy 2 divisions set up under the BE banner for the next couple of years could happen, with a negotiated split.  Give the football teams time to line up what's next for the conference or leave in a more orderly manner.
Obviously, the more football teams that leave of their own accord, the better.  Limit the potential liability.   

[GGGG]

Goo, all the basketball schools have to do is threaten to dissolve before July and announce their intention to work out a split.  If they don't, they can go nuclear and dissolve in July and let it all sort out later.  This is the last year of the BE as we know it.  The television contracts end after this year.  This can't go on for a couple more years - it would be like a divorced couple living under the same roof.

[Niv Berkowitz]

I'm thinking maybe the league officially disbands the current iteration of the Big East. But then, some legal contracts are already signed and the very next minute/day - after all previous agreements have been nullified - the "Big East" forms again, with the new "conference" inheriting all of the records, etc. of the old one. That way, they retain the history.

From there, re-up w/ESPN for a TV contract and work in MSG so you can continue the Tournament there. That's a must-have.

[T-Bone]

I don't think the basketball schools dissolve the conference because of the lawsuits/damage potential.  It would be nice, but I don't see it happening, unless it is agreed to by the football schools as well.

But, to just leave the conference and leave 60M or so in exit fees, and leave 30M to 40M or so in NCAA units to the remaining teams, seems like a lot to give up (probably 8 to 10 million per team leaving).  If we just leave, UConn, Cinci, and USF will have not place to go, but at least they'll get the conference and 90 to 100M to split.

The more I think about it, unless there is some quick action and just letting it sort it self out in court over the next 5 years or so, there is no dissolution of the conference and no breakaway.. unless there is a nice check waiting on the Media Side to make up for leaving millions behind.... so, some crappy 2 divisions set up under the BE banner for the next couple of years could happen, with a negotiated split.  Give the football teams time to line up what's next for the conference or leave in a more orderly manner.
Obviously, the more football teams that leave of their own accord, the better.  Limit the potential liability.   

I think you missed it a little bit:
If the C7 dissolves the BE (not leave - that's entirely different), every current member shares in a payout of the NCAA units and the exit fees paid by the other teams that left or are leaving.  If the C7 just left, yes, they would forfeit their shares. 

As far as future TV contracts, a basketball only league has precedent with the A-10.  The new league would have more cachet(!) than the A-10 and could expect a bigger payout. 
I don't think the basketball only schools would be leaving a ton on the table.  Sure the TV payout might be less, but I think it will be respectable.   
(Chico's thoughts on the TV side?)

[Avenue Commons]

This is actually kind of exciting if you ask me.  Not sure why

It's exciting because we are taking control of our destiny as opposed to having it dictated to us.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

[TheGym]

This is what I think is happening which means nothing.  The 7 basketball only schools have decided they want to go their own way.  They currently have the ability to dissolve the conference, but doing so will create some substantial legal issues.  Including, do the exit fees still have to be paid to a conference that no longer exists, what legal issues do we have with the new members, etc..  The BB only schools would prefer to leave without the legal complexities because it is cleaner.  Therefore, they are negotiating with the Big East commissioner to let them take a substantial amount of cash or NCAA units and other things to walk away instead of dissolving the conference.

The benefit to the Big East is it leaves the conference intact to have a viable football conference.  The existing BE also can collect the exit fees which are not small.  The benefit to the 7 BB only schools is it gives them a clean break, cash and maybe other assets to begin the new conference.

The interesting point is whether or not the BB only schools can extract either the Big East name or the MSG conference tournament.  If so, I think it is a huge win for the BB only schools

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?”

[Avenue Commons]

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.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

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

[GOO]

But, if we dissolve, I imagine we open up a hugh potential liability.  A potential for a hugh judgment against us can't be overlooked.  Thus, I don't think we dissolve.  Thus, if we breakaway instead to limit liability, we give up a lot of cash.

Thus, the possibility of being stuck in some divisions.

I agree, maybe some football teams leave if they seriously think we'll dissolve the conference.  But, assuming their is potential for having to pay some big time damages, I'm not sure that trigger is pulled.

[GOO]

This is what I think is happening which means nothing.  The 7 basketball only schools have decided they want to go their own way.  They currently have the ability to dissolve the conference, but doing so will create some substantial legal issues.  Including, do the exit fees still have to be paid to a conference that no longer exists, what legal issues do we have with the new members, etc..  The BB only schools would prefer to leave without the legal complexities because it is cleaner.  Therefore, they are negotiating with the Big East commissioner to let them take a substantial amount of cash or NCAA units and other things to walk away instead of dissolving the conference.

The benefit to the Big East is it leaves the conference intact to have a viable football conference.  The existing BE also can collect the exit fees which are not small.  The benefit to the 7 BB only schools is it gives them a clean break, cash and maybe other assets to begin the new conference.

The interesting point is whether or not the BB only schools can extract either the Big East name or the MSG conference tournament.  If so, I think it is a huge win for the BB only schools

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?”

Okay, this makes the most sense.  As long as the football schools are willing to play ball and let us go, this can be a win for everyone.  Kind of funny that the football schools now want us to stay and may not let us go (or make it difficult for us to go).  This may end up being like a show down as to when and if we pull the trigger and vote to dissolve versus we leave with a negotiated cash in hand.

[robmufan]

I thought this was about Josh Hamilton going to the Angels (sources say).

Earlier it was brought up that the RPI wouldn't be the same...which obviously it won't because of the teams that left.  Does that open up a more aggressive OOC schedule?

[brewcity77]

Goo, all the basketball schools have to do is threaten to dissolve before July and announce their intention to work out a split.  If they don't, they can go nuclear and dissolve in July and let it all sort out later.  This is the last year of the BE as we know it.  The television contracts end after this year.  This can't go on for a couple more years - it would be like a divorced couple living under the same roof.

It could lead to some crazy, high-intensity drunken make-up sex from time to time. That's always fun.

[GGGG]

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

[🏀]

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

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...