Stu Jackson on the Big East, P5

[Aughnanure]

Stu Jackson sees opportunity to help solidify future of Big East
Providence Journal

http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/college/content/20140913-stu-jackson-sees-opportunity-to-help-solidify-future-of-big-east.ece

Jackson is spot-on when he brings up the changes that are blowing through college sports, and where the Big East fits in those winds is open to conjecture. It's clear that the major football conferences — to self-proclaimed Power Five — are making the rules and intend to use the autonomy granted to them by recent NCAA rules changes to guide their own path.

But Jackson says that while he and commissioner Val Ackerman are focused on monitoring the NCAA's changes, they have a simple answer for anyone who is selling the idea that the Big East will no longer be able to compete on a national stage.

"Whatever they enact, we will follow," Jackson said. "We want to be competitive, plus. We're also looking at ways to separate and distinguish ourselves in this changing collegiate sports model."
Before addressing the PC fans, Jackson sat with Friars coach Ed Cooley and radio voice John Rooke for a preseason show. When Rooke mentioned the "Power Five" term, you could see both Jackson and Cooley cringe. It's a dynamic that the Big East (and other leagues like the rising Atlantic 10) won't stop fighting.

"I don't use that term," Cooley said. "It's the football five. We're power. The Big East is just as powerful and competitive as anyone else."

"The Power Five is a football term," Jackson added. "It's the Power Five football leagues. Basketball offers a very different dynamic."

Jackson's job with the Big East is to help the 10 men's basketball programs remain in the "power" discussion. In its first season last winter, the Big East did not enjoy a "powerful" campaign. While Villanova and Creighton bobbed in and out of the top 15 most of the season, the league ended up with four teams ranked in the top 50 of the RPI and four in the NCAA Tournament. None of the four lasted past the opening weekend. But Jackson notes that the current crop of incoming freshmen in the Big East is very strong and early returns on the Class of 2015 are promising, too.

...

Ackerman heard howls of discontent from the Big East's coaches last season at the quirks in the league's first attempt at drawing up a schedule. Jackson said as soon as he was hired, "I felt I was being fed with a fire hose about the schedule," but the recently released schedule is a dramatic improvement.

"There were a lot of issues last year, but by and large we got most of them ironed out and a lot of the credit goes to Fox, our broadcast partner," Jackson said.

Jackson said the Big East is looking toward a "scheduling relationship" with another conference (believed to be the PAC-12) and could leverage its strong group of game officials by combining resources with other conferences.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Jackson said the Big East is looking toward a "scheduling relationship" with another conference (believed to be the PAC-12) and could leverage its strong group of game officials by combining resources with other conferences.[/i]

I think the Pac 12 makes sense because of the relationship with Fox sports 1. But I'm hoping it's with the acc. Think of all of the regional rivalries that they would be able to cash in on. Seems like a win win for both sides

[Tums Festival]

I think the Pac 12 makes sense because of the relationship with Fox sports 1. But I'm hoping it's with the acc. Think of all of the regional rivalries that they would be able to cash in on. Seems like a win win for both sides

Regionally speaking an ACC-Big East alliance would be great (think Georgetown-Syracuse), but not sure ESPN and Fox can work together. That being said, if there ends being some agreement with the Pac-12, it would awesome to see MU play UCLA.

[Johnny B]

Good read

[Atticus]

Regionally speaking an ACC-Big East alliance would be great (think Georgetown-Syracuse), but not sure ESPN and Fox can work together. That being said, if there ends being some agreement with the Pac-12, it would awesome to see MU play UCLA.

Why can't espn and fox "work together?" What about the B10-ACC Challenge?

Didn't georgetown and syracuse already put a deal together?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Didn't georgetown and syracuse already put a deal together?

They did.

Even if that rivalry wasn't included, you could see a lineup like:

Georgetown v. North Carolina
Marquette v. Louisville
Villanova v. Pittsburgh
St. John's v. Syracuse
Providence v. Boston College
Butler v. Duke
Depaul v. Notre Dame
Creighton v. Clem/FSU/GT/MIA/NCST/UVA/VT/WF
Seton Hall v. Clem/FSU/GT/MIA/NCST/UVA/VT/WF
Xavier v. Clem/FSU/GT/MIA/NCST/UVA/VT/WF

You'd have a lineup of games that would feature 7 either historical or regional rivalries with three random matchups that would still be competitive games. Seems like a money maker to me.

[GGGG]

Why can't espn and fox "work together?" What about the B10-ACC Challenge?

Right now ESPN owns the rights for both the B10 and ACC.

[Atticus]

They did.

Even if that rivalry wasn't included, you could see a lineup like:

Georgetown v. North Carolina
Marquette v. Louisville
Villanova v. Pittsburgh
St. John's v. Syracuse
Providence v. Boston College
Butler v. Duke
Depaul v. Notre Dame
Creighton v. Clem/FSU/GT/MIA/NCST/UVA/VT/WF
Seton Hall v. Clem/FSU/GT/MIA/NCST/UVA/VT/WF
Xavier v. Clem/FSU/GT/MIA/NCST/UVA/VT/WF

You'd have a lineup of games that would feature 7 either historical or regional rivalries with three random matchups that would still be competitive games. Seems like a money maker to me.

You're talking about one year. These deals are always multi-year. The B10-ACC bases their games off of conference standings. I never understood why UK would play mediocre BE teams in the challenge we had with them.

A quick google search indicates the ACC-b10 might not be renewed because ACC wants the SEC do to market overlap.

[River rat]

Why can't espn and fox "work together?" What about the B10-ACC Challenge?

Didn't georgetown and syracuse already put a deal together?

Wha??

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You're talking about one year. These deals are always multi-year. The B10-ACC bases their games off of conference standings. I never understood why UK would play mediocre BE teams in the challenge we had with them.

True, but you are assuming that this is a BEast-ACC challenge in the traditional sense. The article just says "scheduling relationship" with another conference.