I have been against the UWM deal, since it will take away a home and home series from us for two years. Since the Big East is expaning their schedule so that all teams can play each other every season, and due to our budget, Marquette is only able to play one away game, non conference per year. In the past, we have signed home and home deals with teams such as Arizona and Wake Forest.
The UWM deal takes away a home and home series since we will have to play @Madison and @UWM for two consecutive years. Now, Andy Katz writes this:
In Andy Katz' ESPN Insider column online today, he has the following tidbit about the SEC/Big East challenge:
"The Big East will begin conversations with the SEC and ESPN in the coming weeks to decide on dates and teams for the SEC-Big East Challenge in 2007. The format calls for a four-year deal so all 16 Big East teams can participate. Four of the 12 SEC teams will repeat, although it's unclear if it will be the same four that start the cycle or simply a new collection of four teams in the final year of the deal. Both leagues are expected to balance the field each year, so there isn't one year without at least one or two marquee teams from the respective conferences."
Perhaps, we can play that away game with UWM during the same year that we play in the Big East/SEC challenge. That way, we still will have a marquee team on our schedule. I hope it works out that way.
