LFN: Is Temple the Big East Domino?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2012/02/is-temple-big-east-domino.html

I post this not to annoy DFW - which I think it might - but to point out that this Temple/Villanova thing in the Big East could be the move that truly destabilizes everything.

Could it make the Big East split a reality? I think it could.

Could it push Villanova out of the Big East? I think it could.

I have a hard time that Villanova will just take this sitting down.

And if they don't, it could have all sorts of FCS football effects - from forcing Villanova to FBS, to joining the CAA in all sports, to some other options.

[danefan]

I too think this is the domino that will really effect everything in the Northeast.

Big questions for Villanova
Huge questions for UMass
Questions for the rest of the A10 (Fordham, Richmond, etc...)

[DFW HOYA]

It's not annoying but it's out of context. Big East expansion has the full support of the eight schools outside Big East football--it wouldn't have happened without them. Memphis was approved unanimously. So should Temple, because the Big East won't even make an offer without unanimity to do so, much less approve the acceptance.

The sheer numbers suggest that there's no TV money for an all-basketball CYO Conference and the proposed 12 football/18 basketball alignment still has significant network interest. Comparison: the Big East splits approx. $40 million a year among 16 schools for TV, and that number is expected to go up in the next TV contract. By contrast, the 14 A-10 schools split just $1 million between them.

Villanova is not going anywhere. They may not like Temple from a parochial sense, but like St. John's coexisting with Seton Hall, they realize that another local team isn't the end of the world. Temple can provide a plus in basketball and potential growth in football. The Owls drew 28,000 a game in the MAC in 2011, a world apart from the season they drew 4,900 a game at the Vet. And they're still better than Memphis right now.

In short, the Big East adds Temple, the A-10 looks at Butler and VCU, but waits to see what Charlotte does before expanding by one or two...or would contract to 12 and be happy right there. Finally, the impact to the PL is nonexistent because the AI acts as a firewall to expansion by schools which can recruit successfully without it, and see such a measure as a step toward deemphasis.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Very nicely done as usual, LFN. It summarizes the whole mess quite nicely for my PL-centric mind.

[aceinthehole]

The sheer numbers suggest that there's no TV money for an all-basketball CYO Conference and the proposed 12 football/18 basketball alignment still has significant network interest. Comparison: the Big East splits approx. $40 million a year among 16 schools for TV, and that number is expected to go up in the next TV contract. By contrast, the 14 A-10 schools split just $1 million between them.Villanova is not going anywhere. They may not like Temple from a parochial sense, but like St. John's coexisting with Seton Hall, they realize that another local team isn't the end of the world. Temple can provide a plus in basketball and potential growth in football.

+1

A 12 football/18 basketball Big East membership is advantageous to the CYO schools. G-Town, 'Nova, etc. need this revenue from the Big East and any split from this structure is not worth it for them financially.

On the football side, yes UConn and Rutgers have the opportunity to make more $$$ in another FBS conference, but that simply isn't an option for the basketball schools. The hybrid membership will continue because it benefits everyone who is left or wanting to get into the Big East.

[Wildcat80]

Philly is a BIG town. My guess is its pretty far from the Main line to North Broad street. Villanova fans know the difference.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

It's not annoying but it's out of context. Big East expansion has the full support of the eight schools outside Big East football--it wouldn't have happened without them. Memphis was approved unanimously. So should Temple, because the Big East won't even make an offer without unanimity to do so, much less approve the acceptance.

I defer to you on context, and it's a valid criticism coming from a guy who lives and breathes the Big East every day. But what's interesting to me is that Villanova's FBS study clearly didn't get the blessing of all the members - and they were allowed to go ahead with it anyway. It hints at something less than unanimity in the ranks - and I have an extremely hard time believing that Villanova is going to be just fine with Temple joining in all sports, no matter what the TV money says.

[Go...gate]

Very nicely done as usual, LFN. It summarizes the whole mess quite nicely for my PL-centric mind.

We need the New Yorker to do a Patriot League "view (map) of the world".

[DFW HOYA]

We need the New Yorker to do a Patriot League "view (map) of the world".

In the meantime, there's this:
http://collectableivy.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/dscf4746-1.jpg

[HailSzczur]

Philly is a BIG town. My guess is its pretty far from the Main line to North Broad street. Villanova fans know the difference.

The place we're going to feel it the most is in basketball recruiting. Fan wise and viewer wise we will not suffer too badly based on that reason. Now that Temple is playing BE basketball that could steal local talent especially away from us. Jay Wright has not been the best local recruiter and this will only make matters worse. I'm also curious to see how this will effect the Big 5.

Football wise this doesn't change anything. The notion of Nova playing BE football has been dead, at least in my mind. It just pains me to think Temple is likely joining the Big East.

[HailSzczur]

Good write up LFN. All along I have been saying Nova to the ACC. Our baseball team has been on the rise lately and that would mesh nicely as would surging men's lax team. On the basketball side we would also fit in very well, but what are the odds of them taking 1 non football school to put them at the awkward number of 15? That's why all along I've said move Nova and G'town to the ACC as non football members. It makes sense to me, you solidify yourself as the undisputed #1 basketball conference without bulking up on the football side of things. I mean who wouldn't want the line up that would feature for basketball? Nova and Georgetown would help bridged the geographic gap between BC, Cuse, Pitt and the rest of the conference and would help make the splitting of the conference into divisions easier. I know I am heavily biased here, but it seems like a great match to me.

[MplsBison]

Good write up LFN. All along I have been saying Nova to the ACC. Our baseball team has been on the rise lately and that would mesh nicely as would surging men's lax team. On the basketball side we would also fit in very well, but what are the odds of them taking 1 non football school to put them at the awkward number of 15? That's why all along I've said move Nova and G'town to the ACC as non football members. It makes sense to me, you solidify yourself as the undisputed #1 basketball conference without bulking up on the football side of things. I mean who wouldn't want the line up that would feature for basketball? Nova and Georgetown would help bridged the geographic gap between BC, Cuse, Pitt and the rest of the conference and would help make the splitting of the conference into divisions easier. I know I am heavily biased here, but it seems like a great match to me.

It would make sense only if the ACC fball members did not have to share money from football TV contract with Villanova and Georgetown.

If that can be worked out, then yes I agree it does make sense.

[superman7515]

Philly is a BIG town. My guess is its pretty far from the Main line to North Broad street. Villanova fans know the difference.

Especially considering one isn't in Philly, haha.

[HailSzczur]

Especially considering one isn't in Philly, haha.

What's 12 miles among friends? or enemies?

[Ginsbach]

For what it's worth, Boise State is already trying to get out of the Big East.

[HailSzczur]

For what it's worth, Boise State is already trying to get out of the Big East.

I say can't really blame them or TCU. The conference is most likely sinking, at least as a football conference. The only reason Boise is joining is for the BCS bid the BE currently holds. Now with WVU cleared to jump ship and the rumors of the other football schools trying to work out a deal to play else where its not very likely that they are going to hold onto that bid. Now with the BE seemingly looking just add to warm bodies, it really shows the desperation of the conference to save that bid. Adding Temple is not going to change the BCS's mind on the decision though. If I was Boise I'd be very nervous right now.

[DFW HOYA]

If Boise isn't interested, East Carolina would hold an emergency trustees meeting at 3 am to accept an offer. There are still plenty of C-USA orphans who would not mind a step upward.

[aceinthehole]

If Boise isn't interested, East Carolina would hold an emergency trustees meeting at 3 am to accept an offer. There are still plenty of C-USA orphans who would not mind a step upward.

Which is what the BE should have done in the first place. Boise State? SDSU and Navy as a FB-only memebers? 2 schools from Texas? That mess of an expansion was silly from the start.

[MplsBison]

All the garbage about saving the BCS bowl auto-bid is going to be moot here pretty quick.

There will no longer be any automatic spot for the Big East champion in the BCS bowls because there are no longer going to be BCS bowls.

The Rose, Fiesta, Sugar and Orange bowls are going back to the way it was before the Bowl Alliance was formed. They're each going to have contracts with conferences like the Pac-12, B1G, etc. to have those conference's champions play in the bowl games on New Year's day.

That's the way it should be anyway.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

FWIW Villanova just "officially" released its schedule with the Temple/Villanova game on the schedule for Friday, August 31st. Not sure if that means anything, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

[HailSzczur]

FWIW Villanova just "officially" released its schedule with the Temple/Villanova game on the schedule for Friday, August 31st. Not sure if that means anything, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Multi year deal for the Mayor's cup, it doesn't mean anything