The schools of the Big East Conference will meet this week, and once again, expansion is on the agenda. According to reports, the league's football-only schools want to add members -- with TCU's Horned Frogs at the top of their wish list.
But the basketball-only schools are against. That's understandable -- the Big East already has 16 teams for hoops.
What do you think? Should the Big East expand further? Or should the basketball-only schools split off and form their own conference -- one built around urban, Catholic schools like Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova and Providence that would look a lot more like the original Big East than the league's current configuration?
Comments
Big East needs to continue to think big. TCU would be a great add in that it brings more than just an established, traditional football program – two national championships and fifteen conference championships – but also such things as baseball, $130M new stadium, and the DFW market.
Next Big East needs to look at possibly talking Boston College to rejoin the Big East. I hear they are interested. Next go after other low end ACC teams.
Then BE should possibly go after UCF with being the largest university in Florida with 53,537 students, brings a UCF/USF rivalry, and has new facilities in BB arena and FB stadium.
Keeping Notre Dame within the Big East I think is still a good thing as well…if BE makes all the right moves possibly when ND has no choice but to join a conference b/c of BE position and loyalty ND will also join?? Just a hought.
I like it!
Bring in TCU AND Houston. Houston has a good basketball and football program as well and will only get better recruits in the BE.
UCF is a no-brainer. 56k students, facilities as good or better than most BE teams. A 6-2 football program ranked #29 right now and some recent CUSA apperances and a Championship. With teh BCS tag and a rivalry with USF I think UCF would explode. Plans are also in place there to expand the stadium from 45k to 65k.
Top it off with Villanova and we’re good to go.
A 19 team basketball conference actually works perfectly for a round robin schedule.