Report: Big East Will Add Memphis As Full Member in 2013, Announcement Set For Wednesday
by Mengus22 on Feb 7, 2012 5:56 PM EST
in Big East Expansion
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PrintAccording to CBS Sports college football writer Brett McMurphy, who has been at the forefront of all the breaking news associated with the Big East and its efforts to expand to 12 football teams, Memphis will officially accept an invitation to join the Big East in 2013 as a full member. An official announcement is set for Wednesday. McMurphy writes:
Memphis has accepted an offer to join the Big East Conference in all sports in 2013, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.
The Tigers will join the Big East with three other Conference USA members – Houston, SMU and UCF – for the 2013-14 school year, with an official annoucement coming Wednesday. The Big East also will add Boise State and San Diego State as football-only members in 2013 and Navy in 2015.
It remains unclear what the Big East will do for the intervening years (2013, 2014) when there aren't enough teams to host a conference championship game or split into divisional play (we're assuming that Pittsburgh and Syracuse will negotiate an exit after the 2012-2013 season). It also remains to be seen if Memphis will be placed into the East or West Divisions once all of the teams are officially in the Big East.
Memphis is unquestionably an awful football program right now, but no one should look at this move as a move meant to bolster the football part of the conference. Memphis plays football, but its addition is more aimed at strengthening the basketball side of the conference that will soon be losing Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and West Virginia. Adding Memphis, a fringe top 25 program right now that plays in an outstanding arena and has had quite a bit of success recently will help. The Big East won't be the same, but having Louisville, Memphis, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, Connecticut, and an improving St. John's would still make the conference a very strong basketball league.
Memphis also fits the conference's profile as a city. The Big East has always sought out schools in large urban cities and has had success in doing so. San Diego, Dallas, Houston, Orlando and now Memphis all fit in the mold that also brought in Tampa, Cincinnati, and Louisville in its last round of expansion. We will have to wait and see how valuable Memphis is in terms of the new television contract that will be negotiated after the 2013 season. It is at least a benefit to Memphis to have historical rivalries with Louisville and Cincinnati and Conference USA relationships with future members Houston, SMU, and UCF.
Welcome to our mess, Memphis. Makes yourselves at home.
Stay tuned to Big East Coast Bias and our Big East Expansion section for more news on the subject.
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I don't think this is possible
Not Memphis, but this from Paul Zeise from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The number one topic facing Pitt athletics right now is this – when do the Panthers get to begin competing in the ACC? I am now becoming more and more convinced in the conversations I’ve had in the past two days that Pitt will be in the ACC in 2012 and here is why – the school has had enough with the way the Big East has mangled this all and frankly is waiting on West Virginia.
If – or more accurately – when, West Virginia finally declares they are leaving for the 2012 season officially and the Big 12 schedule is announced with WVU on it, Pitt is going to follow them out the door and dare the Big East to stop them.
Cardiac Hill contributor
The question is, does the ACC want to act like the Big XII if that happens?
I don’t think Pitt is going to go this late in the game. Even if WVU gives the BE the middle finger, they will still likely owe a ton of money. Pitt trying to follow, especially with even less lead time, will be even more damaging, perhaps to the point that the NCAA itself might intervene with just how much it would fuck up the schedules.
I would see Pitt leaving in 2013 being more likely if WVU forces the issue.
Okay, somebody in the Big East has made this necessary. "BC" in my nickname references the icon. I AM NOT A BOSTON COLLEGE FAN.
As for Memphis, I had a feeling this would come eventually.
Okay, somebody in the Big East has made this necessary. "BC" in my nickname references the icon. I AM NOT A BOSTON COLLEGE FAN.
Starting to fall into place
Louisville is good as gone. If they stay it’s bonus, but without them the football conference eventually looks something like:
East
Cincinnati
Uconn
Rutgers
South Florida
UCF
Navy
West
Boise State
San Diego State
Houston
SMU
Memphis
Air Force
If Air Force doesn’t come then someone else, but even if they do, another school maybe gets invited anyway. With all the movement and Navy waiting to 2015, I think the Big East risks going to 13 or 14 to make sure they have at least 12.
I think Louisville is gone too, but...
… there’s almost no chance the B12 sticks with 11, and #12 pretty much has to be a Big East school as well (probably Cinci, outside shot of Rutgers). So you might want to slot in ECU or Southern Miss…. which would likely be the last straw for the non-football schools, despite Memphis.
Temple will be next if someone else leaves
They fit the big city/market with Phili, and bring solid hoops.
by Lewis Go Ducks on Feb 7, 2012 8:38 PM EST up reply actions
Not really
Okay, somebody in the Big East has made this necessary. "BC" in my nickname references the icon. I AM NOT A BOSTON COLLEGE FAN.
Louisville will stay
The Memphis move was made to keep them.
What is likely happening is Memphis has to technically say that they are joining for 2013, until the WVU issue is resolved. Once WVU goes, Memphis forks up the money, which they have made very clear they will, to join for 2012… making scheduling easier for everyone and giving us 8 teams.
Texas doesn’t want to split their pie any more, and I doubt Louisville gets an invite, because that conference NEEDS to keep Texas happy. The talk of Louisville going to the Big 12 was meant to scare the Big East into releasing WVU. “If you don’t let WVU go, we’ll go after more of your teams”
My prediction is...
New Big East will end up being…
WEST: Boise State, Houston, SMU, San Diego St., Memphis, BYU, and Air Force
EAST: Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers, UConn, USF, UCF, Navy
7 teams in each division like the ACC, which is preferable for scheduling over the 8 × 8 model.
It would be a pretty Beast conference with a lot of potential, and easily the most TV eyeballs of any conference. All new editions are located in places people want to travel to, unlike Pitt, Syracuse or WVU, and when it comes down to it… a 5 hour flight between farthest members to sunny SDSU is still a lot better than a drive to WVU, Pitt or Syracuse. No offense.
This conference makeup is also extremely connected to Notre Dame, and will likely yield a competitive partnership with the most powerful college sports program in the country.
but he's not right
the only way the Big East would be adding an all-sports school is if they expected someone else was leaving or they somehow got a ‘home run’ add (which Memphis is not); 17 schools for sports everyone plays is awkward. And BYU is not joining a football conference; they could have had WVU’s spot in the Big 12 if they had wanted it (or SDSU’s spot in the Big East, if they were interested in being a football-only member of the Big East).
Not true
1) we were ready to go to 17 with TCU. Many Big East coaches have said it could go to 18 (Xavier, Butler, etc…). There’s also always the possibility of dumping Depaul who honestly is just dead weight.
2) BYU was very interested in joining the Big East even when we were hit by a nuclear bomb of expansion. Consider that they were thinking about it when we had 5 current members, with UConn and Louisville both scrambling to leave. With Memphis, we have a solid 12. Many reports claim that Air Force is ready to jump to Big East now that Navy is officially in. With 13 teams in the Big East, it makes a lot of sense for BYU to eventually join.
3) BYU did not have WVU’s spot. BYU wants certain demands that the Big 12 conference will not flex on. Big East, however, is obviously now the most flexible conference in America. Plus, since it’d only be for football, the prohibited Sunday games wouldn’t effect it very much.
4) Why does BYU want in? Boise State and Air Force are the most natural rivals for BYU, beyond Utah. With Boise State’s large mormon population, it’s a good pairing. Also, BYU wants the national exposure that a national conference could give. They’d religion, which is more important than football, would be put on display across the country and on more eyeballs than any other option. Don’t forget that BYU was READY to join the Big East… they just asked for too much. You can’t blame them when the Big East looked like it had 3 members. Now it’s an entirely different story
As to Splinterhead’s comment… 1) Notre Dame is the behind the scenes orchestrator of this expansion – it’s been reported multiple times. 2) It’s no surprise that many of their annual rivalry teams have ended up in the Big East… if BYU and Air Force join… basically that’s all of the teams they normally schedule every year except for Army. 3) it is in Notre Dame’s best interest for NBE to succeed. 4) Notre Dame is the reason we have the bowl tie-ins we have right now with the Champs Bowl only included Big East because of the 1 every 4 year tie-in with Notre Dame.
by rutgers4life on Feb 7, 2012 10:52 PM EST up reply actions
but thinking that the Memphis move signifies that another team is leaving isn’t getting the whole picture.
This is the biggest reason Memphis is being added:
http://www.onthebanks.com/2010/6/13/1515834/does-the-memphis-offer-make-sense
When you have a booster that dedicated to financially get you into a conference… that cash flow helps a lot when you need to pay to get in a year earlier…
Plus, everyone forgets that bringing in Memphis, brings in the Liberty Bowl…. AND potentially an even stronger relationship with the FedEx Orange Bowl.
by rutgers4life on Feb 7, 2012 11:00 PM EST up reply actions
but Memphis isn't TCU
TCU brings an elite football program. Memphis brings, at best, a pretty good basketball program (which even after everyone who’s announced plans to leave departs and even after Louisville departs, the Big East still has a lot of) that gets into trouble with the NCAA a lot.
Nothing has changed significantly about Memphis since 2005, except that their football team is worse. If they were rejected by the Big East then, and again in the initial search for replacements for WVU, Pitt, and Syracuse, the only reason they’d be added now is because the Big East’s position is weaker and they think they have to take them.
drothgery makes sense.
I still like the addition in terms of potential and geography and I think it could definitely work out in the Big East’s favor, but the Big East seems to be showing their weak hand by inviting programs recently denied in the recent past.
"that place laid the foundation for who I am. A lot of outsiders make fun of it and say negative things about West Virginia. Fuck them" - Jerry West
by MountaineerAirman on Feb 8, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
Rivalries
2) It’s no surprise that many of their annual rivalry teams have ended up in the Big East… if BYU and Air Force join… basically that’s all of the teams they normally schedule every year except for Army.
Whaaaat? Their annual rivals are Michigan, MSU, Purdue, USC, Navy. More recently it has also included BC and Stanford.
Really, Pitt's been an almost-annual game for ND
Despite the last few decades, Pitt has played ND way more than Michigan (67 games vs 39) or BC.
Way to go, Rutgers!
Looks like your going to be the most Senior member. For whatever that’s worth…I’ll be running for the hills screaming, but good for you. You are now the corner stone of a proud’ish basterized version of Conference USA!
"That's no moon..."
"Now you will wittness the fire-power of this fully armed and operational Death Orange..."
by Benny The Red on Feb 8, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
I actually
think this is a good move for the Big East. I think this is the best move they’ve made so far, actually.
Memphis, while I don’t think they’re a “sleeping giant” per se, has Cincinnati-esque potential. They’re a good basketball school sitting in a great recruiting ground for football. The only thing Memphis needs is a good up and coming coach and for them to funnel some “AQ-Conference-money” into their football program.
It’s a circle. Memphis football is terrible because they invest little money into the program, and they invest little money into the program because it’s terrible. This could be the start to a big upswing for Memphis atheltics as a whole and I think this is the smartest move the Big East has made since originally adding Texas Christian.
And aside from all of that, they make much more geographic sense than Boise State and SDSU, not that geography matters anymore with the Big East adding West Coast teams and the Big 12 adding WVU. Still. I like this move for the Big East a lot.
If they were smart they would tell Villanova to suck it up and add Temple. Temple is a more valuable property than Nova regardless. They’re comparable in basketball and obviously much better in football. I don’t see Nova moving up to the FBS level and, if they do, I don’t see them doing it with success.
"that place laid the foundation for who I am. A lot of outsiders make fun of it and say negative things about West Virginia. Fuck them" - Jerry West
by MountaineerAirman on Feb 8, 2012 9:17 AM EST reply actions
Just to elaborate on the first part...
…when I say they have Cincinatti-esque potential I don’t mean that as an insult toward Cincy at all. Memphis is a city-based University in a state dominated by big brother University of Tennessee. (Just like Cincy is little brother to Ohio State.)
and like Ohio, Tennessee is fairly fertile football recuiting grounds. If they can resurrect this Memphis program then, while they may not be stealing many 5 or 4 star recruits from Tennessee, there will be plenty of talented recruits left over and, like Cincy, they will steal the occasional player from Tennessee who wants to be part of building a great tradition, not part of an established tradition.
Again, I can’t say how much I approve of this move. I wish that when the Big East had brought in USF, UL, and UC that they had looked at going to 10 or 12 by adding schools like Memphis, readmitting Temple, etc. I think had they done that, maybe we wouldn’t be in this position today.
Then again, as long as Marinatto is the Big East commissioner, I don’t know that any of this could have been avoided.
"that place laid the foundation for who I am. A lot of outsiders make fun of it and say negative things about West Virginia. Fuck them" - Jerry West
by MountaineerAirman on Feb 8, 2012 9:22 AM EST up reply actions
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