Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Skip navigation

Memphis to Big East - 2013

Add topic

Post

Memphis to Big East - 2013

Memphis and the Big East Conference are in the final stages of negotiations to make the Tigers an all-sports member of the Big East beginning in 2013, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.
The Tigers would join the Big East with three other Conference USA members – Houston, SMU and UCF – for the 2013-14 school year. The Big East also will add Boise State and San Diego State as football-only members in 2013 and Navy in 2015.

When contacted by CBSSports.com's Gary Parrish about the move to the Big East, Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson declined comment. An official announcement of the Tigers' move to the Big East could be made as early as this week, sources said.

While the addition of Memphis is for all sports, the Tigers' men's basketball program would help offset the future losses of men’s basketball powers Syracuse, West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

ERROR: A link was posted here (url) but it appears to be a broken link.

Full Story

This could potentially be good for FAU and FIU possibly even UNT.  C-USA is losing Memphis, UCF, and Houston.

I know a lot of people say we should stick it out in the Belt, it may be better than C-USA. It may, but until the Belt gets more bowl tie-ins (assuming they won't switch to a playoff system by then), then we need to move to a better conference. C-USA also has more television exposure.

I think UNT, FAU and FIU have the most to offer a conference looking to add more teams. We also have to see what's happening with the CUSA/MWC merger

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

"I think UNT, FAU and FIU have the most to offer a conference looking to add more teams. "

No question.  I see us 3 moving at the same time.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

CUSA also losing SMU in the same deal so I agree with the post as FAU, FIU and NTU all have the three top maedia market shares to offer and FAU and NT have the newest football stadiums in the country. Whom might the fouth addition be if they went that way?
But don't forget there is supposedly a deal for the surviviors of the CUSA and Mtn. West defections to the BigEast to merge, thereby not needing new members.
Personally I think they would be smarter to just cherry pick their new members to get back to twelve or even expand to 14 and stay regional (south and east) rather than go after, as I said, the less attractive survivors of the Mtn. West (especially if Air Force also leaves which they very well may with Navy now going to the BigEast).
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

GeorgiaOwl said

CUSA also losing SMU in the same deal so I agree with the post as FAU, FIU and NTU all have the three top maedia market shares to offer and FAU and NT have the newest football stadiums in the country. Whom might the fouth addition be if they went that way?
But don't forget there is supposedly a deal for the surviviors of the CUSA and Mtn. West defections to the BigEast to merge, thereby not needing new members.

If that deal does not happen, I can see maybe a WKU, La Tech, or Ohio as that 4th team. MAYBE MTSU to offset the loss of Memphis

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

Jab979 said

GeorgiaOwl said

CUSA also losing SMU in the same deal so I agree with the post as FAU, FIU and NTU all have the three top maedia market shares to offer and FAU and NT have the newest football stadiums in the country. Whom might the fouth addition be if they went that way?
But don't forget there is supposedly a deal for the surviviors of the CUSA and Mtn. West defections to the BigEast to merge, thereby not needing new members.

If that deal does not happen, I can see maybe a WKU, La Tech, or Ohio as that 4th team. MAYBE MTSU to offset the loss of Memphis

I think MTSU is right there as far as moving up.  I would rank them 4th or 5th in the Belt depending on Arky State.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

GeorgiaOwl said

Whom might the fouth addition be if they went that way?

WKU? I'd take them over UNT. The Texas market has a lot of potential but WKU fans are pretty dedicated, so they're just waiting for WKU to blow up and the fans will follow.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

Owl2Doc said

GeorgiaOwl said

Whom might the fouth addition be if they went that way?

WKU? I'd take them over UNT. The Texas market has a lot of potential but WKU fans are pretty dedicated, so they're just waiting for WKU to blow up and the fans will follow.

Ok, fair enough.  I actually dont have a good feel for WKU.

UNT is the same size if not bigger than schools like Texas Tech and Baylor…if they went to a big conference that school would blow up.  Denton is a big town and a college town…its a pretty cool place and only 35-45 minutes from the DFW metroplex.  There is definelty a hotbed of talent very close to that program.  If they were announced in the Big XII tomorrow things would change drastically at that school.

Teambeer is the most knowledgeable FAU sports fan I know, way smarter than me.
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

GeorgiaOwl said

But don't forget there is supposedly a deal for the surviviors of the CUSA and Mtn. West defections to the BigEast to merge, thereby not needing new members.

I think a merger between those two conferences wont happen. If Memphis would have stayed, it would have been a nice little basketball conference with them, UNLV, New Mexico and Southern Miss. As in terms of football, I couldn't see Hawaii playing Tulane, Marshall, UAB and ECU on a regular basis.


Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

Here's an article from a guy who says UAB should leave CUSA and join the Sun Belt

"What about moving into the Sun Belt Conference? Obviously, there is no guarantee that would be an option. If it was, would it be beneficial for UAB to stay connected to the schools most regionally compatible – Southern Miss and Tulane for sure and possibly Marshall, East Carolina or Tulsa –  and sell expansion to the current Sun Belt members?

Overall, the Sun Belt Conference offers a better regional option than the Mountain West merger."

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
Back to the top

Post

Re: Memphis to Big East - 2013

Jab979 said

Here's an article from a guy who says UAB should leave CUSA and join the Sun Belt

"What about moving into the Sun Belt Conference? Obviously, there is no guarantee that would be an option. If it was, would it be beneficial for UAB to stay connected to the schools most regionally compatible – Southern Miss and Tulane for sure and possibly Marshall, East Carolina or Tulsa –  and sell expansion to the current Sun Belt members?

Overall, the Sun Belt Conference offers a better regional option than the Mountain West merger."


I totally agree with the article, an expanded SunBelt would be a much better option to the traditional southestern schools of CUSA (especially those 5 east of the Mississippi River).

The "current" Mtn. West now has only 5 remaining teams. Add in the three "new" members from the WAC and you get eight programs (including Air Force which is still being courted by the BigEast to join Navy). Last year only three of the eight had winning records and acheieved bowl eligibiliy (again including Air Force) with the best record of 8-5 WYOMING!

Now the eight remaining CUSA teams did no better with only 3 of eight being bowl eligible but with only two having winning regular season records.
Even merged that is not a strong conference (6 of 16 bowl eligible).

I hope the Belt is being pro-active and talking to the 5 "easternmost" CUSA programs (S. Miss., East Carolina, Marshall, UAB and Tulane). If those 5 were added to the exising 10 Belt programs (along with say La. Tech - they would jump at the offer to get out of the WAC!) you could have a VERY DECENT new SunBelt conference! One worth staying in!
Back to the top
Control functions: