Topic: Big East officially invites Villanova to move up to FBS football

[Bone Crusher]

Here's the deal with the Big East. They need to start pressuring their bball schools to move up or move on. I guarantee if they did that, Villanova may get a few swing votes the other way. May not be enough, but it'd definitely start making some board members think twice.

Some of those schools can't afford FBS football.

The Big East did hire Paul Tailbauge for a reason and I suspect it is to create a new NFC East-like conference down the road.  This would be the east coast version of the Pac-12.  The Pac-12 schools are mostly located in large urban centers and Oregon State/Washington State are the exceptions to that but OSU isn't too far from Portland so that makes WSU the odd team out...they are more of a MWC school than a Pac-10 school.

The ACC is a BCS conference that is more on par with the Big 12...a bigger number of rural schools versus urban schools.

[architechguy]

Here's the deal with the Big East. They need to start pressuring their bball schools to move up or move on. I guarantee if they did that, Villanova may get a few swing votes the other way. May not be enough, but it'd definitely start making some board members think twice.

Again, look at the membership of the Big East.  8 Catholic schools and 8 public schools (not counting TCU).  Who's gonna pressure who?  Who's gonna vote who out of the conference?

[thedrUNKenLoper]

Somewhere in the MAC a (8-4) Temple team is crying and bracing for their coach to leave.

[Bone Crusher]

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/feed/2010-11/big-east-expansion/story/villanova-nearing-deal-to-join-big-east

'Nova nearing decision to whether jump or not.

[Bone Crusher]

http://vuhoops.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Nova-Faculty-Football-Survey-Report.pdf

Comments on VU's faculty regarding the move.

[Bone Crusher]

I went to college a mile away from the US Capitol in Washington DC and I have to tell you that east coast and college football is nowhere near as popular as college basketball or baseball.  However, Norte Dame only has 2,000 more students and BC has just over 14k students compared to Nova's 9,500 students.  A move to FBS ball could mean at least 1,000 more students for that school and VU's nearly $52k per year charge for students would mean an extra $52 million per year to the school which is not small change.

Private schools also do not face the same kind of scrunity that public schools get when it comes to money for athletics (hey I went to private school myself) and the donations to private schools seem to be higher than public schools.

The only issue is how much support the Wildcats will get and if they can meet the NCAA attendance requirements for FBS ball.  There is also the fear of being kicked out of the Big East (related to the rumored Big East split between the football and non-football members) that could force VU's hand.

[Bone Crusher]

http://vuhoops.com/2011/04/07/expansion-apocalypse-what-to-expect-when-you-are-expecting-a-decision/#

[Bone Crusher]

http://vuhoops.com/2011/04/11/big-east-speaks-on-nova-football/#

Tomorrow's vote by 'Nova has been called off and it doesn't sound good for 'Nova.