The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

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1. The seven non-FBS Big East schools have always wanted to exit for the 2013-14 season if they could get out in time and the TV deal -- with Fox -- was done. The problem is they can’t and don’t want to leave, according to a high-level source within the seven, until they have secured the other three schools to be a 10-team league. The seven are confident, though, that they can extract three schools (likely Butler, Xavier and one other) on short notice. The Atlantic 10 confirmed that it would cost each school $2 million to get out early, money that won’t be an issue for the seven and Fox to offset. The logistics of setting up a league, including soccer in August, are what could keep the seven in the Big East until the fall of 2014.

I know that it's crazy and UAB fanatics will try to crap all over me for this.

But this is about the only scenario where I wouldn't mind seeing UAB Basketball get invited to this new league, and have our other sports drop to the Sunbelt.

I wouldn't mind this either, because that league is going to pull in as much money, if not more, than we currently do. Unfortunately, it really makes no geographic sense. We would be down in Alabama all by ourselves. Butler would be the closest school if added, correct? And that's a bit of a drive.

(02-28-2013 10:24 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  I know that it's crazy and UAB fanatics will try to crap all over me for this.

But this is about the only scenario where I wouldn't mind seeing UAB Basketball get invited to this new league, and have our other sports drop to the Sunbelt.

We would have to put all sports except football with the C7.

(02-28-2013 10:40 AM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  

(02-28-2013 10:24 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  I know that it's crazy and UAB fanatics will try to crap all over me for this.

But this is about the only scenario where I wouldn't mind seeing UAB Basketball get invited to this new league, and have our other sports drop to the Sunbelt.

We would have to put all sports except football with the C7.

That's good for me too, but there would be no way the Sunbelt would take us as a football only member...so I guess no dice.

I think the Sun Belt would consider it, especially right now. They have 2 non-FB schools so they are open to partial members in their geographic footprint.

Did I miss the UAB - EWTN merger?

(02-28-2013 12:21 PM)UABslant Wrote:  Did I miss the UAB - EWTN merger?

Funny.

Yes, you missed it. It was Pope Benedict's last official task as Pope.

(02-28-2013 10:24 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  I know that it's crazy and UAB fanatics will try to crap all over me for this.

But this is about the only scenario where I wouldn't mind seeing UAB Basketball get invited to this new league, and have our other sports drop to the Sunbelt.

I've always been for basketball first. I love the idea. We can always dream.

(02-28-2013 12:21 PM)UABslant Wrote:  Did I miss the UAB - EWTN merger?

Butler isn't Catholic either...

But that just helps UAB's case in getting in the new league. EWTN is a huge catholic market and it is in our backyard.

I would be OK playing with the Catholic 7. Just need a home for Football.

Gary Parrish just reported (I don't have a link) that the Catholic schools will be leaving for the 2013-14 season and will be keeping the Big East name.

There are some sad basketball fans in Memphis.

Quote:Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN

Catholic 7 schools will keep Big East name, expect to begin new league this fall, sources tell @ESPN

Pitino throws the left behinds under the bus. Wasn't he campaigning for Memphis to join a few months ago?

Link

This is Conference no name

(Until Cincinnati and Connecticut leaves)

Cincinnati
Connecticut
Houston
Memphis
SMU
Temple
UCF
USF
Tulane
ECU

Ever showed up at a party just as all the cool kids were leaving (or leaving because you showed up)

The loss of the Big East name I would think also hurts the TV deal for the defectors + UConn, USF, and Cincy. Of course it is more about the programs in the league, but the loss of the "name recognition" associated with the "Big East" I would think is going to be a negative for their TV deal.

Football drives the bus. I think it's foolish to drop down to the Sun Belt.

If football is a bus then we have 4 flat tires.

They are likely not inviting VCU, which would be higher than UAB on the totem pole. UAB joining the Catholic East is a pipe dream.

What we SHOULD have done is not invited FIU, FAU, UNT, UTSA; pushed Rice and UTEP somewhere else, and joined up with a new Atlantic 10.

Football 8/9: UAB - USM - Charlotte - Old Dominion - MTSU - WKU - Marshall - (La Tech?) - (UMass?)
Non-FB 8/9: VCU - George Washington - St. Joes - La Salle - Fordham - Rhode Island - Duquesne - St. Bonnaventure - (Richmond?)

The "Atlantic 16" with 8 or 9 football schools primarily in the southeast (UMass the oddball) and a total of 16 or 17 schools split into North Atlantic and South Atlantic divisions. Several old rivals, several NCAA bids.

Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20 and we had no idea this was coming.

Houston
Memphis
SMU
Temple
UCF
USF
Tulane
ECU

That's one hell of a basketball league. Must be at least a 4 bid league!

Seems like they could just invite the rest of the original C-USA and we start all over again. LOL