Because of various reasons – the conference forfeiting NCAA Tournament money to schools, only being granted one automatic qualifier berth to NCAA Championships, exit fees – the Mountain West and Conference USA won’t be dissolving and forming one league, according to CBSSports.com and the San Jose Mercury-News. The two leagues could merge, or remain separate and work together in an alliance, the stories said.
The leagues announced plans to dissolve and form one league in mid-February. The new league would have had 15 members in all sports and 16 in football (Hawaii joined the Mountain West for football only).
Okeedokee then,
It’s Air Force as an upstanding member in the Western Division of the New Big East!!
Git er done!!
Makes sense for Air Force to join the Big East given what they were willing to do to join the MWC/CUSA merger – especially if they can retain their rivalry games from the MWC (CSU/WYoming/Army)…
New Big East is shaping up to be a really solid football conference!
Boise State, SDSU, Houston, Navy, SMU, etc are very good Western additions.
Big East will bend over backwards to placate AFA.
Strike now!!!
Did I miss something here? Where’s all this dicussion of AFA and the Big East coming from? Didn’t AFA just decline the Big East’s invite a couple of months ago? Not sure what the MWC/CUSA affiliation has to do with the Big East.
AFA is not going to the Big East. Maybe that changes when there’s a new superintendent. But it’s not happening anytime soon.
Frank & Chris,
Seriously?
You really don’t think the New Big East and AFA are having thoughtful discussions below the radar?
Any superintendent with a fiduciary responsibility to do what is in the best interests of his employer would be remiss in not closely examining the changing landscape of his industry!
The MW-CUSA relationship is being built on tectonic plates and offers a very low return on investment!
The New Big East has really solidified itself and has far more to offer! And they really, really want us!
Hard to believe but it appears vastly more stable then MWUSA!
Additionally, I would love to be a fly on the wall when said superintendent with said fiduciary responsibility turns to his employer and calmly states, “I rejected that extra 9 million per annum cuz although we really need the money, it’s still the right thing to do!”
Really?? I guess when we drink at the public well we don’t need to concern ourselves with petty inconveniences like building our own well!!
As superintendent, it is his RESPONSIBILITY to explore this option!
To deny otherwise would be silly and would assume he is not doing his job.
Agree completely w Louter. This is not only about remaining relevant if AFA desires to be a D1 player, but doing what is best for the school. This talk about the demise of the Big East certainly seems premature. I am sure there are more details that we are not privy too being discussed behind closed doors at AFA.
Louter
One question, and answer honestly, were you a D1 athlete at a service academy?
Chris,
Negative brother!
Why do you ask?
The AF administration loves what Frank Serratore has done with the hockey program. They don’t care about playing at the top level or top competition, they care about winning even if it is beating the likes of Bentley, Scared Heart, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Canisius, AIC, RIT, Niagara to make the postseason.
AF is licking its chops to get in the weaker new MWC/C-USA without Boise State, San Diego State, BYU, Utah, etc. AF just wants to win and fill its stadiums with happy fans and alumni. Look at our fans packing Cadet Ice Arena to watch the Falcons play Sacred Heart or Bentley, its sad and its the future of our department, they want no part of The Big East at all.
Blue,
I am confident they will come around in a timely fashion.
There is speculation regarding inquiries made about a location for our olympic sports.
I really hope it is true!!