Economic Impact of Big East Conference Shift.
At the closing of the year 2003, the Big East conference lost two universities to the Atlantic Coast Conference, also know as the ACC. In return the Big East has added five universities from Conference U.S.A. This shifting of conferences will have a huge effect on both the state of college football and the state of college basketball. This change will also have a serious economic impact on the Big East conference.
After the loss of Miami University and Virginia Tech to the ACC, the Big East answered by adding Marquette University, Depaul University, the University of Louisville, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of South Florida. These teams will be joining the Big East Conference for intercollegiate athletics for the 2005-2006 season. With the addition of these five schools the Big East becomes a sixteen team conference which also includes Notre Dame University, West Virginia University, the University of Pittsburg, Syracuse University, Georgetown University, and Villanova University. Members also include Seton Hall University, Rutgers University, St. John's University, the University of Connecticut, and Providence University.
Due to the loss of perennial football powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech, the Big East is going to lost money on football but will gain money in basketball. But first football. The Big East likely will suffer an immediate loss in its television deals with ESPN and ABC, which are negotiated seperatly for football and basketball and run throught the year 2007. A clause in the contract allows either side to reopen talks if the conference's composition changes by two or more schools. The networks are sure to offer less money to the Big East for their prenegotiated football contracts. Another economic killer for the Big East is the BCS, or Bowl Championship Series. Established in 1998 as a way to determine the national champion among the six major conferences, and football independent Notre Dame, the BCS has paid out more than four hundred and fifty million dollars to sixty-three schools since its inception.
