Big East, West Virginia Reach $20 Million Settlement, Boise State Now Has A Choice To Make

by Jeremy Mauss on Feb 9, 2012 7:49 PM PST in Conference Expansion

So, money can get you out of a contract. I recall Big East commissioner John Marinatto saying that West Virginia would be held to the 27-month timeframe before they could leave the Big East. Well, the Big East and West Virginia reached a settlement that will net the Big East $20 million, according to the Charleston Daily Mail:

On Thursday, a source close to the negotiations said the additional $9 million would come in the form of contributions from other Big 12 member schools.

In that proposed scenario, WVU's $11 million payment would cover three things: The Big East's $5 million exit fee, Boise State's $5 million buyout fee, and $1 million to match what each Big 12 school is paying.

That would raise the total value of the settlement to $20 million.

There was thought that Boise State would have to be heading to the Big East to allow West Virginia to leave for the Big 12 this year, but that is not the case. However, with this $20 million windfall the Big East can now bring in Boise State and cover all of their fees. Boise State's exit fee technically is higher because in addition to $5 million they would have to pay back all revenue they earned. So, that would add maybe another $2 to $3 million.

With Boise State already talking to the WAC about moving their non-football sports a year earlier than expected, they now have a choice to make if they want to leave the Mountain West and go to the Big East for the 2012 season. Boise State leaving the Mountain West would not change the football schedule as much as West Virginia leaving the Big East does. The Mountain West would drop from 10 teams to nine teams and instead of skipping a conference opponent the league would change to a true round-robin schedule, and the teams would still be playing the same amount of conference games.

I'll say it again: If the Big East is paying Boise State's fees they are going to be a member of the Big East in 2012.

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Comments

Sure seems like Boise is just an announcement away

from being gone. Can’t really see any reason to not leave early if the WAC will take their other sports.

by ev on Feb 9, 2012 8:51 PM PST reply actions

As long as the exit fees

are taken care of then it will be done.

by Jesterrace on Feb 9, 2012 10:38 PM PST up reply actions

Let them go...

Then the MWC race can be competitive this year (I know people think they’ll be down but they won’t suck) and the schools get the extra money from the early exit fees…

"We are who we are. People say what they say. The outcome is the outcome. We are proud of ourselves." -DeLoss Dodds 9/21/2011

by TowerPower on Feb 10, 2012 7:35 AM PST via mobile up reply actions

And Kusta said...

that the Bronco’s couldn’t move because it was too late. But in the ESPN article on this subject se wee:

“Meanwhile, Boise State has had talks with the WAC, a source said, about placing the rest of the teams in the league a year early if it were to leave for the Big East in football a year early to replace WVU. The source said the move is up to Boise State and that the WAC would accept the Broncos a year early if they were to ask.”

Are we being taught politics 101? ESPN, BYU and Karl Benson all seem to pretty much dislike Craig Thompson. The WAC gains BSU back, for the most part, only a year after losing them, meaning Benson gets to spit on Thompson and do a victory dance. Does CT flinch? I have recommended pretty much subsuming the WAC, meaning the Broncos would have to look for another olympic sports home in 2013. How would that politically play, if Benson were finally unemployed, ESPN didn’t have a WAC contract anymore and BSU were displaced again? Could the MW gain something? What if, and this is a big if, the BSU move predicated an SDSU move? That would hurt, bad.

With the big paychecks the BE stands to receive by taking at least one payout, are Pitt, Syracuse and maybe Louisville to follow? That is a pretty big war chest to pay small exit fees for the MW and C-USA. If you are to receive, all totaled, around $80 million for the four departing teams (a precedent has been set, so the dominoes can fall at any time), how much does a $7 million for Memphis, $5 – $7 million for BSU, the same for SDSU really affect the BE? 80 million > max $21 million. The BE GAINS $59 million and stands to have the same number of teams.

by jitmon on Feb 10, 2012 9:06 AM PST reply actions

interesting point. but where does that 59 million go? back to the 8 remaining schools?

"Natty Light: For when you absolutely, positively have to knock uglies with a corn-fed co-ed from the opposing school who’s half your age." -- jonfmorse

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by greekpadre on Feb 10, 2012 9:24 AM PST via Android app up reply actions