i tried to sell this idea on redmen.com. i think it'll work better than the other scenarios.
the big east has a few choices, as i see it. first of all, to do nothing is to perish into a temporarily glorified atlantic 10.
it can bring in the remainder of the big 12 schools...kansas, kansas state, missouri, baylor, iowa state and maybe temple and memphis for example and form a 14 team football conference that would still be part of the big east. these should come with draconian buyouts so we don't have the constant threat of teams leaving.
it can do that and ALSO bring in ten basketball "only" (most have division 1AA football) schools from the following:
xavier (high quality program)
old dominion
vcu
richmond
unc charlotte (the above four already play good ball and are in the heart of the acc)
duquesne (to make up for pittsburgh)
st bonaventure (to make up for syracuse)
umass (to enhance new england/boston market)
st louis
butler
dayton
that's a 32 team super basketball conference. four divisions...north, south, east and west. you get home and home in your own division plus some games out of division. big east championship tournament split between barclays center and msg. this would make travel less expensive for non basketball teams that would predominantly play in their own divisions. there would be four champions...
the television possibilities are better than what any other conference would be able to offer.