Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated says the basketball only schools would make more in a new conference than we do now.
"The Big East basketball schools make about $1.6 million annually ($26 million divided among the 16 schools), but that number was tied to strong brand names like Syracuse, Louisville and Pittsburgh. Conversations with multiple consultants and television executives about the future of a 12-team Catholic conference have yielded a range of figures. The Big East schools could easily get their current financial number and likely get $2 million annually with a new deal. At the most optimistic ceiling, the teams could get $3 million per year, although that's considered Pollyannaish."
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/news/20121213/big-east-basketball/#ixzz2Ex8UiCbo
(Marillac moment)
People dismissed me when I suggested that previously
You weren't alone Moose, and you're right there were lots of skeptics.
But, really, it was kind've obvious no? As much as we like our pride and stability, do you think Harry and the other Presidents would've been motivated enough to finally make a move unless there was significantly more money to be made? The full story will come out in the days ahead, but it sounds like the basketball schools were misled by the Big East's consultants into thinking how much a new league would get them. The last week or so they've seen the actual offers, and gotten an assessment of their own and realized they could make more on their own.
Wouldn't say they were being misled but maybe that comes out. I just finally they wanted stability and maybe did some proactive fact checking on their own and saw it was not as bad as most thought.
I'm very happy today and provided you add Xavier and Butler the other 1 or 3 teams really doesn't matter in the grand scheme.
I only said that because it's what I actually read.. wasn't a presumption. I don't know how reliable this guy is, he writes for NJ newspapers and seems to have sources at the Hall.
Jerry Carino @NJHoopsHaven
Why the sudden shift in mindset for the Big East Catholics? They realized they were misled about the amount of $$$ the TV deal would yield
Jerry Carino @NJHoopsHaven
The bball schools realized the financial hit for having a basketball conference might not be as bad as they were led to believe.
Jerry Carino @NJHoopsHaven
The ball schools needed to get their own consultants to project the numbers, not rely on people vested in keeping the Big East together.