The seven Catholic schools — or Group of Seven — that comprise the core of the Big East Conference are about to play a game they have come to despise. It’s called, “Raid Another Conference.”
With that in mind, the presidents of the Atlantic 10 Conference have scheduled a meeting for Thursday with the intent of trying to solidify commitments from their membership, The Post has learned. According to a person with direct knowledge of the meeting, the A-10 is well aware league members Dayton, St. Louis and Xavier, have “one foot out the door,” to join the Group of Seven in a new conference.
Those three programs have poured millions of dollars into their programs in recent years for new facilities, increased budgets and higher coaches’ salaries. Butler, which has done the same, including a renovation of venerable Hinkle Fieldhouse (where many of the famous scenes from the legendary movie “Hoosiers” were filmed), is another school on the Big East group’s wish list.
A Post source also said Creighton has been contacted by representatives of the seven Catholic schools that are leaving the Big East. The Group of Seven is looking to add five teams to get to a 12-team league with Eastern and Western Divisions.
Creighton, located in Omaha, Neb., could join with Butler, Dayton, DePaul, Marquette, St. Louis and Xavier in a Western Division. Duquesne also has emerged as a school of interest because it would get the Group of Seven back into Pittsburgh and it has upgraded its facilities with the opening of the Power Center in 2007.
St. Mary’s, from the San Francisco area, and Gonzaga, from Seattle, are also possibilities, but the Group of Seven would have to weigh the travel costs for non-revenue sports against the merits of the two highly respected men’s basketball programs.
Sources around college basketball said there is a place for a retooled Big East Conference, but those who are waxing poetic about a return to the good old days are off base. Even if the Group of Seven retains the Big East name, the appeal of what once was the premier basketball league in America is gone.
“Georgetown-Marquette is a good game, but it isn’t Georgetown-Syracuse,’’ ESPN analyst Jay Bilas told The Post. “That game really moved the needle.’’
The Group of Seven have spent the bulk of the last two days conferring with attorneys and strategizing for the future. Without a big-time TV deal on the horizon, the schools in the new Big East will have to be creative when it comes to increasing revenue streams.
One source said the new league must take the following steps:
* Identify and secure commitments from the schools it is looking to add.
* Negotiate a settlement with three Big East schools — Cincinnati, Connecticut, South Florida — that would allow the Group of Seven to retain the Big East name.
* Maintain its relationship with Madison Square Garden.
* Strongly consider launching its own network to televise games it can’t sell to a network.
Bilas said the TV factor is huge. When he was a star recruit at Rolling Hills (Calif.) High School in 1982, he almost committed to Syracuse because he always got to see the Orange and coach Jim Boeheim on TV.
“Whenever there’s uncertainty, that hurts you in recruiting,’’ said Bilas. “A recruit’s parents have to know what channel to turn to to see their son play. Winning Catholic League Player of the Year doesn’t mean anything if no one can see you play.’’