Now that the Big East Conference has all of its ducks in a row with yesterday’s announcement that Temple accepted an invitation, the league is trying to put its strongest foot forward heading into its next TV negotiating window, which is this September.
The Post has learned that the Big East and the Garden are close to agreeing on a 10-year extension, which would keep the league tournament here through 2026. This year is the first year of a five-year extension that runs through the 2016 tournament. Both parties want to add 10 more years.
“We’ve been having conversations with the Garden and I think it’s just a matter of dotting some ‘I’s’ and crossing some ‘T’s,’’ Big East commissioner John Marinatto told The Post. “Obviously it was been a great partnership. Our coaches and players love playing here. It’s the crown jewel of our league.’’
Marinatto said the league was now open to discussing an exit arrangement with Pittsburgh and Syracuse. When those two schools announced last year they would leave the conference for the ACC, Marinatto initially drew a hard line, saying there would be no relief. The additions of Memphis and most recently Temple in 2013 have shifted that position.
Marinatto said the league, which will consist of 13 FBS-playing members and 18 all-sports members by 2015, when Navy joins in football only, is looking to add a 14th football member to balance divisions. Villanova, which has extensively studied the issue but has yet to decide if moving up from FCS fits the university’s long term strategy, would get first consideration.
The Big East will ease Temple’s financial obligations of leaving the MAC in football and the Atlantic 10 in all other sports through additional future revenues. Temple officials said if Villanova decides to move up they would approve the move.
Philadelphia becomes the only city in the Big East to have two members. Despite Temple football coach Steve Addazio’s claim that, “Obviously Philadelphia is the greatest sports city in the country,’’ the real reason cornering the City of Brotherly Love with an FBS and FCS program is, drum roll please, TV.
Philadelphia is the home of Comcast, which recently purchased NBC and is in desperate need of quality sports TV programming. Look for the Big East to structure its TV package much like the Pac-12, selling tiers and local cable rights to other carriers. CBS-Turner, ESPN and Fox could be players in some fashion.
* Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun’s opening statement after yesterday’s 71-67 OT win over West Virginia was 916 words. John Thompson III’s opening statement after the Hoyas’ 64-52 win over Pitt consisted of zero words. He just takes questions.
* In the waning seconds of Pittburgh’s 64-52 loss to Georgetown, Hoyas fans began chanting, ‘NIT! NIT!’ Pitt fans responded with, “ACC! ACC!’