San Diego State meeting with Big East;

[Harry]

As the Mountain West continues to talk with San Diego State about rejoining the conference, the Big East is prepared to move on with or without the Aztecs.

San Diego State will attend the Big East's meeting of athletic directors and presidents Friday in Dallas to "hear what is envisioned there," Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said.

After talking with some Big East folks on the matter, there doesn't seem to be some big sales pitch prepared to keep San Diego State, which was scheduled to join the Big East on July 1 until Boise State opted to return to the MWC on Dec. 31.

If the Aztecs want in, they can stay, and the Big East would like to have them. Otherwise, losing SDSU is not going to break the conference's future, according to two Big East sources.

After taking several shots in 2012 -- the departure of Louisville, Rutgers and the seven Catholic basketball schools among the greatest hits list -- the Big East is eager to find out "who we are" at the Dallas meeting.

“Feels like the schools we have are ready to put the past behind and move forward as a group," one Big East source said.

In 2014, the league is replacing Louisville and Rutgers with Tulane and East Carolina. Navy joins for football in 2015.

Losing SDSU could prompt the Big East to drop plans of a Western footprint. The membership for 2014 as it stands: Cincinnati, South Florida, UConn, Central Florida, Temple, Memphis, SMU, Houston, East Carolina, Tulane.

Read more: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/jeremy-fowler/21539405/san-diego-state-meeting-with-big-east-mountain-west-talks-ongoing

[wardly]

My understanding is they need 12 schools for T.V. contract. My best guess is that SDSU stays in MWC,Tulsa takes their place,and that they bring in U.Mass when Navy comes in.You then could have a "Western Division" with Houston,SMU,Tulsa,Tulane,Memphis,USF,and UCF. Eastern Division could be Cincy,U.Con,Temple,ECU,U.Mass.,and Navy.Just a guess and by golly.

[Mean Green 93-98]

My understanding is they need 12 schools for T.V. contract.

Why? The Big 12 only has 10 members, and has a huge TV contract. Historically speaking, the larger conferences have had 10 members.

The Big East might prefer to have 12+ members to guard against future defections, and they need twelve schools to have a conference championship game, but they can have a TV contract with just the schools they have now, minus SDSU.

[H-towngreen]

I'd say they need 12 because UCONN and Cincy are gone first chance they get.

[wardly]

Their new T.V.contract requires 12 teams as per a site I googled under "Big East Expansion". Can't remember which one because I googled so many.

[Green Dozer]

I just don't get the tv stuff. Some of these games are buried so deep in the cable/Directv/dish channels that you almost have to accidentally tune to them while surfing. Besides, I never have seen the SMU games on as part of games being showed at sports bars on Saturday in Dallas. So I guess they get bring in revenue, but as for as millions watching, I think it is a reach.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Their new T.V.contract requires 12 teams as per a site I googled under "Big East Expansion". Can't remember which one because I googled so many.

? They haven't done their contract yet. They're not even sure with what network their new contract will be.

[GrayEagle]

Their new T.V.contract requires 12 teams as per a site I googled under "Big East Expansion". Can't remember which one because I googled so many.

I believe that the 12 teams is in reference to the Catholic 7 group that is breaking from the Big East. The old contract runs through this year and the networks need to know who and how many will be in the conference before determining the dollar value. In the case of the Catholic 7 they know seven, know that it may include Cincinnati and Connecticut or, if not, five of the best basketball schools in the country.

[NT91]

They should ask NT over Tulsa.... Not