WVU vs The Big East....getting ugly

[isuno1fan]

The latest from today. RI court will not dismiss case. This case is still moving forward in two states. BE claims they will not accept a monetary settlement NO MATTER WHAT. They are hell bent on keeping WVU in next year. If WVU gets out then it is believed Syracuse and Pitt will leave as well leaving only 5 BE FB teams for 2012. That would not work and is the reason the BE is REFUSING to settle this. Good read here:

WVU Loses Battle In Rhode Island Court - West Virginia Headline News and Talk Radio

 

[Al_4_State]

The latest from today. RI court will not dismiss case. This case is still moving forward in two states. BE claims they will not accept a monetary settlement NO MATTER WHAT. They are hell bent on keeping WVU in next year. If WVU gets out then it is believed Syracuse and Pitt will leave as well leaving only 5 BE FB teams for 2012. That would not work and is the reason the BE is REFUSING to settle this. Good read here:

WVU Loses Battle In Rhode Island Court - West Virginia Headline News and Talk Radio

The difference is that the ACC doesn't need Syracuse and Pitt next year for scheduling purpose, but the Big 12 needs West Virginia.

WVU's leaving next year has as much to do with the Big 12 needing a 10th team as it does their desire to leave the Big East.

 

[Wesley]

and both times in Norman.

And back to back weeks.

 

[Wesley]

How do you "force" Missouri to stay? Blow up the bridges over the Mississippi?

Baylor's lawsuit did NOT have to do with scheduling; it had to do with the future existence of the Big 12. Once the Big 12 remained viable (with the Pac 12 shutting the door on OU, etc.) Ken Starr had no grounds for a suit.

The bylaws clearly spell out what you have to do to leave the Big 12...and don't mention ANYTHING about maintaining TV inventory. Plus, the Big 12 already granted Missouri permission to leave. It's not Missouri's responsibility to make sure the Big 12 and WVU get their **** in order with the Big East.

When it comes to conference realignment, you can bank on just one thing: NOBODY sees the inside of a courtroom.

Deals will be made - WVU will pay more to get out, or the TV networks will work out a deal with the Big 12 until WVU can get in. But the one thing that NOBODY wants is to have all of the inside dealings, plans, and conversations open to scrutiny by outsiders in a lawsuit.

We fans can flip around terms like "Sue 'em!" as if the competition of the playing field carried over to the courtroom. That's silly. The folks who run schools are collegial with each other...they all want to keep their jobs and make the boosters happy. They don't take legal action on a whim.

(all except WVU, anyway. How long before those guys sue the Big 12 for something?) :smile:

We take you as prisoner. They must play or you will not be released. You will be keyholed in Austiin under the guard of Neinas.

This little court extravaganza again shows why the B12 needs to go to 12 teams.

 

[Mizzoulander]

We take you as prisoner. They must play or you will not be released. You will be keyholed in Austin under the guard of Neinas.

Ugh...talk about taking one for the team.

 

[Stormin]

Mizzoulander,
The Baylor lawsuit was based on the loss of money due to the elimination of TV contracts if the conference folded. This would be the same situation. Mizzourah leaving would void the current TV deal. If a team would lose money due to that contract voided, they would have grounds for a lawsuit. Whether it would be levity or just sabre rattling, who knows? But, I would expect that if WVU is unable to play in the Big12 next year, Mizzourah and aggie will not be given any settlements in their exit fees. All the Big12 has to do is just say if you don't like it we've got a spot for you in the schedule. That's a heck of a bargaining chip.

Mizzou will be on the hook if WVU is not allowed to join. Mizzou can leave. They just need to get out their checkbook and according to Mizzoulander the exit fees are irrelevant. So they will just make a check out for around $100 million or so and all will be well.

 

[cykadelic2]

Mizzou will be on the hook if WVU is not allowed to join. Mizzou can leave. They just need to get out their checkbook and according to Mizzoulander the exit fees are irrelevant. So they will just make a check out for around $100 million or so and all will be well.

The Walton Family have been primary facilitators of Mizzou's move to the SEC and I'm sure they can afford to help foot WVU's damages to the BE.

 

[Mizzoulander]

Originally Posted by Stormin

Mizzou will be on the hook if WVU is not allowed to join. Mizzou can leave. They just need to get out their checkbook and according to Mizzoulander the exit fees are irrelevant. So they will just make a check out for around $100 million or so and all will be well.
​

The Walton Family have been primary facilitators of Mizzou's move to the SEC and I'm sure they can afford to help foot WVU's damages to the BE.

Although the Lauries and the Kroenkes have been major donors to Mizzou for a while, I haven't read anything that has tied them directly to the SEC move. Is there a source?

I really don't think Mizzou can or will be "on the hook" for anything more than the exit fees (no more than $23M, I last heard).

If what Deaton said is true, and he has proof that the Big 12 gave MU the OK to leave...how can they sue? WVU signed a 27-month agreement - Mizzou didn't. It's not Missouri's fault that the Big 12 banked on inviting a replacement team (WVU) that's not available for 2 years.

Missouri did everything the bylaws require to leave the Big 12. As much as your sense of justice requires Missouri to pay through the nose for disrespecting this honorable conference, it's just not going to happen. The Big 12 will either cut a deal with the Big East, or with the TV networks. If the Big 12 feels wronged, sue WVU for not being forthcoming about their league requirements for leaving.

Stormin...I have to confess. I'm REALLY looking forward to the day when the wire service story comes out that says that MU/TAMU are paying ~$15M in exit fees. When it does, I promise not to be TOO much of a jerk to you. :smile:

 

[Clonehomer]

So is there a link to show when the Big12 said Mizzourah could leave? I guess I remember it going something like Mizzourah saying they were going to leave and the Big12 said to follow the procedure. I don't see how that equals giving permission.

 

[RustShack]

Tulane is a sleeping giant. I hope to god the same people who think they can never be good also think there is no way ISU could ever have a brighter future than Iowa.

 

[alarson]

Tulane is a sleeping giant. I hope to god the same people who think they can never be good also think there is no way ISU could ever have a brighter future than Iowa.

By what objective measure are they a sleeping giant?

 

[Mizzoulander]

So is there a link to show when the Big12 said Mizzourah could leave? I guess I remember it going something like Mizzourah saying they were going to leave and the Big12 said to follow the procedure. I don't see how that equals giving permission.

I don't think any transcripts have been released, but here's what I was referring to - the STL Post Dispatch interview with Brady Deaton:

"We're going to the SEC (next year) regardless," said Deaton, who noted Mizzou's stated desire to move to the SEC in 2012 had come after "phone calls of assurance from the Big 12 commissioner and (chairman) of the board that it was OK to do that from their standpoint.
"We then later on got a call that said ... we're not sure about this, that, and the other, because we're not sure (about West Virginia's timetable)."


Read more: MU vows to leave Big 12 next year
​

Unless Deaton is completely lying, it sounds like the Big 12 was ready to move on, and once the Big East filed suit, turned around and told Missouri "hold on." As we've seen, the Missouri admins are a cautious, SLOW-moving group. I think it's doubtful they'd be so confident of leaving next year unless they felt they could defend against any legal action from the Big 12.​

 

[bosco]

If the holding point is that the BE would have problems scheduling and the B12 might have problems with their content if it goes to 9 then the simple solution would be for the B12 and BE to play each other to fill that content.

Each school probably pays a FCS school for an OOC game. Pay them half of the sum and say sorry. Each B12 school then plays one game with a BE school in replacement. WVU officially pays in the B12 in the scheduling.

Assuming cost to pay an FCS or scrub school is about $1million then half would be $500k for 10 schools then its only 5 million for the conference. WVU then says we'll pay a $10million exit penalty. Total cost $15million, both conferences fill their network contracts with content. Everyone is happy except for the scrub schools.

 

[Incyte]

Tulane is a sleeping giant. I hope to god the same people who think they can never be good also think there is no way ISU could ever have a brighter future than Iowa.

You have confused tulane with the actual Green giant vegetable guy. That's also a very strange thing to hope for.

 

[ISUFan22]

I would agree that the Big 12 should play hard ball, and play dirty.

I don't fully disagree - but this sentiment does make us look rather hypocritical. We were extremely upset the last two years when other conferences were "stealing" teams away from the Big 12.

While we didn't start it, that does not excuse our participation in what is happening to the Big East - even if our participation is all about Big 12 conference survival.

While inconvenient, it's not a horrible thing for the Big 12 to play with 9 teams next season. Schedule another non-conference game or play someone in the conference twice.

 

[Al_4_State]

I don't fully disagree - but this sentiment does make us look rather hypocritical. We were extremely upset the last two years when other conferences were "stealing" teams away from the Big 12.

While we didn't start it, that does not excuse our participation in what is happening to the Big East - even if our participation is all about Big 12 conference survival.

While inconvenient, it's not a horrible thing for the Big 12 to play with 9 teams next season. Schedule another non-conference game or play someone in the conference twice.

The thing is, we haven't really interfered with the process like the Big East has. And quite frankly, I'm ok with being hypocritical. The Big 12 needs to protect itself. The villians in all of this are those who started the process despite being in a perfectly fine position (Pac 12, Big 10, SEC). The Big 12 is in self preservation mode. We didn't start this out of pure greed like those leagues did. We're doing whatever we have to to keep our league strong and viable.

Yeah, we were upset. I don't blame the Big East for being upset. The Big 12 hasn't kept any of its members from making their moves. And the Big East can't keep WVU from moving, but their having a hissy fit over 1 year.

I'm fine with a 9 game schedule too. I just hope its not a TV contract issue. I don't think it would be, as a suit from our current TV partner would needlessly sever what has been and would continue to be a lucrative deal for both parties. It would allow someone else to swoop in on the Big 12 TV package, and I don't think our partners want that.

 

[erikbj]

Request by West Virginia Mountaineers to dismiss Big East suit denied - ESPN

I think WVU should say fine, schedule us but we are not showing up.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Request by West Virginia Mountaineers to dismiss Big East suit denied - ESPN

I think WVU should say fine, schedule us but we are not showing up.

Yea, because forfeiting a whole year's worth of football income would be a reasonable course of action for them.

 

[Al_4_State]

Yea, because forfeiting a whole year's worth of football income would be a reasonable course of action for them.

They would be getting Big 12 income and playing in the Big 12.

 

[MNCyGuy]

They would be getting Big 12 income and playing in the Big 12.

I have to think that would make the Big 12 more vulnerable to a lawsuit if we allowed them to do that. Right now the conference can kind of sit back and not be an active participant in the legal drama. As soon as we allow them to compete in Big 12 games without being recognized as having been released from the Big East, I have to think that goes out the window. It could really screw the conference records and bowl-wise too, because I could see the NCAA refusing to recognize any conference wins that WVU accrues that season as well.