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Big East Breakup: Reports on Thursday said that the Big East’s basketball and football schools will break up into two division, but with the so-called “Catholic 7” schools paying to keep the Big East name.
Rick Pitino the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals gives instructions to his team during the game against the St. John's Red Storm at KFC YUM! Center on Feb. 14, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The splitting of the Big East division’s basketball and football schools looks like it’s going to happen.
The spin off “Catholic 7” are slated to becoming their own league, but will be called the Big East in 2013, said ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy on Twitter. The league “expect[s] to begin new league this fall,” he said, citing unnamed sources.
The basketball schools will have their own conference for 2013-2014 but will pay the football schools to stay with the Big East name, reported The Associated Press, citing other reports. It will play its conference tournament at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco, however, said that “’some of this stuff is clearly coming down to the wire,” adding that no deal had been made as of Thursday. Aresco will meet with athletic directors and presidents of the football schools who are members.
Rick Pitino, the head coach of the University of Louisville, told USA Today: “I think they should (get the name).”
“I think without question, the Catholic 7 deserves the Big East name. They should have, in my estimation, broken away from the football schools three years ago. I think they waited way too long. They should have been fed up a long time ago,” he added.
He continued: “You have some of the great, great traditions in college basketball. They should have gotten together, made their strong basketball league, sell their own deal and they should be the Big East. They should be playing in Madison Square Garden.”
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