The Old Big East
What on earth are they doing? Really. They can't even come up with a name.That might not happen until May.
Many have called Mike Aresco a good TV guy and a good backroom guy. Is he conference commissioner stuff? Heck no.
With a staff in Providence all wondering if they will have a job next year, Aresco and company have let the Catholic 7 steal all the headlines. Their new TV contract makes the Aresco led contract look silly and it must be remembered that the old Big East contract apparently has an out if two teams leave. UConn and Cincy are doing all they can to get out and if Maryland is successfully able to negotiate away, in part its 50 million dollar exit fee from the ACC, then look for Virginia and Georgia Tech to bolt for the Big Ten and the big money and UConn and Cincy to end up in the ACC. At that point the old Big East might not even have a conference let alone a TV deal. And it is highly probable from a legal perspective that such a Maryland negotiation will be successful, as the 50 million is clearly a penalty and bears no resemblance to any conceivable damages suffered by the ACC. Courts abhor penalty provisions in contracts.
Make no mistake about it, this is not all about Aresco. He inherited a mess, largely created by mismanagement under former commissioner John Marinatto who didn't understand or wasn't willing to deal with the concept of football driving the bus.
In any event, we have the Catholic 7 or new Big East with a fancy TV contract and a conference tournament at Madison Square Garden for years to come and the old Big East without a name. Hardly seems fair.
