The Big 12 is terrified that their conference might disappear over the next couple years. Texas A&M moving to the SEC seems inevitable. Baylor is currently holding a lawsuit over the SEC's head to try and prevent them from stealing Texas A&M. It is quite obvious that this is a desperate move by Baylor and they will eventually drop the lawsuit. On top of the Texas A&M exit it sounds like the top two schools in the conference, Texas and Oklahoma, are looking to establish a super conference outside of the Big 12. If Texas and Oklahoma leave the Big 12 the conference will certainly be disassembled. In fact Baylor and Iowa State have already started preparing for the conference's demise. They both have contacted the Big East about the possibility of joining if the Big 12 is erased. Almost every school in the current Big 12 school is strong enough academically, athletically, or plays in a big enough market to make them appealing to other conferences. So the end of the Big 12 seems immanent.
It has been announced today that Big East school's Pitt and Syracuse have submitted applications to join the ACC. Football in the ACC has started slipping over the last couple seasons and could use a shot in the arm. They already have schools such as Miami (FL), Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Clemson. There is a rich football tradition at each of those schools and they attract top notch recruits. Syracuse and Pitt fit right into that category. Neither school would be capable of competing for a conference championship right away, but definitely could in a couple of years. It seems like a great opportunity for both schools.
Leaving a conference is not the easiest thing to do. Every conference mandates a very expensive buyout and notice that the school is leaving well in advance. For example, the Big East will require Pitt to pay a $5 million buyout and 27 months notice. Meaning if Pitt tells the Big East they are leaving in January 2012, they will not be able to officially join the ACC until April 2014.
Even with the barriers to exit the Big East there are even more reasons to move. We already know that the Big East is a weak football conference, and the ACC is far superior. Also keep in mind Big East basketball. It is arguable who the best basketball conference in the country is right now, the Big East or ACC. However, if Pitt and Syracuse leave for the ACC there will be no doubt who the superior conference will be. Although Duke and North Carolina are typically weak football teams they are maybe the two most well respected basketball teams. I am giddy at the thought of Pitt playing Duke and North Carolina every season. In addition to improved competition the move would bring in boatloads more money. The ACC does not make much more money than the Big East in basketball, but they make nearly twice as much in football. Not to mention the ACC does better in most other athletics as well. With all these great positives a move to the ACC for Pitt seems to be a no-brainer.
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