The Big East at Last!

photo by Adam Douglas

 

     After months of speculation and watching former Conference USA foes leave for greener pastures, The University of Memphis has finally reached its goal that it's been trying to achieve for so long - getting into a BCS Conference. And on Wednesday afternoon, it was formerly announced to everyone that The Big East Conference and its commissioner John Marinatto, has accepted Memphis as its newest member in all sports, beginning in July 2013.

"It's a great day to be a Tiger," said R.C. Johnson, the incumbent athletic director who will retire this June after the school's fiscal year. "We've worked long and hard to get into the Big East - and we did it. They can no longer say that we're not in a BCS conference anymore."

This is a very promising and lucrative opportunity for the Tigers. It means more television exposure, recruiting elite players for football will be a lot easier and more money will be invested into the school. Johnson says that as of right now, C-USA schools get sharing revenue of about 2.2 million dollars, and Big East schools receive around eight million. So, that means better facilities, being on a level playing field with the competition and stiffer competition.

Memphis will reunite with former conference allies Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, DePaul and Marquette, as well as current Conference USA members UCF, Houston and SMU. Memphis, Louisville and Cincinnati were founding members of the Metro Conference in the 1970s and competed in Conference USA in the 1990s.

"This is a historic day for The University of Memphis," said Shirley Raines, president of the University of Memphis. We are pleased to be renewing some old rivalries that our fans enjoyed in years past, and we look forward to competing against other formidable opponents from the Big East."

Though the Tigers won't officially join the Big East until 2013, Tigers first-year head football coach Justin Fuente knows that this will be a formidable challenge for a team that has won only three games in the last two seasons.

"Everybody job is harder now, Fuente said. "The expectation level, the commitment level from everybody just got raised. It's huge for the community, its huge for the athletic department and now we just have to get out there and go to work."

In 2015, the BIG EAST football membership will consist of Boise State, UCF, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, Navy, Rutgers, San Diego State, SMU and USF.

In 2015, the BIG EAST basketball membership will include UCF, Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Houston, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John's, Seton Hall, SMU, USF and Villanova.