Big East split to leave behind big money

The departure of the seven Catholic basketball schools in the Big East could prove to be beneficial for the remaining football schools.

While various news sources reported the split between the seven Catholic schools and the Big East’s football schools will be announced either Wednesday or Thursday, a conference source said that it could happen at any time, according to the Hartford Courant 

The departing teams are leaving behind a $110 million pot to  split among USF and the other remaining schools, and according to sports reporter Mark Blaudschun, the “Old Big East” — USF, UConn and Cincinnati could get $30 million each.

While some estimates range from $20 million to $25 million for the three schools, the payout is still large and would make up for loss in TV/media revenue. 

The seven schools that are leaving — Providence, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Villanova, Georgetown, DePaul and Marquette — will keep the Big East name.

This will leave USF, UConn and Cincinnati in the old league as it welcomes Houston, Mephis, SMU, UCF and Temple in the upcoming season. Tulane and East Carolina are set to join in 2014, the Navy in 2015. 

Rutgers and Louisville, which are departing to the Big Ten and ACC, will still be part of the conference next season, however. 

Pittsburgh and Syracuse are also leaving to join the ACC.

The Big East, or the old Big East, depending on how one looks at it, will lose a total of 16 schools and could end up eventually having 12 football schools.