As the soap opera of college football teams abandoning their conference's continues, the discussion of West Virgina leaving the Big East on an invite from the South East Conference has become hot topic. Though the idea of having Alabama or LSU coming to Morgantown on a regular basis is attractive, I think it would be overall a terrible move for Mounties. Here's why.
1. The Mountaineers while being a consistent top 25 program, would probably sink rather than swim with the sharks in the SEC. Although one could hope WVU would rise to level of competition presented in SEC, more than likley they would remain a second tier team for many years. What really would be the recruiting edge? "Come to Morgantown and you'll have the chance to compete for a national championship because we're in a BCS conference." Reality check because we already are.
2. The Money. Yes, revenue would go up, but WVU already has one of the most profitable teams in the nation thanks to the Mountaineer Sports Network. For the 09-2010 season WVU raked in 29.46 million dollars turning of profit of 15.3 million placing them as the 24th most profitable program in the country. Granted practically every SEC team turned bigger profits,(all but Ole' Miss and Vanderbilt,) How much more would WVU reasonably make by switching conference's? Travel expense would jump since the teams are farther away. Fans are going to be less likely travel to say Florida, LSU or Bama all in one season. And quite frankly, if your losing more the fare weather fans don't give a rats hind end.
3. Big East basketball. While the SEC definitely has the edge in football they are not even close in basketball. With Bob Huggins being firmly in place as the head coach of the Mounties we have a real shot at capturing a national title and doing it out of the best basketball conference hands down. Can imagine going from playing the conference tournament at Madison Square Garden too the Alexander Memorial Coliseum at Georgia Tech?
If athletic director Oliver Luck is half as savvy as he thinks he is WVU isn't going anywhere. WVU along with PITT, Louisville, Cincinatti, and TCU coming in next year, are going to assure the Big East retains it's BCS automatic bid. If you make plenty of money, Have the same possibilities to play in a national title game, and are competing for your conference's championship every year, why would leave just cause it sound bigger. If you don't believe me, just ask ol' Rich Rod how it worked out for him!
