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BCS Confirms Big East Membership

While the lead story coming from last week's meeting of the BCS Commissioners was that there would be no change in the structure of the BCS Bowl Championship Series, meaning no playoffs and no adoption of the Plus One format, the more important decision for fans of the University of Louisville (and most of you know I am one) was the reaffirmation of the participation of the current six conferences through the end of the 2013 season. That means that the participation of the Big East is secure despite the harping of some sportswriters.

There was a very complicated mathematical formula applied taking into account Top 25 rankings, BCS bowl performances, conference rankings and other measures. The formula was first derived when the ACC raided the Big East and the Big East was forced to search for new members back in 2003. At that time, the formula was put in place to give the Big East an adjustment period which ended this year. However, it was the reconfigured ACC which actually found itself in greater danger of falling prey to the vagaries of the formula. Its performance since the raid has been far inferior to that of the Big East under all of the different categories used to measure continued membership. However, all is well under the Big Tent and none of the Big Six are going anywhere. They will continue to cut up Fox's and ABC's money among themselves and go home happy.

Full post as published by Sports Biz on May 07, 2008 (boomark / email).