ACC and MSG

[BLT]

The new Big East paid a hefty sum for the MSG tourney rights to the AAC, they better damn well have a good plan to fill the joynt up and have proper protections in the amended tourney contract. Then again, no permanent commisioner is yet in place or their staff...tick, tock.

[MUMac]

They are missing the last two seasons in those numbers. I saw alot of the A-10 tourney and VCU fans did travel in solid numbers.

I realize they are missing the last two years. Still, they had not sold out their 7,500 seat facility. I don't know what solid numbers mean or how that translates into a BE Tournament at the MSG. Counting on VCU to travel to the tournament may not be the best.

[Goose85]

We could really use someone speaking on behalf of the Big East right now.

[TheSultan]

Why? What would they say? The Big East has a contract with MSG, and they don't need to respond to every little blurb posted on ESPN.

[Goose85]

Why? What would they say? The Big East has a contract with MSG, and they don't need to respond to every little blurb posted on ESPN.

Exactly. Put out a response that the Big East has a contract to play at MSG until 2026 and the Big East fully intends to play there through 2026.

ESPN is trying to set the expectation that the ACC will be there, it would be nice for an official response to set ESPN straight and let them know they don't call all the shots.

[Goose85]

From Zagsblog. Zagoria indicates that ESPN really wants to get it done.

http://zagsblog.com/articles/boeheim...sg/#more-96312

[TheSultan]

Exactly. Put out a response that the Big East has a contract to play at MSG until 2026 and the Big East fully intends to play there through 2026.

Again...why? Based on something reported on ESPN? There is absolutely no reason to do this regardless of the message board hang-wringing. They can't respond to every challenge or slight.

[IWB]

Why? Well, now with ESPN, Bilas, coaches and recruits commenting on this, it is becoming more of a real issue. You can only absorb so many shots before the general public starts to believe it should happen. The Big East needs to stake their claim instead of sitting back and being picked apart. The 'sit back and wait to see what develops' mentality is why the Big East was picked apart instead of the Big 12.

Time to put on the gloves and come out swinging before we are stuck playing the conference tourney in a second tier facility/city.

[TheSultan]

Why? Well, now with ESPN, Bilas, coaches and recruits commenting on this, it is becoming more of a real issue. You can only absorb so many shots before the general public starts to believe it should happen. The Big East needs to stake their claim instead of sitting back and being picked apart. The 'sit back and wait to see what develops' mentality is why the Big East was picked apart instead of the Big 12.

Time to put on the gloves and come out swinging before we are stuck playing the conference tourney in a second tier facility/city.

In what way is saying something publicly going to protect an existing contract any more than by simply letting the talking heads talk?

I would definitely have talking points ready unless people are contacted for a response, and I would have someone put in a call to MSG have a gentle conversation about its relationship with the BE, but there is absolutely no need to say anything proactively.

[Goose85]

For the most part sports fans all get their sports news from ESPN. Having high school kids, I know that is their source of sports info. Now recruits that are going to Syracuse are talking about it. ESPN is all but promoting it. Why should MSG comment, they are likely going to be the benefactor if the ACC and ESPN pay more for their show at the Garden.

Right now there is nobody to contact from the Big East to get a response to the story. So basically the ACC and ESPN are telling the sports world that they will be having their tourney at the Garden. It's being reported by ESPN, so most expect it to happen. It would be nice for once for the Big East to stand up for itself and step in and say the Big East and MSG are partners and we expect to host our tourney through 2026 so I'm not sure what the ACC folks are talking about.

Contracts can always be bought out. ESPN gets enough momentum on this I could see MSG saying, hey Big East, for $10 mil how about you skip a couple years.