Looking at Big East Expansion Candidates (Again)

Alright, same story different day.  The Big East still needs to add a member and no one is really jumping up and down screaming "Pick me! Pick me!" right now.  So let's take a look at the candidates in order of appeal:

Brigham Young---BYU is the best program available. They have a broad nationwide following among Mormons.  They are also a western school, which fits with the Big East's plan to secure its new western flank.  BYU does has its setbacks.  They are quite demanding in what they want from the Big East regarding televsion revenue and media rights for byuTV.  Joining the Big East would mean giving up a lucrative tv deal with ESPN and giving up their new found scheduling independence.  BYU also has its eyes on the Big 12.

Air Force---This service academy has a nationwide following and a ton of appeal to media partners.  They also fit into the Big East's master western plan.  They would be a natural cross-division rival for Navy as well.  The problem that the Big East has ran into with AFA is that they are steadfastly loyal to the Mountain West Conference.  This is surprising because of their old voting block, "The Gang of Five", Colorado St and Wyoming are the only other members that remain in the league.  It would be nice if AFA would simply make arrangements to play these two schools annually out-of-conference (along with their other rival Army) and join up with the Big East.

Army---Army is in this discussion only because they have national appeal and could be used as leverage to get Air Force into the conference.  Army struggled when it spent a few seasons in the old C-USA and this conference is better than the first generation of C-USA.  Army doesn't want that kind of embarrassment again.  Army would really only make sense in the Big East desired to go to 16 members and they were part of a package deal with AFA.

Fresno St---The Bulldogs make it onto this list as an alternative to BYU and AFA should neither of those schools avail themselves to the Big East.  They are a solid western mid major, thus fitting into Aresco's plan to secure Boise and San Diego St's membership.  Fresno St would jump at the opportunity if it presented itself.

East Carolina--I still hold out hope for the Pirates.  They don't fit into the western scheme at all but what I like about them is that they pack their 50,000+ seat stadium each week and they travel well to bowl games.  It would be prudent to add them in order to secure bowl tie ins with southern bowl games.  In 2014 the bowl deals all get renegotiated and current Big East bowls like the Russell Athletic, Belk, BBVA Compass, and Beef O'Brady Bowls will all be free to pursue deals with the expanded ACC and SEC.  It would behoove the Big East to pick up a southern school with a large fan base known for traveling well.