TV Deals Mean Big Money

Two years ago the ACC raided the Big East Conference looking for a more lucrative TV contract by boosting their strength in football.  In an attempt to postition their conference among the elite in college football, many thought the Big East would have to fold.  Well the Big East had plans of their own, raiding Conference USA which in the end has postitioned itself as a basketball powerhouse that rivaled the once dominate ACC.  The ACC was able to add a conference championship game in football and with that they were able to demand a the biggest TV deal in the history of college sports.  The Big East may have been become a more valuable conference than it was before the ACC raid.  I say that because they were without a doubt the best basketball conference last season.  There is no doubt that the ACC and Big East are the top two basketball conferences in the country.  The Big East was able to parlay their success in basketball into a 6 year deal with ESPN which begins in 2007-2008.  The battle for teams that began two years is now a battle for the almighty TV dollar.