Big East to pay Miami $9 million to stay

Guaranteed $$$. They could do better some years, worse in others when not in a BCS game.

A last-ditch effort from Big East?
Report: UM is offered $9 million annually
By Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald

Atlantic Coast Conference representatives will arrive at the University of Miami today for a site inspection, but the Big East has not given up its fight to keep the Hurricanes.

Rutgers spokesman John Wooding confirmed Wednesday the Big East offered UM at least $9 million annually if it commits to staying for at least five years. That would nearly match the amount distributed last year to each of the ACC's nine teams. But it might not be enough.

The New York Times reported today that UM president Donna Shalala 'received authorization Wednesday morning from the executive committee of the university's board of trustees to negotiate the Hurricanes' membership in the ACC.''

However, a source with knowledge of the discussions said Wednesday night the executive committee did not vote Wednesday, nor did it give Shalala the green light to finalize a deal with the ACC. The source said Shalala and UM athletic director Paul Dee briefed the executive committee on the status of the ACC issue, got feedback and were told to continue their fact-finding.

A Big East source said Wednesday a letter dated May 27 and signed by league commissioner Mike Tranghese was sent to Dee, confirming the $9 million offer, originally proposed to Dee last week at the Big East meetings. The source also said the letter was agreed to by all the league athletic directors -- including Boston College and Syracuse, the other schools that have been invited by the ACC to explore joining the conference.

''I haven't seen the letter yet,'' Dee said Wednesday night. ``We've been dealing with all the information that we've received from the Big East and others, and that's all a part of all the information that's before the university right now. So any information we get like that will be fully considered.

``We're moving ahead.''

Rutgers president Richard McCormick was paraphrased Wednesday by the Home News Tribune of East Brunswick, N.J., ``that based on conversations with Miami President Donna Shalala on Thursday and Friday, McMormick said, he believes she has not yet made up her mind and that there is still time to prevent the Big East from disintegrating.''

The Home News Tribune went on to say McCormick said Shalala ''indicated'' she will meet with her peers from other Big East schools before making a decision.

''It was clear that it was under serious consideration and it would be evaluated genuinely once the ACC numbers were on the table,'' McCormick told the paper, adding that the $9 million would come on top of receipts for ticket sales and concessions.

The Big East's annual payout to UM has been about $9 million in its best years, although its latest payout might exceed $10 million. However, this offer would guarantee that Miami would make at least that much money even in years it doesn't make a Bowl Championship Series game -- worth $13 million to the conference and $4 million to Miami.

Last year, the ACC paid about $9.7 million to each of its nine teams. A UM source said last week that if the Hurricanes do not go to a BCS game, they are expected to earn about $7.3 million from the Big East. The source said an ACC league title game, however, would give the Hurricanes about an $11 million payout -- whether or not UM plays in a BCS bowl.

Several people included in the decision-making expect UM to join the ACC if the terms are right. Shalala has never openly stated her opinion.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that nine U.S. senators from the home states of other Big East schools wrote to the leaders of Miami, Boston College and Syracuse in an effort to stop them from defecting to the ACC. The senators from West Virginia, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania said a move would devastate the Big East and erode the progress its schools have made in women's sports and ``send a troubling message to student-athletes across America.''

Among those who signed the letter were Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

''We each firmly believe that the departure of Miami, Syracuse and Boston College from the Big East Conference would not only have a devastating impact on the conference and its remaining members, but would also undermine the integrity of intercollegiate athletics . . . ,'' the letter said.

Today's site visit will involve about five ACC representatives, Dee said. Boston College and Syracuse will be visited early next week.

Herald sports writer Barry Jackson contributed to this report.

 

Well, the really interesting underlying meaning is that the endless speculation that the BE in any form that does not include Miami will not be part of the BCS is hereby officially validated. Tranghese must have crossed every other hope off of his options & scenarios board and circled the bottom one: "do something really drastic".

I thought something like this might happen. I caught myself wondering aloud what the BE would give up to keep Miami. Clearly, M.T. & the BE AD's think that a (much) smaller portion of the BCS pie is still better than say... CUSA (ouch, that cuts deep) or the WAC/MWC. This is a defining statement that there IS indeed a separate division of NCAA athletics above D1A. Though it's money oriented as everyone has pointed out, this is about retaining a defined position in that division rather than being relegated back to the also-ran status of my beloved alma matter and several other otherwise quality programs.

I'm tipping my hat to his group for taking their attention getting agenda and hitting it out of the ballpark. Though in the process, they've prostituted several of the more notable institutions of higher learning like 13 yr old Thai whores. That makeup aint flattering baby, it's just covering up desparation.

 

That there is the key statement to the entire article... that coupled with the fact that the Big East said at their last meetings that it "wasn't necessary to have a 12 team football league." (something Miami wants badly) is the reason this is already a done deal