Syracuse To Leave Big East, Join ACC In July 2013

Finally some sense. Finally some semblance of consistency from the Big East.

Well, sort of.

After months of balking and launching barbs at one of its founding members, the Big East has [finally] consented to Syracuse leaving the makeshift conference and joining the ACC a year ahead of schedule. Effective July 1, 2013, Syracuse will officially begin its new voyage as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

There’s just one, slightly awkward catch: Pittsburgh, at least for now, won’t be tagging along.

Syracuse and Pitt have been a package deal since the two schools agreed last September to jump to the ACC as soon as possible. But according to a Big East press release, the league has only come to terms with SU on an early buyout.

"“The Big East Conference and Syracuse University today announced that both organizations have reached an agreement on Syracuse’s departure from the Big East and move to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Under the terms of the agreement reached between the Big East and Syracuse, the Big East members will vote, in accordance with the Big East’s bylaws, to terminate Syracuse’s membership in the Big East effective July 1, 2013, at which point Syracuse will join the ACC. In addition to other consideration, Syracuse will make a total cash payment to the Big East of $7.5 million.”"

Of the $7.5 million owed to the Big East as payment for the early departure, $5 million is a standard fee for leaving the conference [at all]. That leaves only a $2.5 million surcharge for ditching the league a year ahead of schedule. In other words, Syracuse got off easy. Real easy.

Through all the shenanigans, Syracuse met the Big East’s chest-puffing, threat-casting, bluff and bluster with a cool resolve, never deigning to bark back and dig itself a bigger hole. SU athletic director Daryl Gross, though tempted to fight back, continued to engage in amicable discussions with the Big East. His calm diplomacy paid off, ultimately earning Syracuse a “get out of jail free” card.

Fellow Big East fugitives West Virginia and Pittsburgh took a more aggressive, hard line stance, an approach that didn’t beget as happy an ending.

West Virginia tried to strong arm its way out of the conference to avoid the 27-month lame duck waiting period. Committed to the Big XII, West Virginia pursued an early exit from the Big East and sued the conference last fall. The league granted the university its release in February…for the not-so-forgiving price of $20 million. Bon voyage.

Pittsburgh took a similar approach as its Backyard Brawl rival, and the result was no better.

Pitt filed suit in May claiming the Big East’s 27-month waiting period should be voided since the conference had already negotiated an early release for West Virginia. The university also took issue with losing two home football games: TCU and West Virginia. The Horn Frogs and Mountaineers each ditched the Big East for the Big XII, effective in time for upcoming season, and the Panthers stood to lose major gate revenue as a result. Pitt officials are still in the process of negotiating the school’s release and any compensation packages to atone for the dropped home games.

Rushing to the courts seldom works in these battles between power conferences and fleeting members. Patience does. Especially when dealing with a defunct league seeking to restore its flagging image.