If you haven’t heard the rumblings of late, the Big East has reached out to FCS football school, Villanova, about joining the conference as it’s 9th member.

Villanova has no stadium capable of FBS level football. They could pay to lease out the new Philadelphia MLS stadium in the city that seats 18,500, and pay for temporary seating to expand the stadium on game days to the necessary 25,000 capacity. In adding the extra 27 scholarships to upgrade from the 63 in FCS to the 85 in FBS, Villanova would need to add another 27 scholarships for women’s sports in order to remain in NCAA Title IX compliance. So stadiums and scholarships are just two of the financial concerns for the school in what will be a long and expensive shopping list.

The transition from FCS to FBS would be extremely expensive, especially since Villanova is a small private school of 6500 undergraduates, tiny compared to the other Big East football schools which average 24,000 (7 state schools and 1 private school – Syracuse). The economy has been less than stellar, a poor time to expect high numbers of donations from an alumni base that is bound to have some former students in the current 15% American unemployment base.

But regardless of this huge economic mountain to climb, Villanova should jump at the opportunity.

The rationale is simple: if the invite is there now, take it, because nobody knows what the future holds for college conferences. Villanova rejected an invitation 13 years ago when the Big East extended a “one time” blanket upgrade offer to all it’s members the sponsored football at some level: if they wanted to upgrade, you’d be a full member of the Big East football conference. Uconn was the only school that accepted, as it was in a better position as a large state school that had a state government that had prepared a stadium plan just a few years earlier to lure the NFL New England Patriots team to Hartford. Villanova and Georgetown were the notable programs that passed on the offer.

The surprise of a Villanova invitation should be coming from fans of Big East football schools and college football fans in general. The Big East reaching out to Villanova is primarily to help secure the Philadelphia market for it’s football league. But it’s a huge risk to bring in a program that might never find a strong following in a professional sports town. Unlike many other cities that seem to have room for both professional and college sports, Philadelphia football has always been geared towards the NFL Eagles. State school Temple University was a member of the Big East (associate) but forced out due to lack of success and support. Fast forward since their expulsion, and the program has found success as a football member of the MAC and their fresh new digs via their lease with the NFL Eagles Lincoln Field.

There is a strong argument to be made that if the Big East wanted a Philadelphia presence, that bringing a now successful Temple team back in the fold would be a better move than adding Villanova. But even with their success, Philadelphia is still primarily a “Penn St. town”.

The Big East football schools have long clamored for a 9th football team to ease in scheduling. Ideally, they’d prefer 4 home games per school and 4 road games. But the 8 school dilemma does not afford all schools that equal balance. But in inviting Villanova, the Big East is looking past some quality candidates:

• UCF:
  - Offers the Orlando market and strong penetration into that market.
  - The fastest growing school in the recruiting rich state of Florida with a total enrollment of 54000
  - Historically a stronger football program than many candidates
  - Newer stadium on par with the top Big East facilities
  - willingness to join for football only

• Memphis:
  - Offers the Memphis market and unlike Villanova, the school has a stronger presence in the city (albeit primarily for basketball)
  - Entrance into the south, traditionally a stronger recruiting area of the country
  - sponsorship revenue by FedEx
  - potential to become a stronger football program due to it’s regional location
  - A good fit with former CUSA members Louisville, Cincinnati and USF

• Temple:
  - Recent success under their new coach
  - A stronger current football share in the Philadelphia market
  - Lease of an NFL stadium
  - willingness to join for football only

• ECU:
  - Further penetration into the south via the North Carolina school
  - a strong following, large school, with strong attendance numbers
  - willingness to join for football only
• TCU:
  - recent football success with access to the BCS
  - offers access to the Dallas market
  - well funded athletic program with various stadium options at a given time
  - a private christian school
  - A good fit with former CUSA members Louisville, Cincinnati and USF

• Houston:
  - recent football success
  - offers access to the Houston market
  - A good fit with former CUSA members Louisville, Cincinnati and USF

• Villanova:
  - An FCS program requiring an FBS upgrade in the Philadelphia market
  - has no stadium
  - a small private school of 7000
  - already a member of the Big East

If you look at the candidates, it’s clear why one would question Villanovas inclusion in the expansion talks.

But it’s actually their last “qualification” that puts them ahead of all the other candidates: they are already in the Big East.

With Villanova already in the Big East, it means that the current 16 school hybrid does not need to expand. The balance would remain with 8 large state schools (with football) and 6 smaller private catholic schools for non-football sports, Notre Dame in for everything but football, and Villanova as the lone catholic/small school football program.

This seems to be the logic: if all we need is a 9th school, lets promote from within.

But a move by Villanova to the Big East for football, should come with some resentment from the non-BCS schools. It would be quite the slap in the face if the Big East, arguably the worst BCS conference, that already  has 2-4 less schools to split it’s revenue with, were permitted to add an FCS school that would be given access to the BCS revenue prior to established schools. Programs like TCU, Boise St., Utah and BYU, as well as other non-BCS programs that have ranked well ahead of Big East schools would be passed over in favor of an FCS school. So much for working hard to prove your worth and achieve your goals. The Big East would instead be giving a BCS conference opportunity to a school that might never succeed in FBS…while the schools that have succeeded have to continue to struggle.

But for Villanova, it’s an opportunity that they’d be silly to look past. If you were offered a job that would pay you tens of millions over time and you had a virtual lifetime contract, it’s worth the initial investment of moving your family, paying to build a house, and spending money to get your affairs in order.

Nothing is final yet and of course the Big East could still opt to invite Villanova and then expand further with schools like UCF down the road. But for Villanova, a Big East invitation is one they should jump on to accept.
The school is fortunate enough to be in the right spot at the right time. And even if there are other more qualified candidates, it’s not Villanova’s fault that they were fortunate enough to get an invitation.

And while the short term stability of the league looks fine with 16 total schools and 9 football programs (with Villanova), things can change. The Big East might still one day split with the football schools leaving for their own conference. And this is the side Villanova would want to be with. A 12 school all sports conference wil Uconn, Syracuse, Rutgers, Villanova, Pittsburgh, WVU, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, UCF, USF and ECU/Temple/Houston/TCU would still be a stronger all-sports conference than the current Big East sixteen school hybrid. And it would be to Villanova’s benefit to be included with the first step being to upgrade now to the FBS.