Notre Dame has 'contingency plans' if it leaves Big East
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey said the Fighting Irish's objective is to remain in the Big East, but admitted the school has "contingency plans" if it needs to join another conference.
"I know right now we're focused 100 percent on [rebuilding the Big East] but there's no question contingency plans [about joining another conference] on those pay grades higher than me have been discussed and will be discussed," Brey told CBSSports.com at Monday's Big East spring meetings.
When Notre Dame joined the Big East in all sports except football in 1995, the Big East consisted of 13 basketball members: Notre Dame, Boston College, UConn, Georgetown, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Miami, Rutgers and West Virginia.
Since then Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Miami, West Virginia and Virginia Tech have been replaced by DePaul, South Florida, Marquette, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Houston, UCF, SMU and Temple.
"We lost some quality programs," Brey said.
The Big East is a radically different league than when Notre Dame joined nearly 20 years ago and there still could be more changes ahead.
There is the very real possibility if the Big 12 decides to expand to 12 schools, the Big East could lose two more members -- "big names," Brey said -- either to the Big 12 or to the ACC.
"I'll say this: if it doesn't work out [in the Big East], everybody's got a spot for us [in another league]," Brey said. "I hope we keep our spot here and keep moving forward and massaging that. But whatever happens, we're going to land on our feet. I guarantee that."
Notre Dame is considered the most valuable property as far as any future conference realignment. The Irish would be targeted by virtually every major conference as a full member and also is highly sought after if the Irish decide to move their Olympic sports from the Big East.
"We are closely monitoring this landscape as my AD [Jack Swarbrick] and I spoke about many times during the winter and especially in the last month," Brey said. "But our major objective here is we've been a part of the rebuilding of the Big East before and to be a part of it again. The Big East has been really good to the rest of our sports and certainly preserves our independency in football.
"We now have an identity in the Big East after being an also ran when we first got in the league. You invest years in that and playing in the [Madison Square] Garden. I don't want to lose that."
"I know right now we're focused 100 percent on [rebuilding the Big East] but there's no question contingency plans [about joining another conference] on those pay grades higher than me have been discussed and will be discussed," Brey told CBSSports.com at Monday's Big East spring meetings.
When Notre Dame joined the Big East in all sports except football in 1995, the Big East consisted of 13 basketball members: Notre Dame, Boston College, UConn, Georgetown, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh, Miami, Rutgers and West Virginia.
Since then Boston College, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Miami, West Virginia and Virginia Tech have been replaced by DePaul, South Florida, Marquette, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Houston, UCF, SMU and Temple.
"We lost some quality programs," Brey said.
The Big East is a radically different league than when Notre Dame joined nearly 20 years ago and there still could be more changes ahead.
There is the very real possibility if the Big 12 decides to expand to 12 schools, the Big East could lose two more members -- "big names," Brey said -- either to the Big 12 or to the ACC.
"I'll say this: if it doesn't work out [in the Big East], everybody's got a spot for us [in another league]," Brey said. "I hope we keep our spot here and keep moving forward and massaging that. But whatever happens, we're going to land on our feet. I guarantee that."
Notre Dame is considered the most valuable property as far as any future conference realignment. The Irish would be targeted by virtually every major conference as a full member and also is highly sought after if the Irish decide to move their Olympic sports from the Big East.
"We are closely monitoring this landscape as my AD [Jack Swarbrick] and I spoke about many times during the winter and especially in the last month," Brey said. "But our major objective here is we've been a part of the rebuilding of the Big East before and to be a part of it again. The Big East has been really good to the rest of our sports and certainly preserves our independency in football.
"We now have an identity in the Big East after being an also ran when we first got in the league. You invest years in that and playing in the [Madison Square] Garden. I don't want to lose that."
