More like the after-affects and details of expansiopocolypse.

How badly did the Big 10 want the Baltimore/DC market for the Big Ten Network Maryland? Enough to sweeten the pot for Maryland by subsidizing their looming jump in travel costs.

Since financial details of the agreement are kept private — the amount of the subsidy is not publicly available. But the amount is in the range of $20 million to $30 million, according to sources familiar with the deal.

Maryland got the subsidy after assessing the travel-cost implications of leaving the Atlantic Coast Conference, its home for 60 years.

The cost of sending its teams halfway across the country — as far away as Lincoln, Neb. (1,201 miles), and Iowa City, Iowa (905 miles) — was projected by the school to approximately double its travel budget.

Wow. Jim Delany really wanted to get back at John Swofford for the Notre Dame arrangement. That is a hell of a deal. It isn’t clear if it will be a lump sum or an annual subsidy.

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It shouldn’t be a surprise. As soon as the Big East remaindermen leaked that they would let Notre Dame join the ACC for the 2013 season with Pitt and Syracuse for as little as $2.5 million. But in the impeccable timing of the Big East, they are going to approve that the Domers are free — right before the start of the Big East Tournament.

Notre Dame’s basketball teams will play in the ACC next year, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The Big East presidents will vote on the issue Tuesday morning, and an announcement is expected sometime after their conference call ends.

“It’s everyone’s intention that this will happen tomorrow,” said the source.

Way to lock in the direction of the conversation. Look, I know it is hard to generate enthusiasm for the first two games of USF-Seton Hall and DePaul-Rutgers, but this isn’t the way to do it.

About the only way I can figure the America 12/Remaining Big East is doing, is that they are fully committing to the “this is a sad week for college basketball with the demise of the Big East as we knew it because the Big East Tournament will never be the same again” storyline. Trying to poison the well for the basketball only Big East’s future BET.

Here’s what I asked last week in regards moving the Villanova game so FSU-Pitt could start the season:

I guess my question is, how willing is Villanova to accommodate Pitt?

There’s just a bit of bad blood right now. The whole blocking Nova from moving to Big East football led by Pitt. Pitt leaving for the ACC. The schism of football and basketball at long last in the Big East. Egos and pride might make this a little more difficult.

Maybe it’s as simple as throwing some extra money towards Villanova. Maybe Nova is fine with changing their schedule. So far, no one has heard anything from the Villanova administration. But I can’t help but think that it would be the most Big East basketball thing to have Villanova gum this up as much as possible.

The answer — unsurprisingly — is: not much.

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There is still so much for the splintering Big East to resolve. There’s no shortage of rumors and reports of how the Big Priest portion would love to be split in time for the 2013 season. That, however, seems to be an impossibility. From setting up a new conference — hiring people, finding a commissioner, getting NCAA recognition for an auto bid to the NCAA Tournament, and so forth — to the very thorny issue of the money reserves in the Big East — all the exit fees, NCAA Tournament units particularly.

Then there is the issue of poaching programs from other conferences to get to a 10-12 team conference.

[Outgoing Xavier AD Mike] Bobinski said if Xavier receives the expected offer from the departing Big East schools to become one of its new members then it would have to listen. It would be situation where there were like-minded schools with a common purpose. He also said that 2014 would be more realistic for any movement while 2013 could be a bit rushed, although everything is negotiable. He didn’t say Xavier would definitely leave, but it sure sounded like the Musketeers have given this a lot of thought and are likely gone if asked, whenever that occurs. Xavier and Butler are expected to be first up on the docket to join Georgetown, Marquette, DePaul, St. John’s, Villanova, Seton Hall and Providence — with the choice for a 10th or possibly 11th or 12th coming from a pool of Creighton (MVC), Dayton, Richmond, VCU and Saint Louis (all A-10).

Sorry, Duquesne.

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I’m amazed Pitt made it through football season without going this route. But the Pitt-Duquesne game at the Con on December 5 gets a Groupon.

$12 for one ticket for seating in section 217, 218, 221, or 222 (up to a $27.70 value)
$16 for one ticket seating in section 202, 203, 219, or 220 (up to a $33.80 value)

Limited number of tickets per order. And by “limited” they mean eight at a time.

I am starting to think that expansiopocolypse won’t end until we have a “conference” of 64 teams, divided into 5 divisions and each division bifurcated into two sections.

The latest shots fired come from the Big 10, in what can only be considered to be their biggest “all about the money” move in this never-ending program shifting.

The University of Maryland is in serious negotiations to join the Big Ten Conference, sources told ESPN on Saturday.

If Maryland goes from the ACC to the Big Ten, Rutgers of the Big East is expected to follow suit. The addition of Maryland and Rutgers would give the Big Ten 14 members as the league gears toward negotiations on a new media rights deal when its first-tier rights expire in 2017.

No date has been set for a potential announcement, though it could come as soon as Monday. The Maryland board of regents will meet at 9 a.m. Monday morning to decide on the move, a source with direct knowledge told ESPN.com Sunday morning.

But there is not a consensus among athletic department officials. The source said the school is leaning toward the move but there is still time for the school to decide to stay in the ACC.

Except the biggest homers for Maryland and Rutgers — no one is pretending that this possibility is about anything other than money. Specifically, the Big Ten Network (BTN).

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Over the years, Pitt fans have taken a fair share of (mostly deserved) abuse for the number of empty seats at the football games. Especially from Penn State fans who love to stress that they support their team no matter what. Well, after all that has happened, it seems that there might be a bit more of a struggle to sell tickets this year. Starting with that season opener to honor “the legends who stayed.”

To the point where for the first time ever/decades/years — no one is exactly sure — Penn State is offering discount tickets to Penn State employees. But of course, it isn’t because the tickets aren’t selling. No, no, nooooo. It’s to recognize and thank the employees in these recent times of turmoil.

Penn State spokeswoman Jill Shockey said there are about 10,000 seats still available for the game. Of those, about 3,500 have been set aside for employees.

“If more tickets need to be made available for the employee appreciation offer, Athletics has said they will address that,” Shockey said in an email.

Penn State’s Office of Human Resources and department of athletics are offering the ticket deal. The university’s retirement plan partner, TIAA-CREF, is supporting concession vouchers and giving the first 1,000 employees with IDs at the upper concourse behind the NA or NL sections a special gift.

The deal is 2 tickets for $79 plus $20 in concession vouchers.

A friend of mine forwarded the e-mail (he’s married to a PSU employee).

If you want to read the actual e-mail, it is below the fold.

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Okay, football stuff coming later. First a bunch of links to touch on some other topics.

The daily bomb threats on Pitt’s campus last spring should not re-occur. The FBI has their man (sort of). It’s as weird as possible.

A 64-year-old, wheelchair-using Scottish man from Dublin, who already has served a prison sentence for emailing hoax bomb threats, was indicted Wednesday as the person responsible for emailing a series of 40 false bomb threats targeting the University of Pittsburgh during the spring semester.

A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh also charged the suspect, Adam Stuart Busby, with sending emailed bomb threats to federal courthouses in Pittsburgh, Erie and Johnstown and with threatening U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton.

Speaking at a news conference announcing the indictments, Mr. Hickton said Interpol had been alerted to the federal warrant charging Mr. Busby, who currently is in custody in Dublin on a Scottish warrant for similar crimes there. He would not speculate on any timetable for extraditing Mr. Busby from Ireland to face prosecution.

…

According to The Irish Times, Mr. Busby has multiple sclerosis and is a leader of the Scottish National Liberation Army, which seeks independence for his homeland. He recently was released from prison on a 2010 conviction in Ireland for emailing two false bomb threats in 2006 to Heathrow Airport in London. Those threats, which cited specific international flights, claimed to be from the Scottish National Liberation Army, according to the Times.

Since last month Mr. Busby has been held in custody in Dublin on a European Union warrant seeking his extradition to Scotland for additional charges of sending false threats, according to Irish media outlets. He is charged with making hoax threats in 2010, mostly by email to media organizations, that threatened then-British Prime Minister Gordon Brown with a noxious substance, and claimed buildings would be bombed and that the English water supply would be contaminated, Irish news media reported.

The FBI wouldn’t give a reason for why he targeted Pitt for the bomb threats (Editor note: I know this is somehow related to you, McClearn).

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Ever since Cinci joined the Big East, they have been trying to play catch-up in terms of facilities and bringing in money. Really, for most of their time in the Big East they have been in the red. Now, they want their cut from the extra money the Big East has to deal with their issues.

“We had some conversations about it yesterday,” said UC athletic director Whit Babcock. “Hopefully we’ll know by the end of the calendar year. Not all of those payments are in lump sums. Some of them are a five-year payment. There’s also entrance fees, which for Houston, SMU and those schools is $2.5 million to come in to the league — $500,000 for five years. So we’ve got entrance fees. We’ve got exit fees. I hate to see those schools go, but we’ve got a new successful league and I’ll be happy to take the funding.”

Babcock said the school is continuing to move forward on plans and funding for the renovation of Fifth Third Arena and Nippert Stadium.

The Big East, of course is saying, “Whoah. Slow down with all this money talk. We don’t really have that much… Or a plan.”

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Pitt has posted video of the nearly 16 minute press conference with AD Steve Pederson. Not much in the way of revelations in it.

Pitt has paid $2.5 million to the Big East back in September when it was announced Pitt was heading to the ACC. He didn’t specify when or how Pitt was going to pay the other $5 million, but made it clear that it wouldn’t be hard to do since Pitt will make that difference up in TV revenue in the ACC.

He defended the lawsuit, sticking with the argument that it was the catalyst to get movement on the settlement going. Didn’t really expect him to say, “Yeah, that was a waste of time.”

Apparently Pitt and Cuse were negotiating separately with the Big East. Okay.

Okay, looks like we officially have 348 days until Pitt is a part of the ACC.

The Big East Conference and the University of Pittsburgh announced today that both organizations have reached an agreement on Pittsburgh’s departure from the Big East and move to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Under the terms of the agreement reached between the Big East and Pittsburgh, Big East members will vote, in accordance with the Big East’s bylaws, to terminate Pittsburgh’s membership in the Big East effective July 1, 2013, at which point Pittsburgh will join the ACC. In addition to other consideration, Pittsburgh will make a total cash payment to the Big East of $7.5 million, which includes the $5 million withdrawal fee under the Big East Bylaws applicable at the time Pittsburgh gave notice of withdrawal.

“This is another step for the Big East to take toward a very exciting future. With the addition of our eight new members, the Big East will be incredibly strong and vibrant,” said Joe Bailey, Interim Commissioner of the Big East.

Steve Pederson, Athletic Director for the University of Pittsburgh said: “We have appreciated and enjoyed our membership in the Big East and wish them much success in the future. We are anxious to compete in our final season in the Big East and look forward to an exciting future in the Atlantic Coast Conference.”

Mildly surprised Pitt didn’t work the number down a little considering the hit Pitt took to the football schedulue this year, but it’s not like the Big East would be (or should be) terribly sympathetic.

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If you file a lawsuit — even to force the movement on negotiations — there is going to be more of a delay before anything is fully settled. All matters have to be resolved. Details have to be finalized. Everything must be in place.

The fact is, Pitt only filed that lawsuit in mid-May. Two months ago. I know it seems longer, but that it really isn’t. That put all negotiations on hold for a good month while the Big East got its legal response together. You can’t now complain that things are going too slowly compared to Syracuse reaching a settlement.

It isn’t like Pitt and the Big East haven’t been negotiating. It is just that it is now under a more formal structure.

Federal court documents indicate that Pitt and Big East officials have had discussions that could lead to a settlement, but no trial date has been set.

The fact that Pitt had filed a lawsuit probably spurred the Big East to resume active negotiations with Syracuse to avoid another lawsuit. Even then, it took until now to work out enough of a deal that they could announce a deal.

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The Big East and Syracuse announced their agreement for the Orange to leave the Big East for the ACC on July 1, 2013.

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.

[Emphasis added.]

Now Pitt has the whole lawsuit thing going against the Big East, which kind of slows down Pitt’s exit. In addition, Pitt AD Steve Pederson has emphatically said on more than one occasion that Pitt will not pay more than the $5 million exit fee.

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Yes, I know. I said expansiopocolypse is done for the summer. It’s not done for good, and some other materials in my tabs that I just need to get out. Not essential stuff, but things that might be interesting when it all comes back in another year.

Strangely, while Florida State seems to have settled down to some degree over leaving the ACC — at least until they get a clear signal from the Big 12 that they want them — Clemson still seems to be discussing it. Now, maybe it’s because Clemson has been a founding member of the ACC, so this is not nearly as simple as it is for FSU about the willingness to leave the ACC. Clemson seems much more divided.

So you see articles like this pushing back on any move because of travel costs.

Geography impacts travel costs, recruiting and historical rivalries. All of those aspects favor Clemson remaining in its conference home of the last 59 years.

Based on Clemson’s actual travel expenses for football and projected costs had the Tigers played in the Big 12 last season, the team would have spent $750,000 more in the Big 12.

Those travel costs would negate a significant portion of the Big 12’s greatest draw — television revenue. The Big 12’s deal with ESPN will pay its programs about $3 million more per year than what the ACC’s deal with ESPN pays out.

Unlike the Boise St. move of the football program to the Big East, a move by Clemson would obviously be for all sports. Which means increased travel costs for all programs. I’m not convinced the number would really be as high as $750K, but it would be more significant that most Clemson pro-move people suggest.

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Not sure why a bunch of stuff chose to break just before Juy 4. It means more stuff piling up in the browser window. The expansiopocolypse stuff, once more, has been a big summer filler. And like so many big summer movies, much more hype than any substance.

The Big 12 expansion stuff ended up a lot like the Green Lantern movie.

Hyped blockbuster, but the story dragged.

Actors that just didn’t have the fit or energy for the movie.  Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively headlining a summer blockbuster=FSU and Clemson in the Big 12.

Bad storyline with motivations muddled and abandoned. The Big 12 wants back to 12. No, wait, they’re happy at 10 teams. They want FSU and are willing to take Clemson. No wait, it is ND they  want. FSU athletic department is broke, not broke, wants to move, internal disagreements, who knows.  Clemson coaches pooh-poohing the move while Clemson fans clamor to go… While in the Green Lantern movie, they tossed in and abandoned little storylines and characters so that you didn’t know the reasons for anything culminating with Sinestro abruptly putting on the yellow “fear” ring at the very end of the movie. This after seeing Parallelax defeated by green willpower and hope.

I’ll stop there because I’m heading off on a major digression before even beginning.

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