There's a really intersting nugget of information in Mike Jensen's latest column for the Philadelphia Inquirer today concerning Villanova's bid to move up to FBS football by joining the Big East. And it really shouldn't surprise anyone.
Consider this: We're told that a future Big East football television package is a bit more valuable with Villanova in it than any of the other obvious current options, schools such as Central Florida or Houston. (Not sure if Villanova vs. Temple was included in the projections.)
Again, this really shouldn't surprise anyone. Villanova (and Temple as he mentions) have access to the Philadelphia market, which is huge for the networks. It means a lot more than the Orlando or Houston market. So it will be interesting to see how this affects negotiations between Villanova and the Big East.
As you may have heard, the Pac-12 just got a 3 billion dollar (yes, 3 billion) deal from ESPN and FOX that covers 12 years of media coverage. So the stakes are raising even more for the Big East - the money is out there, and now it's about putting together the best package to get the best deal for its members.
Right now, Villanova appears to be part of the solution in getting the best TV deal available. The saying goes that money talks and bullshit walks - we'll see how much this means to the Big East in their discussions of expansion.