Big East votes to formally invite schools to conference

The Big East Conference took another step toward expansion on Tuesday and the University of Houston is in the league's plans.

The league's presidents unanimously votecheap jerseysd to formally extend invitations to schools after a meeting in Philadelphia on Tuesday, conference commissioner John Marinatto said.

Marinatto declined to identify the schools but did say that formal invitations would go out for football only and all-sports institutions. According to a person with knowledge of the meeting's discussions, UH is one of the schools that the Big East will extend formal invitations to.

Air Force, Boise State, Central Florida, Navy and SMU are the other schools the Big East is planning to formally invite. Air Force, Boise State and Navy's invitations would cheap nfl jerseys free shippingbe for football only, while Central Florida, SMU and UH would be invited to participate in the conference in all sports.

While an exact timetable is unclear, Marinatto told reporters that he's hopeful that this part of the expansion process can be wrapped up within the next week.

"Our presidents voted unanimously to extend invitations to specific institutions, including both football-only and all-sport members to join the Big East Conference," Marinatto said in a statement he delivered after the meeting. "I will be speaking to representatives of those schools shortly and look forward to announcing with them their acceptance into the Big East."

UH officials were unavailable for comment.

UH is currently a member of2011 Pro Bowl Jerseys Conference USA and is a charter member of the league. The Big East is looking to expand in an effort to retain its automatic-qualifying Bowl Championship Series status and stabilize its football membership. Marinatto stated that the goal is to have a 12-team football model.

"The addition of these members will extend our reach, bring us to exciting new markets, strengthen our status within the BCS, and lay the foundation for possible further expansion, all while maintaining the high quality and standards our conference is known for," Marinatto said.

Last month, UH received an unofficial invitation from the Big East. On Thursday, the UH board of regents voted to give chancellor and president Renu Khator authority to make conference realignment-related decisions, specifically the approval to "negotiate nfl jerseys cheapand execute a contract for athletic conference affiliation and to negotiate and provide notice of contract cancellation as necessary."

C-USA bylaws specify that a member institution must give the conference one calendar year advance notice before withdrawing. According to the bylaws, if one year notice is given, the withdrawal fee is $500,000 plus the total of any lost television rights fees for the affected institutions during a five-year period following the withdrawing school's departure.

Marinatto also reaffirmed the Big East's intentions to stick to its 27-month waiting period in regards to West Virginia's impending departure. West Virginia, which recently accepted an invitation from the Big 12, is suing the Big East in an effort to forgo that waiting period and join the Big 12 in time for the 2012 football season.

"In light of the lawsuit filed by West Virginia yesterday, thecheap jerseys presidents also discussed and confirmed our continuing commitment to enforce the conference's 27-month notification period for schools choosing to leave," Marinatto said. "The conference believes these claims to be wholly without merit and will explore all its legal options to protect its interests and to ensure that West Virginia lives up to its obligations."http://finished.nocost-forum.com/t8-big-east-votes-to-formally-invite-schools-to-conference