On Monday night, the Big East members’ chancellors and presidents voted unanimously, 14-0, to increase the conference’s exit fee to $10 million. It’s a double down by the current members, pushing the fee from $5 to $10 million to convey a commitment in the hopes of attracting new football-playing members.
According to reports, those members are the service academies, Navy and Air Force. The fee increase is contingent upon those two academies joining the conference as football-only members. Navy’s Athletic Director, Chet Gladchuck, addressed the developments with CBSSports’ Brett McMurphy.
"That’s the most important factor, the stability of the core membership," Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk told CBSSports.com Monday night.
Gladchuk said that the possibility of adding Boise State was significant in Navy’s decision making process. "Absolutely," Gladchuk said. "Anything that helps stabilize the Big East’s automatic BCS berth."
As for Boise State, McMurphy also reported that conference officials were confident about their chances of adding the Broncos.
As of Saturday, the Big East "felt confident about their discussions with Boise State," a college football industry source told CBSSports.com.
The news Monday that Missouri’s move to the SEC was imminent forced SEC hopefuls West Virginia and Louisville to react, committing to the increase to give a show of commitment in the hopes of swelling the Big East’s football ranks. It continues to look like Navy will be one of those schools to oblige the conference’s advances.
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