SPEEDIER BREAKUP?

‘Catholic 7’ to leave in summer, take conference name with them

Reports say the ‘Catholic 7’ will leave the Big East this summer and take the name, too, meaning the Tigers’ worst-case scenario would come true.

The University of Memphis is leaving Conference USA and joining a new conference, that much re- mains certain.

But everything else — down to the name of its new league — seems to have changed.

The seven Catholic schools that months ago announced they would eventually leave the Big East Conference that the Tigers are joining have reached an agreement to depart this summer, ESPN. com reported Thursday afternoon.

Even more, they’ll be taking the Big East name with them, according to the report.

In a subsequent report, SI.com called the transfer of the name “likely” and quoted a source as saying the Catholic schools have a “better chance” to start their league this summer instead of next summer.

If the reports are accurate, that means that the Tigers’ worst-case scenario of joining a crumbling conference has come true: They will join a league this summer that lacks the big-name basketball powers they had hoped would still be around, at least for one year, and won’t even have the panache of the 34-year-old league brand. (It remains, though, a better home than the newlook C-USA.)

Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen wouldn’t comment Thursday. He is expected to attend a Friday meeting of Big East principals, at which point what was reported Thursday could be formalized.

Tiger basketball coach Josh Pastner also wouldn’t comment following his team’s practice Thursday.

In January, Bowen said the U of M would push for the Catholic schools to

stay through the end of their commitment, which is the summer of 2015. But Thursday’s news indicates that the schools have reached a settlement to get around that.

That leaves Memphis joining on July 1 a conference t hat i ncludes Cincinnati, Connecti- cut, Houston, Louisville, Notre Dame, Rutgers, SMU, Temple, UCF and USF.

But ESPN.com reported that Notre Dame may opt to join the Catholic 7 for a year before beginning its alliance with the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014.

Louisville (ACC) and Rutgers (Big Ten) would be scheduled to stay until joining their respective new conferences.

Tulane and East Carolina will join the Tigers’ league in 2014, with ECU joining for football only. Navy will join in football only in 2015.

The immediate split in the league would also affect the amount each school receives in 2013-14 from its new TV contract, which was based in part with the expectation of the Catholic 7 being on board. ESPN.com reported that amount at $10 million before escalating to $20 million annually from 2014 to 2020.

SI.com reported that it’s “likely” that the new Big East will keep its conference tournament at Madison Square Garden, which could bring Memphis’s FedExForum into play for the tournament bidding for the yet-to-be-named league.