Rick Pitino Advocates for Big East Expansion to Compete with Power Conferences
Rick Pitino, head coach of the St. John’s Red Storm, is making headlines for his strong stance on the future of the Big East conference. In a recent interview on SiriusXM with legendary former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, Pitino reiterated his call for the Big East to expand into a “super basketball league.” He argued that the current 11-team format is insufficient, suggesting the conference should grow to 16 or 18 teams to remain competitive with powerhouses like the SEC and Big Ten. Pitino also proposed merging the Big East with the ACC, a move Krzyzewski previously suggested, to create a more formidable league.
Pitino’s push for expansion comes as the Big East recently secured a new six-year media rights deal with FOX, NBC, and TNT Sports, averaging nearly $80 million annually. However, this pales in comparison to the SEC’s $300 million annual deal with ESPN and the Big Ten’s $7 billion contract over seven years. Pitino believes that while expansion might initially reduce revenue per school, it would pay off in the long term, drawing parallels to companies like Uber that prioritize future growth over immediate profits.
Meanwhile, Pitino’s success at St. John’s has sparked speculation about his potential to revitalize other programs. College basketball insider Jeff Goodman suggested that Indiana University should consider Pitino as a replacement for Mike Woodson, should the Hoosiers’ coaching search fall short of top targets like Brad Stevens or Scott Drew. Goodman highlighted Pitino’s rapid turnaround of St. John’s, which has gone from a 7-13 Big East record in 2022-23 to a 20-3 overall record this season.
Pitino’s influence was further underscored during a recent game against UConn, where FOX announcer Gus Johnson mistakenly referred to him as the “new sheriff in the Big Ten” before correcting himself. The Red Storm’s 68-62 victory over the two-time defending champions solidified their status as a rising force in college basketball under Pitino’s leadership.
Rick Pitino adamant Big East will ‘miss the boat’ if it doesn’t expand into mega conference
A month ago, Coach K suggested a merge, as conferences like the Big 12, SEC and Big Ten have bulked up.
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