Big East Presidents and ADs Meet Tomorrow: Expect Expansion Fireworks in Philadelphia

Big East presidents and athletic directors are meeting in Philadelphia tomorrow to determine if the Big East will expand before this season ends, according to sources in today's New York Post.

Football coaches from the eight football schools have promoted expansion to balance out football schedules.

Tomorrow's meeting has risen in importance from a regularly scheduled meeting to a "pivotal" one. A Big East AD who spoke with the Post said the goal is to line up the presidents' support and vote to expand now or before the 2010 football season ends.

The Post broke the news that TCU and Big East representatives met in late September to explore the possibility of the Horned Frogs joining the conference. Currently TCU is ranked No. 3 in the BCS standings.

Sources close to the Post said the Big East was also looking at Central Florida and Houston as potential new members. Adding Dallas, Houston and Orlando would significantly expand the league's television audience.

To expand or not remains the Big East's defining question about its future. Big East spokesman John Paquette would not comment for the record, but sources have indicated that the football schools are prepared to threaten to exit the conference if the expansion vote is no.

The eight non-FBS members of the conference are just as adamant about not expanding. They do not want the basketball conference enlarged beyond the already cumbersome 16 members it currently has.

Regardless of the outcome, how the Big East spins its unity theme will be one of the more interesting aspects of tomorrow's discussions.