ACC Expansion: Why Pitt and Syracuse Are Making a Huge Mistake

I have been watching the Big East for 20 years. There is nothing better than watching Big East basketball game in and game out. For basketball sake, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are making a huge mistake by joining the ACC.

The football side of it makes sense. Joining a league with Virginia Tech, Florida State and other top-notch schools calls for an easy decision. However, Pittsburgh does have an opportunity to win the conference and make it to a BCS Bowl game every year.

Big East basketball is always one of the top two conferences in the nation every year. Pittsburgh and Syracuse have been two of the conference's biggest attractions. They are leaving rivalries and tradition behind.

Pittsburgh may not play Connecticut anymore, a game that many look forward to every year. Syracuse may not play Connecticut, Georgetown or Villanova—all are staples of what is college basketball.

Pittsburgh has used Madison Square Garden as a recruiting tool. In case you are unaware, Madison Square Garden is where the Big East Tournament is held every year. It is also where St. Johns plays their games.

The Panthers pipeline is centered around New York and New Jersey. Maybe the fact that they won’t play at the Garden anymore will take some recruits away.

The one great thing about Pittsburgh and Syracuse (especially Pittsburgh) is that they can use North Carolina and Duke as a recruiting tool. Those are two games that can be a massive weapon for recruiting.

Joining the ACC takes away rivalries and tradition. Those are the two reasons why joining the ACC is a mistake for both schools.

It is a shame what is happening to conferences in today’s college sports world. Even though change happens, it doesn’t seem like these are the right moves.

For long-time Big East fans, the weekend's news brought a sad day.