Big East eyes 'America 12' as new conference name for football schools, sources say - ESPN
Big East eyes new league name
The "America 12 Conference" is the favorite to become the new name of the current Big East Conference's football schools, league sources told ESPN.
The name has not officially been approved by the league's presidents. The conference also is considering several other names, sources said.
However, Covington & Burling, the conference's law firm, purchased and registered the domain name America12.org on Tuesday, according to WhoIs domain-registration data.
The Big East's law firm also registered other variations of America 12 on Tuesday, including America12Conference.com, America12Sports.com, American12.org, American12conference.com, AmericaTwelve.com and TheAmerica12Conference.com.
With the Catholic 7 schools leaving the league on June 30 to start a new conference and keeping the Big East name, the current football schools must have a new conference name by July 1.
The Big East will announce the split of the conference on Friday, a source told ESPN's Andy Katz.
The Big East football universities are not expected to add a 12th school until 2015, when Navy joins. It will have 10 members in 2013, and East Carolina and Tulane will replace departing Louisville and Rutgers the following year.
Sources said Tulsa is the only school the league is considering to become its 12th member. It hasn't been determined yet whether the Golden Hurricane would be invited to join in 2014 or 2015, sources said.
Big East eyes new league name
The "America 12 Conference" is the favorite to become the new name of the current Big East Conference's football schools, league sources told ESPN.
The name has not officially been approved by the league's presidents. The conference also is considering several other names, sources said.
However, Covington & Burling, the conference's law firm, purchased and registered the domain name America12.org on Tuesday, according to WhoIs domain-registration data.
The Big East's law firm also registered other variations of America 12 on Tuesday, including America12Conference.com, America12Sports.com, American12.org, American12conference.com, AmericaTwelve.com and TheAmerica12Conference.com.
With the Catholic 7 schools leaving the league on June 30 to start a new conference and keeping the Big East name, the current football schools must have a new conference name by July 1.
The Big East will announce the split of the conference on Friday, a source told ESPN's Andy Katz.
The Big East football universities are not expected to add a 12th school until 2015, when Navy joins. It will have 10 members in 2013, and East Carolina and Tulane will replace departing Louisville and Rutgers the following year.
Sources said Tulsa is the only school the league is considering to become its 12th member. It hasn't been determined yet whether the Golden Hurricane would be invited to join in 2014 or 2015, sources said.
