Time -- and money -- will tell if Big 12 decides to court East Carolina

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 7, 2016 1:47 AM

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Should East Carolina dine at the Big 12 table?

It's a question that's created a huge debate on every social media platform since one of the nation's Power 5 Conferences announced its plans for expansion -- and has an automatic tie-in to the Sugar Bowl even without a season-ending championship game.

The Pirates immediately steered their ship in that direction.

"I believe strongly East Carolina deserves to be in the Big 12 as we can deliver the entire state of North Carolina," said Jeff Compher, director of athletics at ECU. "We have been positioning ourself to be the next member for the past 12 months and will continue to do so."

A football-only school? Maybe.

A full-fledged conference member? Extremely questionable.

Pirate fans have been aggressive about their opinions. The Big 12 would undoubtedly gain an ultra-competitive opponent and possibly profit from one of the nation's most die-hard college sports fan bases which has become the face of ECU.

Let's dig a little deeper.

The Pirates exist in the heart of Atlantic Coast Conference country -- a myriad of football programs that consistently recruit four- or five-star athletes each year. Most of the athletes, with the rare exception of Marcus Crandell and Chris Johnson, are three-star recruits who emerged from the woodwork before they arrived in Greenville.

ECU can deliver a large TV market?

Hmmm.

During its Conference USA days, the Pirates had the 10th-worst operating athletic budget. The funding improved somewhat when ECU moved into the American Athletic Conference two years ago. A television contract with ESPN has helped bolster the league and led to prime-time broadcasts either on Thursday nights or Saturday afternoons.

Bringing teams like Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Baylor to cozy Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium -- which is undergoing a $55 million renovation that includes adding 1,000 seats -- would undoubtedly lead to big paydays.

ECU's current athletic budget hovers around $37 million. The school leads the AAC in terms of donors and donations due their undying loyalty to the purple and gold.

So, the question still looms like a wide-open ocean.

Are the Pirates good enough to navigate through a league that seeks to add four new members to improve its standing among the Power 5 group? Eight of 10 "yes" votes are needed to admit a new member.

One of my good friends said "no."

Quizzed about his answer, he also -- as stated above -- based his conclusion on recruiting. The Big 12 does not need a finger in the already over-divided pie when it comes to signing quality players in North Carolina. There might be some blue-chip prospects in the Tidewater Virginia area.

It's a valid point.

If Big 12 commish Bob Bowlsby continues to look toward the Old North State, what would peak his interest? Over time, ECU would lose revenue in some sense, but possibly regain its financial status as it works diligently to give its athletic facilities a makeover worthy of landing that elusive four- or five-star recruit.

"I would say that we are looking for members that will grow over time as we grow," Bowlsby said. "That will bring stability to the conference, that will have a high top end, and will benefit from an affiliation with the schools that are currently in our conference."

Money does talk. The ECU alumni association and fan base have made sacrifices, and proven they whole-heartedly support the school financially.

Is that enough to join the Big 12?

Only time will tell.