Raissman: No hunger for Big East network in Big Apple

Kmonicek/AP

Steve Lavin and St. John's have had much success, along with rest of the Big East, but a TV network for conference is a long-shot, mainly because of the pro-crazy New York market.

Before the Big East takes over the Garden on Tuesday, there has been much talk about its basketball dominance this season. In terms of a television property, the conference received an unexpected boost from a rejuvenated St. John's team with TV-ready Steve Lavin.

Having a cinderella team with a glib coach in the country's largest media market is good for business. So this week there will be more chatter about the Johnnies. Or how the Big East will deliver more teams than any other conference to the NCAA Tournament.

An exciting Big East tournament will amount to throwing another log on the euphoria.

But long before the basketball season began, and with the conference expected to expand from eight to 10 football teams (TCU has already committed to joining the Big East in 2012), there were whispers about the Big East exploring the possibility of creating its own sports cable network, just like the Big Ten Network.

"When the conference brought in (former NFL commissioner) Paul Tagliabue (in April of 2010 as a special adviser for strategic planning) the speculation about him assessing the (Big East) network possibilities began," a cable industry source said.

One of Tags' assignments was to explore TV and other media opportunities. However industry sources are pooh-poohing the Big East's chances of ever creating its own cable network. Much of their pessimism has to do with the New York market.

"Despite the excitement around (Big East) tournament time, the New York market is pro-oriented. The Big East would have a hard time selling a network to systems like Cablevision or Time Warner," the source said. "There's no real money in this for the cable operators."

Sources said demand would be "extremely" low. If the Big East ever decided to start a network, and cable operators balked at carrying it, there would not be the kind of consumer revolt Cablevision experienced when it wouldn't agree to carry YES.

And fans haven't wigged over Cablevision and TWC's decision not to carry the NFL Network, which offers a package of Thursday night games.

Nonetheless, the college sports landscape - and a conference's product - can change quickly. Nebraska defected to the Big Ten Two other schools, Utah and Colorado, are moving to the Pac-10, and Texas, in partnership with ESPN, will launch its own regional sports network.

So, for those pie in the sky-ers, those who enjoy dealing in the hypothetical, check this out: What if Notre Dame, in return for an equity stake in a Big East cable network, ever decided to move its football team into the conference?

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