If I'm the SEC I can understand the view point of not wanting competing teams in the conference from states the conference is already in. The SEC dominates most of the states in the southeast due to their superior product. However, a conference like the BE should seriously reconsider their turf protection mindset. It's not like South Florida dominates its state. What the BE needs is interesting games to sell, and rivalry games are one way to create some interesting games. Even rivalries from smaller schools can get heated, and those games are more fun to watch - and will fill the seats which looks better on TV. IF (big IF) WVA was to stay in the BE, then adding Marshall would be a good game to sell to TV as a part of a total package. They really need to reconsider this silly turf protection business and start thinking more about the future with trying to create and establish an interesting football product. Adding Memphis, as bad as they are in football, introduces more rivalry games into the TV package with L'Ville and Cincy. Of course, the BE is likely going to have to wait until after the Big-12, SEC, ACC and maybe B1G are finished expanding before the BE will know what's left. They probably will not be able to be as picky as they seem to be acting ATM.
