Marinatto out as BE commish

[Scooch]

Maybe someday someone will be able to explain to me why, apparently, the BE membership is allowed to vote on media deals with equal shares, even though football is the majority of the value of said deal.

:crazy:

Oh Lord

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Maybe someday someone will be able to explain to me why, apparently, the BE membership is allowed to vote on media deals with equal shares, even though football is the majority of the value of said deal.

:crazy:

Oh Lord

The Big East membership is NOT allowed to vote on media deals with equal shares. Notre Dame gets two votes.

 

[Townie72]

As someone with a background in corporate strategy and who has worked extensively with strategy consultants, here's what I get from this:

1. When asked the tough questions by some of the college presidents about his plan for the future and on getting more money out of the networks, Marinatto's answer was inadequate. As of right now the Big East doesn't have a plan that the presidents think will work.

2. The new guy, Bailey, has executive experience, but no experience doing what needs to be done. That's why BCG is involved. He will inevitably clash with or become frustrated in dealing with all the college presidents for whom he works. But that will take a while. That stint he just did with a head-hunting firm tells me that he didn't have a lot of good alternatives.

3. Here's the most important point. The Big East is hiring BCG because there in no strategy. That's what BCG is coming in to do. BCG will pull in a bunch of Ivy League MBAs to study the data, formulate a strategy and then try to sell the strategy to the university presidents. The strategy will be a thing of beauty ... Powerpoint slides galore featuring every new business buzzword known to man. A compelling case that Bailey will try and push through the group of presidents.

There's only one problem ... the strategy won't work. It'll be long on theory and short on "how to actually do it". Because that's what Ivy League MBA's know ... the theory piece. BCG will cash its big check and be gone. Bailey will be left trying to tell the networks that the SMU vs. UConn game is a can't miss opportunity for them.

In the decades I did this stuff, I learned a few things including:
1. If you need consultants to create your strategy, you are in serious trouble. They'll never really understand the nuances that will make the difference between success and failure
2. Consultant's will tell you what you want to hear and what will sell internally. They borrow your watch and tell you what time it is and then bill you an insane amount.

If I were the Big East, I'd hire John Swofford. And forget the consultants.

 

[Ozcuse]

As someone with a background in corporate strategy and who has worked extensively with strategy consultants, here's what I get from this:

1. When asked the tough questions by some of the college presidents about his plan for the future and on getting more money out of the networks, Marinatto's answer was inadequate. As of right now the Big East doesn't have a plan that the presidents think will work.

2. The new guy, Bailey, has executive experience, but no experience doing what needs to be done. That's why BCG is involved. He will inevitably clash with or become frustrated in dealing with all the college presidents for whom he works. But that will take a while. That stint he just did with a head-hunting firm tells me that he didn't have a lot of good alternatives.

3. Here's the most important point. The Big East is hiring BCG because there in no strategy. That's what BCG is coming in to do. BCG will pull in a bunch of Ivy League MBAs to study the data, formulate a strategy and then try to sell the strategy to the university presidents. The strategy will be a thing of beauty ... Powerpoint slides galore featuring every new business buzzword known to man. A compelling case that Bailey will try and push through the group of presidents.

There's only one problem ... the strategy won't work. It'll be long on theory and short on "how to actually do it". Because that's what Ivy League MBA's know ... the theory piece. BCG will cash its big check and be gone. Bailey will be left trying to tell the networks that the SMU vs. UConn game is a can't miss opportunity for them.

In the decades I did this stuff, I learned a few things including:
1. If you need consultants to create your strategy, you are in serious trouble. They'll never really understand the nuances that will make the difference between success and failure
2. Consultant's will tell you what you want to hear and what will sell internally. They borrow your watch and tell you what time it is and then bill you an insane amount.

If I were the Big East, I'd hire John Swofford. And forget the consultants.

Yup. I would also bring in a former network executive that could develop a BEN model that isn't a joke. One with ties to NBC or Fox sports that could get it sold to either of those groups.

 

[tipphill]

They are going in a different direction. They know they need more football focus and they won't be tapping another Providence crony...

They are looking for enthusiasm and big ideas...

The leading candidate currently is a gentleman from Pisacataway, NJ by the name of RutgersAl.

no---but pernetti is and that says a lot.

 

[javadoc]

i can see them making a move at some a10 schools.

My job right now takes me into the office building where the A-10 headquarters is, and I pass their suite's front door on the way in. First time I saw it I thought, oh wow, a quaint little satellite office. Nope, that's the HQ. And that's the future of the BE.

 

[Toga]

Surely some young up and comer is graduating this month from Providence who can step right in.

 

[tipphill]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18983292

they be would be crazy to hire anyone who is already in the big east hierarchy in providence---need to go in a different direction for commish and media---pernetti fits the bill---mulcahy but he is to old---how about that upstate guy thats moving up in the sec hierarchy that was a topic of board discussion a few weeks ago.

 

[44cuse]

3. Here's the most important point. The Big East is hiring BCG because there in no strategy. That's what BCG is coming in to do. BCG will pull in a bunch of Ivy League MBAs to study the data, formulate a strategy and then try to sell the strategy to the university presidents. The strategy will be a thing of beauty ... Powerpoint slides galore featuring every new business buzzword known to man. A compelling case that Bailey will try and push through the group of presidents.

In the decades I did this stuff, I learned a few things including:
1. If you need consultants to create your strategy, you are in serious trouble. They'll never really understand the nuances that will make the difference between success and failure

I was going to write a post saying exactly this. Very well stated.

The first thing I thought when I saw that press release was: "Ugh...Consultants. Means there is no strategy and hasn't been one."

You hit the nail on the head. Given the way the BE has been run over the last decade, you could see this moment coming from a thousand miles away.

The Big East covers NYC...but your league HQ is in Rhode Island? That's small time thinking.

44cuse

 

[Madbiker]

As someone with a background in corporate strategy and who has worked extensively with strategy consultants, here's what I get from this:

1. When asked the tough questions by some of the college presidents about his plan for the future and on getting more money out of the networks, Marinatto's answer was inadequate. As of right now the Big East doesn't have a plan that the presidents think will work.

2. The new guy, Bailey, has executive experience, but no experience doing what needs to be done. That's why BCG is involved. He will inevitably clash with or become frustrated in dealing with all the college presidents for whom he works. But that will take a while. That stint he just did with a head-hunting firm tells me that he didn't have a lot of good alternatives.

3. Here's the most important point. The Big East is hiring BCG because there in no strategy. That's what BCG is coming in to do. BCG will pull in a bunch of Ivy League MBAs to study the data, formulate a strategy and then try to sell the strategy to the university presidents. The strategy will be a thing of beauty ... Powerpoint slides galore featuring every new business buzzword known to man. A compelling case that Bailey will try and push through the group of presidents.

There's only one problem ... the strategy won't work. It'll be long on theory and short on "how to actually do it". Because that's what Ivy League MBA's know ... the theory piece. BCG will cash its big check and be gone. Bailey will be left trying to tell the networks that the SMU vs. UConn game is a can't miss opportunity for them.

In the decades I did this stuff, I learned a few things including:
1. If you need consultants to create your strategy, you are in serious trouble. They'll never really understand the nuances that will make the difference between success and failure
2. Consultant's will tell you what you want to hear and what will sell internally. They borrow your watch and tell you what time it is and then bill you an insane amount.

If I were the Big East, I'd hire John Swofford. And forget the consultants.

I can tell you based on years as an executive at various Fortune 500 companies, that big name consultants are hired to put a stamp of credibility on strategic plans that are already determined and the prevailing leadership wants "blessed" so they can go forward knowing that if it fails they can blame the consultants. Its a CYA move. The consultants read which way the wind is blowing and give the client the findings they want to hear. Something is already hatched by a group of BE presidents probably led by Notre Dame. If they wanted to assess the marketplace and come up with a new strategy, the time do it would have been in 2003 and certainly before they just added all these new members.

 

[Townie72]

I can tell you based on years as an executive at various Fortune 500 companies, that big name consultants are hired to put a stamp of credibility on strategic plans that are already determined and the prevailing leadership wants "blessed" so they can go forward knowing that if it fails they can blame the consultants. Its a CYA move. The consultants read which way the wind is blowing and give the client the findings they want to hear. Something is already hatched by a group of BE presidents probably led by Notre Dame. If they wanted to assess the marketplace and come up with a new strategy, the time do it would have been in 2003 and certainly before they just added all these new members.

You clearly also have some experience in this. But I think you are jumping to conclusions. You may be right, but it seems like a "shot int he dark"

If anyone understands TV and college sports it's probably Notre Dame which has made the lion jump through hoops for decades.

On consultants, I have seen it work both ways. Clearly "Lets bring some consultants in to cover our ass on this" is a big favorite.

But, I have also seen it happen when top management didn't have a clue on what strategic alternative to follow and didn't have the resources to do a thorough job of laying out the alternatives and presenting a solution. I am very familar of a situation in which a major US diversified products (similar to but smaller than GE) wanted to improve profitability and grow revenue. Because they had largely undiferentiated products that were purchased via specifications and "bids", it was hard to grow both revenue and profits. The consultants came in (McKinsey) and recommended differention via expanding associated services and a new marketing organization that targeted specific growth industries. It was a textbook approach. So the manufacturer implemented these rather expensive "fixes" which produced almost nothing. The problem they hadn't seen and didn't understand was that there were no changes is sales compensation nor was there any sales process in place to "force" the sales organization to target these new growth opportunities.

I actually doubt the Big East knws what they want to do. The AD's are better suited for negotiation contracts for towel service and managing guys who line the fields. The Presidents are off doing 1,000 other things. The league office --- which was supposed to be doing the strategy piece --- has been exposed as incompetent buffoons.

 

[Scooch]

How on God's green earth could this conference need a consultant to assist with strategy NOW?!?!

They've just spent the past 2 years acting (adding TCU, declining a media contract) and reacting (replacing SU, Pitt & WVU with Boise St, UCF, SMU, SD State, Houston, others that I can't even remember now) but NOW they need to develop a strategy? What script have they been working from for the past 2 years?!

Marinatto is a scape goat. This conference has the absolute worst membership of any "major" college conference.

 

[Toga]

The solution lies in the answer to the question - What would Seton Hall do?

 

[tipphill]

How on God's green earth could this conference need a consultant to assist with strategy NOW?!?!

They've just spent the past 2 years acting (adding TCU, declining a media contract) and reacting (replacing SU, Pitt & WVU with Boise St, UCF, SMU, SD State, Houston, others that I can't even remember now) but NOW they need to develop a strategy? What script have they been working from for the past 2 years?!

Marinatto is a scape goat. This conference has the absolute worst membership of any "major" college conference.

i agree a scapegoat but deservedly so played along for years---mikey t could have righted the ship after they initailly blew the psu membership. he was a total waste by being complacent in his tenure and ASLEEP at the wheel. imo he is responsible for the cluster ..., marinatto is just getting what the whole big east hierarchy deserves. yes i am angry that we had to leave in order to survive but that was clear when the rest left before us.

 

[Townie72]

How on God's green earth could this conference need a consultant to assist with strategy NOW?!?!

They've just spent the past 2 years acting (adding TCU, declining a media contract) and reacting (replacing SU, Pitt & WVU with Boise St, UCF, SMU, SD State, Houston, others that I can't even remember now) but NOW they need to develop a strategy? What script have they been working from for the past 2 years?!

Marinatto is a scape goat. This conference has the absolute worst membership of any "major" college conference.

They had a good strategy ... in 1981. And they patched and jury-rigged themselves until the ACC and Big 12 came in and "picked em clean".

Now --- in their defense --- they are trying to make chicken salad with chickensh1t and its hard to do.

There isn't a consultant in the world that can make UConn or Rutgers into Alabama or Ohio State ... but that's who they need to compete with.

Their strategy was to drink coffeee with TV network guys and see what they might offer.

 

[Townie72]

i agree a scapegoat but deservedly so played along for years---mikey t could have righted the ship after they initailly blew the psu membership. he was a total waste by being complacent in his tenure and ASLEEP at the wheel. imo he is responsible for the cluster ..., marinatto is just getting what the whole big east hierarchy deserves. yes i am angry that we had to leave in order to survive but that was clear when the rest left before us.

No, it wasn't Marinatto's fault or his predecessor or Dave Gavitt's. It was the University Presidents and the AD's. They left those lightweight buffoons in place. They paid no attention to it. These guys worked for them and they couldn't be bothered getting involved, understanding what was going on, or making the changes or spending the money.

And now that things are almost off the cliff, they are going to focus?

Getting agreement on univerity campuses has been described as "trying to herd cats". The Big East guys had to try and manage multiple campuses with no real help.

If the other Big East schools are looking at a school or two to be pissed off at it should be SU and Pitt. We were the two schools bitching about needing a football conference to play in. In the end, thats what killed the basketball conference.

 

[javadoc]

There isn't a consultant in the world that can make UConn or Rutgers into Alabama or Ohio State

Hold your tongue, sir, the Scarlet O'Haras would not deign to allow that comparison.

 

[tipphill]

They had a good strategy ... in 1981. And they patched and jury-rigged themselves until the ACC and Big 12 came in and "picked em clean".

Now --- in their defense --- they are trying to make chicken salad with chickensh1t and its hard to do.

There isn't a consultant in the world that can make UConn or Rutgers into Alabama or Ohio State ... but that's who they need to compete with.

Their strategy was to drink coffeee with TV network guys and see what they might offer.

exactly --- if we were forward looking and thinking out of the box--we would not have been picked clean!!! no foresight, continued to allow hoops to run the show, everyone believes that we needed to bow and scrape to n.d.,how did that work out for us?--its funny, every conference gets along fine w/o nd.

 

[Toga]

Note to SDSU, Boise, SMU et al:
Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

 

[tipphill]

No, it wasn't Marinatto's fault or his predecessor or Dave Gavitt's. It was the University Presidents and the AD's. They left those lightweight buffoons in place. They paid no attention to it. These guys worked for them and they couldn't be bothered getting involved, understanding what was going on, or making the changes or spending the money.

And now that things are almost off the cliff, they are going to focus?

Getting agreement on univerity campuses has been described as "trying to herd cats". The Big East guys had to try and manage multiple campuses with no real help.

If the other Big East schools are looking at a school or two to be pissed off at it should be SU and Pitt. We were the two schools bitching about needing a football conference to play in. In the end, thats what killed the basketball conference.

bitching and RIGHTFULLY SO! we understood the value of strong football and revenue

 

[Townie72]

Hold your tongue, sir, the Scarlet O'Haras would not deign to allow that comparison.

You are talking about one of the dumbest fan bases in existence.

I wonder how many of them have figured the point raised by posters on this board that hiring a consultant to develop a strategy says that there was no strategy in place.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE TIMELINE???

Lets see... The consultants have to create a "Scope of Work" and then an agreement needs to be reached on what they will do. Then they have to staff up and do the research, interviews, develop models, etc. That'll take 6 months at least. Then they have to develop a strategy and pass it through the various organizations to see if it will fly. Then they have to present it. And their may be "tweaks" necessary. I see that taking anotehr 6 months. So by June 2013, they should have an agreed to strategy.

Then the Big East has to act on this. They have to get the funding, create the structures and negotiate with outside organizations. Sounds like another year. We are at June 2014 and the Big East is ready to rock and roll.

 

[Scooch]

If the other Big East schools are looking at a school or two to be pissed off at it should be SU and Pitt. We were the two schools bitching about needing a football conference to play in. In the end, thats what killed the basketball conference.

It's an interesting take and one that people shouldn't dismiss. The hoops schools can claim that for 20+ years they've accommodated the football schools at every turn, and all it's led to is every single original football school leaving the conference (aside from Rutgers, ha!) and having the league now be in worse shape today than ever before.

Of course those same hoops schools have made a LOT of money that otherwise wouldn't have come their way without a viable football league being attached to the conference. So it certainly cuts both ways.

It's funny, the very first topic I ever posted about on an SU message board, circa 1996, was about the Big East and conference realignment. It's stunning (and yet not surprising, if that's possible) that 16 years later the BE is still fishing for a "strategy".

 

[All4SU]

with butler moving to the a10 and confusa getting a little stronger, i wouldnt be surprised if the hoop onlies are behind this and they are taking full control of the league and its name.

ie:they woke up 1 morning and said, 'holy fluck!! smu, ucf, houston, boise, sdst and navy??!! shlit. YOURE OUT and we will be making changes.'

its over johnny, you can go home now.

Oh Lord

AGreed. This has all of the look of Stage I of "The Split."

 

[Townie72]

Well this topic is certainly a lot of fun. Thank goodenss we are out of there.

Reading the Rutgers board, I spotted this absolute gem posted by Crossingguard (who may actually be working as a crossingguard given the quality of the thought behind this post. I hope it isn't at a busy intersection.)

"My guess is that Rutgers probably forced the issue. It's time for RU to act like what it is-the most important member of the Big East. Maybe RU hasn't met all its expectations on the field, but from an institutional, academic, market standpoint Rutgers is now the Big East. Much like Texas defines the Big 12, Michigan and tOSU define the Big 10, UNC and Duke the ACC, USC and UCLA the Pac 12."

Roll that one about in your noggin. Rutgers is to the Big East as Texas is to the Big 12.

 

[texascpa]

Well this topic is certainly a lot of fun. Thank goodenss we are out of there.

Reading the Rutgers board, I spotted this absolute gem posted by Crossingguard (who may actually be working as a crossingguard given the quality of the thought behind this post. I hope it isn't at a busy intersection.)

"My guess is that Rutgers probably forced the issue. It's time for RU to act like what it is-the most important member of the Big East. Maybe RU hasn't met all its expectations on the field, but from an institutional, academic, market standpoint Rutgers is now the Big East. Much like Texas defines the Big 12, Michigan and tOSU define the Big 10, UNC and Duke the ACC, USC and UCLA the Pac 12."

Roll that one about in your noggin. Rutgers is to the Big East as Texas is to the Big 12.

There was also a post on how SU and Pitt would regret leaving the BE once the new TV contract is signed. I laughed until tears came out of my eyes after reading that one.