Reports began bubbling below the surface late last month that Villanova is closing in on a decision to move to the Div. 1-A level and the Big East in football.
If the school ultimately decides to make the jump, however, they may have to do so over a current football member’s cold, dead fingers. Reportedly.
Sources close to the situation have told VUHoops.com -- which I was remiss in not mentioning last week. My bad, Brian! -- that Pittsburgh has a problem with Villanova’s potential move to the conference. Specifically, the sources told the website, Pitt administrators “are unhappy with the idea of having such a small venue in the conference, and would prefer that Villanova plays it’s home games at a venue that can hold a minimum of 35,000 fans.”
The Wildcats currently play their home game at PPL Park, which has an official capacity of 18,500. As the website notes, it wouldn’t be the smallest stadium at the Div. 1-A level as Idaho has a smaller capacity. It would, however, be by far the smallest stadium of the schools in a BcS conference.
The good news for Villanova and, apparently, Pittsburgh is that PPL Park was designed with potential expansion in mind that could take the capacity to 30,000.
In addition to the size issue, Pittsburgh is, the website writes, also reportedly upset that Villanova has pushed the ultimate decision on this issue back until April.
Villanova’s board is expected to vote on a move no later than next month, although Pittsburgh’s issues, if they are adopted by other schools, may make that vote a moot point. An email sent to Pittsburgh seeking comment on the report has yet to garner a response.