Judge decides to dismiss Big East’s lawsuit against ACC

Once again, the Atlantic Coast Conference found a way to come out on top of the Big East…. Once again, the Atlantic Coast Conference found a way to come out on top of the Big East.

On Tuesday, a Connecticut judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by four Big East schools over the ACC’s expansion plans, according to ESPN.com. The ruling comes a day after Judge Samuel Sferrazza dismissed a similar lawsuit against ACC Commissioner John Swofford and three league officials.

According to the Web site, Sferrazza determined that the conference and the officials did not have sufficient ties to Connecticut to be sued by the state. Under the ruling, the Big East can now move forward with its lawsuit against Boston College, its athletics director and Miami.

The four schools that will remain in the Big East for football — Pitt, West Virginia, Rutgers and Connecticut — alleged that the ACC conspired with both Boston College and Miami to destroy the conference by luring away its more prestigious football schools. The plaintiffs claimed they spent millions of dollars to upgrade their facilities and football programs based on promises made by the departing schools. The schools originally filed the lawsuit in June of 2003 and re-filed in October to add Swofford, ACC President Carolyn Callahan, Vice President Donn Ward and Treasurer Cecil Huey, according to ESPN.com.

Boston College and Miami, along with Virginia Tech, have all accepted invitations to join the ACC. The Hurricanes and Hokies will be departing after the 2004 spring season, while Boston College will be leaving after next year.

In order to remain in existence, the Big East decided to add Louisville, Cincinnati, South Florida, DePaul and Marquette for the 2005-2006 academic year. DePaul and Marquette will compete in every sport except football, while the other three schools will bring the conference’s number of football schools to seven.