Georgetown is one of seven basketball-centric Catholic schools breaking away from the conference to create their own league, which will begin play next season and retain the Big East name. Several other member institutions are headed to the ACC, and Rutgers leaves for the Big Ten in 2014-15.
"The fact that we're sitting here and this is the last Big East tournament is beyond ridiculous," Cronin said. "This is the greatest tradition in college athletics, this tournament, at one site for over 30-something years."
Cincinnati is one of three programs staying put - albeit with a yet-to-be-determined new name - in a conference that will play major college football and welcome teams like Memphis, Central Florida, SMU and Houston.
"The whole thing is tragic," Cronin said. "Nobody cares about student athletes. All anybody cares about is money. Everybody in the NCAA, in college administration, they talk about academics and student athletes. If people cared about student athletes, West Virginia wouldn't be in the Big 12 with 10 teams flying 800 miles to their closest home game. That's really conducive to studying. The whole thing is a hypocrisy. ... The money has ruined it. If I was a fan, I'd be very disenchanted."
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