Editor's Note: This article is a part of The Observer's April Fools Special Section and is not meant to be taken seriously.
Just three years after expanding to 16 teams, the Big East is getting bigger again.
The league is raiding several different other conferences and will add eight new members next school year.
"We didn't think 16 was enough schools," conference commissioner Mikail Trogese said. "We need a few more to have a competitive conference."
The new teams will be Memphis, Xavier, Davidson, Harvard, North Florida, the Cleveland Browns, the New York Knicks and Bookstore Team No. 451.
"We feel this diverse group of teams makes us one of the most, if not the most, competitive conference in the country," Trogese said. "We wanted to make sure we got to 24 teams because I think there's some way you can do a tournament with that many."
Trogese said that while most of the new teams will not play football in the Big East, the Cleveland Browns will make "good competition for Louisville, West Virginia and Rutgers" in that sport.
The Cleveland Browns will also compete in basketball, something that excites back-up quarterback Quinn Brady.
"I was on a pretty good intramural team in college," Brady said. "Maybe I'll be able to start for Browns basketball."
Trogese said he's looking forward to the cross-town battles between Saint John's and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
"Although we do not expect either of those teams to be competitive with the league at large, it will be nice to have a major event in New York," Trogese said.
Trogese also said he is excited to have Memphis, Xavier and Davidson in the fold because "they're really good."
"Memphis is in the final four," he said. "Plus Xavier and Davidson beat West Virginia and Georgetown. My policy is, if you can't beat them, have them join you."
Notre Dame coach Mock Tee said he can't wait to play North Florida and Bookstore Team 451.
"They were going to be on our non-conference schedule anyway," Tee said. "It's nice to have them in our league."
Bookstore Team 451 captain Miles O'Hanahanahan said he hopes the cross-campus rivalry between his team and the Irish grows.
"We're hoping to have them over to pregame before we play," O'Hanahanahan said.
