Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue says Big East won’t wait for Big Ten to make moves

Tagliabue says Big East is being proactive

DE PERE, Wis. — Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue says the Big East Conference is being proactive about its future and considers ESPN the key player in any long-term decisions the 16-member conference will make.

With conference expansion rumors swirling and the Big Ten perhaps looking at several Big East schools to add over the next year, Tagliabue says it’s important to listen carefully to university presidents before making any decisions.

Tagliabue was brought in as a special adviser for the Big East last month and is part of Georgetown University’s board of directors. He spent 17 years as NFL commissioner, shepherding the league into a new era with four new teams, massive TV contracts and labor peace until retiring in 2006.