(GREENVILLE) — After years of trying, East Carolina will finally get into a top tier conference for football, but at a time when the landscape is changing dramatically.  ECU, in a joint announcement with the Big East Conference, accepted a formal invitation Tuesday to join the league as a football member starting with the 2014 season.

ECU will continue its current partnership with Conference USA for the 2013 campaign and remain eligible for its post-season bowl opportunities, but also be included in all of the BIG EAST Conference's future television, marketing, promotion and bowl negotiations.“ECU is excited to become a football member of the BIG EAST Conference,” said ECU Chancellor Steve Ballard. “We know we will be successful and add value to the BIG EAST.  While hundreds of dedicated Pirates have contributed, I especially want to recognize the relentless energy of Terry Holland and Nick Floyd in making this a reality. It is a great day to be a Pirate.”

“We are very excited to welcome East Carolina University into the BIG EAST Conference for football,” said Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco. “They have a strong football tradition and a consistently successful program that will help elevate our football league immediately. The university is an outstanding academic institution that reflects the values important to the BIG EAST Conference.” 

The BIG EAST previously announced new members that will begin play in a football league with national scope in the 2013 season. Those schools are Boise State University, University of Central Florida, University of Houston, University of Memphis, Southern Methodist and San Diego State. Tulane University will also begin play in 2014. The Naval Academy will start BIG EAST play in 2015.

Existing teams include Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville and South Florida. The conference Nov. 13 announced plans to begin divisional play and introduce an inaugural BIG EAST Championship Game in 2014.

The move comes as the Big East is not guaranteed a spot in the new four team college football playoff system. The conference has been one of the automatic qualifiers under the current Bowl Championship Series system.  

The move to the BIG EAST will provide East Carolina access to one of the largest national media markets in the nation, including major population areas in Florida, Texas and California. The BIG EAST has post-season tie-ins to the Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando, Fla.), Belk Bowl (Charlotte), New Era Pinstripe Bowl (Bronx, N.Y.), BBVA Compass Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.), AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tenn.) and Beef ‘O’ Brady's Bowl (St. Petersburg, Fla.).

"It is our intention for today’s announcement to be a strong first step toward finding the best competitive environment possible for ECU’s 19 varsity sports," ECU Director of Athletics Terry Holland said. "Big East football provides an opportunity to renew old rivalries and begin new ones, both of which will be exciting for our players, coaches and fans. A football-only membership provided ECU’s gateway to an all sports membership in C-USA and a number of other successful programs, including Virginia Tech, received their opportunity through a football-only membership in the Big East.”

 Holland explained that East Carolina's next step would be to find an "equally exciting and competitive environment for the 18 sports other than football." He confirmed ECU has not initiated contact with other conferences prior to Tuesday's announcement but indicated the search will begin in earnest as soon as the press conference concluded.