Conference realignment discussion - v. 2015

[Xudash]

It is not like the BE leaders and presidents have not ALREADY assessed St. Louis, Dayton, Richmond and even VCU. I know for a fact that they have toured all of UR's facilities, met with the AD and President. They have all the information they need of the presumptive candidates. So IF and when they decide to make a move, it could very well be pretty "silent".

I agree. I don't mean to sound rude, but everyone always claims to have inside information, and I just don't believe it. I also know for a fact that they have toured Saint Louis and Dayton and during the A10 tournament met with Dr. Curran at UD. I don't know about VCU. As far as inside information, I have none but a gut feeling. That feeling is within three years of the conference starting Saint Louis and Dayton would be added; maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not. A friend of mine coaches girls basketball in Virginia and said that VCU really isn't a candidate, and wanted to start a home and home with Dayton girls basketball program. I heard that back around Thanksgiving, so who knows if that is still in the cards. These are message boards; just take everything with a grain of salt. This I am 100% sure of- the presidents are not going to be looking at these boards to determine which team they select nor are they going to be looking at all of these ridiculous mentions of Uconn dropping football and Gonzaga traveling across the country to play in the BE.

Again, just a gut feeling is that something may happen next year. Dayton is starting their lacrosse program next year and the A10 rumors are they are going after UAB and Sienna to replace Dayton and St. Louis; again just rumors, but everything I have heard are from area coaches which means nothing. These universities in the Big East and expansion candidates are going to play everything close to the vest. What I have heard are the presidents aren't really wanting to expand now, but with ratings low on FS1, Fox is pushing the issue for next year.

You're free to believe or not believe anything you like.

You've mentioned before that you're not a direct fan of Dayton, so I presume you don't hold degrees from UD that would otherwise potentially provide you a nexus to the UD Administration. With that noted, notwithstanding conversations held between "area coaches", I find it hard to believe that you would become aware of a meeting held between the Big East Presidents and Dr. Curran AT UD, and during the A10 Tournament, which the Big East Presidents don't care about and which takes place at the same time as the Big East Tournament, for the most part. The Big East Presidents and AD's were going back and forth to MSG and the Big East's offices that week. I doubt they took a side trip to Dayton, OH during that time. If you meant to write that they met with him while they were all hanging out in New York/Brooklyn, that would make more sense.

If that were true - I'll leave that at that - then so much for playing everything close to the vest, because "their meeting" just made its way onto a public fan message board.

Beyond that, the Presidents aren't focused on expansion now or for the foreseeable future based on how the chess board looks today, and Fox isn't pushing for anything right now.

[stever20]

I think with Fox where they may get a lot more pushy would be after they know exactly what(if anything) they get from the Big Ten. The thing is, after the Big Ten deal is done, there's not much out there that means much for a good 5 years. So if Fox feels like they need more events after the Big Ten, the Big East expanding would obviously be #1 in their mind.

[Bluejay]

It is not like the BE leaders and presidents have not ALREADY assessed St. Louis, Dayton, Richmond and even VCU. I know for a fact that they have toured all of UR's facilities, met with the AD and President. They have all the information they need of the presumptive candidates. So IF and when they decide to make a move, it could very well be pretty "silent".

I agree. I don't mean to sound rude, but everyone always claims to have inside information, and I just don't believe it. I also know for a fact that they have toured Saint Louis and Dayton and during the A10 tournament met with Dr. Curran at UD. I don't know about VCU. As far as inside information, I have none but a gut feeling. That feeling is within three years of the conference starting Saint Louis and Dayton would be added; maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not. A friend of mine coaches girls basketball in Virginia and said that VCU really isn't a candidate, and wanted to start a home and home with Dayton girls basketball program. I heard that back around Thanksgiving, so who knows if that is still in the cards. These are message boards; just take everything with a grain of salt. This I am 100% sure of- the presidents are not going to be looking at these boards to determine which team they select nor are they going to be looking at all of these ridiculous mentions of Uconn dropping football and Gonzaga traveling across the country to play in the BE.

Again, just a gut feeling is that something may happen next year. Dayton is starting their lacrosse program next year and the A10 rumors are they are going after UAB and Sienna to replace Dayton and St. Louis; again just rumors, but everything I have heard are from area coaches which means nothing. These universities in the Big East and expansion candidates are going to play everything close to the vest. What I have heard are the presidents aren't really wanting to expand now, but with ratings low on FS1, Fox is pushing the issue for next year.

Yeah, I serious doubt the A10 is interested in adding a team from Little Rock, Arkansas. Multiply that doubt by infinity if they are expecting to lose SLU and Dayton.

[ohiohsbball]

You're free to believe or not believe anything you like.

You've mentioned before that you're not a direct fan of Dayton, so I presume you don't hold degrees from UD that would otherwise potentially provide you a nexus to the UD Administration. With that noted, notwithstanding conversations held between "area coaches", I find it hard to believe that you would become aware of a meeting held between the Big East Presidents and Dr. Curran AT UD, and during the A10 Tournament, which the Big East Presidents don't care about it and which takes place at the same time as the Big East Tournament, for the most part. The Big East Presidents and AD's were going back and forth to MSG and the Big East's offices that week. I doubt they took a side trip to Dayton, OH during that time. If you meant to write that they met with him while they were all hanging out in New York/Brooklyn, that would make more sense.

If that were true - I'll leave that at that - then so much for playing everything close to the vest, because "their meeting" just made its way onto a public fan message board.

Beyond that, the Presidents aren't focused on expansion now or for the foreseeable future based on how the chess board looks today, and Fox isn't pushing for anything right now.[/quote]

Yes, you are correct. I'm not a fan of Dayton, but since I live in the area it is really hard to not follow them; or Xavier; or UC since I am an avid listener to WLW. I root for them because I'm a homer for local teams, but to say I'm a fan is a stretch. I even root for Wright State and the Nutter Center isn't a bad place at all to watch a game. I haven't been to UD Arena for several years for a men's game and don't plan to change that.

Let me correct myself; I meant to say met with Dr. Curran of UD- not at UD, so that was a bad typo. Do I know for a fact? No, but I am about 99% sure. I know someone very well who works in the admin offices at UD and was at the A10 tournament. Last time I check the Barclays and MSG were both in New York and yes, a meeting was arranged. How serious was it? Don't really know, and honestly could care less and I'm going to take a guess that the presidents could care less if people speculate about it on a fan message board. I just put things together and IF Dayton is joining, 2016-2017 seems like good timing. Dr. Curran said publicly that Dayton fits well in the Big East institutionally and wants Dayton in. Well, he is retiring, so he could leave Dayton in a situation he wanted them in. Dayton is adding lacrosse in either 2016 or 2017- so IF and I mean IF Dayton does join, the timing for them makes sense.

Yes, I do know factual that representative from Big East have been to Dayton in the last two years. I have been to the arena for recruiting and clinics and on a recent visit just before the season started I saw Dayton's AD walk around with two people who had Big East logo shirts on. When I asked who they were, I was told by the UD coach she didn't know what they were doing, but did know several people were there to do a survey of facilities because of the lacrosse program. What does that mean? I have no idea; just guessing. Again, this was back in either August or September.

Again, maybe all of this is nothing; I don't really know. I'm just putting together what I know or have heard from "sources" that everyone else seems to have. Remember, two years ago every media outlet in the world said Dayton and SLU join in 2014 and not too long after that Xavier's AD said the league would expand within five years. Say what you want, but expansion eventually will happen whether it is tomorrow or in ten years; I believe it is inevitable. Who are the teams? No idea, but just a guess says Dayton/St. Louis.

As I said, no I'm not a Dayton fan but root for them in tournaments because I'm a homer for local teams. If Dayton stays in the A10 or goes to the BE won't mean anything to me. Yes, it would be fun to watch the X/UD game because that was a fun game to watch, but other than that, I don't really care. I just think it is funny when I read this board and Xavier fans say Dayton adds nothing to the conference and won't help ratings. I don't think Dayton saves Fox Sports, but if added you can not deny that will add a lot of eye balls to the tv sets and will bring people to MSG for the BE tournament. I realize everyone wants UCONN and Gonzaga, but those are pipe dreams and I typically don't even read the rest of the post when those schools are mentioned because it won't happen...

[_lh]

If Dayton helped the BE or FS1 they would already be in the league. Dayton in fact would not help either and that is why they are not in the BE. It is really not that hard to understand.

Oh, and I don't doubt UD wants in and feels like they are a good fit but that does not mean there is interest on both sides. If the BE called UD today and invited them, UD would accept so if UD is such a great add, why hasn't it happened?

The BE is doing just fine with 10 teams and has no reason to expand past UCONN or Notre Dame.

[marquette]

So we are now taking UConn and UD lacrosse? Man, we are going to be an enormous lacrosse conference.

[Bostonspider]

I agree. I don't mean to sound rude, but everyone always claims to have inside information, and I just don't believe it. I also know for a fact that they have toured Saint Louis and Dayton and during the A10 tournament met with Dr. Curran at UD. I don't know about VCU. As far as inside information, I have none but a gut feeling. That feeling is within three years of the conference starting Saint Louis and Dayton would be added; maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not. A friend of mine coaches girls basketball in Virginia and said that VCU really isn't a candidate, and wanted to start a home and home with Dayton girls basketball program. I heard that back around Thanksgiving, so who knows if that is still in the cards. These are message boards; just take everything with a grain of salt. This I am 100% sure of- the presidents are not going to be looking at these boards to determine which team they select nor are they going to be looking at all of these ridiculous mentions of Uconn dropping football and Gonzaga traveling across the country to play in the BE.

Again, just a gut feeling is that something may happen next year. Dayton is starting their lacrosse program next year and the A10 rumors are they are going after UAB and Sienna to replace Dayton and St. Louis; again just rumors, but everything I have heard are from area coaches which means nothing. These universities in the Big East and expansion candidates are going to play everything close to the vest. What I have heard are the presidents aren't really wanting to expand now, but with ratings low on FS1, Fox is pushing the issue for next year.

The only inside information I have was a direct conversation with President Ayers from UR, who said the Big East had toured all of UR's facilities and he said they were impressed. He too intimated that VCU was NOT a real candidate, and that it was at the time UR, UD and SLU. But as I said, things change.. Maybe the Big East does not want to expand, maybe SLU's crapper of a season has an affect. All in all none of us have any real clue, but as said it is fun to speculate.

P.S. Richmond already has men's and women's Lax... Men just won the regular season of the SoCon and hope to return to the NCAA's for a second consecutive year, in this their second year of a varsity program..

[TBC Alum]

This thread reminds me of the Batley Townswomens Guild's rendition of Pearl Harbor

[gogopuff]

If you use economic theory, the question of whether the conference should expand is quite simple. It's the criteria applied to make the decision that makes it difficult.

If the marginal (think "last") unit is greater than the average unit, then this will raise the average. If the marginal unit is less than the average, then this will bring down the average. So if the BE wants to expand, it needs to find a new team that is better than the average of the current teams in the conference. This will raise its "average".

Now, what criteria do you use? That is up to the decision makers. But unless you can find a team that you believe is above the average (using whatever criteria you decide is important) of the current BE teams (and Fox isn't telling the BE that it has to expand), it makes no sense to expand.

[hoopstar]

The Big East is not doing fine. The results so far with Fox are way below expectations. The basketball no doubt is better and will continue to be, but the conference is too small and will need to expand. Another shakeup is coming and by this time next year there will be two new teams in our league. Here is the main point.... things are not Ok with the network and so far the NEW Big East Marketing wise and on a National scope is a bust. Just facts. It will get better but Fox will not have the patience to let it stay as is.