Big East Conference Expansion Ideas and Discussion

[BillikensWin]

I think that in light of attendance at the tournament, priorities have to be reevaluated. Don't get me wrong, attendance was good. Not much different than it was last time that the Big East had 10 teams. But that was 20 years ago and it is a more competitive market place. I think that the ability to sell tickets to the tournament will rise in importance and with it will the candidacy of schools like VCU and Dayton.

Distinctly possible. Dayton is certainly putting themselves in a much more favorable position with this run they're on. There is a strong chance that Creighton's numbers will be down some for the tournament next year, barring an excellent season. Marquette's attendance numbers will be down next season, unless we make an amazing hire. The novelty may have worn off a little for Xavier, but maybe not. We will need to get those numbers from somewhere. VCU and Dayton both travel well and could potentially be a decent boost for next year.

I still see SLU as #11, so I don't think both UD and VCU is a possibility.

if the conference were to expand now, I don't see how they could add St Louis. They haven't done anything special enough to rest on their laurels and they promise to be a real dud on the court next year, given that they are graduating their entire starting lineup and don't have anything special lined up in this year's recruiting class - or on their bench either. They could be expected to struggle far more than Butler has. I don't see how that would enhance any of the challenges that are facing the conference in terms of TV ratings or ticket sales at MSG. VCU and Dayton have far more promising prospects moving forward.

You don't know anything about Saint Louis. Admit that and move on. Expected to struggle...by who, people like you?
SLU won the last 2 Atlantic 10 titles with no highly ranked recruits. So that argument is irrelevant too. Geography doesn't much matter these days since the invention of the airplane. I think VCU would be a great add because they are a great basketball team. I have no problem with VCU and Dayton. I do have a problem with people trashing Saint Louis.

[Bill Marsh]

Distinctly possible. Dayton is certainly putting themselves in a much more favorable position with this run they're on. There is a strong chance that Creighton's numbers will be down some for the tournament next year, barring an excellent season. Marquette's attendance numbers will be down next season, unless we make an amazing hire. The novelty may have worn off a little for Xavier, but maybe not. We will need to get those numbers from somewhere. VCU and Dayton both travel well and could potentially be a decent boost for next year.

I still see SLU as #11, so I don't think both UD and VCU is a possibility.

if the conference were to expand now, I don't see how they could add St Louis. They haven't done anything special enough to rest on their laurels and they promise to be a real dud on the court next year, given that they are graduating their entire starting lineup and don't have anything special lined up in this year's recruiting class - or on their bench either. They could be expected to struggle far more than Butler has. I don't see how that would enhance any of the challenges that are facing the conference in terms of TV ratings or ticket sales at MSG. VCU and Dayton have far more promising prospects moving forward.

You don't know anything about Saint Louis. Admit that and move on. Expected to struggle...by who, people like you?
SLU won the last 2 Atlantic 10 titles with no highly ranked recruits. So that argument is irrelevant too. Geography doesn't much matter these days since the invention of the airplane. I think VCU would be a great add because they are a great basketball team. I have no problem with VCU and Dayton. I do have a problem with people trashing Saint Louis.

Not trashing St Louis. Telling it like it is.

While you're looking in the rear view mirror at the recent past, I'm looking ahead. St Louis is losing their entire starting 5 and they have not been bringing. In Big East caliber recruits. So, why should anyone expect them to be competitive.

I'm concerned about improving attendance at the big east tournament. VCU and Dayton are. Much more favorable additions to accomplish this. VCU has the location and a sizable student body. Dayton has their rabid fan base as demonstrated by much higher home attendance and are 350 miles closer to MSG than St Louis.

[BillikensWin]

Fox is going to want media markets, and St. Louis, Missouri is one of the larger ones out there. The ability to have higher ratings year-round is more important than the conference tournament. 12 teams (no matter who they are) are going to outdraw 10 whether they come from St. Louis, Dayton, Richmond, or Spokane.

I think there was a discussion in here at the beginning of the season that newcomers may or may not have seen the conference tournament in the same light as the holdover Big East schools.

Endgame, I don't think the Big East expands...as many of you have said, there's no reason to break up the round robin schedule.

[augkash]

If Rick Majerus was still here he would not go to the Big East.

Rick Majerus has made it clear he's not very happy with St. Louis' decision to join the Atlantic 10. He thinks the travel requirements -- SLU has to fly to the east coast for most of its away games -- are costing his players valuable academic time. It might also have something to do with Majerus not liking to travel, or at least disliking the idea of traveling commercial.

Still, though, the man has a point, and he's not backing down. Quite the contrary. Majerus is going for broke:

"The answer is, first, get the hell out of the league," a calm but clearly annoyed Majerus said afterward. "Most successful people in life make mistakes and say, 'You know what, I made a mistake and I'm not going to let that happen again.' So, the school is afraid to say they made a mistake, that's all."

Majerus' contention isn't with the A-10, which he called a "good league, with great venues and really great players," rather with SLU's place in it. His beef is that the Billikens (15-8, 6-3 A-10), in their fifth season in the A-10, are missing too much class time. And, with the second major snowstorm in four days hitting Philadelphia on Tuesday night, SLU's long trip probably will continue. St. Louis didn't expect to depart this morning for home as scheduled and might not leave until Friday.

"I would rather have lost both games," said Majerus, who earlier this season said the Missouri Valley Conference would be a better fit for SLU. "Nothing means more to me than the academic success of our players. We have compromised our players' academic success and we have put them behind a big 8-ball. Even if it was the best of weather, we're missing an entire week of school."


So, yeah, in case you were wondering, Majerus isn't budging. He'd like to be out of the A-10 and in the Missouri Valley, and he's not afraid to tell the SLU powers that be. Again. And again. And again. Whether they're listening -- and whether they'll actually consider the move a viable option -- is another matter entirely.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... ng-on-a-10

[BillikensWin]

If Rick Majerus was still here he would not go to the Big East.

Rick Majerus has made it clear he's not very happy with St. Louis' decision to join the Atlantic 10. He thinks the travel requirements -- SLU has to fly to the east coast for most of its away games -- are costing his players valuable academic time. It might also have something to do with Majerus not liking to travel, or at least disliking the idea of traveling commercial.

Still, though, the man has a point, and he's not backing down. Quite the contrary. Majerus is going for broke:

"The answer is, first, get the hell out of the league," a calm but clearly annoyed Majerus said afterward. "Most successful people in life make mistakes and say, 'You know what, I made a mistake and I'm not going to let that happen again.' So, the school is afraid to say they made a mistake, that's all."

Majerus' contention isn't with the A-10, which he called a "good league, with great venues and really great players," rather with SLU's place in it. His beef is that the Billikens (15-8, 6-3 A-10), in their fifth season in the A-10, are missing too much class time. And, with the second major snowstorm in four days hitting Philadelphia on Tuesday night, SLU's long trip probably will continue. St. Louis didn't expect to depart this morning for home as scheduled and might not leave until Friday.

"I would rather have lost both games," said Majerus, who earlier this season said the Missouri Valley Conference would be a better fit for SLU. "Nothing means more to me than the academic success of our players. We have compromised our players' academic success and we have put them behind a big 8-ball. Even if it was the best of weather, we're missing an entire week of school."


So, yeah, in case you were wondering, Majerus isn't budging. He'd like to be out of the A-10 and in the Missouri Valley, and he's not afraid to tell the SLU powers that be. Again. And again. And again. Whether they're listening -- and whether they'll actually consider the move a viable option -- is another matter entirely.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... ng-on-a-10

Rick Majerus hated the A-10. He also hated Lawrence Biondi, the President who put SLU in the A-10. It was actually some pretty good high drama when Majerus would piss off Biondi because he knew that Biondi couldn't fire him. There are some SLU fans who think the Missouri Valley is a better league than the Atlantic 10 even now.

Coach Majerus is the only reason we're having any conversation at all about the Big East, so I won't begrudge the man his opinion.

[Jet915]

If Rick Majerus was still here he would not go to the Big East.

Rick Majerus has made it clear he's not very happy with St. Louis' decision to join the Atlantic 10. He thinks the travel requirements -- SLU has to fly to the east coast for most of its away games -- are costing his players valuable academic time. It might also have something to do with Majerus not liking to travel, or at least disliking the idea of traveling commercial.

Still, though, the man has a point, and he's not backing down. Quite the contrary. Majerus is going for broke:

"The answer is, first, get the hell out of the league," a calm but clearly annoyed Majerus said afterward. "Most successful people in life make mistakes and say, 'You know what, I made a mistake and I'm not going to let that happen again.' So, the school is afraid to say they made a mistake, that's all."

Majerus' contention isn't with the A-10, which he called a "good league, with great venues and really great players," rather with SLU's place in it. His beef is that the Billikens (15-8, 6-3 A-10), in their fifth season in the A-10, are missing too much class time. And, with the second major snowstorm in four days hitting Philadelphia on Tuesday night, SLU's long trip probably will continue. St. Louis didn't expect to depart this morning for home as scheduled and might not leave until Friday.

"I would rather have lost both games," said Majerus, who earlier this season said the Missouri Valley Conference would be a better fit for SLU. "Nothing means more to me than the academic success of our players. We have compromised our players' academic success and we have put them behind a big 8-ball. Even if it was the best of weather, we're missing an entire week of school."


So, yeah, in case you were wondering, Majerus isn't budging. He'd like to be out of the A-10 and in the Missouri Valley, and he's not afraid to tell the SLU powers that be. Again. And again. And again. Whether they're listening -- and whether they'll actually consider the move a viable option -- is another matter entirely.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... ng-on-a-10

Not so sure he wouldn't favor going to the Big East compared to the A-10. The travel might even be better in the Big East.

[BillikensWin]

If Rick Majerus was still here he would not go to the Big East.

Rick Majerus has made it clear he's not very happy with St. Louis' decision to join the Atlantic 10. He thinks the travel requirements -- SLU has to fly to the east coast for most of its away games -- are costing his players valuable academic time. It might also have something to do with Majerus not liking to travel, or at least disliking the idea of traveling commercial.

Still, though, the man has a point, and he's not backing down. Quite the contrary. Majerus is going for broke:

"The answer is, first, get the hell out of the league," a calm but clearly annoyed Majerus said afterward. "Most successful people in life make mistakes and say, 'You know what, I made a mistake and I'm not going to let that happen again.' So, the school is afraid to say they made a mistake, that's all."

Majerus' contention isn't with the A-10, which he called a "good league, with great venues and really great players," rather with SLU's place in it. His beef is that the Billikens (15-8, 6-3 A-10), in their fifth season in the A-10, are missing too much class time. And, with the second major snowstorm in four days hitting Philadelphia on Tuesday night, SLU's long trip probably will continue. St. Louis didn't expect to depart this morning for home as scheduled and might not leave until Friday.

"I would rather have lost both games," said Majerus, who earlier this season said the Missouri Valley Conference would be a better fit for SLU. "Nothing means more to me than the academic success of our players. We have compromised our players' academic success and we have put them behind a big 8-ball. Even if it was the best of weather, we're missing an entire week of school."


So, yeah, in case you were wondering, Majerus isn't budging. He'd like to be out of the A-10 and in the Missouri Valley, and he's not afraid to tell the SLU powers that be. Again. And again. And again. Whether they're listening -- and whether they'll actually consider the move a viable option -- is another matter entirely.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... ng-on-a-10

Not so sure he wouldn't favor going to the Big East compared to the A-10. The travel might even be better in the Big East.

It would be. Creighton, X, and Butler are shorter trips than what he was complaining about. Xavier was in the league at that time, so I guess they don't "count" in regards to this discussion. I don't think anyone saw the A-10 rising like it did though.

[augkash]

I loved rick mejerus. I was at a basketball camp when I was in 9th grade and he was there I think he was the coach at ball state. He found out that I was from Dayton and he found me and talk to me for about hour about Dayton and basketball. What a classy guy

[NJRedman]

The difference in regards to Majerus's comments is that moving from the A-10 to MVC would be around the same amount of money. Going from the A-10 to the Big East is a HUGE jump in money. Like 20+X's the amount of money just from TV money alone. Then throw in the uptick in ticket sales and the better exposure to potential students and it's a no brainer for them if an invite ever comes. Just like no matter how badly things go for any of the new schools, for example say Butler becomes the new DePaul, they will never voluntarily leave the conference just because the money coming in would be to great to give up.

[HoosierPal]

if the conference were to expand now, I don't see how they could add St Louis. They haven't done anything special enough to rest on their laurels and they promise to be a real dud on the court next year, given that they are graduating their entire starting lineup and don't have anything special lined up in this year's recruiting class - or on their bench either. They could be expected to struggle far more than Butler has. I don't see how that would enhance any of the challenges that are facing the conference in terms of TV ratings or ticket sales at MSG. VCU and Dayton have far more promising prospects moving forward.

I certainly hope that the league is not so desperate that they are scouring next year's rosters, looking at who graduated how many seniors and determining bench strength as criteria for possible expansion candidates. If we are that short sighted, this league is doomed. You have to think long term and not have some knee jerk reaction to a bad NCAA tourney this year.

This line of thinking is for one year contracts, not long term relationships.