Big East Conference Expansion Ideas and Discussion

[Edrick]

The Big East isn't expanding now or at anytime in the foreseeable future. I do not understand why people get mad 'debating' something that's just not going to happen.

EVERYONE knows the score. At anytime, the Big East could invite any A-10 to the conference and they'd join. It doesn't require conversation.

The Big East isn't inviting anyone right now because none of those programs are strong enough candidates to upset the status quo. Again, not changing so that also doesn't require conversation.

Will the Big East expand in the next decade? Perhaps Perhaps not. It's gotten so boring. Its just not relevant right now.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketba ... d-big-east

Look back, look ahead: Big East - April, 18, 2014 - By Eamonn Brennan, ESPN.com

Excerpt:

Marquette lost Buzz Williams to Virginia Tech. It hired Duke associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski to replace him.

It was that last move that caused some to wonder about the fate of the reconfigured Big East. Did Williams decide that a league without football wasn't the place to be? Maybe, maybe not; his move probably had just as much to do with personal and individual reasons as anything else.

But the question is nonetheless in the air: Can the new Big East survive? How good will this conference be?

Its first season was dominated by one of the game's greatest-ever offensive players. Next season it'll have its work cut out.

[ohiohsbball]

Apples to Oranges.


....and no they do not and nor is the A10 a threat. If anything, the two strengthen each other because we need to break the perception that only schools that play football can be called "major."

I disagree. How is that apples to oranges? Oregon is on the West coast to strengthen an East coast football league. The same with Gonzaga to an East coast basketball league. The only difference I see is a sh!t tone of money for football with not so much for basketball. Granted the example was a little extreme, but the concept is the same.

As far as the A10, say what you want but yes it is a threat. I know it is only one year, and in the next five years may not be a threat at all, but right now yes it is. The A10 was represented quite well in the NCAA especially with Dayton in the elite 8. I want both leagues to do well, because I agree with you...I want non football leagues to be considered "major." My point is that if the BE wants to be the only elite basketball only conference, they need to squash the A10. In year one, that didn't happen and if the A10 has another year or two of more success, what happens if the "mothership", aka ESPN throws some money to the A10; they are already making a little bit of splash with the announcement of the deal they struck with the ACC. Not making a push for either league, just saying if the BE wants to be the major basketball only league, there is still work to do.

It's Apples to Oranges because you're comparing a team leaving the most prominent conference in two timezones to a team in the freakin' WCC. The reason Gonzaga would even consider leaving is because of the WCC. Oregon leaving the Pac-12 for the SEC? What??

And seriously. What does a "threat" mean? There can only be one Highlander or something? Why can there not be more than 1 successful basketball-only conference? Where is that written? Oh yeah, its what you've been told by ESPN and football schools that want to keep us down and fighting for the scraps. Again, I think both strengthen each other. We need to stop using the phrases the football schools want us to (i.e., BCS, mid-major, P5).

Also, ESPN doesn't have the airspace to offer the A10 and therefore not much of a paycheck.

No it's not apples to oranges. I said the example was extreme, but my point was a west coast team in an east coast league is ridiculous. Not going to happen, and I'll bet anything you want on it.

Yes, there can only be one highlander, at least according to the C7 presidents. If I can find the link, I'll post it, but when this story broke they wanted "an elite basketball centered conference." How can they be elite if other "low-majors", which is was BE fans consider the A10, be just as successful? I want both leagues to excel, I think it is great for college basketball. My point was IF the C7 presidents were true to their word and want to be the only elite basketball league, then they better raid some of the competition from the A10.

And yes, the ESPN deal with the A10 is not as much as Fox with the BE, but ESPN is beginning to throw money out at more conferences since they have no OBE. ESPN just announced they will air all of the ACC/A10 in a couple of years. I'm not saying the A10 is a threat to dethrone the BE, but what I am saying is that the majority of people who watch college basketball watch ESPN, and the BE has little coverage. As a BE fan, maybe I'm hitting the panic button, but I'm concerned about that.

[aughnanure]

I disagree. How is that apples to oranges? Oregon is on the West coast to strengthen an East coast football league. The same with Gonzaga to an East coast basketball league. The only difference I see is a sh!t tone of money for football with not so much for basketball. Granted the example was a little extreme, but the concept is the same.

As far as the A10, say what you want but yes it is a threat. I know it is only one year, and in the next five years may not be a threat at all, but right now yes it is. The A10 was represented quite well in the NCAA especially with Dayton in the elite 8. I want both leagues to do well, because I agree with you...I want non football leagues to be considered "major." My point is that if the BE wants to be the only elite basketball only conference, they need to squash the A10. In year one, that didn't happen and if the A10 has another year or two of more success, what happens if the "mothership", aka ESPN throws some money to the A10; they are already making a little bit of splash with the announcement of the deal they struck with the ACC. Not making a push for either league, just saying if the BE wants to be the major basketball only league, there is still work to do.

It's Apples to Oranges because you're comparing a team leaving the most prominent conference in two timezones to a team in the freakin' WCC. The reason Gonzaga would even consider leaving is because of the WCC. Oregon leaving the Pac-12 for the SEC? What??

And seriously. What does a "threat" mean? There can only be one Highlander or something? Why can there not be more than 1 successful basketball-only conference? Where is that written? Oh yeah, its what you've been told by ESPN and football schools that want to keep us down and fighting for the scraps. Again, I think both strengthen each other. We need to stop using the phrases the football schools want us to (i.e., BCS, mid-major, P5).

Also, ESPN doesn't have the airspace to offer the A10 and therefore not much of a paycheck.

No it's not apples to oranges. I said the example was extreme, but my point was a west coast team in an east coast league is ridiculous. Not going to happen, and I'll bet anything you want on it.

Yes, there can only be one highlander, at least according to the C7 presidents. If I can find the link, I'll post it, but when this story broke they wanted "an elite basketball centered conference." How can they be elite if other "low-majors", which is was BE fans consider the A10, be just as successful? I want both leagues to excel, I think it is great for college basketball. My point was IF the C7 presidents were true to their word and want to be the only elite basketball league, then they better raid some of the competition from the A10.

And yes, the ESPN deal with the A10 is not as much as Fox with the BE, but ESPN is beginning to throw money out at more conferences since they have no OBE. ESPN just announced they will air all of the ACC/A10 in a couple of years. I'm not saying the A10 is a threat to dethrone the BE, but what I am saying is that the majority of people who watch college basketball watch ESPN, and the BE has little coverage. As a BE fan, maybe I'm hitting the panic button, but I'm concerned about that.

You still can't make that comparison. Then the comparison is ONLY geography and I could throw out Hawaii and say you're freaking wrong.

Secondly your quote of the C7 presidents (as though they also spoke at the same time) literally says "AN elite basketball centered conference" not THE. Notice the difference? You're drawing what you want from these statements with your "how can they be elite if other low majors..." and then making assumptions on what BE fans think (which was never that the A10 is low-major!)...seriously, keep building that straw man. If the A10 gets 5 teams in and so does the BE and they each have 2 go to the Elite 8, guess what?! Neither detracted from each other's success. They are NOT mutually exclusive leagues where for one to survive the other must die.

Christ, can we stop acting like enemies. The enemies are the football schools that want to destroy all sports to save their oh so precious pigskin.

I want to see this agreement that ESPN will air "all" A10 games. On what channel ESPN 9? Only ESPN 3 online? Cause it ain't gonna be on ESPN or ESPN 2. FS1 already competes well with ESPN U and will only get better. Seriously, this is not even a legitimate criticism yet - you're drawing multi year conclusions about a network that hasn't been around for a year yet! Read the Paint Touches breakdown. They produced a level-headed analysis of the ratings, and while they weren't great, every month improved for FS1 basketball as opposed to every other sports channel.

[flyerlax06]

I'm not sure I've ever seen the phrase "apples to oranges" used more frequently in two pages of a thread than this one.

[Bill Marsh]

I disagree. How is that apples to oranges? Oregon is on the West coast to strengthen an East coast football league. The same with Gonzaga to an East coast basketball league. The only difference I see is a sh!t tone of money for football with not so much for basketball. Granted the example was a little extreme, but the concept is the same.

As far as the A10, say what you want but yes it is a threat. I know it is only one year, and in the next five years may not be a threat at all, but right now yes it is. The A10 was represented quite well in the NCAA especially with Dayton in the elite 8. I want both leagues to do well, because I agree with you...I want non football leagues to be considered "major." My point is that if the BE wants to be the only elite basketball only conference, they need to squash the A10. In year one, that didn't happen and if the A10 has another year or two of more success, what happens if the "mothership", aka ESPN throws some money to the A10; they are already making a little bit of splash with the announcement of the deal they struck with the ACC. Not making a push for either league, just saying if the BE wants to be the major basketball only league, there is still work to do.

It's Apples to Oranges because you're comparing a team leaving the most prominent conference in two timezones to a team in the freakin' WCC. The reason Gonzaga would even consider leaving is because of the WCC. Oregon leaving the Pac-12 for the SEC? What??

And seriously. What does a "threat" mean? There can only be one Highlander or something? Why can there not be more than 1 successful basketball-only conference? Where is that written? Oh yeah, its what you've been told by ESPN and football schools that want to keep us down and fighting for the scraps. Again, I think both strengthen each other. We need to stop using the phrases the football schools want us to (i.e., BCS, mid-major, P5).

Also, ESPN doesn't have the airspace to offer the A10 and therefore not much of a paycheck.

No it's not apples to oranges. I said the example was extreme, but my point was a west coast team in an east coast league is ridiculous. Not going to happen, and I'll bet anything you want on it.

Yes, there can only be one highlander, at least according to the C7 presidents. If I can find the link, I'll post it, but when this story broke they wanted "an elite basketball centered conference." How can they be elite if other "low-majors", which is was BE fans consider the A10, be just as successful? I want both leagues to excel, I think it is great for college basketball. My point was IF the C7 presidents were true to their word and want to be the only elite basketball league, then they better raid some of the competition from the A10.

And yes, the ESPN deal with the A10 is not as much as Fox with the BE, but ESPN is beginning to throw money out at more conferences since they have no OBE. ESPN just announced they will air all of the ACC/A10 in a couple of years. I'm not saying the A10 is a threat to dethrone the BE, but what I am saying is that the majority of people who watch college basketball watch ESPN, and the BE has little coverage. As a BE fan, maybe I'm hitting the panic button, but I'm concerned about that.

You're going to have to explain what "ridiculous" means because apparently the Gonzaga AD and the people he reports to don't agree with you. If it's okay with them, why should it bother the rest of us?

In every other way, Gonzaga is perfect for the Big East, so the conference should welcome them on board.