McNamara: no Big East expansion; A10 to Dunk?

[gosports1]

A couple of interesting Big East related topics from Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal:

The Big East has tabled any expansion talk and clearly won’t be growing beyond 10 members anytime soon. The reasons are simple: 10 is the perfect basketball scheduling number, the 10-member Big 12 has shown that that number of schools can work splendidly in hoops, and TV partner Fox isn’t demanding any change in inventory.

Providence remains a potential home for the Atlantic 10 Tournament in either 2017 or ’18. The Dunkin’ Donuts Center is in talks for the event and will host a contingent from the league office and URI later this month.

http://www.providencejournal.com/sports ... etball.ece

Thanks for the info.

With URI as the host, the Dunk could actually prove to be a good venue for the A10. Lots to do in Providence during tournament week. The Foxy Lady should be mobbed.

ah, the Foxy Lady! I havent been there since i graduated! my roomate actually ate from the buffet there one time. this was the same guy that would complain if the spaghetti we ate for dinner wasnt "thin"

[ohiohsbball]

Sorry, I don't buy the expansion talk. The deal with the Big12 makes perfect sense especially since both conferences only has two schools. It wasn't long ago Xavier's AD said we are most likely definitely expanding within the next 5 years, and now another AD says it really isn't even on the table yet. I don't really put a lot of stock into what athletic directors say; now if presidents or Fox made the statement, then it would have a little more substance.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I still say expansion happens within the next three years. The BE is doing the right thing by waiting; who knows what will happen with the P5 and as far as the Pac12, I'm not sure they make the cut as a "power conference" unless they expand. With football calling the shots, I don't see how the Big 12 fits in with the other conferences with 14 or maybe going on 16 schools. I'm still convinced it will be the 4X16 that was discussed earlier and the Big 12 will be absorbed into the Pac12 or maybe the BIG. Of course everything is all speculation, and when 2020 rolls around, we all maybe wrong.

Everything is settled for 2014-2015 and maybe 2015-2016, but after that realignment may be strong again depending on how the football deals shake out.

[gosports1]

So does that end the HLOH's expansion debates for the rest of the summer?

Was there really a legit debate? No one in their right mind thought it was going to expand off the initial 10.

I honestly expected SLU to be invited. especially after Creighton got in during first round. Of course everyone says "we"re not looking to expand" so it doesnt mean the BE never will. I like the home and home but i am disapointed about SLU

[Xudash]

Sorry, I don't buy the expansion talk. The deal with the Big12 makes perfect sense especially since both conferences only has two schools. It wasn't long ago Xavier's AD said we are most likely definitely expanding within the next 5 years, and now another AD says it really isn't even on the table yet. I don't really put a lot of stock into what athletic directors say; now if presidents or Fox made the statement, then it would have a little more substance.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I still say expansion happens within the next three years. The BE is doing the right thing by waiting; who knows what will happen with the P5 and as far as the Pac12, I'm not sure they make the cut as a "power conference" unless they expand. With football calling the shots, I don't see how the Big 12 fits in with the other conferences with 14 or maybe going on 16 schools. I'm still convinced it will be the 4X16 that was discussed earlier and the Big 12 will be absorbed into the Pac12 or maybe the BIG. Of course everything is all speculation, and when 2020 rolls around, we all maybe wrong.

Everything is settled for 2014-2015 and maybe 2015-2016, but after that realignment may be strong again depending on how the football deals shake out.

Notwithstanding anything Greg Christopher has publicly stated, which of his own admission was mostly information that had already been bantered about out there, there is no reason to believe that the Big East isn't sincere in its desire to hold at 10 schools for now. The 10 schools are growing comfortably together. The round robin league format is a plus. Importantly, Fox is just fine with the Big East at 10 teams, and it otherwise is going about the business of building itself out. And there presently are no compelling existing expansion candidates as measured against the Big East's desire for national brands.

That brings me to your bolded statement. IF the football elite move to the 4 x 16 format, some existing teams - UCONN, UC, Memphis, Temple, perhaps even BC - will be boxed out from the big money football opportunity. The Big East isn't expanding right now because it doesn't have to expand and because it perceives the possibility of entertaining interesting expansion candidates down the road. So, I don't know when it happens, but I agree with you that the trigger point remains focused on actions having to do with football.

[aughnanure]

Think the problem with any scheduling arrangement is that the Pac 12 home games would not be automatcially on FS1. ESPN would get it's share of Pac 12 games with their contract with them. You can bet if there's a Georgetown/UCLA game for instance ESPN is going to want that. Same with say Villanova/Arizona.

It will be based on who the home team is. Like this year, Wisconsin-Marquette will be Fox's to air.

[stever20]

Think the problem with any scheduling arrangement is that the Pac 12 home games would not be automatcially on FS1. ESPN would get it's share of Pac 12 games with their contract with them. You can bet if there's a Georgetown/UCLA game for instance ESPN is going to want that. Same with say Villanova/Arizona.

It will be based on who the home team is. Like this year, Wisconsin-Marquette will be Fox's to air.

Right. I get that. But I think some folks on here think that if we do a Pac 12/Big East challenge type thing, Fox would have rights on both sides since they have the Pac 12. My point is Fox shares their Pac 12 coverage with ESPN, and ESPN would want some of those games. It's not going to be Fox gets everything in it.

[GumbyDamnit!]

I don't care who gets the games that eventually wind up in the prime slots. We all want Fox to do well but if ESPN lobbies for some of those games they are basically conceding that there is high interest in BE teams. I'd be just fine with Nova playing 4-5 games on ESPN or CBS or whatever national broadcast, and the rest on Fox. As long as they get on a national channel where I can see them in HD and recruits can check in on the game, I'm good.

[stever20]

the thing that is tough with a Pac 12 challenge besides the tv is the time for the road games. If we're lucky we get 9pm et starts(maybe a 8pm road start at Utah or Arizona).

Our schedules could start looking very difficult OOC- much more so than it used to be. I mean, P12, B10 challenges, 3 exempt games. Right there 5 tough OOC games. Plus then at least 1-2 other tough games. Could see more teams entering conference play like Marquette at like 8-5 if not even 7-6. Going to make things where if they are only 9-9 in conference play, they're looking at a 16-15 or 17-14 record, and that generally isn't going to be even close to sniffing a NCAA bid, even with the tough SOS.

[FriarJ]

The A-10 tourney would do great in Providence. Should be able to sell out. Bill-- nice shout out to the Foxy...
I first got in the doors there on my 21st birthday years ago... but haven't been there in a long time...

I think other big items in the article were that (1) the Big East is in the process of putting together a scheduling arrangement with the Pac-12, and feeding off that, (2) the Big East and Fox believe that the better strategy and higher-priority at this point is to improve OOC scheduling in November and December.

Think the problem with any scheduling arrangement is that the Pac 12 home games would not be automatcially on FS1. ESPN would get it's share of Pac 12 games with their contract with them. You can bet if there's a Georgetown/UCLA game for instance ESPN is going to want that. Same with say Villanova/Arizona.

You make it sound like you know this for fact, but you don't know actually. FS1 has a contract with the PAC12 and many games are on the Pac12 network as well. Espn will be a small player in this just like the B1G/BE but even smaller. Fox knows what they are doing.

[stever20]

The A-10 tourney would do great in Providence. Should be able to sell out. Bill-- nice shout out to the Foxy...
I first got in the doors there on my 21st birthday years ago... but haven't been there in a long time...

I think other big items in the article were that (1) the Big East is in the process of putting together a scheduling arrangement with the Pac-12, and feeding off that, (2) the Big East and Fox believe that the better strategy and higher-priority at this point is to improve OOC scheduling in November and December.

Think the problem with any scheduling arrangement is that the Pac 12 home games would not be automatcially on FS1. ESPN would get it's share of Pac 12 games with their contract with them. You can bet if there's a Georgetown/UCLA game for instance ESPN is going to want that. Same with say Villanova/Arizona.

You make it sound like you know this for fact, but you don't know actually. FS1 has a contract with the PAC12 and many games are on the Pac12 network as well. Espn will be a small player in this just like the B1G/BE but even smaller. Fox knows what they are doing.

FS1 has a contract with Pac 12 but ESPN does as well. I would guess if it's a 8 game challenge, ESPN would get 2 of the Pac 12 home games.

There is no way to say for sure that ESPN would be a smaller player in this challenge than they were the Big Ten one. Also, I would say that even if it's the same logistics as Big Ten, it's still a win for Fox, in that they get 4 better BE OOC games home. Anything is better than some of the drek that was on last year quite frankly.